Transformative workcations in coastal tourism destinations

Reference-dependent place attachment and loss aversion in future travel intentions

Bibliographic Data

ID21689558
AuthorsAbhinav Sharma (0000-0002-2008-0998, Florida State University), Juan L Nicolau (0000-0003-0048-2823, Virginia Tech), Hakseung Shin (0000-0002-9209-7430, Hanyang University, corresponding author), Yujeong Jo (0009-0003-4154-5787, Hanyang University)
Year2026
Publication date2026-04-08
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTourism Economics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1354-8166 • E-ISSN: 2044-0375
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/13548166261441017
OpenAlexW7151773152
LanguageEN
References cited69

This study analyzes the role of place attachment in influencing workcationers’ future intentions to revisit a destination, either for future workcations or leisure travel. Building on self-determination theory, transformative tourism, and reference dependence theory, this study argues that transformative experiences in coastal workcations foster place attachment, which subsequently drives behavioral intentions. Importantly, place attachment is conceptualized as reference-dependent, meaning travelers evaluate their emotional connection to a destination relative to psychographic or demographic peer groups. The results demonstrate that place attachment fully mediates the relationship between transformation and intentions under psychographic segmentation and partially mediates it under demographic segmentation. Findings reveal a loss aversion effect, where below-average attachment (attachment loss) has a stronger negative impact than above-average attachment (attachment gain). This study highlights place attachment’s pivotal role in understanding how travelers’ psychological bonds with coastal destinations form and influence their future choices

Destinations · Loss aversion · Personality · Place attachment · Psychographic · Tourism · Transformative learning · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Place Attachment and Urban Studies · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management

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