Since January 2023 Dr Demos Parapanos, Lecturer in Tourism Managment at University of Cumbria, has been collaborating with New Forest Escapes, a successful B Corp based in Nottingham, to pioneer a social innovation project seeking to understand whether sustainable holidays make us happier.
The term Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a famous measure of financial success, though it fails to measure other impacts such as ‘the good in the world’ achieved by a country.
Demos explains: "This research project is looking to investigate the factors affecting visitors’ happiness and well-being as a result of staying in a sustainable place. We hope to answer questions such as ‘How much is holiday happiness linked to what the holiday business owners provide?’ ‘How much do guests' individual experiences or the weather contribute?’ and ‘How does a sustainable home add to guests' experiences of holiday happiness?’
"We hope to find out whether guests’ happiness can be positively affected by holiday accommodation owners ‘doing the right thing’ and delivering greener- living holidays in a positive way."
Further information about this collaborative research is available on the New Forest Escapes website.
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