Conceptualising a tourism consumption-based typology of yoga travellers. (July 2022) - Nautiyal, Rajesh
Abstract: This paper proposes a new conceptualisation for understanding yoga tourism through a refined typology of yoga travellers. After an extensive literature review, we employed a typological analysis method to evaluate six existing yet diverse yoga typologies. This conceptual paper proposes that yoga travellers can be understood through a new typology with seven categories informed by the Theory of Tourism Consumption. This typology proposes the following types of yoga travellers: Culture Focused Yoga Traveller (CFYT), Initiator, Explorer, Masters, Spirituality Focused Yoga Traveller (SFYT), Philomath Yoga Traveller (PYT), and finally, the Indulgent Yoga Traveller (IYT). This consumption-based perspective can inform and facilitate product development in yoga destinations through a refined understanding of the travel behaviour of yoga tourists. Highlights: Offers a new, consumption-based typology of yoga travellers. Advances a behaviouristic approach for tourism-specific segmentation. Updates the definition of yoga travellers in the contemporary context. Suggests yoga tourism product development in yoga destinations.