NEWS

A co-authored paper by Professor VAFADARI M. Kazem of the College of Sustainability and Tourism, titled “Enhancing Travel Experiences for Tourists With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Insights From the Constraint-Effects-Mitigation Model,” has been published in the　International Journal of Tourism Research. This study was conducted in collaboration with Associate Professor LAI Michael Tin Hang of Saint Francis University in Hong Kong and Dr. ORIBE Motohiro, a rheumatology specialist.

This research analyzed the relationships among health-related constraints, coping strategies (individual adaptations), and travel motivation among tourists with rheumatoid arthritis. The results revealed that travel motivation is influenced by both “involvement in travel” and “individual coping strategies,” with coping strategies playing a particularly significant role.

While previous tourism studies have primarily focused on infrastructure development and safety, the inconveniences and barriers faced by individuals with chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis during travel have not been sufficiently examined. The findings of this study provide important insights for better understanding this emerging market of travelers with chronic illnesses and offer valuable implications for policy and practice in the tourism sector.

Read the article here

Read Professor VAFADARI’s faculty profile here