Music-Based Relaxation in Community Wellness Tourism: Effects on Elderly Tourists’ Experience and Well-Being in Thailand
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Abstract
This study aimed to 1) develop music relaxation activities for community-based wellness tourism and 2) evaluate their impact on elderly tourists' experiences and well-being. A mixed-methods approach was employed: 1) music activity development utilized focus group discussions with 16 stakeholders from wellness tourism communities in Bang Luang Market Community and Ban Hua Ao Community, Nakhon Pathom Province. Participants were selected through non-probability purposive sampling based on expertise in wellness tourism or music therapy. Data analysis employed content analysis, and 2) activity evaluation was conducted with 400 elderly tourists. The research instrument comprised a questionnaire assessing tourists' experiential outcomes and well-being post-participation in community-based wellness tourism activities. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics, including means and standard deviations.
Findings revealed that: 1) The developed music relaxation activity, titled "Retreat," applied music psychology principles with a tempo of 76 BPM corresponding to normal heart rate, employed consonant sounds avoiding tension, and featured an ABA' structure in G major with a 4/4 time signature. A "4 Pitched Percussion" instrument was created from brass with four pitch levels (G-D and G-D separated by one octave), designed using only common tones harmonizing with all chords, enabling participation without musical knowledge. 2) Tourists reported high overall satisfaction with the music and relaxation activities, with the mental dimension rated most positively, followed by environmental, physical, and spiritual aspects. Across well-being outcomes, activities had a strong impact on holistic wellness, particularly enhancing hedonic well-being, alongside notable improvements in eudaimonic, physical, and social well-being.
The research contributed the CALMS model—comprising Common Tone Stability, Appropriate Tempo, Low Dissonance Design, Merging Community Wisdom, and Shared Participation—as a novel theoretical framework for music-based wellness tourism.
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