Stress and mindfulness in nature-based tourism: An integrated model of restoration and coping

Contact with nature, including nature-based tourism, is an acknowledged strategy for psychological restoration. However, the recovery pathway from stress to quality of life in relation to nature-based tourism remains underexplored. This research proposes and evaluates a model that integrating the transactional model of stress and coping, the broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, and attention restoration theory. A survey of 347 national park visitors in Korea revealed that stress significantly affects emotion regulation and perceived restorative environments, which in turn enhance recovery experiences, satisfaction, and quality of life. Multi-group analysis showed that these effects were significantly stronger among individuals with high mindfulness. These findings highlight mindfulness as a key moderating factor and offer theoretical and practical insights regarding how nature-based experiences can support psychological well-being.