Designing biophilic hospitality retreats: a salutogenic approach to preventive mental health through nature-integrated stays

Abstract

Nature-based tourism is poised to serve as a platform for human wellness and sustainable development. However, its possible role in preventive mental health has not been theorized in ecotourism scholarship. Drawing on biophilic design theory and a salutogenic approach, this note elaborates on a four-pillar framework to describe how biophilic hospitality retreats can promote preventive mental health outcomes. This framework determines that sensory restoration, circadian rhythm alignment, eco-psychological involvement, and embodied nature practices are interrelated processes contributing to the relationship between nature-integrated tourism experiences and psychological resilience. This note positions biophilic retreats within broader discussions on ecological integrity and regenerative tourism, where poorly managed developments may cause socio-economic marginalization. This note adds valuable insights to ecotourism research by providing conceptual clarity through translating biophilic principles into analytically discrete yet operationally operational pillars. This framework adds to ecotourism theory by rebranding nature-based hospitality as an ethically grounded approach to preventive mental health, environmental responsibility, and inclusive wellness.