ABSTRACT
The fi nal chapter summarises and synthesises the beginning of a relationship between the fi elds of tourism and positive psychology. Like most incipient liaisons, the future of tourism and positive psychology is unknown. Yet at this early stage it looks bright and promising. While sceptics might predict its quick demise as many new initial pairings fail, it is evident from the preceding chapters that there are many adhesive synchronicities between the two fi elds of study. The concept of wellbeing, whether interpreted hedonically, eudaimonically, in a momentary or a refl ective manner, is central to both fi elds. Beginning with the introductory discussion on the history of psychology and tourism scholarship, and then through the sections on satisfaction, time and ethics, the analyses of consumption and materialism as forces underlying tourism and the physical and human capital which serves tourism, it was shown that the positive psychology-tourism symbiosis provides fresh perspectives on well-being.
