From Attractions to Mental Wellbeing? A Content Analysis of Bali Tourism Promotion on Digital Platforms

Abstract

The growing mental health crisis globally and nationally has positioned tourism as a potential mechanism for psychological recovery and wellbeing enhancement. Previous studies have highlighted tourism’s role in reducing stress, improving emotional states, and fostering both hedonic and eudaimonic wellbeing. However, limited research has examined how these benefits are represented in tourism marketing communication. This study aims to analyze the extent to which Bali tourism promotion incorporates mental health and wellbeing narratives. Using a quantitative content analysis approach, this study examines 200 promotional contents of Bali tourism published on the Traveloka platform. The analysis is based on three dimensions: non-wellbeing framing, hedonic wellbeing, and eudaimonic wellbeing. The findings reveal that Bali tourism promotion is predominantly dominated by non-wellbeing framing, particularly through descriptive representations of natural beauty and cultural attractions. While hedonic wellbeing elements (such as relaxation and escape) appear moderately, eudaimonic wellbeing, including spirituality, self-reflection, and meaning-making, is almost entirely absent. These results indicate a significant gap between the theoretical potential of tourism as a mental health investment and its practical representation in digital marketing. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that mental health narratives are not yet fully integrated into tourism promotion strategies.