A phenomenological study on the travel preparation experience: Focusing on van Manen’s hermeneutic approach

This study explores the essence of travel preparation experiences from a hermeneutic phenomenological perspective, highlighting their intrinsic value beyond mere planning. By adopting a phenomenological attitude rooted in the concept of freedom, it critically examines the existential question, “Where does a true journey begin” Using van Manen’s framework, the study reveals that travel preparation integrates temporality, corporeality, spatiality, and relationality, harmoniously restructuring self-other relationships and initiating an existential journey toward a universal self. This research reframes travel preparation as a process that recovers the essential values of tourism and opens new pathways for understanding travel experiences. The findings provide both practical and theoretical implications for the tourism field.