On the Road to Transformation: How Self-Drive Tourism Transforms Travelers

Self-drive tourism, with its emphasis on traveler autonomy, independence, and engagement, plays a critical role in facilitating personal transformation. This study examines the transformative effects of self-drive tourism on travelers. Building on the concepts of experience and transformation economies, it highlights how tourism can transcend providing emotional experiences to foster deeper lifestyle transformations. In recent years, research on this topic has been conducted under the umbrella of transformational tourism. Tourism types such as volunteer tourism and studying abroad transform tourists through diverse experiences at their destinations. However, transformational tourism in the context of travel experiences between destinations remains underexplored. This study adopts a descriptive and interpretive narrative approach, using a semi-structured interview survey for data collection and analysis. The findings identify key factors driving tourist transformation: spontaneity, novel experiences, challenges, cultural shocks, and deep interpersonal connections formed during the journey. Notably, the confined space of cars in self-drive tourism promotes reflection, communication, and problem-solving, which are essential for sparking self-transformation. Additionally, traveling to multiple destinations provides continuous opportunities for reflection and learning, creating a cycle of action that supports ongoing personal transformations. The study further reveals that independence, problem-solving skills (such as handling car trouble or navigating unfamiliar routes), and interactions with travel companions significantly contribute to self-improvement. These experiences are closely tied to tourists’ pursuit of authenticity, which amplifies their transformation by the journey’s end. The findings contribute to the implementation of transformational tourism by identifying the mechanisms facilitating transformation in self-drive tourism. These insights are crucial for developing targeted marketing strategies aimed at consumers seeking not only adventure but also meaningful, transformative experiences. By understanding the factors that promote personal transformation, tourism providers can create authentic and engaging offerings to meet the growing demand for transformation-driven tourism.