Effects of tourism on well-being from the perspective of key actors: a scoping review

Tourism generates both positive and negative impacts, affecting the well-being of various stakeholders such as tourists, residents, workers, and governments. The effects include economic growth, infrastructure, and employment, but also environmental and social problems. Related literature reviews are scarce and have concentrated on separately identifying the relationship between tourism and the well-being of tourists or residents. This study seeks to examine the link between tourism activities, their effects and the well-being of the different actors involved in the production or consumption of tourism goods and services. Through an inductive methodological approach, a scoping review was conducted based on 89 studies published between 2014 and 2024. Articles were selected that assessed well-being from quantitative, qualitative, and mixed perspectives, focusing on key actors in the tourism system. Significant well-being effects were identified for tourists, who experience temporary improvements in life satisfaction due to tourism experiences. Residents show both positive and negative impacts on their quality of life, while workers and governments have been less studied. Tourism well-being should be understood as a multidimensional phenomenon that affects various stakeholders in an interrelated manner. It is recommended to design public policies that integrate the interests of all key stakeholders to maximize the benefits of tourism and minimize its negative externalities.