Enhancing wellness tourism through self-service user interaction experiences: impacts on value and subjective wellbeing

Purpose This study aims to investigate how self-service user interaction experiences (SSUIE) influence consumer outcomes in wellness tourism. It examines the roles of perceived competence, sense of closeness, interaction comfort and pleasant experience in shaping perceived wellness value (hedonic and utilitarian), customer satisfaction, subjective well-being (SWB) and behavioral intentions. In addition, the study explores the moderating effect of generational differences on these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 230 wellness travelers with recent experience using self-service technologies in wellness tourism contexts. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships, and multi-group analysis was conducted to examine generational variations. Findings SSUIE significantly enhances both hedonic and utilitarian value. Interaction comfort and pleasant experience primarily influence hedonic value, while perceived competence and sense of closeness contribute to utilitarian value. Hedonic value has a stronger impact on customer satisfaction and SWB, which subsequently drive behavioral intentions. Generational analysis reveals that Boomers emphasize perceived competence, Millennials value relational closeness and Gen Z responds most to comfort and pleasantness. Practical implications The findings suggest that wellness tourism providers should design self-service technologies that are intuitive, emotionally supportive and easy to navigate to enhance both hedonic and utilitarian wellness value. Tailoring features to generational preferences, including functional reliability for Boomers, relational elements for Millennials and comfort-focused design for Gen Z, can strengthen engagement. Originality/value This study advances the understanding of SSUIE by linking digital user experiences to wellness-related outcomes and introducing a generational perspective. The results offer actionable insights for wellness tourism providers aiming to optimize service delivery and enhance consumer engagement through personalized, technology-enabled interactions.