When commodification enables transformation in tourism: a case study of mindfulness retreats at Plum village

Purpose This study aims to examine how commodification is interpreted and experienced within mindfulness retreats and explores how commodified structures may facilitate transformative experiences, moving beyond the conventional binary opposition between market and spirituality. Design/methodology/approach Adopting an interpretive qualitative case study approach, the study draws on 27 semistructured in-depth interviews with retreat participants at Plum Village, France and Plum Village, Thailand. Data were complemented by field observations and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings The findings indicate that perceptions of commodification evolve across the experiential trajectory of three participant groups. Before the retreat, financial costs are perceived as a motivational driver that enhances readiness for transformation. During the retreat, commodification operates as an organizational infrastructure, manifested through schedules, rules, spatial arrangements, services and the community of practice, thereby enabling deep and sustained transformative experiences. Following the retreat, participants across all groups interpret organizational structures and financial contributions as supportive mechanisms for maintaining practice and community connection, extending transformative effects beyond the short-term retreat experience. Originality/value This study reconceptualizes commodification as a dynamic ethical–social process, thereby enriching theoretical discussions in transformative tourism and critical mindfulness studies.