Author(s): Neera Jain
This study explores the antecedents of spiritual tourism and factors that influence the achievement of transcendence. This phenomenological study analysed in-depth interviews with 18 spiritual tourism seekers and reveals that the quest for a higher purpose arises from a profound existential ruptures that shatter existing identity structures and create an urgent need for meaning-making that conventional coping mechanisms cannot address. This study proposes a framework to understand the pathway from crisis to transcendence, moderated by social validation, digital media, affordability, self-determination, age, and authenticity. This research bridges studies in tourism, existential psychology, and identity, revealing spiritual tourism as a meaning-making and identity reconstruction process. The findings extend the identity transition work and traditional price sensitivity models through the introduction of additional concepts. For practitioners, the study highlights the importance of crisis-specific programming and integration support systems. This research contributes to ongoing theoretical discussions about transformative tourism while providing actionable insights for spiritual tourism destinations, travel operators, and policymakers.