Tea drinking and the tastescapes of wellbeing in tourism

Tea drinking in tourist destinations can significantly contribute to wellbeing by fostering spatial, temporal, and social connections. The concept of 'tastescapes' highlights how tea activities in places like Lijiang Old Town create closeness to nature, slow down life's rhythm, and build social bonds through shared experiences. This study reveals that wellbeing is relational, emerging from interactions between humans, tea, and the environment rather than being an intrinsic quality. The research involved analyzing why guesthouse owners organize tea activities for tourists and how some tourists favor tea drinking for relaxation, using Lijiang Old Town as a case study.

Su, X., & Zhang, H. (2020). Tea drinking and the tastescapes of wellbeing in tourism. Tourism Geographies, 24(6-7), 1061–1081. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2020.1750685