Research on the Influencing Factors of Local Leisure Tourism Well-Being among the Silver-Haired Population in Xichang City from the Perspective of Positive Psychology

Abstract

Against the dual backdrop of the in-depth implementation of the proactive aging strategy and the continuous intensification of population aging, local leisure tourism within city limits has emerged as a crucial avenue for enhancing the health, social integration, and subjective well-being of the silver-haired population. This paper employs Seligman’s PERMA well-being theory as an analytical framework, focusing on five key factors: health support, digital inclusion, community embeddedness, safety perception, and cultural identity. It utilizes a mixed-methods approach combining questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews to conduct empirical research on the silver-haired population in Xichang City. The findings reveal that the five intrinsic dimensions of positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment significantly and positively influence the well-being derived from local leisure tourism among the silver-haired group. Core external influencing factors include health support and travel convenience, digital inclusion and service accessibility, community embeddedness and public leisure provision, safety perception and risk protection, as well as cultural identity and local emotional connections. The interplay between intrinsic psychological dimensions and external environmental factors collectively determines the generation and intensity of well-being. The research conclusions enrich the cross-disciplinary research outcomes on tourism well-being and proactive aging, providing theoretical references and practical bases for local governments to construct a silver-haired-friendly leisure tourism environment, optimize age-appropriate service provision, and promote the high-quality development of the silver economy.