Psychological Tourism in the Hospitality Industry: Peculiarities and Problems

The concept of "psychological tourism" is only beginning to gain popularity, mainly as a practical direction offered by travel agencies, individual psychological centers and event-organizations. Different interpretations of this concept, as a rule, are limited to the description of the content, without touching upon theoretical aspects and without providing a conceptual basis for this practice. The concept of "psychological tourism", despite its apparent clarity, allows different interpretations: from a specific type of tourist activity to the field of psychological practice or their symbiosis. However, the characteristic features and specificity of PT, its methodological apparatus, mechanisms of therapeutic influence and its position in the system of psychological assistance require further elaboration. Within the framework of this article we intend to propose a working definition of "psychological tourism" as an applied tool of group psychological support, as well as to form a theoretical framework based on the integrative approach in psychology.