Safeguarding and transmitting the intangible cultural heritage of Thai massage through serious leisure

Serious leisure offers tourists meaningful opportunities to learn and grow, as dedicated travelers invest time and resources to gain unique experiences, develop skills and enhance their well-being. This research explores Thai massage, a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage within the framework of serious leisure to deepen the understanding of its significance. It investigates the motivations of tourists who participate in traditional Thai massage as a serious leisure activity and highlights its impacts on sustainable tourism and quality of life. The findings indicate that serious leisure participation in Thai massage was driven by both push and pull factors. Eight participants were introduced to the practice through word of mouth and previous experience as massage clients in their home countries, while four enrolled in the course to develop their skills further. All participants selected the destination for its authentic ICH and the enduring reputation of Thai massage. Personal and social values gained from the experience of serious leisure were the participants rewards, and they enjoyed the ability to participate in both serious leisure and casual leisure simultaneously on their trip. Ultimately, the findings indicate that the enhancement of quality of life through sustainable tourism can be achieved by engaging in the serious leisure practice of Thai massage.