The healing effects of marine tourism and life satisfaction

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly shifted the global priorities toward personal wellness, catalyzing the rapid growth of wellness tourism. Despite the growing significance of nature-based wellness, the specific relationship between marine tourism and life satisfaction remains under-researched in tourism studies. To bridge this research gap, the present paper investigates the link between marine tourism and life satisfaction by reviewing the literature published between 2020 and 2025, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. This research found that the marine environment helps in reducing stress levels, which improves the psychological and cognitive well-being of individuals. The findings of this study revealed that the marine environment helps in reducing stress levels, which improves the psychological and cognitive well-being of individuals. The study also revealed that surfing and diving, which are aspects of marine tourism, enhance physical and social well-being, which are significant predictors of long-term life satisfaction. The study revealed that marine tourism acts as a significant therapeutic tool in addressing societal problems, such as burnout and mental health disorders. Consequently, this research emphasizes the importance of integrating maritime resources into wellness frameworks to improve the general quality of life.