An international team, led by Victoria University, has carried out the study and found that people who travel enjoy better health and are also less likely to suffer from clinical depression.
According to researchers, the experience of travel for pleasure provides many opportunities for expanding positive emotions with benefits lasting even after the holiday is over.
Lead researcher Dr Sebastian Filep said the study on the benefits of travel found that a holiday may be a good tonic for those suffering from depression.
"We know from overseas studies that people in The Netherlands and the US who travel report greater levels of happiness than those who do not. Now we have evidence that there is a link between happiness and travel. Up to now we had anecdotal reports that there might be a link," Dr Filep said.
For the study, the researchers conducted interviews with a group of 60 Australian travellers and examined their journals to gauge their levels of happiness.
Dr Filep said: "We found that the tourists' motivations for travel, experiences at destinations and post-holiday reflections were linked to three main elements of happiness.
"These were: Positive emotions -- joy, interest, love and contentment; meaning -- a sense of purpose and personal growth; and engagement -- a sense of involvement. We may one day see holidays being prescribed by doctors as part of a treatment for depression because people instinctively link holidays with happiness."
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