Many facets of travel – the anticipation, the experience and even the return trip – can enhance your mood. It can create an element of the unexpected and give you the opportunity to gain new, memorable experiences.

To explore the connection between happiness and travel, and what makes a destination joyous, happiness expert Shawn Achor created “The Joy Index.” He explored the psychology of experiences that awe people and the physiology of adventure to explain the relationship between joy and travel.

Achor shared the following tips on how to make travel attainable and maximize the joy of your vacations and the top 5 most joyful destinations of 2017:

Predictors of Happiness

Through Achor's studies and existing research from organizations, he identified six "happiness factors" which encompassed everything from weather to geography and local food to the friendliness of the culture. From this he determined that the three greatest predictors of happiness are • Social Connection • Gratitude • Meaning

Travel's Effect on Happiness

Travel allows you to discover something completely new and unique, which is why it can bring so much joy. According to Achor, the human brain craves novelty. One way travellers are honing in on experiencing this social connection is through embracing the sharing economy.

Maximizing Joy on Vacation 

Remembering to be grateful is crucial for staying in the moment and finding joy in your trips. Putting yourself out there and engaging with the local culture can also be crucial for maximizing the joy of traveling.

Making Travel Attainable 

Achor stressed that happiness can be cultivated wherever you are, but if you want to get the most out of a vacation, planning is crucial. Even though traveling can help increase happiness, many opt out of going on trips because of the cost. This, too, is where planning can help.

 

The Most Joyful Destinations of 2017

Happy places make for happy stays. According to "The Joy Index," these are the top five happiest travel destinations for 2017.

Newfoundlandand Labrador, Canada
A perennial front-runner in world happiness rankings, diversity and the grandeur of its natural landscapes, including the remote cliffs and fjords of Newfoundland and Labrador, are what set Canada apart to visitors.

Shanghai, China
The city of 24 million is a mashup of formal and informal, modern and historic with visible signs of China’s history of tectonic change.

Aarhus, Denmark
The European Union’s 2017 Capital of Culture, Aarhus is an architectural marvel and culinary hotbed with a cluster of talented, young chefs.

Madagascar
Often described as the eighth continent, Madagascar is an unspoiled melting pot of cultures featuring deserts, baobabs, rainforests and 3,000 miles of turquoise coastlines.

Big Island, Hawaii
Big Island’s sheer capacity for wild, natural wonder is the result of geological events that are still underway; Hawaii grows every year as lava from the Kilauea volcano cools in the sea.

To learn more about The Joy Index, including the most joyful travel destinations in the world for 2017, visit cntraveler.com/joyindex 

SOURCE: Family Features Editorial Syndicate