HOLIDAYS AS HEALTH: EXPLORING THE NO LEAVE, NO LIFE CAMPAIGN VIA THE THEORY OF PLANNED BEHAVIOR

Taking a holiday is often seen as a way to provide release from daily stresses and the working environment, yet the current working environment for many seems to limit the workers' ability to take recreation leave. This issue has been noted for some time, but it has now become a major financial liability for employers as well as a community health issue. Furthermore, domestic tourism in many countries remains low, with people taking fewer local holidays or short breaks. These two issues are prevalent in Australia, where the financial liability to companies is estimated at AUD$33 billion and domestic tourism remains flat. The Australian government, under the auspices of the national destination marketing organization, Tourism Australia, has developed an innovative program aimed at not simply addressing the domestic tourism issue, but also the leave issue for corporations through its No Leave, No Life Campaign. The potential of this marketing campaign to alter behavior is analyzed within the framework of the Theory of Planned Behavior, concluding that it has the potential to succeed and may be transferrable to other countries, but must be treated as a long-term exercise.