Background: Yoga tourism has emerged as a rapidly expanding niche within global wellness tourism, offering psychological healing and transformative experiences.
Aim: This study investigates the psychological motivations and outcomes of international yoga tourists in India, situating their experiences within Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the push–pull model of tourism motivation.

Methods: A mixed-methods design was employed, combining quantitative surveys (N = 250) with qualitative interviews (N = 30). Surveys measured motivations such as stress relief, emotional healing, spiritual growth, and self-discovery, while interviews explored personal narratives of transformation.

Results: Stress relief was the most prevalent motivation (105 participants, 42%), followed by emotional healing (63 participants, 25%), spiritual growth (50 participants, 20%), and self-discovery (32 participants, 13%). Outcomes included enhanced mental clarity (150 participants, 60%), emotional resilience (120 participants, 48%), spiritual awakening (88 participants, 35%), and lifestyle change (62 participants, 25%). Qualitative findings highlighted yoga tourism as a sanctuary from burnout, a tool for trauma recovery, and a pathway to identity exploration.

Conclusion: Yoga tourism functions as a structured psychological journey, enabling tourists to progress from stress relief to self-actualization. The findings underscore its therapeutic potential in addressing global stress and burnout, while also contributing to long-term psychological well-being. Policy implications include the need for certification schemes and authentic program design to preserve yoga’s cultural integrity and maximize psychological outcomes.