Abstract
While escape-driven travel motivation is often understood as a way of coping with job burnout, the psychological processes through which it may support personal resource restoration remain unclear. Building on the Conservation of Resources theory, this study investigates the psychological pathways through which escape-oriented tourism motivation contributes to personal resource restoration via perceived control and perceived meaning. It also examines the moderating roles of structural autonomy and reflective disposition. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-method research design comprising three scenario-based experiments and a qualitative focus group, the findings show that perceived control and perceived meaning mediate the relationship between escape motivation and resource restoration, while also contextualizing these mechanisms through lived travel experiences. Furthermore, structural autonomy and reflective disposition, respectively, enhance the effect of escape motivation on perceived control and the meaning-based restoration pathway. Together, these findings highlight the role of travel in supporting resource restoration among individuals experiencing burnout, deepen understanding of how travel can facilitate recovery under specific psychological and contextual conditions, and provide insights for developing more customized intervention strategies.