ITHACA, N.Y. -- Everyone is smiling in vacation photographs -- almost as if the car hadn't overheated, tempers hadn't frayed, no one got queasy from the fried shrimp or stood on long lines in the hot sun only to find out that the show was sold out.

But for destination spa visitors, it's a different story, according to a recent survey of vacationers by Mary H. Tabacchi, associate professor at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, in conjunction with Cornell's Survey Research Institute (SRI). 

Destination spas are a select group of resorts geared toward fitness, healthy eating, relaxation and renewal. Tabacchi's study is believed to be the first to quantitatively measure the effects of a destination spa vacation.

Her study shows that people who vacation at destination spas return home with a much greater sense of self-understanding and feeling more connected to family, friends and work associates than do people who take other kinds of vacations.

"They have more mental and physical energy, are more alert and agile, have greater cardiovascular fitness, a better body image and they exercise more enthusiastically than do regular vacation goers," Tabacchi reports. In addition, when they return home, "they are better able to resolve challenges and to relax," she said. 

After returning to work following a stay at a destination spa, respondents said their focus and creativity on the job was improved. The spillover also affected everyday activities, where they found they had more energy and greater endurance than regular vacationers. Destination spa visitors also reported that family members observed a definite positive change in them, and they, in turn, felt more cared for by family, friends and colleagues than did other vacationers.

"It would appear that a destination spa vacation encourages positive interactions that have a 'halo' effect, which surrounds and influences the person's relationships, work associations and social life," said Tabacchi, who recommends that businesses consider sending their managers to destination spas.

Vacationing at a destination spa isn't cheap, however. Prices range from $200 a day up to $6,000 a week, according to About.com spa expert Anitra Brown. That would account for Tabacchi's finding that destination spa customers have greater household incomes and fewer children at home, take more vacations and have more education than other vacationers. 

Surveys were mailed to 1,000 destination spa visitors and 1,000 people who took other kinds of vacations within the past year, randomly selected from specialized lists. Recipients were then telephoned and the survey questions asked by trained staff to the first 500 from each group that responded. 

For a copy of the survey and the study's results, contact Tabacchi at mht3@cornell.edu, Michelle Kleist, executive director, Destination Spa Group, spagoer@comcast.net or Yasamin Miller, director, Cornell Survey Research Institute, yd17@cornell.edu.