Growing together! Unmasking the intelligence behind the satisfaction of holiday couples

Abstract

The decisions of where and how people want to spend their leisure time have a direct effect on the tourism industry, their well-being, and their happiness. Stemming from the social comparison theory, the present study investigates the impact of couple holiday decision tactics on their emotional well-being and the satisfaction and the mediating effect of emotional well-being on the relationship between holiday decision tactics and couple satisfaction. The fundamental framework was examined using 513 questionnaires distributed online, to married couples in Turkey. The results of path analysis were obtained using SPSS and AMOS software. Results showed those decision tactics significantly and positively affect emotional well-being and couple satisfaction. Furthermore, the study confirmed that emotional well-being mediates the relationship between holiday decision tactics and couple satisfaction. This study contributes to the discussion on the effect of both partners’ holiday decision tactics on their emotional well-being and their satisfaction.