Exploring the Joint Travel Decision Making Process Among Couples
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Westcob, Charlotte
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the joint travel decision-making process among couples. Using a mix of self-reporting surveys and a decision-making process scenario, couples were asked to plan the itinerary for a weekend resort getaway, including a date, three activities and two meals. As the couples negotiated their joint itinerary, the researchers observed in real-time and video recorded the session using Echo360 software. The results of this mixed methodology study indicate that couples who have been together for a shorter length of time engage in a longer decision-making process that includes a varied range of negotiation techniques in order to reach a consensus. Couples who have been together for longer periods of time were found to have a shorter negotiation that includes implied negotiation, increased trade offs, and deciding (or yielding) according to designated family roles. The couples who had been together less time and engaged in a longer decision-making process comprised of positive emotion, information gathering and reasoned negotiation reported higher levels of overall satisfaction. This study aims to add a new dimension to the current body of family decision-making literature and suggests that tourism marketers should consider the varied negotiation patterns of couples in different phases of the Family Life Cycle (FLC).
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Vacation decision making, decision making process, joint decisions, couples, negotiation, family life cycle (FLC)