Human connection: A crucial ingredient in vacation experience

O. Mitas, M. Shahvali, P. Ward, M. Duerden, M. Bastiaansen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterScientific

Abstract

Interactions between people have emerged from both psychology and tourism research as important catalysts for quality of life. Conceptualization and measurement of social interaction has remained difficult, however. In this chapter we conceptualize human connection as a key component of social interaction during tourism experiences. We introduce a single-item measure of connection and implement it in longitudinal study of 133 vacation park stays in the Netherlands. The data showed that connection is linked to positive and negative emotions during vacation within participants, and that between-participant differences in positive emotion during vacation mediated the relationship between average daily connection during vacation and positive trait affect 1 week after return home. These findings show that human connection is a readily measurable and useful concept within the realm of social interactions on vacation. Furthermore, experience providers as well as researchers should pay attention to and reinforce tourists’ sense of connection to others during their vacations.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHandbook of tourism and quality-of-Life research II
Subtitle of host publicationEnhancing the lives of tourists, residents of host communities and service providers
EditorsMuzaffer Uysa, MJ Sirgy
PublisherSpringer Nature
Pages225-236
Number of pages12
Volume2
ISBN (Print)9783031315121
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Publication series

NameInternational Handbooks of Quality-of-Life
PublisherSpringer Nature

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Human connection: A crucial ingredient in vacation experience'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this