A MIXED-METHODS STUDY OF THE WAYS IN WHICH VACATION FACTORS IMPACT TOURISTS’ USE OF EMOTION REGULATION STRATEGIES

Emotion regulation is key to tourists’ relationships, experiences, and happiness. This study used a mixed methods approach to examine the ways in which tourists use emotion regulation strategies (ERSs) during their vacations by examining the interactions between changes in tourists’ use of ERSs and vacation factors (e.g., previous experiences, current vacation factors). Multiple methods (e.g., online surveys, travel diaries) were used to collect participants’ responses concerning their current vacations, previous vacation experience, and daily use of ERSs during their vacations. The results found that both factors related to current vacations (e.g., travel organizer) and those related to previous experiences (e.g., previous length of stay) can explain changes in ERSs (i.e., capitalizing, savoring, emotional expression, and behavioral activation) during tourists’ travel experiences. These previous experience factors significantly influence tourists’ use of capitalizing, savoring, and emotional expression on vacation, while factors related to tourists’ current vacations were found to significantly influence changes in their patterns of behavioral activation. Tourism researchers and professionals must account for the role played by vacation factors in tourists’ emotional experiences. Understanding tourists’ patterns of using ERSs is important for both tourists and tourism providers and can provide critical suggestions to improve tourists’ happiness as well as the service quality and performance of tourism providers.