Family tourists’ individual and collective emotions : an integrated framework

Abstract

Emotion is an important topic in tourism studies; however, family tourism researchers may struggle to illustrate this concept given its complexity. The current study combines appraisal theories with primitive emotion cognition theory to dissect family tourists’ individual and collective emotions across all stages of the travel process from a family system perspective. Data were obtained via in-depth interviews, travel diaries, and observations with 31 families. Negativity and neutrality were common themes in family tourists’ emotional experiences, yet positive emotions dominated participants’ trips. While mothers, fathers, and children individually expressed different emotions, emotional convergence was identified both within the family and between parents. Theoretically, the constructed framework, which integrates various theories, can inspire studies on tourists’ emotions both individually and collectively. The findings would inform the development of products, marketing strategies, and policies, particularly those aimed at creating happiness for children, by travel operators and administrators targeting family consumers.