Chinese Tourist Vacation Satisfaction and Subjective Well-being

While the effects of vacation on tourists have been frequently discussed in the Western context, research endeavors to understand such effects in a non-Western context are rather limited. The current study aimed at investigating Chinese tourists’ subjective well-being and its potential changes associated with vacation experiences. The survey of 302 Chinese tourists confirmed the positive effect of satisfaction with service aspects of travel/tourism phases on satisfaction with travel/tourism services, the positive effect of trip reflections and satisfaction with travel/tourism services on satisfaction with travel experiences, and the direct positive effect of satisfaction with travel experiences on travelers’ SWB. This study further explored the corresponding roles of travel duration and frequency. The results suggested a moderating effect of vacation duration on the link between tourist satisfaction and SWB; vacation frequency did not have such an effect. Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings were discussed, followed by recommendations for future research.