Spousal Conflict Level and Resolution in Family Vacation Destination Selection

The purposes of this study were to explore spousal interpersonal-conflict level and resolution modes used in determining a family vacation destination and to assess spouses’satisfaction about the destination selected and the process of how the decision was made. Data were collected from 149 husband and wife households that were visited by interviewers to obtain responses from both husbands and wives. The level of overall conflict between spousesin this study appeared to be moderate. Family life cycle (FLC) was significantly associated with conflict resolution strategies employed. The higher overall conflict exists between spouses, the more likely they employ information gathering as a conflict resolution mode. Information gathering and family discussion induced higher levels of satisfaction among couples. Implications for destination marketers and recommendations for future research were provided.