Quality of life: a reappraisal

Soo Hyun Jun , Heather J. Hartwell , and Dimitrios Buhalis 2012 Impacts of the Internet on Travel Satisfaction and Overall Life Satisfaction, Chapter 19 in Uysal, M., R. Perdue and J. Sirgy. (Eds) (2012). Handbook of Tourism and Quality-of-Life Research: Enhancing the Lives of Tourists and Residents of Host Communities. The Netherlands, Springer, Dordrecht, 702 pages, Hardcover, ISBN 978-94-007-2287-3 This chapter proposed two conceptual models which explored the impact of the Internet on travel satisfaction and overall life satisfaction. The first model (Fig. 19.4 ) focused on the Internet role when it was considered as a tool for travel planning at a pretrip stage, and the second model (Fig. 19.5 ) focused on the Internet role when it was considered as a social platform on a Web 2.0 environment where people shared travel information after a trip, communicated, and socialized with others. This chapter found two signifi cant roles of the Internet in satisfaction formation and satisfaction modifi cation (Fig. 19.6 ). In terms of satisfaction formation, the greater amount of transparent and reliable information collected through the Internet at the pretrip stage helps individuals adjust expectations to be realistic, and the realistic expectation leads to reduce the negative satisfaction disconfi rmation and maintain a higher level of satisfaction. In terms of satisfaction modifi cation, postconsumption experiences at the social platform reconstruct previous memories and accordingly modify satisfaction. The modifi ed satisfaction eventually infl uences overall life satisfaction. This chapter contributes to the QOL research because it suggests the alternative independent variables of travel satisfaction and overall life satisfaction, which are in fi ve need constructs and can be measured through survey research methods. Future studies should be conducted to test the two proposed models. The proposed models in this chapter focus on pretrip behavior and posttrip behavior. However, the Internet with mobile technology and location-based technology is increasingly playing a signifi cant role in travel satisfaction at the during-trip stage. Future study should be conducted to explore the Internet role at this stage and its impacts on travel satisfaction and overall life satisfaction.