Independent Travelers: Motivation, Involvement, and Satisfaction

Independent Travelers: Motivation, Involvement, and Satisfaction

This study examined the interrelationships among travel motivation, involvement, and post-trip satisfaction among Taiwanese independent travelers. Data were obtained through an online survey of individuals with prior independent travel experience. The findings demonstrated that relaxation constituted the predominant travel motivation, underscoring the salience of psychological restoration over social interaction motives. Independent travelers exhibited a high degree of involvement, with centrality emerging as the most pronounced dimension, reflecting the significance of itinerary autonomy and the embeddedness of travel in everyday life. Post-trip satisfaction was predominantly grounded in psychological satisfaction rather than functional performance evaluations. Pearson correlation analyses revealed significant positive associations among travel motivation, involvement, and post-trip satisfaction, elucidating a psychological process whereby restoration-oriented motivations heightened involvement, which subsequently contributed to enhanced psychological satisfaction. It is concluded that independent travelers were motivated by psychological, physical, and emotional relaxation and perceived travel as central to life, thereby fostering high involvement and ultimately achieving psychological satisfaction. The findings suggested that destination managers could benefit from emphasizing restorative and self-enriching experiences that promote deep engagement and facilitate value co-creation for independent travelers.