Workcation (Workation) Travel Experiences, Satisfaction and Revisit Intentions: Focusing on Conceptualization, Scale Development, and Nomological Network

Abstract

Since the COVID-19 crisis has accelerated digital transformation around the world, one notable trend in the tourism industry is the emergence of long-stay tourism, such as workcation which combines working and vacationing. Although workcation travel displays unique experiential characteristics compared with traditional travel experiences, conceptual and empirical knowledge on the nature and dimensional structure of such experiences is lacking. To fill this gap, this research conceptualizes workcation travel experiences and develops a multi-dimensional scale to measure the degree of such experiences. Based on the analysis of qualitative interviews, four workcation travel experience dimensions are identified: relaxing, improvised, autonomous, and localized experiences. Building on this, two online surveys with workcation travelers were conducted to develop a multi-dimensional scale of workcation travel experiences. Lastly, the nomological network of the developed scale with workcation satisfaction and revisit intentions was investigated. Theoretical and practical implications are provided.

Structural relationships between workation attachment, workationer power, workation relationship quality, and workation intention

“…Workation is related with increased levels of relationship quality (Leutwiler- Shin et al, 2023). Relationship quality plays a crucial role in enhancing workationers' perceptions of workations (Bassyiouny and Wilkesmann, 2023;.…”

“…Based on the aforementioned review, therefore, we consider relationship quality as a major factor influencing workation. Referring to several researchers (Bassyiouny and Wilkesmann, 2023;Shin et al, 2023;Skarmeas and Robson, 2008), the workation relationship quality in this paper is defined as a workationer's perception of lower levels of conflict in the workationer-work relationship and greater levels of satisfaction with, trust in, commitment to, and equity in the workation. In this paper, workation relationship quality is conceptualized and operationalized as a rich and multidimensional construct consisting of workation satisfaction, workation trust, workation commitment, and workation equity (Bassyiouny and Wilkesmann, 2023;Beatson et al, 2008;Frias et al, 2020;Tsao and Hsieh, 2012).…”

“…Therefore, the processes of place attachment are impacted and experienced not only by workationers, but also by their wider communities (Bassyiouny and Wilkesmann, 2023;Florek, 2011). Recently, several researchers (Matsushita, 2021;Shin et al, 2023;Zhang et al, 2022) consider the concept of workation attachment as a way to extend the scope of place attachment. Workation attachment is an emotional bond or an affective relationship between workationes and their workation (Bassyiouny and Wilkesmann, 2023;Han et al, 2019;Shin et al, 2023).…”

“…Recently, several researchers (Matsushita, 2021;Shin et al, 2023;Zhang et al, 2022) consider the concept of workation attachment as a way to extend the scope of place attachment. Workation attachment is an emotional bond or an affective relationship between workationes and their workation (Bassyiouny and Wilkesmann, 2023;Han et al, 2019;Shin et al, 2023). However, there has been little research on identifying or developing the dimensions of workation attachment including workation expectation, workation social bonding, workation memory, workation identity, workation dependence, and workation affect.…”

“…Equity plays an important role in forming one of the dimensions of relationship quality (Waldron and Kelley, 2008;Williams, 2017). Relationship quality is a dynamic construct, which tends to focus on the interaction between workationers and their work (Bassyiouny and Wilkesmann, 2023;Roberts et al, 2003;Shin et al, 2023). Workation influences relationship satisfaction, trust, commitment and equity (Aborumman et al, 2011;Tsao and Hsieh, 2012;Voll et al, 2023;Williams, 2017).…”