Is asking only one member of a couple sufficient to determine who influences tourism decisions?

• Published in: Journal of destination marketing & management 2019-06, Vol.12, p.55-63
• Main Authors: Rojas-de-Gracia, María-Mercedes, Alarcón-Urbistondo, Pilar, Casado-Molina, Ana-María
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Couple roles; Dyadic consensus; Family decision-making; Perceived partner influence; Response agreement; Vacations
• ISSN: 2212-571X; 2212-5752
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdmm.2019.03.005

Research on consumer behavior has placed considerable importance on identifying which member of a couple makes purchase decisions. However, numerous studies have relied solely on the response of one member, assuming that both are sufficiently in agreement, despite the lack of any clear support for this assumption of dyadic consensus. The aim of this study is to elucidate this question in tourism decisions, using a larger contemporary sample than those employed in other major studies. A further novelty of the study was to determine whether agreement could have been due to chance. Evidence was found of differences in the perception that each member of a couple had of the influence exerted. However, the degree of discrepancy between them depended on the aspect considered. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are then discussed. •Asking one member of the couple does not reveal who is the tourism decision-maker.•The present lack of consensus is confirmed using a more demanding methodology.•The results of previous works that used a single respondent are questioned.•The degree of discrepancy between the couple depends on the aspect considered.•Tourism decisions cannot be explained only in terms of gender.