Exploring the Relationship between Tourist Involvement and the Tourists' Authentic Happiness from the Perspective of Constructive-Developmental Theory

Abstract: The tourism industry, as a happiness-oriented industry, has great significance for enhancing the happiness of tourists. In the era of Happiness 2.0, tourists have shifted their focus from shallow needs for pleasure to deep needs for self-realization. Therefore, studying the relationship between tourism and happiness is indispensable. Based on the constructive-developmental theory, the mechanism of the impact of tourist involvement on the tourists' authentic happiness was analyzed using the PERMA scale. The results show that: (1) Tourist involvement has a significant positive impact on tourist satisfaction and authentic happiness; (2) Tourist satisfaction has a significant positive impact on the tourists' authentic happiness; (3) Tourist satisfaction plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between tourist involvement and authentic happiness. The research conclusions clarify the impact mechanism between tourist involvement, tourist satisfaction, and authentic happiness, which enriches our understanding of the impact of tourist activities on individual post-travel happiness. Furthermore, this study provides theoretical reference and practical suggestions for the self-development of tourists, as well as for guiding relevant enterprises and government departments to better enhance the tourists' authentic happiness.