Effect of Social Loneliness on Tourist Happiness: A Mediation Analysis Based on Smartphone Usage

Xuejiao Chen (), Kai Zhang and Yanting Huang
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Xuejiao Chen: School of Business Administration, Zhongnan University of Economic and Law, Wuhan 430070, China
Kai Zhang: School of Information and Security Engineering, Zhongnan University of Economic and Law, Wuhan 430070, China
Yanting Huang: College of Tourism and Physical Health, Hezhou University, Hezhou 542899, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: Smartphone usage affects the relationship between social loneliness in tourism and tourist happiness. This study discusses the effect of social loneliness on tourist happiness by considering three aspects of smartphone usage—habitual smartphone behaviors, smartphone communication, and smart tourism applications—as mediating variables. Based on stimulus–organism–response theory, this study collected data through questionnaires, analyzed the data using SPSS and Amos, and reached three findings, as follows: (1) Social loneliness affects tourist happiness either directly or indirectly. (2) Habitual smartphone behaviors not only directly affect tourist happiness but also affect tourist happiness as a mediating variable and multiple mediating variables. (3) Smartphone communication does not affect tourist happiness either directly or indirectly as a mediating variable or as one of multiple mediating variables of social loneliness. (4) Smart tourism applications not only directly affect tourist happiness but also affect tourist happiness indirectly as one of multiple mediating variables. This study is not only conducive to exploring social loneliness and the influence mechanism of social loneliness on tourist happiness, but it is also conducive to suggesting that scenic spots should add interesting group activities in project development to reduce social loneliness. Attention should also be paid to social loneliness in destination marketing.

Keywords: social loneliness; tourist happiness; smartphone usage; habitual smartphone behaviors; smartphone communication; smart tourism applications (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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