Role of harmonious and obsessive passions for autonomy, competence, and relatedness support with integrated resort experiences

Abstract

Self-determination theory indicates that customers have three basic psychological needs: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The findings of this study (total n = 350) support the proposed hypotheses, which suggest that the levels and types of customers' passion for an integrated resort brand are associated with recreational customers' basic needs (e.g. autonomy, competence, and relatedness). In particular, harmonious passion directly and significantly influences all types of needs satisfaction, whereas obsessive passion weakly and positively predicts autonomy and competence needs satisfaction. Results showed that customers' satisfaction with autonomy and relatedness needs leads to positive conative consequences, such as revisit and word-of-mouth intentions. Furthermore, these relationships were mediated by autonomy, competence, and relatedness needs satisfaction. Results suggest that highlighting recreational passion increases basic needs satisfaction in tourism activities and are discussed in relation to brand-related outcomes.