Abstract
Family decision making not only has been an interesting subject to consumer behavior researchers but also has served as a valuable source in shaping marketing strategies adopted by the tourism and hospitality industry. However, little research has been devoted to understanding the roles of family members in the decision-making process during vacation planning. This paper attempts to provide further understanding on the nature and the importance of family roles played in making travel purchase decisions. The authors conceptually reviewed past studies to explore different roles played by the core family members in the decision-making process and developed research propositions along with a conceptual model regarding family vacation planning. Relevant marketing implications were discussed and unique research methods were also recommended for further study.