The current research highlights the latent impact of emotional intelligence on job quality of life among employees of Category A tourism companies. It also examines the mediating role of adaptive leadership behaviors (relative beliefs and external locus of control) between emotional intelligence and job quality of life. The research relied on a quantitative approach using electronic questionnaires to collect 528 valid responses from employees of Category A tourism companies in the Greater Cairo area. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze these responses and test both direct and indirect hypotheses.

The SEM results revealed that emotional intelligence had a significant positive effect on both external locus of control and relative beliefs. Job quality of life was also positively and significantly influenced by both external locus of control and relative beliefs. Furthermore, the results confirmed that external locus of control and relative beliefs partially mediated the positive relationship between emotional intelligence and job quality of life.

Based on the findings, the research recommends that emotional intelligence should be given appropriate importance in the training and development programs for employees in tourism companies, due to its significant role in success and performance improvement. It also emphasizes the necessity for employees to possess adaptive leadership traits in order to achieve harmony with both the internal and external environments, ensuring the company's survival, increasing productivity, and establishing a competitive edge among tourism companies.