ABSTRACT
An increasing number of tourism studies are focusing on travel anxiety, fear, and worry, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored the impact of worry on individuals' intentions to visit Japanese hot springs (onsen) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A market survey (N = 1042) was conducted in Tokyo. Psychographic segmentation based on exploratory factor analysis was used to group Japanese respondents. Three separate segments emerged as a result: Concerned Visitors, Carefree Visitors, and Trusting Visitors;these segments were based on perceived threat intensity, perceived infectability, response efficacy, self-efficacy, and crowded perception and attitude. These segments were then profiled using factors based on demographic information and visit intention under three criteria: (a) without external travel incentives, (b) with an attractive travel package, or (c) discounts provided by the national Go to Travel campaign. Both attractive package prices and discounts provided by Go to Travel had a small effect on boosting visit intention. Notably, a carefree attitude toward COVID-19 did not increase visit intention and should not be considered a factor that may increase the number of people visiting onsen. Meanwhile, marital status and household composition significantly impacted intention to visit. The segments differed significantly by age, marital status, and family composition, but not gender.
ABSTRACT
To develop tourism products and campaigns that will not only help the tourism industry to survive, but also revive and sustain it in the future, it is imperative to understand the behavioral intentions of leisure travelers during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aims to explore how Japanese traveler segments are characterized by their attitudes and feelings toward domestic travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. A market research study was conducted on Japanese nationals, using 1353 questionnaires in the analysis. A factor analysis was generated in six attitude dimensions: 1) COVID-19 Anxiety, 2) Government Mistrust, 3) Psychological Impact, 4) Optimistic Outlook, 5) Financial Impact, and 6) Social Anxiety;through K-means cluster analysis, the segmentation produced three distinct tourist segments: Confident Travelers, Anxious Travelers, and Social Travelers. Each segment is clearly described in terms of attitudes, considering distinct socio-demographic characteristics. Practical suggestions on how to manage and target these segments include implementing travel packages with minimal face-to-face contact for anxious travelers, travel subsidies through national campaigns for confident travelers, or conventional marketing campaigns for social travelers. © The Author(s) 2022.