Recreational travel behavior and COVID-19: insights from expected utility and the theory of planned behavior

Understanding what factors play a role in people's decisions to travel during a pandemic is important to public health officials and to stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry in the United States (US) and worldwide. This study examines factors influencing people's decisions to cancel/postpone recreational travel within the US amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Our conceptual framework extends the Expected Utility model, commonly used in economics to model decisions under risk and uncertainty, to incorporate subjective norms and perceived behavioral control from the Theory of Planned Behavior. Our results suggest that risk perceptions, subjective norms, and concerns over transmitting COVID-19 to others play a significant role in the decision to cancel and postpone recreational travel. Results also suggest that perceived behavioral control may be less relevant to travel decisions when traveling involves elevated health risks.

Investigating antecedent constructs affecting potential Australian travellers' destination image of Fiji amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

This study examines six antecedent constructs affecting potential Australian tourists' destination image of Fiji. Data were collected from 416 respondents and analysed using covariance-based structural equation modelling. Results revealed that five constructs–impressions of Fiji, trust in the Fijian government, crisis management, solidarity, and COVID-19 mitigation practices–were positively associated with respondents' cognitive and affective destination image formation. Xenophobia also moderates the positive association between cognitive and conative images. These findings contribute theoretically to understanding salient constructs contributing to destination image formation amidst the pandemic. Study insights will be useful to practitioners in developing effective marketing strategies and tourism recovery. © 2023 Asia Pacific Tourism Association.

COVID-19-induced discrimination toward tourists, emotional responses, and identity management strategies

This study examines the impact of tourists' perceived COVID-19-induced discrimination on negative emotional responses and identity management strategies. Data were collected from 431 Fijians who had recently travelled internationally. Covariance-based structural equation modelling analysis revealed that perceived COVID-19-induced discrimination significantly explained two negative emotional responses—anger and disappointment. Anger positively affected identity management strategies, revealing and avoidance, while disappointment positively affected passing and avoidance. The model explained the following variances: revealing (51%);passing (48%);and avoidance (42%). This study contributes to understanding post-pandemic travel behaviour related to COVID-19-induced discrimination against tourists and better management in response to the pandemic. © 2023 Asia Pacific Tourism Association.

Residents & rsquo;perceived risk, emotional solidarity, and support for tourism amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the spread of COVID-19 and restrictions on international travel, popular destinations around the world have experienced an influx of domestic tourists. Regardless of the economic benefits that tourists could bring, residents have expressed their concerns about the health risks that would accompany tourists. Residents are not risk-proof or risk-tolerant, but the literature to date has overlooked the relevance and importance of residents? perceived risk associated with tourists. Addressing this research gap, this study investigated how residents? perceived risk, emotional solidarity, and support for tourism were interrelated amid the pandemic. It was found that perceived risk was negatively associated with emotional solidarity and support for tourism, and emotional solidarity had a positive impact on support for tourism. Also, emotional solidarity was a partial mediator between perceived risk and support for tourism. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed within the closing of the article.