Understanding residents’ hospitality toward tourists amid the COVID-19 pandemic: a conservation of resources perspective

ABSTRACT

Rooted in conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study investigated the effects of perceived threat severity (PTSE) and susceptibility (PTSU) of COVID-19 pandemic on residents’ hospitality toward tourists. The mediating role of COVID-19-caused stress and the moderating role of economic benefits from tourism were addressed. Data were collected from 281 destination residents in Xiamen and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings indicate that the negative effect of PTSE on residents’ hospitality toward tourists is stronger than that of PTSU, and both effects are partially mediated by COVID-19-caused stress. Furthermore, economic benefits from tourism significantly moderates the effects of PTSE, PTSU, and COVID-19-caused stress on residents’ hospitality toward tourists, and these effects are insignificant for residents with high economic benefits from tourism. Theoretically, this study advances literature on residents’ attitudes toward tourism by introducing COR theory to build a framework centered on resource loss and replenishment. Practically, useful strategies are proposed to reduce the negative effects of PTSE and PTSU of COVID-19 pandemic and thus foster residents’ hospitality toward tourists. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Sustainable Tourism is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)