The Destination Media Profile and Tourist Travel Intentions: The Mediating Effect of Covid-19 Induced Perceived Risk

Authors : Tafadzwa MATİZA, Elmarie SLABBERT

Pages : 580-604

Doi:10.30519/ahtr.943356

View : 10 | Download : 8

Publication Date : 2022-12-06

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Information symmetry is a critical antecedent to tourists’ consumptive decision-making and conative behaviour, especially in times of crisis and uncertainty. The present study is novel in its interrogation of whether COVID-19 induced perceived risk has an intervening effect in the destination media profile - travel intentions nexus of tourists. The quantitative study adopted a cross-sectional approach. Data was generated via an online survey of a purposive-convenient sample. The respondent-driven snowball sampling approach resulted in a final international sample of 323 potential tourists. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, linear regressions, and simple and parallel mediation analyses were employed. As it emerged from the study, a destination`s media profile, directly and indirectly, influences the conative behaviour of tourists. At the same time, destination media profile has an apparent direct effect on perceived risk-oriented information symmetry. A partial diminishing intervening effect of COVID-19 induced risk is also established in the indirect relationship between destination media profile and tourists’ post-crisis travel intentions.
Keywords : COVID 19, destination media profile, perceived risk, travel intentions, mediation analysis