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Understanding Leisure Vacation Travel Intention of Indian Vacationers Amidst Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)


Affiliations
1 PhD Research Scholar, Symbiosis Institute of Digital and Telecom Management, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Village Lavale, Taluka, Mulshi Rd, Pune - 412 115, Maharashtra, India
2 Professor, Symbiosis Institute of Digital and Telecom Management, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Village Lavale, Taluka, Mulshi Rd, Pune - 412 115, Maharashtra, India
     

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This study aimed to elicit the critical factors influencing Indian domestic vacationers’ travel intention for leisure vacation destination choice amidst COVID-19. The study proposed a new model based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), expanding it by adding contextual variables like perceived risk, perceived knowledge of COVID-19, and information search behaviour. The study used a quantitative approach using online social media platforms and emails of 312 respondents to analyze and test the hypotheses using IBM SPSS and AMOS tools. The results indicated that physical and functional risk negatively influenced attitude; whereas, psychological risk negatively influenced travel intention. Perceived knowledge of COVID-19 significantly influenced travel intention. Attitude strongly mediated subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and perceived knowledge of COVID-19 to travel intention. This explains the strong implications for travel destination marketers for marketing safer destination choices to vacationers.

Keywords

Perceived Risk, Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), Travel Intention, Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Destination Choice.

Paper Submission Date : June 10, 2021 ; Paper Sent Back for Revision : January 27, 2022 ; Paper Acceptance Date : February 25, 2022 ; Paper Published Online : April 15, 2022.

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  • Understanding Leisure Vacation Travel Intention of Indian Vacationers Amidst Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

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Authors

Kshitija Pandey
PhD Research Scholar, Symbiosis Institute of Digital and Telecom Management, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Village Lavale, Taluka, Mulshi Rd, Pune - 412 115, Maharashtra, India
Sujata Joshi
Professor, Symbiosis Institute of Digital and Telecom Management, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Village Lavale, Taluka, Mulshi Rd, Pune - 412 115, Maharashtra, India

Abstract


This study aimed to elicit the critical factors influencing Indian domestic vacationers’ travel intention for leisure vacation destination choice amidst COVID-19. The study proposed a new model based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), expanding it by adding contextual variables like perceived risk, perceived knowledge of COVID-19, and information search behaviour. The study used a quantitative approach using online social media platforms and emails of 312 respondents to analyze and test the hypotheses using IBM SPSS and AMOS tools. The results indicated that physical and functional risk negatively influenced attitude; whereas, psychological risk negatively influenced travel intention. Perceived knowledge of COVID-19 significantly influenced travel intention. Attitude strongly mediated subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and perceived knowledge of COVID-19 to travel intention. This explains the strong implications for travel destination marketers for marketing safer destination choices to vacationers.

Keywords


Perceived Risk, Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), Travel Intention, Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Destination Choice.

Paper Submission Date : June 10, 2021 ; Paper Sent Back for Revision : January 27, 2022 ; Paper Acceptance Date : February 25, 2022 ; Paper Published Online : April 15, 2022.


References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom%2F2022%2Fv52%2Fi4%2F164109