Ecotourism, a Resilient Solution in the Context of the COVID19 Pandemic?

Hornoiu, R. I., Popescu, D., Militaru, I. A., & Raducanu, S. F. (2022). Ecotourism, a Resilient Solution in the Context of the COVID19 Pandemic?. CACTUS - Journal of Tourism Business, Management and Economics, 4 (1). doi.org/10.24818/CTS/4/2022/1.01

Based on the official APA guide. Review the full set of examples.

Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

Abstract

This research examined the intention of Romanian tourists to travel nationwide in natural areas based on an extended TPB (Theory Perceived Behavior) model, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the premise was that people would prefer less risky experiences and would see ecotourism in protected areas as a form of resilient tourism that reduces the threat of infection with the SARS-COV-2 virus or its mutations. This study tested a conceptual model that showed that this intention was influenced by the three variables of the TPB model - attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control, complemented by other variables such as the feeling of security offered to tourists by natural areas in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the motivations of tourists that involve ecotourism in nature and cultural activities in Romanian natural areas, personal values in travel in Romanian natural areas, civic attitude to support national tourism. The proposed research model incorporated the construct of the feeling of security offered to tourists by Romanian natural areas as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, as a mediator between the attitude of traveling at national level and the motivations of tourists involved in ecotourism in nature and cultural in the Romanian natural areas. In this context, the proposed model explains a substantial proportion of the total variance of the intent-dependent variable in this study. In the long run, the promotion of ecotourism, as a resilient form of tourism, in a pandemic context, could reduce the risk of spreading the virus and contribute to supporting Romanian Eco destination so that national tourism recovers from the economic crisis caused by the COVID pandemic 19.

Keywords

ecotourism; protected areas; tourism after COV19, civic attitude, motivations

JEL Classification

L15, L83, Q20, Q50

References

Ajzen, I. (1985). From intentions to actions: A theory of planned behavior. In J. Kuhl & J. Beckmann (Eds.), Action control: From cognition to behavior (pp. 11–39). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-69746-3_2

Ajzen, I., & Madden, T. J. (1986). Prediction of goal-directed behavior: Attitudes, intentions, and perceived behavioral control. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 22(5), 453–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(86)90045-4

Anderson, J. C., & Gerbing, D. W. (1988). Structural equation modeling in practice: A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin, 103(3), 411–423. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.103.3.411

Bagozzi, R. P., Baumgartner, H., & Pieters, R. (1998). Goal-directed emotions. Cognition & Emotion, 12(1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/026999398379754

Bentler, P. M., & Speckart, G. (1981). Attitudes “cause” behaviors: A structural equation analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 40(2), 226–238. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.40.2.226

Bentler, P. M., & Wu, E. J. C. (1995). EQS for Windows user’s guide. Multivariate Software.

Bollen, K. A. (1989). Structural equations with latent variables. Wiley.

Brug, J., Aro, A. R., Oenema, A., de Zwart, O., Richardus, J. H., & Bishop, G. D. (2004). SARS risk perception, knowledge, precautions, and information sources, the Netherlands. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 10(8), 1486–1489. https://doi.org/10.3201/eid1008.040283

Byrne, B. M. (1994). Testing for the factorial validity, replication, and invariance of a measuring instrument: A paradigmatic application based on the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Multivariate Behavioral Research, 29(3), 289–311. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327906mbr2903_5

Carrus, G., Passafaro, P., & Bonnes, M. (2008). Emotions, habits and rational choices in ecological behaviours: The case of recycling and use of public transportation. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 28(1), 51–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2007.09.003

Elhoushy, S. (2020). Consumers’ sustainable food choices: Antecedents and motivational imbalance. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 89, Article 102554. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102554

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224378101800104

Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2006). Multivariate data analysis. Pearson Education.

Han, H., Hsu, L.-T. J., & Lee, J.-S. (2009). Empirical investigation of the roles of attitudes toward green behaviors, overall image, gender, and age in hotel customers’ eco-friendly decision-making process. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(4), 519–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2009.02.004

Kim, W., & Ok, C. (2009). The effects of relational benefits of favorable inequity, affective commitment, and repurchase intention in full-service restaurants. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 33(2), 227–244. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348008329874

Lam, T., & Hsu, C. H. C. (2004). Theory of planned behavior: Potential travelers from China. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 28(4), 463–482. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348004267515

Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs. (2009a). The growth trend of Influenza A (H1N1). http://www.mw.go.kr/front/al/sal0301vw.jsp?

Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs. (2009b). The code of preventing swine flu. http://online.mw.go.kr/influenza/01_01.jsp

Oh, H., & Hsu, C. H. C. (2001). Volitional degrees of gambling behaviors. Annals of Tourism Research, 28(3), 618–637. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0160-7383(00)00066-9

Perugini, M., & Bagozzi, R. P. (2001). The role of desires and anticipated emotions in goal-directed behaviours: Broadening and deepening the theory of planned behavior. British Journal of Social Psychology, 40(1), 79–98. https://doi.org/10.1348/014466601164704

Reisinger, Y., & Mavondo, F. (2005). Travel anxiety and intentions to travel internationally: Implications of travel risk perception. Journal of Travel Research, 43(3), 212–225. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287504272017

Sönmez, S. F., & Graefe, A. R. (1998). Determining future travel behavior from past travel experience and perceptions of risk and safety. Journal of Travel Research, 37(2), 171–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/004728759803700209

UNWTO. (2009). Influenza A (H1N1): No restrictions on recommended travel. http://www.unwto.org/media/news/en/press_det.php?id=4071

World Health Organization. (2009). Global alert and response (GAR): Travel. http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/travel/en/

Yoon, Y., & Uysal, M. (2005). An examination of the effects of motivation and satisfaction on destination loyalty: A structural model. Tourism Management, 26(1), 45–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2003.08.016