Open Access

ARTICLE

Extension of Goal-Directed Behavior Model for Post-Pandemic Korean Travel Intentions to Alternative Local Destinations: Perceived Risk and Knowledge

Heesup Han¹, Hong Ngoc Nguyen², Hyerin Lee³, Sanghyeop Lee^4,*

1 College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Sejong University, Seoul, 143-747, Korea
2 School of Tourism, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, 700000, Vietnam
3 Department of Hotel & Restaurant Management, Kyunghee Cyber University, Seoul, 130-739, Korea
4 Major in Tourism Management, College of Business Administration, Keimyung University, Daegu, 42601, Korea

* Corresponding Author: Sanghyeop Lee. Email:

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2023, 25(4), 449-469. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2023.025379

Received 08 July 2022; Accepted 28 September 2022; Issue published 01 March 2023

Abstract

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, tourists have been increasingly concerned over various risks of international travel, while knowledge of the pandemic appears to vary significantly. In addition, as travel restrictions continue to impact adversely on international tourism, tourism efforts should be placed more on the domestic markets. Via structural equation modeling, this study unearthed different risk factors impacting Korean travelers’ choices of alternative local destinations in the post-pandemic era. In addition, this study extended the goal-directed behavior framework with the acquisition of perceived risk and knowledge of COVID-19, which was proven to hold a significantly superior explanatory power of tourists’ decisions of local alternatives over foreign countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, desire was found to play an imminent mediating role in the conceptual model, maximizing the impact of perceived risk on travel intentions. Henceforth, this research offers meaningful theoretical implication as the first empirical study to deepen the goal-directed behaviour framework with perceived risk and knowledge in the context of post-COVID-19 era. It also serves as insightful knowledge for Korean tourism authorities and practitioners to understand local tourists’ decision-making processes and tailor effective recovery strategy for domestic tourism.”

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Keywords

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