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Cited by 50Diverse Aspects of Tourism ResearchTravel-related health issuesRecreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management

I'm afraid to travel! Investigating the effect of perceived health risk on Malaysian travellers' post-pandemic perception and future travel intention

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Hanafiah, Mohd Hafiz, Md Zain, Nur Adilah, Azinuddin, Muaz, Mior Shariffuddin, Nur Shahirah·2026·Journal of Tourism Futures
DOI 10.1108/jtf-10-2021-0235
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Abstract

Purpose: This study investigates the effect of COVID-19 pandemic perceived health risk on traveller's post-pandemic perception and future travel intention. The study aims to provide insight into the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and its potential influence on tourist behaviour. Design/methodology/approach: Two hundred and forty-four responses were gathered quantitatively through an online survey. The research hypotheses were analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings: This study found that COVID-19 affects tourists' travel behaviour. Key findings found that perceived health risk discourages travel attitudes and eventually lessens their future travel intentions. Results also suggest future strategies/directions for restarting the tourism industry. Practical implications: The study outcome assists tourism stakeholders in understanding the changes in tourist behaviour amid the heightened perceived health risk of COVID-19. Tourism policymakers and industry players should consider exploring how to mitigate similar health crises in the future. Originality/value: By extending the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this study establishes a theoretical framework in exploring the interrelationships between perceived risk, post-pandemic perception and future travel intention. This study sets a significant research agenda for future tourism research in understanding the mechanism behind health risk perceptions and tourist behaviour.

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  • As the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide started to diminish and controls on people's movement were relaxed, Malaysian tourists became more eager to travel.

    “As the number of COVID-19 cases worldwide started to diminish and controls on people's movement were relaxed, Malaysian tourists became more eager to travel (Bae & Chang, 2021; Hanafiah et al., 2021).”

    From Risk, Trust, and the Roles of Human Versus Virtual Influencers (2024) · cites this paper as Hanafiah et al., 2021

    The Introduction says COVID-19 cases were declining, movement controls were loosened, and there was still eagerness to travel. It does not specify that cases were declining worldwide or establish that Malaysian tourists became more eager than before; it also describes domestic demand as limited. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Hanafiah, M. H., Md Zain, N. A., Azinuddin, M., & Mior Shariffuddin, N. S.
Affiliations
  • Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA , ,
  • Sultan Zainal Abidin University (MY)
  • Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin , ,
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Tourism Futures
Publisher
Emerald
Published
2021-12-30
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
54-69
ISSN
  • 2055-5911 (ISSN-L)
  • 2055-592X
DOI
10.1108/jtf-10-2021-0235
OpenAlex
W4200067630
Cited by
50
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 12
FWCI
12.71
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Journal of Tourism Futures (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Travel-related health issues
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management
Keywords
COVID-19 pandemic, health risk perception, travel intention, theory of planned behavior, Malaysian tourists, tourism recovery

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