The effects of risk message frames on post-pandemic travel intentions: the moderation of empathy and perceived waiting time

ABSTRACT

The moderation roles of empathy and perceived waiting time (PWT) on post-pandemic travel intentions have not as yet been investigated. This study of 684 Chinese resident respondents elicited how COVID-19 risk messages affected post-pandemic travel intentions. The results showed that people exposed to messages in the risk-amplifying frame had lower basic travel and destination travel intentions than those who were exposed to messages in the risk- attenuating frame. Empathy had a beneficial effect on basic travel intentions and had an inducing effect on destination travel intentions only in high-risk situations. High PWT tourists had more positive destination travel intentions in the risk-attenuating frame. The findings provide a theoretical basis for future research as well as practical implications for destination risk communications and market restoration during a public health crisis.

KEYWORDS:

• Risk communications
• post-pandemic travel intentions
• frame analysis
• categorization theory
• COVID-19 pandemic

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41971182); Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation of Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. 19YJAZH097); Special Research Project of “Maritime Silk Road” of Huaqiao University (HSZD2014-09).