Travel risk in the ecotourism industry amid COVID-19 pandemic: ecotourists’ perceptions

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 outbreak has caused a global turmoil which restricted movement and consequently, diminishing domestic and international travel. One that is severely affected is ecotourism in National Parks, that involves visiting fragile, pristine and undisturbed natural areas. One of the major concerns for ecotourists in destination decision-making is travel risk that could affect their safety. This study aims to examine their risk perception and how it affects the behaviour of ecotourists in Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia. The data was collected from 406 respondents and analysed using structural equation modelling. It is concluded that risk perception affects tourists’ decision-making, whereby health and safety information preference is the strongest predictor, and media’s influence has a very significant connection. This study has the potential of contributing to the management of ecotourism destinations in times of crisis. It also fills the literature gap on risk perceptions of ecotourists’ during the COVID-19 pandemic.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19 pandemic
• ecotourism
• national parks
• perception
• travel risk

Data availability statement

These research data are available upon request via email to the corresponding author.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Notes on contributors

Zaiton Samdin

Zaiton Samdin is an Associate Professor of the School of Business and Economics at Universiti Putra Malaysia and currently a Head of Laboratory at the Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products (INTROP), Universiti Putra Malaysia. She received her PhD degree from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom. Her research interests cover a range of areas in economic valuation, ecotourism, sustainable tourism and tourism economics, which includes willingness to pay as well as ecotourism and valuation studies in national park, endangered species and protected areas.

Siti Intan Nurdiana Wong Abdullah

Siti Intan Nurdiana Wong Abdullah is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Business, Communication and Law, INTI International University, Malaysia. She obtained her PhD degree from Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2020. Her areas of research include sustainable tourism, consumer behaviour and tourism marketing.

Alfred Khaw

Alfred Khaw is a postgraduate student at the Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products, Universiti Putra Malaysia. He is currently in the third semester of his PhD. His areas of research are economic development and bioresource management.

Thanam Subramaniam

Thanam Subramaniam is a senior lecturer at the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Events, Taylor’s University. She received her PhD degree from Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2020. Her areas of research are tourism, marketing, consumer behaviour and tourism economics.