Factors affecting intended hospitable behaviour to tourists: hosting Chinese tourists in a post-Covid-19 world

ABSTRACT

Since the Covid-19 virus appeared the resulting pandemic has been associated with China and the Chinese in the media. This research, using the Integrated Threat Theory’s perspective, aims to understand the effect that this association may have on host-guest relations. The study, based on 537 questionnaires collected online, investigates whether the hospitable behaviour to be shown by the Turkish hosts to Chinese tourists in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic is influenced by risk perceptions, and by views of the Chinese and their responsibility in the spread of the virus. The findings confirm the strong negative influence of perceived risk of infection, the weaker positive effect of perceptions of the Chinese, and the indirect impact of attribution of responsibility.

KEYWORDS:

• Covid-19
• hospitable behaviour
• integrated threat theory
• perceived risk
• attribution of responsibility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mansur Emre Armutlu

Mansur Emre Armutlu, Ahmet Can Bakır, Hande Sönmez and Esra Zorer are graduates of Boğaziçi University, Dpt. of Tourism Administration.

Ahmet Can Bakır

Mansur Emre Armutlu, Ahmet Can Bakır, Hande Sönmez and Esra Zorer are graduates of Boğaziçi University, Dpt. of Tourism Administration.

Hande Sönmez

Mansur Emre Armutlu, Ahmet Can Bakır, Hande Sönmez and Esra Zorer are graduates of Boğaziçi University, Dpt. of Tourism Administration.

Esra Zorer

Mansur Emre Armutlu, Ahmet Can Bakır, Hande Sönmez and Esra Zorer are graduates of Boğaziçi University, Dpt. of Tourism Administration.

Maria D. Alvarez

Maria D. Alvarez is Professor of Tourism Marketing at the Department of Tourism Administration at Boğaziçi University in Istanbul, Turkey. Her research interests include tourist behaviour, destination marketing and tourism development.