The effect of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) risk perception on behavioural intention towards ‘untact’ tourism in South Korea during the first wave of the pandemic (March 2020)

TLDR

Untact tourism is framed as a health‑protective behaviour arising from individuals’ perceptions of COVID‑19 risk. The study examines how COVID‑19 risk perception influences behavioural intention toward untact tourism using the Health Belief Model and the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour. An online survey of 877 South Korean citizens conducted in March–April 2020 provided the data for analysis. Results show that affective risk perception predicts attitude and negatively influences behavioural intention, while cognitive risk perception positively affects subjective norms and behavioural intention, with attitude and subjective norms mediating these effects and gender and marital status moderating the relationships, offering insights for post‑pandemic tourism planning.

Abstract

This study highlights 'untact' tourism as a health-protective behaviour stemming from individuals' perceptions of COVID-19 risk. Based on the frameworks of the Health Belief Model and the extended Theory of Planned Behaviour, this study examines the effect of COVID-19 risk perception on behavioural intention towards untact tourism. The online survey was administered to South Korean citizens in March and April 2020. A total of 877 questionnaires were used for data analysis. The results indicate that affective risk perception is a significant antecedent of attitude, while cognitive risk perception was found to positively influence subjective norms. Despite the significant influence of both cognitive and affective risk perceptions on behavioural intention, affective risk perception exerts a negative influence on behavioural intention, which is in opposition to the original hypothesis. Attitude was found to be a significant mediator between affective risk perception and behavioural intention whereas subjective norms mediated the relationship between cognitive perception and behavioural intention. Gender and marital status partially moderated the hypothesized relationships among the constructs. This study provides timely and insightful implications for tourism practitioners who will be expected to prepare the post-corona field for a new normal after the experience of restricted living during an unprecedented pandemic.