Which travel risks are more salient for destination choice? An examination of the tourist’s decision-making process

Abstract

The paper examines which travel risks are more salient for tourists’ destination choice. We develop and test an integrated travel decision risk typology with survey data from 835 potential tourists. Specifically, we explore the interplay of risk types, tourist attributes and destination characteristics. We examine if travel risks linked to nature, health, terrorism, criminality, political instability are more salient for tourists’ destination choice—and how risk perceptions influence tourist’s in the key stages of the decision-making process. Results offer an important baseline for future studies in the post-COVID-19 phase. First, our integrated travel decision risk typology distinguishes between sociodemographic, psychological and travel-related factors. We show that past travel experience shapes risk perceptions and impacts tourists’ future destination choice. Second, we reveal that natural disasters are not the key barrier in the early decision-making stage of the destination choice process. Third, we identify tourist segments that are resilient to certain risks. We conclude with implications for the tourism practice with recommendations on how to manage travel risk and decision-making behaviours in the (post-)COVID-19 phase.