Investigating the Influence of COVID-19 on Tourists' Travel Behavior of Malaysia Tourism

Chin, Helen Shwu Yie (2024) Investigating the Influence of COVID-19 on Tourists' Travel Behavior of Malaysia Tourism. Masters thesis, Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

Tourism, being highly sensitive to health and safety changes, experienced shifts in travel plans and behavior due to the perceived risks associated with the pandemic. Concerns about the virus's long incubation period and ease of transmission contributed to a fear among tourists. This fear significantly influenced travel decisions, especially in transit, with varying impacts based on the infected areas and demographic characteristics of individuals. During the pandemic, people hesitated to travel, particularly avoiding destinations perceived as having a high or medium risk of infection. Different employment categories exhibited varying travel needs, from daily essential trips to work-related travel. Diverse international responses, measures, and travel restrictions also played a role in shaping public travel behavior. Individual understanding, perceptions, and attitudes further influenced travel decisions and mode choices during the pandemic. The objective of this research is to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry in Malaysia. As the pandemic evolving into new variants. It is not going to end in near future and it is uncertain and unpredictable. This research is going to investigate the relationship of COVID-19 and risk perception, Safety and Travel preference and the mediating role of three mediators in this study namely Safety, risk perception and travel preference in mediating the relationship between COVID-19 and travel behaviour. The research employed a quantitative approach through a cross-sectional study, utilizing an online questionnaire survey. A sample of 400 from frequent travelers in Malaysia was gathered as the primary data source. Subsequently, the collected data underwent analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Keywords:: COVID-19, Risk Perception, Safety and Travel Preference, Travel Behaviour, Tourist Choice Model, Attitude Theory