Title: Risk and consumer fear of visiting tourist destinations in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic

Authors: Rennan Carvalho dos Santos; Cristiane Salomé Ribeiro Costa; Marconi Freitas da Costa; Karen Daniele Lira de França

Addresses: Postgraduate Program in Administration (Management) (PROPAD), Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife – Pernambuco, 50740-580, Brazil ' Department of Management, Federal University of Pernambuco, Caruaru – Pernambuco, 55014-900, Brazil ' Department of Management, Postgraduate Program in Administration (Management) (PROPAD), Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife – Pernambuco, 50740-580, Brazil ' Department of Tourism, Postgraduate Program in Tourism, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, R. Zulmira Canavarros, 95, Centro Norte, Cuiabá-MT, 78.043-400, Brazil

Abstract: This study analyses the influence of the perceived risk of contamination (PRC) and fear on the intention to visit tourist destinations in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, descriptive quantitative research is carried out, with a final sample of 342 respondents, all Brazilian residents, and the data is analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). The results indicate that fear directly and negatively impacts the intention to visit tourist destinations in Brazil during the pandemic. Additionally, the PRC does not have enough statistical significance to influence visit intention, and no significant relationship was identified between perceived risk and fear. This study contributes to advancing research on consumer behaviour linked to tourist activity amid adverse situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: consumer behaviour; perceived risk; fear; intention to visit tourist destinations; Covid-19.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2024.135432

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2024 Vol.14 No.1, pp.54 - 69

Received: 15 Oct 2022
Received in revised form: 17 Mar 2023
Accepted: 08 Apr 2023
Published online: 12 Dec 2023 *

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