Applying an Extended Protection Motivation Theory Model to Predict Resident Hospitality During the COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract

This study integrates trust in government, fear of COVID-19, and economic dependence on tourism into the protection motivation theory (PMT) framework to predict resident hospitality during the COVID-19 crisis. Structural equation modeling is utilized to analyze 281 questionnaires from destination residents. Findings show that threat severity and threat vulnerability can indirectly reduce resident hospitality through fear of COVID-19, whereas response efficacy and self-efficacy can directly promote resident hospitality. Trust in government can change the levels of threat severity, threat vulnerability, response efficacy, and self-efficacy, which in turn influences fear of COVID-19 and resident hospitality in different ways. Additionally, economic dependence on tourism is found as the most influential predictor of resident hospitality. Theoretically, this study contributes to the literature by developing a comprehensive and novel extended PMT model to understand the formation mechanism of residents’ attitudes during the COVID-19 crisis. Practical implications can help better improve resident hospitality.