COVID-19 Perceived Risk, Travel Risk Perceptions and Hotel Staying Intention: Hotel Hygiene and Safety Practices as a Moderator

Abstract

The global hotel and tourism business has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting governments and researchers to explore ways for mitigation. Within this particular setting, this study investigation centers on Taiwan at a crucial phase of the pandemic. It utilizes the uncertainty avoidance theory and the protection motive theory to analyze the impact of perceived risk associated with COVID-19, perceptions of travel risk, and hotel hygiene and safety practices on the intention to stay in those hotels. A total of 500 valid survey responses were obtained from travelers in Taiwan during the nationwide level 3 alert for COVID-19 in 2021, via the cluster sampling technique. Using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 22.0, the reliability and validity test as well as structure equation analysis were used to examine the proposed model. Analytical results indicate that perceived risk of COVID-19 positively affects travel risk perceptions, which in turn negatively affects hotel staying intention. Moreover, travel risk perceptions mediate the relationship between perceived risk of COVID-19 and hotel staying intention. The findings of this study indicate that there is a strong moderating effect of hotel hygiene and safety practices on the link between travel risk perceptions and hotel staying intention, highlighting the importance of these practices in influencing individuals’ decisions to remain at a hotel. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the management of tourism crises, specifically emphasizing the need for prioritizing safety and hygiene measures throughout the post-COVID era. These findings underline the importance of effectively managing perceptions of travel risks and maintaining high standards of hotel hygiene in order to enhance the likelihood of tourists’ intent to stay at a hotel. Furthermore, this study presents an in-depth strategy for hoteliers and practitioners to navigate the road to recovery, consequently facilitating the revitalization of the sector and offering valuable perspectives for future research investigations.