Does the Psychological Well-Being of Male and Female Tourism-Reliant Workers Differ During a Crisis Such as Covid-19? A Case of Fiji

Abstract

Tourism was the major contributor to the GDP and employment in Fiji, which changed after COVID19. This study explores the psychological well-being of 82 tourism industry workers from tourism-dominant areas of Fiji who completed an online questionnaire assessing their past experiences, psychological well-being, and positive thinking attitude. A regression analysis was performed to analyze the results. The results showed that the psychological well-being and positive attitude scores were very high. An average score in positive feelings from past experiences and a below average negative attitude indicated that psychological well-being was slightly affected. Findings also reveal that the psychological well-being of males is positively linked to positive and negative experiences of the past. In contrast, for females, it is linked to positive past experiences. This indicates that studies should always account for male and female differences to better understand psychological wellbeing. These findings will enable the industry, government, and related stakeholders to respond to future crises. Practical implications are discussed.