Effects of perceived benefits and concerns misfit on residents’ destination citizenship behaviors: a moderating role of perceived risk of COVID-19 recurrence

Abstract

Due to the possible presence of misfit relationship between residents’ perceptions of benefits of and concerns about tourism in their community, this study examines the triad relationships between benefit-concern misfit and residents’ citizenship behaviors utilizing the social exchange theory and the moderating effect of perceived risk of COVID-19 recurrence from an integrated threat theory perspective. The triad relationships are tested utilizing data collected right after the Korean Golden Week during the COVID-19 pandemic from Jeju islanders in Korea through a series of polynomial analyses with surface response methodology. Findings indicate that the different types of perceived benefit-concern misfit are present. Furthermore, the perceived risk of COVID-19 recurrence is the other important realistic threat that activates citizenship behavior. A U-shaped partial misfit between benefits and concerns perceptions and locals’ destination citizenship behavior is identified. Contributions to the theory and practice are discussed, and limitations and future research suggestions are provided.