Psychological mechanism of forest-based wellness tourism decision-making during the prevention and control of COVID-19

Abstract

Wellness tourism experience in forest areas contributes to public health improvement. However, there is still a lack of clear research on the psychological mechanism of forest-based wellness tourism decision-making, and how to encourage consumers to participate has attracted much attention, especially in the context of COVID-19 and other major public health events. Building on ABC attitude model, health belief model (HBM) and trust theory, this study discussed the complex psychological mechanism of consumers' wellness tourism decision-making to forestland during the prevention and control of COVID-19. 287 questionnaires collected were analyzed to identify the key influencing factors of consumers' forest-based wellness tourism intention during the prevention and control of COVID-19 via structural equation model (SEM), and suggestions for effective intervention of consumers' decision-making of forest-based wellness tourism were put forward. The results showed that consumers' forest-based wellness tourism activities have decreased in the context of COVID-19. Tourists' trust and self-efficacy have significant effects on forest-based wellness tourism intention during the prevention and control of COVID-19, and tourists' trust can also indirectly affect tourism intention through influencing self-efficacy. Perceived value, perceived barriers and perceived threat have significant impacts on self-efficacy, and perceived value, perceived threat and cues to action have significant impacts on tourists' trust. The perceived threat of the pandemic significantly inhibited the intention of forest-based wellness tourism. The research findings not only further enrich the research of wellness tourism, but also have practical enlightenment about the management and marketing of forest-based wellness destinations during the prevention and control of COVID-19 and post COVID-19.