The Role of Affect in Travel Risk Research

Abstract

The tourism industry is increasingly confronted with an assemblage of events that may threaten the safety and well-being of tourists, as well as the survival of the industry. This conceptual article proposes a new research direction in travel risk research by understanding the role of affect in influencing how tourists perceive travel risk. Despite the phenomenal growth of the tourism industry and the academic interests in tourism-related studies, research related to travel risk perception remains stagnant, focusing predominantly on the identification of risk typologies, risk-reduction strategies, and the impact of varying risk sources on risk perception—viewing travel risk perception or assessment as a cognitive psychological process. Drawing on empirical evidence from risk scholarship, this article proposes to depart from the cognitive emphasis in present scholarship to also explore the role of affect in the study of travel risk perception. An extensive literature review of the existing risk theories and empirical evidence, as well as a proposal of possible directions for future research are presented. A new conceptual model is also developed to demonstrate how affect may be incorporated in future studies of travel risk perception.