To go or not to go? Exhibition attendees’ risk perception of COVID-19: Evidence from three Asian regions

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacts the exhibition industry. It alters the travel behavior of potential exhibition attendees, whose risk perceptions of COVID-19 have become a central issue swaying the “to go or not to go.” Applying Elaboration Likelihood Model, this study investigated the relationship between SNS information quality and source credibility, exhibition attendees’ satisfaction, and behavioral intention. Moreover, the moderating role of the perceived risk of COVID-19 between satisfaction and behavioral intention was examined. Drawing upon 334 respondents from three Asian exhibition destinations (i.e., Mainland China, Macau, S.A.R., and Malaysia), this study found that the risk perception of COVID-19 positively moderates the relationship between satisfaction and behavioral intention. The results of this study provide theoretical and practical implications to the academics and practitioners of the exhibition industry.