"Global Pandemic Impact on Travel" explores the profound effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry and international economy. In 2019, tourism accounted for 29% of the world's services exports and 300 million jobs globally (UNCTAD, 2020). As an essential source of global income and employment, the contraction of tourism due to COVID-19 had devastating impacts worldwide.
We study the effects of border closures on the tourism industry, focusing on how the pandemic altered tourists' travel risk and management perceptions. Using data from 716 respondents collected through social media platforms, analyzed with the PLS-SEM tool, we reveal that COVID-19 significantly impacted travel risk and management perceptions. These perceptions are closely linked to risk management, service delivery, transportation patterns, distribution channels, avoidance of overcrowded destinations, and hygiene and safety measures.
Our findings highlight the mediating effects of travel risk and management perceptions, contributing valuable insights into tourism crises and providing a foundation for future research in the travel and tourism sector. The book offers strategies for addressing tourists' travel risk and management perceptions in the post-COVID recovery period.