Tourists’ Perception of Travel Risk and Management in Destination amid Covid-19 Pandemic: Empirical Evidence from Nepal

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29036/jots.v13i25.388

Abstract

Travel risk and management views of tourists have a key role in their choice of locations while the COVID-19 epidemic is still causing travel-related concerns. Despite many studies available in the western world, the effect of COVID-19 has been less explored in Nepal. Thus, this research aims to investigate travel risk and management perception in post-COVID tourism activities in Nepal. Based on pathogen stress theory and explanatory research design, this study seeks a causal relationship between Travel Risk and Management in Nepal. Following the purposive sampling technique, data collection is done using KOBO Toolbox through a structured questionnaire. Findings revealed that Risk Management, Transportation Patterns, Distribution Channel, Avoidance of Overpopulated destinations, Hygiene and Safety are significant to Travel risk and management perception whereas Risk Management, Travel risk and management perception, Service Delivery, Distribution Channel, Hygiene and Safety are significant to COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal which supports pathogen-stress theory. Furthermore, travel risk and management perception partially mediate the favorable association between avoidance of overpopulated destinations and the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the primary problems faced by the traveler were securing a comfortable hotel and selecting a destination where COVID risk is minimum. However, the COVID-19 break has caused health concerns among visitors, causing many to cancel their holiday plans. Therefore, in the post-pandemic phase, tourists are more concerned about the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on their travel activities and choice.

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Author Biographies

  • Niranjan Devkota, National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal, Singhadurbar, Kathmandu, Nepal

    Dr. Niranjan Devkota

    Affiliation: National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal, Singhadurbar, Kathmandu, Nepal

    E-mail: niranjandevkota@gmail.com

    Dr. Niranjan Devkota is an economist with a special focus on behavioral economics linking agriculture, climate change, and other contemporary issues over a decade. He is now a Research Associate at the National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal. Previously he worked as coordinator of the Research Management Cell at Quest International College, affiliated with Pokhara University, Nepal. His research is focused on perception and behavioral studies for people. He has presented his research ideas at different conferences/seminars and workshops. He has published in various journals and performed as a reviewer for several journals.

  • Ľubomír Kmeco , Pan-European University, Prague, Czech Republic

    doc. Ing. Ľubomír Kmeco, PhD.

    Affiliation: Department of Tourism, Faculty of Business, Pan-European University, Prague, Czech Republic

    E-mail: lubomir.kmeco@peuni.cz

    Ľubomír Kmeco is an associate professor in the field of tourism. At present, he is working at the Pan-European University in Prague, Faculty of Business.  His main field of research is tourism destination management, tourism for all, impacts of tourism, cultural tourism, and tourism marketing. In addition, he writes articles, presents his research results in various journals, and participates in domestic and foreign conferences, seminars, etc.

  • Sunil Thapa, Quest International College, Pokhara University, Gwarko, Lalitpur, Nepal

    Affiliation: Quest International College, Pokhara University, Gwarko, Lalitpur, Nepal

    E-mail: sunil19s5@quest.edu.np

    Sunil Thapa is an MBA student at Quest International College, Pokhara University, Nepal. He had completed his bachelor’s degree from Kathford International College and presented his research ideas at various national conferences, seminars, and workshops. During his MBA academic journey, he completed various reports and analyses regarding the financial status of different companies. In addition, he is interested in capital markets, travel and tourism, and behavioral research.

  • Petr Houška, Pan-European University, Prague, Czech Republic

    Affiliation: Department of Tourism, Faculty of Business, Pan-European University, Prague, Czech Republic

    E-mail: petr.houska@peuni.cz

    Petr Houška is an economist with a special focus on sustainability in tourism, international economic integration, international trade in tourism services, and quality management in tourism. He was a member of the European Commission´s Advisory Committee for Tourism. He also worked as an accredited expert of the Czech Republic at the World Trade Organization WTO on the issue of tourism services as part of negotiations on further liberalization of trade in services. He is also a contractual partner of the Czech Agency for Standardization for the fulfillment of international standardization tasks in the field of tourism within the technical committees of the European Committee for Standardization CEN/TC 329 "Tourism services" and the International Organization for Standardization ISO/TC 228 "Tourism services and related services." As a member of working groups of ISO and CEN he participated in the preparation of core international standards such as ISO/PAS 5643:2021Tourism and related services – Requirements and guidelines to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in the tourism industry, CWA 5643-2:2021 Tourism and associated services – Requirements and guidelines to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in the tourism industry – European visual identity. He has presented his research ideas at different conferences/seminars and workshops. He has published in various journals and performed as a reviewer for several journals.

  • Udaya Raj Paudel, Quest International College, Pokhara University, Gwarko, Lalitpur, Nepal

    Affiliation: Quest International College, Pokhara University, Gwarko, Lalitpur, Nepal

    E-mail: udaya@quest.edu.np

    Udaya Raj Paudel is a Ph.D. scholar at TU, Kathmandu, Nepal- working in the field of communication. His research reflects communication, ethics, business, and culture with the latest practices worldwide. More than two decades of educational institution management and teaching English and Communication have propelled him as a communication consultant in various organizations. Mr. Paudel projects commitments to research and ethical communication and consumption. He has presented his research ideas at different conferences/seminars and workshops. He has published in various journals and performed as a reviewer for several journals.

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Published

2022-12-20

Issue

Vol. 13 No. 25 (2022): Journal of Tourism and Services

Section

Scientific Papers

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Journal of Tourism and Services (ISSN 1804-5650) is published by the Center for International Scientific Research of VŠO and VŠPP in cooperation with the following partners:

  • Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Faculty of Economics and Tourism, Croatia
  • School of Business and Administration of the Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal, Portugal
  • Szent István University, Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences, Hungary
  • Pan-European University, Faculty of Business, Prague, Czech Republic
  • Pan-European University, Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Law, Prague, Czech Republic
  • University of Debrecen Faculty of Economics and Business, Hungary
  • University of Zilina, Faculty of Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications, Slovakia

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How to Cite

Tourists’ Perception of Travel Risk and Management in Destination amid Covid-19 Pandemic: Empirical Evidence from Nepal. (2022). Journal of Tourism and Services, 13(25), 90-119. https://doi.org/10.29036/jots.v13i25.388