Background: This study aims to explore the Indonesian tourists’ demand for medical tourism services in Malaysia. The study also investigates the Indonesian medical tourists’ profiles and their preference for Malaysia for medical treatment services. Methods: This study conducted interviews with 49 potential patients from Indonesia who received cardiac treatment at the National Heart Institute (IJN) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Results: The findings indicate that the key motives of Indonesian tourists travelling to Malaysia for medical treatment are their disappointment with medical practices and inadequate expertise in Indonesia. Besides, they are motivated by peer recommendations, medical expertise, transparency, administration and hospitality in Malaysia. The study findings show that Indonesian medical tourists can be acknowledged as an elite group with stable and above-average income. Conclusion: Results from the study enable medical tourism marketers to better target and segments their potential medical tourists and develop a strategic medical tourism marketing roadmap. This study shows that the high demand for medical tourism is related to Malaysia’s availability of niche medical services. Besides, this paper expands the understanding of medical tourists’ decision-making and argues its implications for Malaysian health policy and healthcare delivery for the medical tourism industry sustainability.
PurposeThis study investigates the effect of COVID-19 pandemic perceived health risk on traveller's post-pandemic perception and future travel intention. The study aims to provide insight into the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and its potential influence on tourist behaviour.Design/methodology/approachTwo hundred and forty-four responses were gathered quantitatively through an online survey. The research hypotheses were analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThis study found that COVID-19 affects tourists' travel behaviour. Key findings found that perceived health risk discourages travel attitudes and eventually lessens their future travel intentions. Results also suggest future strategies/directions for restarting the tourism industry.Practical implicationsThe study outcome assists tourism stakeholders in understanding the changes in tourist behaviour amid the heightened perceived health risk of COVID-19. Tourism policymakers and industry players should consider exploring how to mitigate similar health crises in the future.Originality/valueBy extending the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this study establishes a theoretical framework in exploring the interrelationships between perceived risk, post-pandemic perception and future travel intention. This study sets a significant research agenda for future tourism research in understanding the mechanism behind health risk perceptions and tourist behaviour.
In the era of COVID-19, travel decisions are influenced by social norms, which is a deciding factor between one’s perception of risk and their travel intention. Moreover, serious safety measures, such as increased aircraft cleaning, social distancing during the boarding process, and the use of face masks are critical factors that influence passengers’ trust in air travel. This study examines the direct effects of safety and preventive measures and social norms on passengers’ trust in travelling with airlines. A total of 210 responses were obtained online. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the study hypotheses. Based on the result, social norms are the most influential predictors of passengers’ trust, followed by safety and preventive measures. Furthermore, the study suggests that media coverage and social circle influence can be critical elements in transferring information to passengers, influencing their decision, and instill trust to travel during the pandemic. Notably, apart from exercising social norms, the airline industry also needs to focus on safety and preventive measures consisting of staff safety practices towards the passenger and new standard operating procedures (SOPs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study findings assist the airline industry in understanding passengers’ post-pandemic travelling behaviour. Notably, the implementation of health security protocols at airports, supported by the provision of continuous safety information, is indeed an important feature for passengers.
The usage of social media influencers is growing in tourism, especially during the pandemic. This study examined the direct effects of Instagram influencers' source credibility on domestic travel intention. This study measured five dimensions of influencers' source credibility: attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise, entertainment value, and similarity. A total of 283 responses were gathered. The study results indicate that social media influencers' attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise and entertainment value significantly influence domestic travel intention. Moreover, the study discovered that social media influencers' entertainment value was the most important element perceived by Malaysian travellers to measure their travel intention within the country. This study's findings assist tourism policymakers and related tourism stakeholders in understanding the importance of social media influencers in generating tourism demand. This study also makes a unique contribution to product social marketing literature, with evidence highlighting how social media influencer source credibility may be used to increase domestic travel intention effectively.
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