COVID-19’s impact on the perceived risk of ocean cruising: A best-worst scaling study of Australian consumers

Abstract

This paper investigates aspects of cruising of most concern to Australian consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic, following the shutdown of cruising globally. Using a mixed-method approach, the study asked cruisers and non-cruisers which of the risks associated with cruising were of most concern. The study found health was the most concerning risk for respondents, regardless of cruising history and, contrary to previous research, cruisers were more concerned about health risk than non-cruisers. Results indicated cruisers were also concerned about financial risk, while safety and psychological risk were the next most concerning aspects for non-cruisers. Implications for the cruise industry are discussed and areas for further research are identified. Findings suggest the industry cannot take for granted repeat cruisers’ return post-pandemic. As non-cruisers are much less positive and less willing to cruise than before COVID-19, the continued future growth of the cruise sector is also under threat.

Research on the Impact of Media Credibility on Risk Perception of COVID-19 and the Sustainable Travel Intention of Chinese Residents Based on an Extended TPB Model in the Post-Pandemic Context

“…This result has indicated that individuals will perceive the psychological, temporal, monetary and social risks that have been wrought by COVID-19 when traveling. This result is consistent with previous studies [4,[37][38][39]. In actuality, COVID-19 has incurred great losses to the Chinese tourism industry during the pandemic.…”

“…This result was also confirmed by the work of Kozak [37]. Tapsall et al [38] further verified that there is a negative correlation between tourists' perceived risks and their attitudes present in cruise-based tourism. Liu and Shi [39] further demonstrated that sports-based tourism consumers harbor a high level of risk perception, which plays a negative role in restricting their attitudes and intentions against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

Destination loyalty and pandemic risks: Revisiting the study of tourist loyalty during the covid-19 pandemic

“…In the specific context of a pandemic like COVID-19, it is reasonable to assume that tourists’ intentions to visit a destination and recommend it to other people are affected by the risk associated with the place because of the health crisis ( Lebrun et al, 2022 ; Pan et al., 2022 ; Villacé -Molinero et al, 2021 ). Moreover, this risk may have different facets ( Jeong et al., 2022 ; Jiang et al, 2022 ; Tapsall et al, 2022 ) such that people may perceive not only that there is a risk to their health (physical risk) but also that the tourism experience will not be the same as in a normal situation (performance risk), or that they may have economic losses due to the pandemic (financial risk). There are also other possible associated risks ( Jeong et al, 2022 ; Tapsall et al, 2022 ), such as the possibility of having to cancel the trip or stay in a lockdown at the destination (time risk), stress during the pre-visit and visit stages (psychological risk), or the social loss linked to travelling in such an uncertain context (social risk).…”

“…Moreover, this risk may have different facets ( Jeong et al., 2022 ; Jiang et al, 2022 ; Tapsall et al, 2022 ) such that people may perceive not only that there is a risk to their health (physical risk) but also that the tourism experience will not be the same as in a normal situation (performance risk), or that they may have economic losses due to the pandemic (financial risk). There are also other possible associated risks ( Jeong et al, 2022 ; Tapsall et al, 2022 ), such as the possibility of having to cancel the trip or stay in a lockdown at the destination (time risk), stress during the pre-visit and visit stages (psychological risk), or the social loss linked to travelling in such an uncertain context (social risk). According to the evidence from previous research, and considering the dimensions of perceived risk of visiting a destination, as proposed by Boksberger and Craig-Smith (2006) and Björk and Kauppinen-Räisänen (2012) , the following research hypotheses are established:…”

Risk to self: Self-congruity in cruise decision-making

“…As the third largest passenger source market globally (CLIA, 2019), the UK was experiencing significant growth prior to COVID-19 (CLIA UK and Ireland, 2019). The pandemic has devastated the cruise sector with recent studies arguing the pandemic has changed the perception of a cruise as a safe vacation (Holland et al, 2021;Tapsall et al, 2022). This is particularly significant as many cruise tourists are considered to be risk averse (Tarlow, 2006).…”