Easing of travel restrictions: Examining increased intention toward proximity tourism through quasi‐experiments

Abstract

The rise of proximity tourism since the onset of COVID‐19 has enabled individuals to assess their daily lives from new perspectives. Nevertheless, in studies of this change, scant attention has been given to the influence of government performance on the perception and behavior of proximity tourists. Drawing upon micro‐governance theory in conjunction with the two‐factor hygiene model, this study proposes a novel conceptual framework. The effects of pandemic‐related strict vs. relaxed travel restrictions on potential proximity tourists' intention to travel are examined alongside mortality salience as a moderator and perceived extraordinariness as a mediator. Two quasi‐experiments reveal a positive link between government performance and travel intention, especially when moderated by mortality salience. Relaxed travel restrictions, coupled with the performance of government protests, greater perceived extraordinariness, thus amplifying travel intention. This study offers pioneering empirical validation of government response and its impact on post‐disaster proximity tourism intention.