Exploring the Role of Tourists: Responsible Behavior Triggered by the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Responsible tourism implies that all actors involved in tourism take responsibility for their actions. The concept of responsible tourism has been extensively addressed in tourism research and practice. However, studies analyzing the tourists’ contribution to responsible tourism have been neglected. Considering that tourists have the potential to contribute to economic, environmental socio-cultural, and institutional sustainability, this study focuses on the role tourists can play in responsible tourism. It also examines how responsible behavior among tourists has been triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, drawing on a planned behavior perspective by concentrating on the tourist contribution to sustainable tourism, responsible tourism behavior is investigated by means of 19 semi-structured interviews. The study found that tourists are not only sensitive to sustainability but that they also behave responsibly both on site and in their travel choices. At the same time, tourists pass the buck to suppliers and providers by requesting rules, information and opportunities for responsible tourism to be created. In this regard, implications for theory and practice can be derived by informing suppliers and providers about their requested responsibilities, as well as by adding a crisis perspective to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).

Experiences of Polish Tourists Traveling for Leisure Purposes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Another study [43] found that the Chinese also did not want to travel to rural areas because of COVID-19 due to the perceived health hazard. Furthermore, in European countries such as Germany, Austria or Switzerland, the COVID-19 pandemic had significant impact on travel risk perception and the willingness to change or cancel travel plans [44,45]. On the other hand, Orindaru et al [46] showed that the pandemic and the decline in foreign travels had a positive effect on domestic tourism, including the use of rural tourism facilities.…”

“…Leisure travels to rural areas (agritourism, rural tourism, ecotourism), as indicated by Orindaru et al [45], are becoming increasingly attractive. Thus far, the attractiveness of this form of recreation has been based on qualities such as peace and quiet, contact with nature and relatively low prices [90,91].…”

Tourism Sustainability and COVID-19 Pandemic: Is There a Positive Side?

“…The eruption of COVID-19 has widely affected the sustainability of the tourism industry and has had wide-ranging impacts on destinations [35,36], bringing global tourism activities to a halt [37]. The occurrence of crises has unprecedentedly transformed the reality of tourist destinations worldwide by producing an unusual scenario of undertourism [5,[38][39][40].…”

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Residents’ Support for Sustainable Tourism Development

“…Certainly, these research prospects are under development. In a recently published paper related to the tourists' behavior during the pandemic, Eichelberger et al [63] established a qualitative study with potential tourists to assess their prospect of travelling during the pandemic and found that their responses showcased an "adaptation of travel habits, destination choices, travel patterns, and tourist awareness". In another paper addressing residents' insights, Joo et al [24] explored the perceived risks of residents in supporting tourism during the pandemic through indirect effects.…”

“…However, this tool has been under threat due to the current COVID-19 pandemic that took over the world, leaving tourism-dependent countries in strenuous economic situations. In this difficult circumstance, Eichelberger et al [63] argue that COVID-19 might provide the opportunity "to rethink travel behavior and thus incorporate more sustainability" in this industry. This pandemic and the international crisis have highlighted the important role of residents as key stakeholders in tourism [41,73].…”