International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

search-icon

Perceived Health Risk Influence on Malaysians Intention to Visit Hotels Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic

Open access

Ahmad Afifie Firdaus Zailan, Muhammad Najmi Mohd Radhi, Norrina Din, Nurhamizah Mohamad Amini

Pages 1325-1353 Received: 12 Jul, 2023 Revised: 15 Aug, 2023 Published Online: 17 Sep, 2023

http://dx.doi.org/10.46886/IJARBSS/v13-i9/8345
This study aims to examine the relationship between attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioural control (PBC), perceived health risk (PHR), and intention to visit hotels in Penang during the COVID -19 pandemic, particularly during the RMCO period. This study focuses on the Malaysian state of Pulau Pinang and collects data through an online survey with 125 respondents from some travel-related Facebook pages and private groups. According to the results of this study, there is a significant direct relationship between the exogenous variables of attitude (ATT), perceived behavioural control (PBC), perceived health risk (PHR), and intention to visit hotels in Penang during the RMCO period. Few studies have attempted to explain the relationship between perceived health risks and hotel visitation intentions, especially in Malaysia. Therefore, this study will contribute to the literature on the direct influence of perceived health risk on intention to visit hotels.

Abrantes, A. M., Abrantes, J. L., Silva, C., Reis, P., & Seabra, C. (2021). Health Risks, Pandemics and Epidemics Affecting Tourism: Understanding COVID-19 Pandemic. Pandemics and Travel, 7–28. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80071-070-220211002
Adam, I. (2015). Backpackers’ risk perceptions and risk reduction strategies in Ghana. Tourism Management, 49, 99–108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2015.02.016
Ajanovic, A., & Ivanovic, K. (2014). Cognitive absorption and the behavioral intention to use business intelligence: Determinats and influence of cognitive absorption. May, 3–99.
Ajzen, I. (1991). The Theory of Planned Behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Ajzen, I., & Cote, N. G. (2008). Attitudes and the Prediction of Behavior. In Attitude and attitude change (Issue January 2008, pp. 289–311). Psychology Press.
Ajzen, I., & Driver, B. L. (1992). Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Leisure Choice. Journal of Leisure Research, 24(3), 207–224.
https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.1992.11969889
Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1977). Attitude-Behavior Relations: A Theoretical Analysis and Review of Empirical Research. Psychological Bulletin, 84(5), 888–918. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11614-012-0060-4
AL Ziadat, M. T. (2015). Applications of Planned Behavior Theory (TPB) in Jordanian Tourism. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 7(3), 95–106.
https://doi.org/10.5539/ijms.v7n3p95
Armitage, C. J., & Conner, M. (2001). Efficacy of the Theory of Planned Behaviour?: A Meta-Analytic Review. British Journal of Social Psychology, 40, 471–499.
Bae, S. Y., & Chang, P. J. (2020). The effect of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) risk perception on behavioural intention towards ‘untact’ tourism in South Korea during the first wave of the pandemic (March 2020). Current Issues in Tourism, 0(0), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2020.1798895
Barlett, C. P. (2019). Social Psychology Theory Extensions. In Predicting Cyberbullying (pp. 37–47). https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-816653-6.00005-4
Bianchi, C., Milberg, S., & Cúneo, A. (2017). Understanding travelers’ intentions to visit a short versus long-haul emerging vacation destination: The case of Chile. Tourism Management, 59, 312–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2016.08.013
Casidy, R., & Wymer, W. (2016). A risk worth taking: Perceived risk as moderator of satisfaction, loyalty, and willingness-to-pay premium price. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 32, 189–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.06.014
Cheng, S., Lam, T., & Hsu, C. H. C. (2006). Negative Word-of-Mouth Communication Intention: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Research, 30(1), 95–116. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348005284269
Chinazzi, M., Davis, J. T., Ajelli, M., Gioannini, C., Litvinova, M., Merler, S., Piontti, A. P. Y., Rossi, L., Sun, K., Viboud, C., Xiong, X., Yu, H., Halloran, M. E., Longini, I. M., & Vespignani, A. (2020). The effect of travel restrictions on the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak. MedRxiv, 400(April), 395–400.
https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.09.20021261
Chu, A. Z., & Chu, R. J. (2013). Service willingness and senior tourists: knowledge about aging, attitudes toward the elderly, and work values. Service Industries Journal, 33(12), 1148–1164. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2011.628659
Cooper, M. (2005). Japanese tourism and the SARS epidemic of 2003. Tourism Crises: Management Responses and Theoretical Insight, August 2014, 117–132. https://doi.org/10.1300/J073vl9n02_10
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (Fourth). SAGE.
Davahli, M. R., Karwowski, W., Sonmez, S., & Apostolopoulos, Y. (2020). The hospitality industry in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic: Current topics and research methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(20), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17207366
Fuchs, G., Reichel, A., & Reichel, A. (2006). Tourist Destination Risk Perception?: The Case of Israel. Journal of Hospitality & Leisure Marketing, 14(2), 83–108. https://doi.org/10.1300/J150v14n02
Godovykh, M., Pizam, A., & Bahja, F. (2020). Antecedents and outcomes of health risk perceptions in tourism, following the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourism Review, 76(4), 737–748. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-06-2020-0257
Gursoy, D., & Chi, C. G. (2020). Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on hospitality industry: review of the current situations and a research agenda. Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, 29(5), 527–529. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2020.1788231
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. Th. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2016). A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). In SAGE (Second, Vol. 53, Issue 9). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. Th. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2017). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). In SAGE Publications (Second, Vol. 38, Issue 2). SAGE Publications, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743727x.2015.1005806
Hair, J. F., Risher, J. J., Sarstedt, M., & Ringle, C. M. (2019). When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM. European Business Review, 31(1), 2–24. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-11-2018-0203
Han, T. I., & Stoel, L. (2017). Explaining Socially Responsible Consumer Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Review of Theory of Planned Behavior. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 29(2), 91–103. https://doi.org/10.1080/08961530.2016.1251870
Hasan, M. K., Ismail, A. R., & Islam, M. F. (2017). Tourist risk perceptions and revisit intention: A critical review of literature. Cogent Business and Management, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311975.2017.1412874
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
Hoque, A., Shikha, F. A., Waliul Hasanat, M., Arif, I., & Abdul Hamid, A. B. (2020). The effect of coronavirus sars-cov-2 in the tourism industry in Africa. Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 3(1), 52–58. https://doi.org/10.14505/jemt.v11.8(48).06
Hu, M. R., & Lee, A. D. (2020). Airbnb, COVID-19 Risk and Lockdowns: Global Evidence. SSRN Electronic Journal, November. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3589141
Huang, X., Dai, S., & Xu, H. (2020). Predicting tourists’ health risk preventative behaviour and travelling satisfaction in Tibet: Combining the theory of planned behaviour and health belief model. Tourism Management Perspectives, 33(February 2019), 100589. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2019.100589
Jain, D. S. (2020). Would Hotel Industry Have to Redo the Rooms / Housekeeping Standards Post COVID? Instilling Greater Confidence to Bring Back the Customers. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3587897
Kan, M. P. H., & Fabrigar, L. R. (2017). Theory of Planned Behaviour. In Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences (pp. 1–8). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28099-8
Khan, M. J., Chelliah, S., Khan, F., & Amin, S. (2019). Perceived risks, travel constraints and visit intention of young women travelers: the moderating role of travel motivation. Tourism Review, 74(3), 721–738. https://doi.org/10.1108/TR-08-2018-0116
Kourgiantakis, M., Apostolakis, A., & Dimou, I. (2021). COVID-19 and holiday intentions: the case of Crete, Greece. Anatolia, 32(1), 148–151.
https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2020.1781221
Kozak, M., Crotts, J. C., & Law, R. (2007). The impact of the perception of risk on international travellers. International Journal of Tourism Research, 9(4), 233–242.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.607
Law, R. (2006). The perceived impact of risks on travel decisions. International Journal of Tourism Research, 8(4), 289–300. https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.576
Lee, C. K., Song, H. J., Bendle, L. J., Kim, M. J., & Han, H. (2012). The impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions for 2009 H1N1 influenza on travel intentions: A model of goal-directed behavior. Tourism Management, 33(1), 89–99.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2011.02.006
Lee, R., Murphy, J., & Swilley, E. (2009). The moderating influence of hedonic consumption in an extended theory of planned behaviour. Service Industries Journal, 29(4), 539–555. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642060802287189
Lepp, A., & Gibson, H. (2003). Tourist roles, perceived risk and international tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 30(3), 606–624. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0160-7383(03)00024-0
Lepp, A., Gibson, H., & Lane, C. (2011). Image and perceived risk: A study of Uganda and its official tourism website. Tourism Management, 32(3), 675–684.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.05.024
Li, Z., Sha, Y., Song, X., Yang, K., ZHao, K., Jiang, Z., & Zhang, Q. (2019). Impact of risk perception on customer purchase behavior: a meta-analysis. Journal of Business and Industrial Marketing, 35(1), 76–96. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-12-2018-0381
Lien, C. H., Hsu, M. K., Shang, J. Z., & Wang, S. W. (2021). Self-service technology adoption by air passengers: a case study of fast air travel services in Taiwan. Service Industries Journal, 41(9–10), 671–695. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2019.1569634
Maichum, K., Parichatnon, S., & Peng, K. C. (2016). Application of the extended theory of planned behavior model to investigate purchase intention of green products among Thai consumers. Sustainability (Switzerland), 8(10), 1–20.
https://doi.org/10.3390/su8101077
Matiza, T. (2020). Post-COVID-19 crisis travel behaviour: towards mitigating the effects of perceived risk. Journal of Tourism Futures, 2012(April). https://doi.org/10.1108/JTF-04-2020-0063
Menon, G., Raghubir, P., & Agrawal, N. (2011). Health Risk Perceptions and Consumer Psychology. SSRN Electronic Journal, September. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.945673
Mertzanis, C., & Papastathopoulos, A. (2021). Epidemiological susceptibility risk and tourist flows around the world. Annals of Tourism Research, 86(November 2020), 103095. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annals.2020.103095
Mohaidin, Z., Wei, K. T., Ali Murshid, M., & Murshid, M. (2017). Factors influencing the tourists’ intention to select sustainable tourism destination: a case study of Penang, Malaysia. International Journal of Tourism Cities, 3(4), 442–465.
https://doi.org/10.1108/IJTC-11-2016-0049
Mostafa, M. M. (2007). A Hierarchical Analysis of the Green Consciousness of the Egyptian Consumer. Psychology & Marketing, 24(5), 445–473.
https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20168
MOTAC. (2020). Pengelasan Hotel - Portal Rasmi Kementerian Pelancongan, Seni, Dan Budaya Malaysia. Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia. motac.gov.my/semakan/hotel
Narayanaswamy Vasantha Raju, & Harinarayana N. S. (2016). Online survey tools?: A case study of Google Forms Online. National Conference on "Scientific, Computational & Information Research Trends in Engineering, GSSS-IETW, Mysore, January 2016, 1–12.
Nazneen, S., Hong, X., & Ud Din, N. (2020). COVID-19 Crises and Tourist Travel Risk Perceptions. SSRN Electronic Journal, March 2020.
https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3592321
Neuburger, L., & Egger, R. (2020). Travel risk perception and travel behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic 2020: a case study of the DACH region. Current Issues in Tourism, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2020.1803807
Ostrovskiy, A., Garkavenko, V., & Rybina, L. (2021). Influence of socio-psychological factors on consumers purchasing behavior in Kazakhstan. Service Industries Journal, 41(7–8), 527–552. https://doi.org/10.1080/02642069.2019.1601707
Poku, G., & Boakye, K. A. A. (2019). Insights into the safety and security expressions of visitors to the Kakum National Park: Implications for management. Tourism Management Perspectives, 32(August 2018), 100562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2019.100562
Portnoy, D. B., Ferrer, R. A., Bergman, H. E., & Klein, W. M. P. (2014). Changing deliberative and affective responses to health risk: a meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review, 8(3), 296–318. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2013.798829
Reisinger, Y., & Mavondo, F. T. (2006). Cultural differences in travel risk perception. Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 20(1), 13–31. https://doi.org/10.1300/J073v20n01_02
Rivis, A., & Sheeran, P. (2003). Descriptive norms as an additional predictor in the theory of planned behaviour: A meta-analysis. Current Psychology, 22(3), 218–233. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-003-1018-2
Roehl, W. S., & Fesenmaier, D. R. (1992). Risk Perceptions and Pleasure Travel: An Exploratory Analysis. Journal of Travel Research, 30(4), 17–26.
https://doi.org/10.1177/004728759203000403
Sanchez-Canizares, S. M., Cabeza-Ramirez, L. J., Munoz-Fernandez, G., & Fuentes-Garcia, F. J. (2020a). Impact of the perceived risk from Covid-19 on intention to travel. Current Issues in Tourism, 0(0), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2020.1829571
Sanchez-Canizares, S. M., Cabeza-Ramírez, L. J., Muñoz-Fernández, G., & Fuentes-García, F. J. (2020b). Impact of the perceived risk from Covid-19 on intention to travel. Current Issues in Tourism, 0(0), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2020.1829571
Sekaran, U., & Bougie, R. (2016). Research methods for business: A skill-building approach. In John Wiley & Sons (Seventh). John Wiley & Sons Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0753-5_102084
Shafieizadeh, K., Alotaibi, S., & Tao, C. W. (Willie). (2021). How do authenticity and quality perceptions affect dining experiences and recommendations of food trucks? The moderating role of perceived risk. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 93(December 2020), 102800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102800
Shin, H., & Kang, J. (2020). Reducing perceived health risk to attract hotel customers in the COVID-19 pandemic era: Focused on technology innovation for social distancing and cleanliness. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 91(September), 102664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102664
Soliman, M. (2019). Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict Tourism Destination Revisit Intention. International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration, 00(00), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/15256480.2019.1692755
Sonmez, S. F., & Graefe, A. R. (1998). Determining future travel behavior from past travel experience and perceptions of risk and safety. Journal of Travel Research, 37(2), 171–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/004728759803700209
Thams, A., Zech, N., Rempel, D., & Ayia-Koi, A. (2020). An initial assessment of economic impacts and operational challenges for the tourism & hospitality industry due to COVID-19.
Tourism Malaysia. (2021a). Hotel Guests by states. My Tourism Data. http://mytourismdata.tourism.gov.my/?page_id=362#!range=year&from=2012&to=2015&type=5587833dc8f82,55878dfdebb19&destination=34MYP004
Tourism Malaysia. (2021b). Hotel Occupancy Survey by Quarterly. My Tourism Data.
Ugur, N. G., & Akb?y?k, A. (2020). Impacts of COVID-19 on global tourism industry: A cross-regional comparison. Tourism Management Perspectives, 36(September), 100744. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2020.100744
Ulker-Demirel, E., & Ciftci, G. (2020). A systematic literature review of the theory of planned behavior in tourism, leisure and hospitality management research. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 43(September 2019), 209–219.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2020.04.003
Wang, M., Jin, Z., Fan, S., Ju, X., & Xiao, X. (2020). Chinese residents’ preferences and consuming intentions for hotels after COVID-19 pandemic: a theory of planned behaviour approach. Anatolia, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/13032917.2020.1795894
Williams, A. M., & Balaz, V. (2013). Tourism, risk tolerance and competences: Travel organization and tourism hazards. Tourism Management, 35, 209–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2012.07.006
Yagc?, M. I., Dogrul, U., Ozturk, L., & Yagci, A. C. (2021). Effect of Perceived Risk on Tourists’ Behavioural Intentions Post COVID-19 in Turkey. Tourism Destination Management in a Post-Pandemic Context, December 2019, 187–199. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80071-511-020211013
Yean, T. F., Johari, J., & Sukery, A. F. M. (2015). The influence of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control on intention to return to work: A case of socso’s insured employees. Kajian Malaysia, 33, 141–154.
Yuriev, A., Dahmen, M., Paille, P., Boiral, O., & Guillaumie, L. (2020). Pro-environmental behaviors through the lens of the theory of planned behavior: A scoping review. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 155(November 2019), 104660. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104660
Zhang, Y., Wu, S., & Rasheed, M. I. (2020). Conscientiousness and smartphone recycling intention: The moderating effect of risk perception. Waste Management, 101, 116–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2019.09.040