Effects of Media Coverage and Perceived Risk during COVID-19: Moderated Mediation Model

Abstract

The objective of this research is first to study the effect of social media on intent to revisit a tourism destination in the era of the pandemic, using an integrative model that highlights the respective mediating effect of satisfaction, engagement and co-created value as well as the moderating effect of perceived COVID-19 risk on model’s direct relationships. Data were collected from 597 tourists through a self-administered online questionnaire. The relationships of the conceptual model were tested using structural equations modeling as well as the Hayes process. All direct relationship assumptions have been confirmed. The research’s results show that social media can be used to improve tourists’ satisfaction, their engagement and to help them to create value. The perceived risk of COVID-19 has a positive dampening effect on the majority of the model’s direct relationships. Based on results of this research, the managers of tourist destinations are recommended to use social media to satisfy the tourists, engage them and encourage them to co-create value, in order to better manage the crisis imposed by COVID19.

Keywords

• covid-19
• satisfaction
• engagement
• co-created value
• perceived risk