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Social Distance with Tourists in U.S. Counties with the Highest Historical Numbers of Reported COVID-19 Cases

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  • Kyle Maurice Woosnam

    (Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
    School of Tourism and Hospitality, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa)

  • Emrullah Erul

    (Department of Tourism Management, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir 35620, Turkey)

  • Zachary A. Russell

    (Recreation, Sport and Tourism Department, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61820, USA)

  • Sabrina Rahman

    (Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Chase Perren

    (Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Michael Lefavi

    (Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Camille Bennett

    (Recreation, Sport and Tourism Department, University of Illinois, Champaign, IL 61820, USA)

Abstract

With destinations steadily ‘opening back up for business’ (while COVID-19 cases are still high in many areas), there is an increasing need to consider residents. Integrating the cognitive appraisal theory and the affect theory of exchange, this work tests a structural model examining the degree to which residents’ perceptions of COVID-19 precautionary measures explain emotions directed toward visitors, and ultimately their willingness to engage in shared behaviors with tourists. Data were collected from 530 residents in 25 U.S. counties with the highest percentages of historical COVID-19 cases per population. A total of 10 of the 12 tested hypotheses were significant, contributing to 60% and 85% of the variance explained in contending and accommodating emotions, and 53% and 50% of the variance explained in engaging in less intimate–distal and more intimate–proximal behaviors with tourists. The implications highlight the complementary use of the two frameworks in explaining residents’ preference for engagement in less intimate–distal interactions with tourists.

Suggested Citation

  • Kyle Maurice Woosnam & Emrullah Erul & Zachary A. Russell & Sabrina Rahman & Chase Perren & Michael Lefavi & Camille Bennett, 2023. "Social Distance with Tourists in U.S. Counties with the Highest Historical Numbers of Reported COVID-19 Cases," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:11:p:8944-:d:1161902
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    References listed on IDEAS

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