The Effect of Safety Management of Exhibition and Convention Center on Visitors' Safety Behavior and Future Behavioral Intention - Focused on the Pandemic -

This paper investigates the ramifications of COVID-19 on the exhibition industry, a sector pivotal for exchanging information and fostering economic development. In response to the pandemic, global trade shows have grappled with an abrupt halt, facing cancellations and postponements due to stringent measures and restrictions, severely impacting industries reliant on interpersonal interactions. This research focuses on safety and quarantine measures adopted by Korean exhibition and convention centers during COVID-19 and examines how these impact visitor behavior and intentions toward future attendance. Three core elements of safety management derived from global and Korean guidelines form the basis of this study, which explores the relationship between these safety practices and the consequent safety participation and compliance behaviors of the visitors. Data for empirical analysis were collected through a survey of 250 visitors to exhibition centers during pandemic-related social distancing, with content validity confirmed through a pilot test conducted on graduate students specializing in Exhibition and Convention Management. Structural equation modeling applied to the collected data identified three main factors of safety management: the exhibition hall environment, visitor behavior control, and safety management guidance. The findings indicate that the exhibition hall environment and safety management guide significantly influenced visitors' safety participation behaviors, whereas visitor behavior control did not. However, behavioral control was significant in determining compliance behavior. Lastly, both safety participation and compliance behaviors were found to be significant predictors of future behavioral intentions. This study's insights reveal the nature of visitor safety behaviors and their future intentions, providing valuable knowledge for exhibition and convention center operators to enhance both the safety management strategies and disaster response protocols. It aims to aid in developing effective visitor retention strategies in the face of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.