Exploring the Factors Influencing Tourists’ Outbound Travel Intentions in the Post-COVID-19 Era

COVID-19 had a significant impact on China's outbound tourism market. However, with the increasing availability of vaccinations and the lifting of travel restrictions, there is expected to be a recovery in this market. The protection motivation theory (PMT) was used in this study to explore Chinese tourists' travel outbound intention in the post-COVID-19 era. Tourists in Zhuhai were surveyed, with 433 valid questionnaires returned. SPSS 26 and SmartPLS 3.0 were used for data analysis, which revealed the factors influencing tourists' travel outbound intention. In addition, study found that tourists' familiarity with the destination can significantly mediate tourists' perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 protective measures and their travel outbound intention. This study fills the gaps in existing China's outbound tourism research. In practical terms, this study provides relevant practical suggestions for China's outbound tourism market in the post-COVID-19.