Effect of risk perception on travel intention to conflict-ridden destinations

My doctoral thesis investigated the factors influencing travel intention to conflict-ridden destinations. The context of the research focused on conflict-ridden destinations, which are associated with a higher level of risk perception. Conflict-ridden destinations are directly influenced by terrorist attacks, political unrest and war, where tourism and tourist establishments are influenced by these events (Çakmak and İsaac, 2016). This thesis investigated how perceived risk, along with other factors such as individual characteristics, destination image, and prior experience influences the travel intention in conflict-ridden destinations. The main results of the current study confirmed the assumed relationships between perceived risk, individual characteristics (novelty-seeking behaviour), destination image, prior experience and theory of planned behaviour (TPB) constructs. The findings are summarized in the following points: • Subjective norms influenced both perceived behavioural control, attitude towards visiting conflict-ridden destinations and intention to visit. • Perceived behavioural control also influenced the intention to visit, while attitudes towards visiting had no significant impact on intention to visit conflict-ridden destinations. • Destination image only had a significant moderation effect on the relationship between attitudes towards visiting and intention to visit. • Perceived risk negatively influences attitude towards visiting conflict-ridden destinations • Novelty-seeking behaviour positively influences the perceived behavioural control. • Subjective norms and perceived behavioural control both are significant positive predictors of intentions to visit conflict-ridden destinations. • Destination image is a significant positive predictor of intention to visit conflict-ridden destinations. • Destination image has a stronger significant positive effect on the intention to visit Turkey. However, the destination image has no significant effect on the intention to visit Israel. The results of this thesis shed new light on existing literature as it explores the factors predicting the intention to visit conflict-ridden destinations associated with a high level of risk perceptions that offers implications for researchers and practitioners. This model is the first in the tourism literature incorporating risk perception, individual characteristics (novelty-seeking behaviour), destination image and prior experience in a single model.