Paper Title
The Effectof the Covid-19 Pandemic on Trave Behaviour in South Africa
Abstract
Global tourism today is more vulnerable than ever to sudden disasters or crises, and the impact of crises, such as pandemics, on travel consumers and their behaviour has also been significant. An understanding of how travellers react to these risks in terms of their levels of concern, their response and their travel behaviour and intentions. This study therefore examines the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic and international travel in South Africa, with a focus on traveller perception and travel behaviour pre-and post-COVID-19. Using the snowball sampling technique, online and electronic surveys were administered to solicit views and perceptions from the general adult population. A total of 392 responses were attained. Important factors included in the online survey comprised demographic information, travel behaviour before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, and travellers future concerns. The findings revealed an evolution in travel behaviouramidst the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of trip purpose, choice of travel mode, geography and distance, frequency of trips and type of attractions. Respondents also highlighted that pandemic related concerns were a key determinant in travel choice. The findings are useful in developing intervention and support measures and a development strategy to address the needs of travellers in a post-pandemic era.
Keywords - COVID-19 Pandemic, Travel Behaviour, Risks, Safety Measures