Unpacking motivations for travel amid the turbulence of the initial COVID-19 pandemic shock
Kubal-Czerwińska M. Filimonau V. Mika M. Shaken A.
2026Sciendo
Miscellanea Geographica
2026
This study offers a retrospective analysis of holiday travel motivations in Poland following the first wave of COVID-19. Despite the 2020 tourism downturn, travel persisted. Based on a nationwide survey (N = 388), the study explores how the perceived COVID-19 threat influenced actual travel behaviour after the first wave of the pandemic. Two tourist segments emerged: ‘risk-tolerantʼ individuals who continued travelling; and ‘risk-averseʼ tourists who remained cautious but did not fully abstain. Findings show that previous travel experience and low pandemic-related anxiety were key predictors of continued engagement. The desire to compensate for prolonged isolation often outweighed fear of infection. The results confirmed early signals of a swift domestic tourism recovery, later observed across post-pandemic phases. Visible and credible safety measures were essential to rebuild confidence. These findings provide valuable insights into Polish tourist behaviour during the early phase of the pandemic and offer a reference point for understanding crisis-induced behavioural dynamics in tourism.
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Institute of Geography and Spatial Management, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Kraków, Poland
University of Surrey, Surrey Hospitality and Tourism Management, Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Institute of Geography and Spatial Management
University of Surrey
Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences
10 лет помогаем публиковать статьи Международный издатель
Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026