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How Can the Industry Overcome the Biggest Barriers to Travel’s Return?

Travel advisors are battling a drop in consumer confidence and rising uncertainty. Photo: Shutterstock.com

The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the global travel industry, and even with the effects of the pandemic beginning to recede in many places, there remain a number of major obstacles that can get in the way of the industry’s steady recovery.

Advisors and professionals from across the industry have been hard at work to identify and overcome these barriers, both individually and collectively, in hopes of stimulating a healthy return to travel.

Sense of uncertainty “I think the largest barrier really is the unknown,” said Susan Rice, president of New Era Travel. “I think people have a fear of what they don’t know, what may happen, what may not happen.” 

In order to combat the sense of uncertainty we all feel about the ever-evolving state of travel, advisors should do everything in their power to research and relay up-to-date information about the situation across the destinations they offer.

“We’ve become really big on the word transparent, and I think having learned from my other colleagues that the more clear and honest you are with clients, the better they will respect you, and your relationship will grow from that,” said Rice. 

In this time of constantly shifting circumstances, communication will be more important than ever going forward. “I’ve been personally reaching out to clients who I feel need that extra attention to help remind them they’re not alone and to keep travel at the forefront of their minds. We’re here for them.”

She also believes that promoting your specialty will help attract potential travelers and instill additional confidence in their abilities, because travelers will be looking for more personalized catered experiences and will trust an advisor who can provide their specific needs and who operate under that title.

“I think travel advisors who have put in the time to learn more about the specific areas of tourism, specific locations, and specific types of travel… they will be the valuable people because they’ll serve as the go-to people,” said Rice.

“General travel advisors will still be there, but people want to work with advisors who have the best skills for what they need. But at the end of the day people know that we have their back, and that we’re there for them.”

Staying closer to home   Currently, there are many limitations in place determining where and under what conditions, Americans can travel internationally, and this has resulted in a significant increase in demand for domestic travel offerings.

“There is no doubt that there’s more interest in domestic destinations now than in the past. And we’re running promotions focusing on domestic programs. Some of the tour operators; Globus, Insight, Classic, they are all amplifying their domestic offerings,” said Stephen McGillivray, chief marketing and communications officer for Travel Leaders Group.

After the extended travel lockdown period, people are anxious to get back out and traveling again, and it’s up to travel advisors to educate them on where they can go that’s safe, what will be available when they get there, and what changes have been made to services and safety protocols.

“Advisors are moving in the right direction to begin having more substantive conversations about making bookings,” said McGillivray. “We’ve made changes to our digital messaging to the customers to ‘dream now, travel later’. We send a lot of great videos, great experiences, and things getting them to think about travel in the future.”

But now that demand has been on a steady increase, and people seem way more comfortable with travel, he said messaging will shift to get travelers thinking about where they want to travel to, and why.

Safety concerns “As destinations nationwide prepare to welcome visitors, there will be a much greater focus on hygiene and sanitation than ever before,” said Lillian Rafson, founder and CEO of Pack Up + Go.

She also said that due to reports of a rise in active COVID cases, “we are seeing some hesitation form travelers now. We’re just trying to be as flexible as possible and allow our travelers to change their dates or postpone their plans to a point where they feel really comfortable traveling, and can have the most positive experience possible.”

The COVID-19 pandemic is naturally on the minds of travelers, and it’s up to travel advisors to not only ensure their clients are staying safe while abroad, while keeping them up-to-date with any new health or safety information that may arise.

“Travelers will want to know what steps are being taken to ensure they are safe, and it’s up to advisors to keep track of the myriad of new measures and policies these places are implementing, and to relay best recommended practices to their clients,” said Rafson.

“We are going to do our absolute best to ensure you have a great experience, and we do still recommend practicing social distancing, using hand sanitizer and washing hands often. We really try to do our part to make sure we are in step with national and local recommendations.”

Restoring confidence in travel   One of the biggest factors advisors can focus on short-term to help spur industry recovery, is to do everything in their power to restore consumer confidence in travel, and a big part of that involves staying informed on the myriad of changes travelers can expect.

 “It feels like travel is going to open up in bits and pieces, as different areas of the world deal with the pandemic,” said John Rees, owner of J5Travel.

“Advisors have to be responsible for getting this correct information out to their clients, and that’s a big responsibility, especially with so many changes taking place.”

He’s communicating with his clients regularly, even those who aren’t yet ready to travel this year. “I’m keeping my clients informed on what’s open, what’s not, and what the situation is in different places, but at the moment, I’m just striking a balance between inspiring future travel and actively trying to sell travel.”

Rees expects the arrival of a COVID vaccine will do a lot to alleviate traveler’s worries about the virus, and in turn, that can help the industry formulate a more unified approach to reopening. “If there’s a vaccine, a lot of that confidence will come back. It’s just up to us to make sure we can instill that confidence in clients, thatmake them feel safe with all the new protocols and airlines and hotels put in place.”

Another consumer confidence booster is waiving change fees and generally making it easy for people to change their travel plans, especially with the situation in many destinations changing suddenly and frequently.

“One good thing for clients at the moment is there’s basically a free option to book nearly anything for 2021, because cancellation terms are so generous now, and most will rebook you for free.”

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Top factors travellers will consider before planning a trip – what hard-hit countries can consider

Tourists walk along a beach during the reopening of the beaches and hotels after confinement measures were eased this week, as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues in Acapulco, Mexico July 2, 2020. Image:  REUTERS/Javier Verdin

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• New surveys show that tourists are weighing new factors when planning travel, such as how well the virus is being controlled in different localities.
• Countries hard-hit by COVID, like those in some parts of Latin America and other regions, will need to take travellers' new concerns into account to build back tourism.
• Brand strategies will need to account for travellers’ fears regarding the virus, touting hygiene and safety.

As lockdowns lift and the pandemic slows in many parts of the world, quarantine-weary countries have one question: When can tourists travel again – and where will they chose to go? The answer, like the COVID-19 crisis, will be complex, blending both fact and emotion.

For some countries, such as those in hard-hit parts of Latin America and other areas, it may also depend on an individual country’s ability to control the virus’ spread. Some countries have seen rapid rates of transmission and, in some cases, infections have spread from big cities to small towns . Where countries are planning to reopen to tourists, officials from the World Health Organization have urged countries to reconsider until infections are under control.

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Of course, some countries have managed to contain the virus, but these countries will still face barriers to building back their tourism industries given tourists' new reluctance to travel.

As countries navigate their particular challenges, here are some factors to consider:

Understanding travellers’ new needs

A study by Bloom Consulting and D2-Analytics (Data from April 2020) assessed people’s potential behaviours for the coming year by proposing a range of different scenarios for travel. (While this poll was taken in the Spring, the virus continues to bring uncertainty to travellers and will until it is completely eradicated.)

In the first scenario, respondents were told the virus was controlled and has become a part of our lives. Although travel restrictions would not require quarantines when entering chosen destinations, 45% said they still wouldn’t be ready for a leisure trip.

In the second scenario, the virus was nearly eradicated, but a treatment had been developed. Despite access to the medication, 35% polled said they’d stay in.

In the third and last potential scenario, the virus was fully eradicated. In this case, there was no risk of infection from COVID-19 and no restrictions to navigate. Despite these facts, 15% of all tourists polled said they still would not leave their homes for a trip.

This question reveals a key travel barrier that did not widely exist in the pre-COVID-19 era: Fear. Some are afraid to be in contact with those possibly infected and, given the choice, would prefer to stay safe in their homes. In fact, 64% of those polled said fear was the main reason they wouldn’t travel in the coming 12 months.

As COVID-19 has brought new sensitivities, it has also changed travel preferences. Nearly half (46%) of all respondents who planned to travel for leisure purposes said they may choose a different destination from the original choice they made prior to the outbreak.

Nearly 39% polled said they may choose less crowded or different types of destinations, ones that have extensive hygiene programs (i.e. application of sanitary measures and initiatives monitoring public health). 8% surveyed said they wouldn’t travel unless to visit their families abroad. Still others said they'd wait for a treatment or vaccine.

Thus, the way governments have handled the crisis will play a large role in tourists’ decisions in choosing a destination. More than half of these travellers - 53% - said they’d switch their destination for one that had a good health system. Effective crisis management and low numbers of COVID-19 cases are crucial to these travellers’ decision-making.

Government management is key

Keeping these factors top of mind will be key to communicating the measures in place and developing a sense of safety in tourists in the aftermath of the health crisis. As far as we can see, this crisis won’t vanish in a short period of time. Its impact will cut deep for the long term. Until then, Destination Brands and Destination Marketing Organizations [DMOs] must develop tourism offers that are tailored to tourists’ new needs.

Leisure travel faces a new barrier that did not exist pre-COVID: Fear.

Given the significant impact of public governance perceptions, DMOs must work with governments to establish the fundamental elements that will secure a positive country reputation. This must be done in order to manage the current situation, prepare for the aftermath of the crisis, and anticipate future problems.

Here are some of the key strategies and recommendations that can guide hard-hit countries in Latin America, as well as any country facing the challenges of building back its tourism industry given the changing perceptions regarding target travel audiences:

• Avoid price competition. According to the Bloom Consulting study, only 15% of respondents chose money when asked their main consideration when travelling for leisure purposes. Less crowded destinations and improved healthcare systems are tourists’ main concerns. As a result, previous tourism strategies must be revisited as they may have become temporarily obsolete, especially in low-cost or mass touristic destinations that rely the most on the US market (i.e. Mexico and Caribbean nations, such as the Dominican Republic). Such areas might need to continue to focus on domestic tourism first and shift attentions to traditional US or Canadian markets in later seasons.
• Redesign and redefine tourism . Tourists’ behaviours and preferences have changed. Tourists will be searching for new and less crowded destinations where they can worry less about COVID-19. In Latin American countries where cases are under control, make sure the brand strategy communicates that the destination is appealing and safe once restrictions lift. The product offer must be adjusted to tourists' new expectations and needs. To this end, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched a " Safe Travels ” global safety and hygiene stamp for destinations and their offers. The designation follows protocols backed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization and is based on recommendations from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control. Mexican destinations such as Quintana Roo and Yucatán are among the locales that have qualified. Additionally, Uruguay, with comparably low numbers for the region, was selected for the EU's "safe countries" list of locales with low and declining infection rates. Once borders open, touting inclusion in such lists and the adoption of protocols and programs with third-party certifications can restore tourists’ confidence in destinations and speed the recovery of the industry when responsibly applied. This is also an opportunity for smaller destinations to attract tourists, creating a more balanced flow of travellers to many destinations. Costa Rica, for instance, has won plaudits for its handling of the virus and while its cases recently began to spike, the country has long managed one of the lowest COVID-19 case fatality rates in the region. Should it continue to respond quickly and effectively, travellers could find Costa Rica an appealing option after travel restrictions are lifted in the long term.
• Take health systems into account . Having a solid and reliable healthcare system will have an impact on brand reputation. According to Bloom Consulting and D2 Analytics research , 68% of respondents stated that this crisis is shaping their perceptions of countries. In this study, countries with the best control of the virus (at the time the poll was taken this Spring), such as New Zealand or South Korea, were perceived most positively. In Latin America, countries like Cuba, with low case numbers at the time of polling, were seen in a more positive light than others with wider transmission. Those results give a sense for how perceptions could evolve with the outbreak, depending on governments’ handling of the virus. DMOs must monitor and measure perceptions on government actions, activities and policies. They must assess what people value and how they perceive management measures such as lifting travel bans. These perceptions impact tourists' preferences when choosing a new place to visit. The brand strategy must consider new types of data (such as infection rates in the immediate term) and a destination's ability to respond immediately to key changes.
• Plan your crisis management structure . It is essential for DMOs to have a team or a plan in place that is ready to adapt, analyze and respond to a new normal, new scientific developments or any arising crises. The goal is to ensure a long-term, sustainable approach to show people the destination is prepared for any unforeseen events. Moving forward, fear and uncertainty will be the central factors in a tourists’ decisions, regardless of the rate of transmission in a particular country. These concerns must be accounted for since countries unable to respond to new crises will face a tougher road in rebuilding their tourism sector.

Early in the pandemic, Latin America was mostly a spectator, but countries in Central and South America have been battling the pandemic since. The challenges countries face shift quickly and without warning. Countries, regardless of their transmission phase, must remain vigilant to ensure they can control the virus and their fates to rebuild the tourism sector that’s so important to their economies.

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The 3 Biggest Barriers to Travel and How to Solve Them

M ost people don't get to travel as much as they want. Only 17% of travelers said they went on as many trips as they wanted last year, according to The State of Travel 2024 by Going.

Going also asked travelers about the reasons they weren't able to travel as much as they wanted. They overwhelmingly mentioned three specific barriers to travel.

1. Not enough time off from work or school

The most common barrier to travel is a lack of time off. Nearly one-third (30%) of travelers said this was their issue in 2023. A similar amount (29%) expect it to keep them from traveling in 2024.

When you work or go to school full-time, you might feel like you can't take time off. But everyone needs time away from the responsibilities of daily life. Travel is a great way to do that and enjoy yourself in the process.

How to make time for travel: You can probably create more travel time than you think in 2024. Here are some ideas to make it happen.

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• Plan a trip and request time off now. If you don't make firm travel plans for this year, you're more likely to postpone them until 2025, 2026, and beyond. When you commit to a trip by getting time off from work and making reservations, you're far more likely to go through with it.
• See if you can work remotely. Even if your employer doesn't let you work remotely full-time, you could ask to do it for a week or two. Then, you can continue working while you travel.
• Take shorter trips. Not every travel experience needs to involve an eight-hour flight. Check out places closer to home that you can visit over the weekend.

2. Lack of money

A lack of money is also a common issue, with 28% saying it was their barrier to travel in 2023. And 25% expect it to be an issue in 2024.

Travel can certainly be expensive. Flights and hotels can cost thousands of dollars, and you'll also be spending on food and activities wherever you go. On the bright side, there are plenty of ways to travel without running up balances on your credit cards .

How to have the money to travel: If you feel like you don't have enough money to travel like you want, here's what you can do.

• Set up a travel fund and add to it every month. If you love to travel, why not make it one of your savings goals? Open a savings account to serve as your travel fund. Many banks let you set up sub-savings accounts, so you could also see if your current account gives you this option. Make sure to use a high-yield savings account to earn as much interest as possible.
• Start using travel credit cards to pay your bills. These cards have lots of travel perks, including points that you can redeem for travel expenses. Many of them also have big sign-up bonuses that you earn by meeting a spend requirement, such as $3,000 in the first three months. Some sign-up bonuses can save you $500 or more on travel.
• Master budget-friendly ways to travel. Travel doesn't need to cost a ton of money. You can do it for less if you shop around for deals on flights and accommodations, visit affordable destinations , and look for free or low-cost activities when you travel.

3. Family and other commitments

It wasn't mentioned as often, but 16% of travelers said family and other commitments were their barrier to travel in 2023. Even more (20%) expect it to be a barrier to travel in 2024.

Spending time with family and friends is always nice, but it can make traveling more difficult. Even when you have the time off to travel, you may feel pressured to spend it with loved ones, especially if it's around the holidays or a special occasion.

How to fit in travel plans with family and other commitments: This is undoubtedly the hardest issue to solve. I've wrestled with it myself. It's difficult to spend as much time as you want with family and friends while also seeing the world. Fortunately, there are ways to make it work.

• Invite your loved ones on a group trip. A group trip can be the perfect way to get the best of both worlds. You can travel and spend time with the people you love. If you want to do this, get started early. It takes much more time and planning to set up a group trip, but it can be well worth it.
• Figure out a balance between travel and your other commitments. For example, you could choose to do one trip for yourself and one family get-together a year, with smaller trips in between.
• Stay connected no matter where you are. Even if you travel more and don't see your loved ones as much, you can still keep in touch. Regular texts, phone calls, and video chats are all easy ways to stay connected. It's not the same as being in the same room as someone, but it helps.

If you want to travel more in 2024, don't let any of those issues stop you. Whether it's lack of time off, lack of money, or family commitments, some solutions will allow you to travel as much as you want.

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Tourism after lockdown: travel barriers

The twists and turns of the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to seismic changes in tourism. These include the cessation of international travel for some countries, and, as discussed in previous  “Tourism After Lockdown”  pieces, shifting preferences when it comes to  choosing accommodation  and  places to visit .

In February 2021, STR conducted quantitative research via its  Traveler Panel  to examine attitudes toward travel in this  “new COVID world” .

We evaluate the barriers influencing travelers’ decisions not to book or undertake an overnight trip.

The obvious factor—COVID-19

Our research gauged travel activity during the first few months of the year. Although a sizeable number of respondents had undertaken or booked a trip, the majority had not traveled.

Unsurprisingly, among these respondents, COVID-19 was flagged as a major reason for not booking or undertaking travel. While 4% stated that COVID-19 hadn’t influenced their decision to not book or take an overnight trip, the remainder (96%) declared that their travel bookings were affected by the pandemic.

So, why has COVID-19 influenced travelers’ decisions not to book or undertake travel?

Government legislation and restrictions along with the potential hassle of quarantine were two key barriers to travel for respondents.

The travel industry has little control over these barriers. However, as vaccine programs continue to expand globally, easing travel restrictions and loosening quarantine requirements are likely to follow, which bodes well for the industry.

Areas in which the travel industry can have an impact are in the next set of barriers, which are segmented into comfort and financial barriers.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents flagged fellow travelers not following the rules as a reason for not booking or undertaking travel. Personal health concerns were also a notable barrier mentioned by over half.

Travelers from North America and the U.K. viewed comfort and wellbeing as a greater barrier, while Europeans seemed less concerned, which is likely linked to their younger, more carefree, age profile.

While one size doesn’t fit all, effective COVID-safe measures and clear communications by travel brands can do much to reassure consumers and mitigate the impact of these comfort barriers. However, one caution is that this reassurance must be communicated delicately so as not to alarm travelers.

There is less variation across regions when looking at financial barriers. Last-minute cancellations and refund challenges due to cancellations were stated as the main financial barriers to travel for respondents across all regions.

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What Are the Barriers to Sustainable Travel?

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Consumers want to travel more sustainably but some things are holding them back. Despite the existence of sustainable travel options, half of all travelers find them too limited or too expensive. Many also are under the impression that these options are hard to find or are not credible enough. This and other key insights about travelers' sustainable attitudes can be found in Booking.com's Sustainable Travel Report 2023 .

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This graphic shows the barriers to sustainable travel.

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Travelers may find it difficult to empathize with locals, according to experts. Here, tourists in 2016 buy fruit juice at a market stall in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Travel is said to increase cultural understanding. Does it?

While researchers say travel does affect the brain’s neural pathways, true empathy remains an elusive destination.

Empathy is commonly defined as “putting yourself in another person’s shoes” or “feeling the emotional states of others.” It’s a critical social tool that creates social bridges by promoting shared experiences and producing compassionate behavior. But can empathy be learned? And can travel help facilitate this learning? The answer is complicated. “Research has shown that empathy is not simply inborn, but can actually be taught,” writes psychotherapist F. Diane Barth in Psychology Today . While past research has indicated that empathy is an unteachable trait, newer research—including a 2017 Harvard study —suggests that the “neurobiologically based competency” of empathy is mutable and can be taught under the right circumstances. Whether seeing the world actually opens travelers’ minds—that it makes travelers more empathetic—is up for debate. In a 2018 Harris Poll of 1,300 business travelers, 87 percent said that business trips helped them to be more empathetic to others, reports Quartz . And in a 2010 study , Columbia Business School professor Adam Galinsky found that travel “increases awareness of underlying connections and associations” with other cultures. While self-defined empathy and awareness are unreliable measurements, it stands to reason that cross-cultural exposure through travel would at least create conditions for checking conscious and unconscious biases. “If we are to move in the direction of a more empathic society and a more compassionate world, it is clear that working to enhance our native capacities to empathize is critical to strengthening individual, community, national, and international bonds,” writes Helen Riess, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and author of the 2017 report.

But the coronavirus pandemic and, more recently, the global Black Lives Matter protests have forced an uncomfortable reckoning—that all the travel in the world might not be enough to engender the deep cross-cultural awareness people need now.

“There’s this false adage that travel opens minds, but that’s not [a built-in] fact about what travel does,” says Travis Levius, a Black travel journalist and hospitality consultant based in London and Atlanta. “Travel does not automatically make you a better person,” nor does it clue you into “what’s going on in terms of race relations.”

Black Travel Alliance founder Martina Jones-Johnson agrees, noting that tourism boards have made it “overwhelmingly clear that travel doesn’t necessarily build empathy.”

The lack of diversity within the travel industry itself suggests that there’s much work to be done to make the industry as inclusive as the world of travel consumers. According to a 2019 annual report by the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers in the leisure and hospitality industry were overwhelmingly white. Consumers, meanwhile, say they want to spend their money on travel companies whose employees reflect the world they work in, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council .

Additionally, companies that embrace inclusivity may have a better chance of avoiding tone-deaf messages , such as using “free at last”—the line is from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Dream” speech—to caption a billboard depicting white children jumping into the Florida Keys. The advertisement, which has since been taken down, launched in the wake of the killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis that sparked worldwide protests against police brutality.

(Related: Learn why it’s important to have diverse perspectives in travel.)

Karfa Diallo leads a tour of sites related to the trans-Atlantic slave trade in Bordeaux, France, in June 2020. Participating in activities that amplify marginalized voices and experiences can go a long way toward developing empathy, say experts.

A road paved with good intentions

Interestingly, modern tourism has fairly empathic origins. In the 1850s, Thomas Cook used new railway systems to develop short-haul leisure travel as respites for hard-working British laborers, according to Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, a senior lecturer on tourism management at the University of South Australia.

A hundred years later the United Nations declared reasonable working hours, paid holidays, and “rest and leisure” as human rights . By the 1960s, spurred by related movements to increase holiday time, the leisure sector had coalesced into a full-fledged professional industry.

Since then, the World Tourism Organization and international aid groups have championed tourism as both “a vital force for world peace [that] can provide the moral and intellectual basis for international understanding and interdependence,” as well as an economic development strategy for poorer nations.

But not everyone agrees that the travel industry has lived up to these lofty goals. In recent decades, it has been accused of doing just the opposite. As Stephen Wearing wrote nearly 20 years ago : “tourism perpetuates inequality” because multinational corporations from capitalist countries hold all the economic and resource power over developing nations.

(Related: This is how national parks are fighting racism.)

These days, inequality is baked into the very process of traveling, says veteran Time magazine foreign correspondent and Roads & Kingdoms co-founder Nathan Thornburgh. “Your frequent flier status, the stupid little cordon separating the boarding lines, the way you take an Uber or cab from the airport after you land, not a bus or colectivo or matatu —those all reinforce divisions, not empathy,” he writes in an email. “And that’s just getting to a place.”

Empathy’s downsides

Experts say developing empathy isn’t easy and comes with a host of problems. Joseph M. Cheer, a professor at Wakayama University’s Center for Tourism Research in Japan, notes that empathy inherently “others” another person.

In his 2019 study of westerners on a bike tour in Cambodia, Cheer found that despite the prosocial aspects of the experience—visiting local non-governmental organizations, interacting with local Cambodians—post-tour interviews revealed that the tourists didn’t understand the cultural context of the outing. The visitors leaned into problematic tropes like “happy,” “lovely,” and “generous” when describing locals or simply saw Cambodians as service providers.

This “othering” bias, Cheer says, becomes more noticeable the greater the distance between tourists and locals, and especially so in strictly transactional encounters, such as in hotels.

A worker at a resort in Bali. Researchers say visitors should make a commitment to understand local cultures by moving past transactional interactions.

Our individual travel experiences oppose our best intentions, says travel writer Bani Amor, who has written extensively on race, place, and power.

“The stated [positive] intentions are completely contradictive to what happens in the tourism industry and how oppressive it is to BIPOC [Black, indigenous, and people of color] around the world, how tourism laborers are being treated, and how they’re being dispossessed, not having a right to their own land and to enjoy our own places,” says Amor, who has worked in the tourism industry in their ancestral home of Ecuador.

“You can only really know your own experience,” adds Anu Taranath, a racial equity professor at the University of Washington Seattle and a second-generation immigrant.

“I think we can develop empathetic feelings and sort of crack open our sense of self to include other people’s experiences in it. We can only deepen our own understanding of who we are in an unequal world and how that makes us feel and how that motivates us to shift our life in some way or another.”

I think in its purest form, empathy is basically impossible. I can weep for you, but I can’t weep as you. Nathan Thornburgh , founder, Roads & Kingdoms

Or as Thornburgh puts it: “I think in its purest form, empathy is basically impossible. I can weep for you, but I can’t weep as you.”

Traveling deeper

While experts conclude that travel may not inspire enough empathy to turn tourists into social justice activists, the alternative—not traveling at all—may actually be worse.

“[B]ecause travel produces encounters between strangers, it is likely to prompt empathetic-type imaginings, which simply wouldn’t be there without the proximity created by travel,” says Hazel Tucker in a 2016 study published in the Annals of Tourism. It’s also one reason why it’s important to expose children to travel at an early age.

Yet truly transformational experiences require more than just showing up with a suitcase. It requires energy, effort, and commitment on the part of tourists, as well as specific conditions, says Higgins-Desbiolles. “Visitors need to be prepped for the interaction so that they are ready to engage with the people on an equal level,” she notes.

Taranath’s book Beyond Guilt Trips: Mindful Travel in an Unequal World may provide some starting points. “It’s an invitation to think more carefully about our good intentions and where they really need to be challenged,” Taranath explains. “How do you think about identity and difference in an unequal world? What does it actually look like?”

Additionally, Tucker suggests embracing what she calls “unsettled empathy”: learning about the cultures you’re planning to visit and sitting with uncomfortable legacies of colonialism, slavery, genocide, and displacement from which no destinations are exempt.

Barbara Manigault, a Gullah sweet grass basket weaver, practices her craft in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. American tourists with limited travel opportunities can find many places in the U.S. to learn more about other cultures.

That background can be the basis for meaningful conversations, which Cheer found are “the key element that prompted empathy.” Thornburgh adds that travelers should seek out places where there is “an equal and humanistic exchange, or something approaching it, between the visitors and the visited.”

(Related: The E.U. has banned American travelers. So where can they go? )

Toward that end, experts generally ruled out cruises. Instead, immersive experiences like Black Heritage Tours that amplify historically marginalized voices provide better opportunities for meaningful connections.

Fortunately for would-be travelers, those opportunities can be found even in these pandemic times, when many countries are restricting international travel, especially for Americans.

“We are so lucky in this country that the whole world has come here to build their lives, in big cities and small, and that we have Black and [Native American] communities throughout,” says Thornburgh. “Go to their restaurants, lend your talents to their schools, help them raise money for their playgrounds.

“You want travel? You want to experience different cultures? Start at home. Start now.”

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Travel disruption and increasing financial barriers stall consumer sentiment, but wanderlust remains

Debate continues on the extent to which global tourism recovery will be impinged by increasing inflationary pressures and potential travel disruption.

Thus far, any potential impact has not been visible in the hospitality sector. The STR Market Recovery Monitor , based on data for the week ending 30 July 2022, showed that more than 90% of North American markets and around 80% of global markets were achieving revenue per available room (RevPAR) that was 80% or above 2019 levels when adjusted for inflation.

However, the expected seasonal slowing of peak leisure demand season is beginning and intersecting with significant macroeconomic headwinds. With that in mind, STR examined the attitudes of consumers in the current context of contrasting tourism fortunes. Ultimately, we want to continue tracking how travel sentiment is being impacted by growing financial and travel pressures alongside easing COVID-19 concerns.

Our latest survey from July 2022 highlights that consumers are vigilant about their personal finances and COVID-19, but wanderlust continues to stoke travel demand even with more concern around travel disruption.

Stalling short-term sentiment, positive long-term outlook

During previous research in May 2022, STR showed an uptick in sentiment as net propensity to travel – the difference between those who stated they were more or less likely to travel in the current environment – increased significantly for both domestic and international trips compared with February 2022.

However, the latest findings revealed identical sentiment with May 2022 as net propensity to travel in the current situation was unchanged, remaining in negative territory for both domestic and international trips (-4% and -31%, respectively). While the outlook improved compared with last year, these results suggest that financial pressures, COVID-19 and other factors continue to weigh down the overall appeal of travel currently.

Despite stalling short-term sentiment, attitudes toward tourism in the medium- to long-term remained extremely positive. Net propensity to travel was again close to +30% for both domestic and international trips. These results signal healthy intent among consumers to increase their travel cadence in the future and the continued presence of strong underlying demand.

New barrier on the block: Travel cancellations

Travel cancellations and disruptions have been much publicized recently as airlines and airports, especially, have had to manage surging demand alongside supply-chain and staffing issues. Travel disruption concerns consequently emerged as a significant barrier to travel with many likely influenced by media reports as well as first-hand and anecdotal negative experiences.

Overall, nearly six in 10 said they are worried about cancellations and disruptions impacting their next trip. North Americans expressed more concern than others as 63% were anxious about travel disruption compared with 54% among Brits and Europeans.

Meanwhile, around half agreed they are concerned by the cost of hotel accommodation now and a similar proportion said they are spending more time looking for deals. These findings suggest consumers are increasingly scrutinizing the cost of travel yet remain eager to get away. How consumers trade off increasing costs with the benefits of travel is a key issue which could shape global tourism performance in the coming months.

Financial factors are greater threats, concern around the war in Ukraine decreased

The cost of travel remains the biggest obstacle to tourism growth. Consistent with May 2022, around 60% thought costs would negatively impact travel in the next 12 months. Unsurprisingly for the reasons discussed above, the second greatest barrier was travel cancellations and disruptions mentioned by 56% compared with 43% in May 2022.

There was a pattern further down the pecking order in overall importance as other financial barriers – increasing household costs, personal financial situations and economic uncertainty – increased compared with May 2022. These findings highlight that economic considerations have strengthened in recent months. How the world economy unfolds will determine if these barriers pose a more significant threat for tourism later in the year.

Meanwhile, conversely, the war in Ukraine was perceived to be a lesser travel barrier than in May 2022. A quarter thought it would negatively impact their travels in the next 12 months, which was well below May 2022 (36%). Europeans though were more guarded than others about the war with 31% seeing it as a barrier.

Cost-benefit analysis reckoning lies ahead

The outlook for travel remains upbeat due to strong underlying demand despite increasing economic uncertainty and inflationary pressures. Travel disruption concerns were possibly a bigger factor than financial issues, which led to the muted sentiment in this latest survey. The good news is that travel disruptions, unlike financial issues, are something the industry can address once staffing and supply-chain issues have eased. The seasonal dip in future demand will also allow businesses to better manage the situation.

However, these factors combined with lingering COVID-19 concerns create a challenging backdrop for tourism. Tourism businesses, like consumers, will be eagerly monitoring government efforts to mitigate the economic challenges ahead. How consumers with decreasing real incomes evaluate the overall cost and benefit of travel will also impact performance going forward. Travel disruption – both perceptions and reality – is likely to remain a topical issue during the remaining period of peak season travel.

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Booking.com’s 2021 Sustainable Travel Report Indicates Potential Watershed Moment for Industry and Consumers

Latest research from booking.com reveals how the ‘pandemic effect’ could finally tip sustainable travel intent into impactful action.

• Nearly three quarters (72%) of UK travellers think sustainable travel is vital, with 43% saying the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future
• 64% of travellers say they want to stay in a sustainable accommodation in the upcoming year
• 58% admit they get annoyed if somewhere they are staying stops them from being sustainable, for example by not providing recycling facilities
• To help boost the visibility of more sustainable stay options, Booking.com now shows third-party sustainability certifications and details on the range of impactful practices in place, at hundreds of thousands of properties around the world

LONDON, 3 JUNE 2021 - New research released today from Booking.com, containing insights gathered from more than 29,000 travellers across 30 countries, suggests that the pandemic has been the tipping point for travellers to finally commit to their own sustainable journey, with 70% of UK travellers believing people have to act now to save the planet for future generations.

As the world of travel starts to open up again, Booking.com’s 2021 Sustainable Travel Report reveals that UK travellers are more committed than ever to do so in a mindful way, with 43% stating that the pandemic has influenced them to want to travel more sustainably in the future. Further to this, over half (55%) admit that the pandemic has shifted their attitude to make positive changes in their everyday lives, with recycling (52%) and reducing food waste (49%) being the top priorities at home.

According to the findings, UK travellers’ day-to-day sustainable commitments are consistent with their intentions for future trips:

• 85% want to reduce general waste
• 83% want to reduce their energy consumption (e.g. by turning off air conditioning and lights when they are not in a room)
• 80% want to use more environmentally friendly modes of transport such as walking, cycling or public transport over taxis or rental cars.
• 74% will go as far as avoiding popular destinations and attractions to ensure they aren’t contributing to overcrowding challenges and to help do their part to disperse the positive benefits of travel to less frequently visited destinations and communities

Breaking down sustainable travel barriers

Fortunately, it’s not just good intentions, with many UK travellers revealing these sustainable pledges have actually come to fruition in the past 12 months:

• 34% made a conscious decision to turn off their air conditioning/heater in their accommodation when they weren’t there
• 36% took their own reusable water bottle, rather than buying bottled water while on holiday
• 27% did activities to support the local community

Interestingly, over half (58%) admit that they get annoyed if somewhere they are staying stops them from being sustainable – for example by not offering recycling facilities.

However, while 64% of UK travellers say they want to stay in a sustainable accommodation in the upcoming year - which is a notable increase fro m 44% in 2016 and 50% in 2020, just prior to the pandemic - barriers still remain. Over half (51%) of UK travellers said they have not stayed in a sustainable property in the past year, 32% said they didn’t even know that they existed, 33% said they couldn’t find any options where they were travelling and 27% said that they didn’t know how to find them. In fact, 55% of UK travellers still believe that in 2021, there simply aren’t enough sustainable travel options available.

In terms of awareness and intentions, UK travellers and properties do appear to be on the same page, with new research revealing that 82%** of Booking.com's accommodation partners surveyed view sustainability in the hospitality industry as being important. This mirrors the 72% of travellers who also believe sustainable travel is an important issue. However, although 3 out of 4** accommodation partners say they have implemented sustainable steps at their property, only one-third (31%**) actively communicate about their efforts proactively to potential guests, with this mostly happening at the time of check-in (59%**), indicating that significant challenges remain to making sustainability information easy to access for travellers at earlier stages of the booking process.

Closing the gap, step by step

In connection, Booking.com is currently displaying over 30 certifications officially approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Green Tourism and the EU Ecolabel, as well as multiple hotel chain sustainability programs. The company is sourcing this information directly from the certification bodies and displaying it on the property pages of partners who hold one of these established third-party certifications.

“Over the six years we’ve been conducting this research, it’s been inspiring to see awareness of the importance of sustainable travel consistently grow, both with our customers and now with our partners, too,” said Marianne Gybels, Director of Sustainability for Booking.com . “The good intentions are there on all sides, but there is still a lot of work to be done to make sustainable travel an easy choice for everyone. The more sustainable practices we can help our partners to identify and implement, the more we can experiment with how best to highlight this information to customers and ultimately make sustainability a transparent and easily identifiable part of their travel decision-making process. A small change like eliminating single-use plastics or switching to energy-efficient LED light bulbs might seem insignificant in isolation, but multiplied by millions of travellers and properties around the world, these small steps all start to add up to a much bigger potential positive impact.”

To download Booking.com’s full 2021 Sustainable Travel Report, please visit the Booking.com global media room .

CONTACT DETAILS

For further information, contact the Booking.com UK Press Office;

[email protected]

Methodology

* Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of 29,349 respondents across 30 countries and territories (1,000 from USA, 1,007 from Canada, 1,000 from Mexico, 964 from Colombia, 1,000 from Brazil, 1,000 from Argentina, 999 from Australia, 941 from New Zealand, 1,001 from Spain, 1,000 from Italy, 1,000 from France, 1,000 from UK, 1,000 from Germany, 1,003 from Netherlands, 986 from Denmark, 1,000 from Sweden, 997 from Croatia, 1,005 from Russia, 1,003 from Israel, 1,000 from India, 1,000 from China, 1,005 from Hong Kong, 968 from Thailand, 963 from Singapore, 1,000 from Taiwan, 1,005 from Vietnam, 1,000 from South Korea, 1,000 from Japan, 1,002 from South Africa and 500 from Kenya ). In order to participate in this survey, respondents had to be 18 years of age or older, had to have travelled at least once in the past 12 months and must be planning to travel in 2021, and be either the primary decision maker or involved in the decision making of their travel. The survey was taken online and took place in March 2021.

**Research conducted by Booking.com with a representative sample of 3,390 accommodation providers from Australia, Austria, Brazil, China, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. The survey was taken online and took place in April 2021.

Drivers and barriers of travel behaviors during and post COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic literature review and future agenda

Journal of Tourism Futures

ISSN : 2055-5911

Article publication date: 7 July 2022

The purpose of this study is to examine the drivers and barriers of travel behavior associated with tourist behavior during/post-COVID-19 pandemic to provide a knowledge base as well as an agenda for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors utilized the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) technique for searching the articles published in Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus , to identify the main drivers and barriers affecting the tourist behavior during/post-COVID-19 pandemic. Eventually, 47 articles were chosen for the final analysis.

The findings are reported in three sections, (1) quantitative research profile, (2) qualitative synthesis and (3) future agenda. This study addresses the nuanced questions regarding the significant change in tourist travel behavior, emotional dynamics and a detailed understanding of mechanisms, such as which drivers and barriers affect tourist behavior in a particular destination. Drivers and barriers to tourist travel behavior were characterized in personal-related, destination-related, and health-related factors. Moreover, this study provides thought-provoking ideas in theory, policy and practice in the field of tourism and hospitality.

Research limitations/implications

This study has three limitations, as follows. First, the authors searched only two databases, Scopus and W eb of S cience , due to which the authors might be missing some related studies existing on the other databases. Although these databases provide an extensive range of academic literature, further studies could extend the data collection from the other databases (e.g. via Taylor & Francis ). However, our systematic literature review (SLR) coverage is quite extensive, since journals are listed on these three main databases. Second, the authors followed a main study search protocol based on the synonyms and related keywords, however, some of the studies that may be related to the tourist behavior towards the destination are missing on account of the lack of our keywords in there, title, author, keyword and abstract. Furthermore, future research could endeavor to add other keywords to expand the results of studies. Third, although the accurate analysis was conducted to reduce subjectivity in identifying themes for drivers and barriers of tourist behavior, future studies on categorization could work to ensure that other sub-themes categorize.

Practical implications

The recent study has some key practical implications. First, this study is valuable for all the stakeholders in a unique way, including destination managers, academicians and policymakers, because it provides insight into barriers and drivers that influence the development of tourist behavior towards the destination. Second, the current study also offers practical implications for people involved in tourism service industries including governments and private businesses. Policymakers and other leaders are increasingly interested in harnessing the economic potential of tourism. Therefore, identifying the barrier which is inhibiting the tourist traffic towards the destination is beneficial to understand and effectively develop strategies to minimize the effect of such factors. Moreover, drivers and barriers of tourist behavior towards the destination in the COVID-19 pandemic situation towards the destination may help to create a framework for the development of destinations according to the current vulnerable situation. Third, current findings suggest that tourism marketers understand the drivers and barrier constructs found in this study and tailor their marketing strategies for attracting existing and new tourists. For instance, marketers should understand the drivers and barriers of tourist behavior for effective strategy development to increase the positive effect of drivers and to reduce the negative effect of barriers.

Originality/value

This is the first systematic literature review on the impact of drivers and barriers of tourist travel behavior. This paper analyses the methods and approaches that have been used in the previous literature to examine the drivers and barriers of tourist travel behavior. The paper ends with the research implication and limitations of the studies.

• Tourist behavior
• Revisit intention
• Hospitality
• Systematic literature review (SLR)

Ahmad, N. , Harun, A. , Khizar, H.M.U. , Khalid, J. and Khan, S. (2022), "Drivers and barriers of travel behaviors during and post COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic literature review and future agenda", Journal of Tourism Futures , Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JTF-01-2022-0023

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Naveed Ahmad, Amran Harun, Hafiz Muhammad Usman Khizar, Junaid Khalid and Shumaila Khan

Published in Journal of Tourism Futures . Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

1. Introduction

The outbreak of COVID-19 has adversely affected all businesses globally ( Alvarez-Risco et al. , 2021 ; Meyer et al. , 2022 ; Ratten, 2021 ; Sahu et al. , 2020 ; Seetharaman, 2020 ; Yan et al. , 2021 ). However, the travel and tourism industry is not an exception; rather this sector has been predominantly affected due to strict travel policies ( Fotiadis et al. , 2021 ; Wong et al. , 2020 ; Yeh et al. , 2020 ; Zhang et al. , 2021a , b ). Notably, after the announcement of the World Health Organization (WHO) warnings about the COVID-19 pandemic, more or less, every country imposed proactive policies (e.g. social distancing, restricting tourist flows and business operations, online education and work from home, the closer of the restaurant, public gatherings restriction impose, lockdown borders and airports, domestic and international travel bans) for limiting human movements to quash the widespread of infectious disease, yet that is why tourism industry almost faced a shutdown situation ( Seyfi et al. , 2020 ).

Furthermore, the implications of social distancing have been extreme. Because of this change in tourist habits, the COVID-19 pandemic pervasively has affected the way tourists interact and travel later on ( Abdullah et al. , 2020 ). Unfortunately, tourist travel behavior affected by the COVID-19 pandemic significantly results in behavior change. Besides, the pandemic harmed the growth of the travel and tourism industry ( Matiza, 2022 ) As a result, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) anticipated a 60–80% decline in the travel and tourism sector worldwide ( OECD, 2020 ). At the same time, the recent past has witnessed a constantly growing scholarly and practical debate for the survival, recovery and growth of the tourism sector in the era of the COVID-19-19 situation ( Hassan and Soliman, 2021 ).

The mainstream tourism research predominantly focused on the fundamental question: how do COVID-19 crises affect travel and tourism behaviors? Despite a wide range of publications assessing the travel behavior of tourists to various settings, previous study investigations highlighted several factors that positively affect tourist behaviors, such as perceived trust and reputation of the destination ( Hassan and Soliman, 2021 ), destination social responsibility and previous experience ( Hu and Xu, 2021 ). On the other hand, empirical evidence also reported the factors that negatively affect revisit behaviors, such as perceived risk ( Wang et al. , 2020 ), the perceived probability of infection ( Golets et al. , 2020 ), travel Anxiety, fear of COVID-19 ( Luo and Lam, 2020 ) and animosity ethnocentrism ( Wang et al. , 2021 ). Ostensibly, the majority of the previous studies have investigated the antecedents (i.e. motivators and constraints) of tourists' intention/behavior to visit during and/or revisit after pandemic to a particular destination ( He and Luo, 2020 ; Imran et al. , 2021a , b ; Zhang et al. , 2021a , b ).

In the current climate of uncertainty, the previous studies explored all relevant factors that promote and restrict tourist travel behavior. Besides that, the study of travel behavior of tourists emerges as one of the most researched areas in the tourism literature in an era of COVID-19 but there are still few reviews about the topic. Despite such significant efforts to understand travel behavior in this COVID-19 pandemic, our understanding is limited in several ways. For instance, previous studies examining tourist travel behaviors have utilized various theoretical lenses that complicate the comparability as well as the generalizability of empirical findings. Moreover, the literature around drivers and barriers to tourist travel behavior is growing since the arrival of COVID-19, yet it has been vastly scattered and fragmented.

To the best of our knowledge, there is a complete absence of a comprehensive literature review on this topic. Against these backdrops, this study aims to identify, review and synthesize the findings of existing research to present a holistic and comprehensive understanding of the drivers and barriers associated with tourist travel behavior during/post-COVID-19 pandemic. This special manuscript is intended to dissect the ways of behaving that lessen tourist travel behavior and how to proactively animate them.

Owing to the strategic importance of this phenomenon, synthesized knowledge, as well as the critical analysis on previous literature, would contribute towards the effective strategy development process for practitioners and direct scholarly attention towards a unified direction. By doing so, we contribute to the extant literature in various ways. In the first place, this synthesis gives straightforward and reproducible research. Moreover, it allows researchers to identify research gaps more clearly. Second, a key theoretical contribution of this review is the development of a comprehensive framework from the underpinnings of behavioral reasoning theory (BRT). Given the lack of a consensual lens as well as the limitations of existing behavioral theories (e.g. TPB, TRA), BRT theory would serve as a unified framework for further development of knowledge related to travel and tourism behaviors. Third, the research in tourism management has now gotten more interdisciplinary and reliant ( Aruan and Felicia, 2019 ). This systematic literature review will provide a systematic understanding of the whole phenomenon. Ultimately, the literature on tourist behavior is accessible in various journals with various scopes, countries and audiences. Therefore, this study helps us to fully explore this phenomenon from multiple perspectives to provide a more nuanced understanding.

This paper is organized as follows. The next section discusses the systematic literature review (SLR) methodology used in this paper. Afterward, we discuss the results of this review in two subsections, namely (1) descriptive quantitative analysis and (2) qualitative literature synthesis. In section four, we discuss the knowledge gaps and limitations in the current literature and propose the BRT framework for utilization in future research in the travel and tourism sector. Lastly, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications followed by the conclusion section.

2. Methodology

A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to find the factors that influence tourist travel behavior. This study aimed to understand the factors associated with tourist travel behavior during/post-COVID-19 pandemic. Later, the idea of these factors, assuming that they go about as drivers and barriers to tourists' travel behavior, was explored. Systematic literature review (SLR) is the most trusted and well-established method of literature review while dealing with broad scholarly works ( Brereton et al. , 2007 ). Unlike traditional literature review methods (e.g. narrative), SLR is focused on answering context-specific and practical problems ( Noble and Smith, 2018 ). It enables researchers to understand the depth and breadth of the phenomenon at hand ( Ahmad et al. , 2020a ; Haradhan, 2018 ; Khalid et al. , 2021b ). Hence, systematic reviews can incorporate information created through both qualitative and quantitative approaches ( Imran et al. , 2021a , b ; Mengist et al. , 2020 ). It assists with gathering every single related publication and document that fits our predefined inclusion criteria to respond to a particular research question. It utilizes unmistakable and systematic methodology to limit the event of bias during searching, identification, appraisal, synthesis, analysis and summary of studies ( Antman et al. , 1992 ) At point when the technique is done appropriately and has no significant mistake, the review can give reliable findings and reliable conclusion that could end up being useful to decision-makers and scientific practitioners to act accordingly ( Antman et al. , 1992 ; Khizar et al. , 2021 ). The SLR is the fundamental procedure and it guarantees that the work is thoroughly arranged before the actual review work starts ( Mengist et al. , 2020 ).

Tranfield et al. (2003) found the systematic literature review (SLR) criteria in the field of business management and administration. Much past literature has used this approach to review prior literature ( Kushwah et al. , 2019 ; Pertheban et al. , 2020 ; Sahu et al. , 2020 ; Tribis et al. , 2018 ; Khizar et al. , 2022 ). Following the standard protocols, this study aims to review and analyze the scholarly publications relevant to tourist behavior during-/post-COVID-19 epidemic periods. Our review assists academicians and practitioners by developing a trustworthy knowledge base by accumulating knowledge from a range of studies ( Tranfield et al. , 2003 ; Khalid et al. , 2021a ). In addition, our review would set the basis for future scholarly debates in this field of research. In the current review, five SLR stages are attempted, which were adapted by Pickering and Byrne (2014) see below: Figure 1 .

2.1 Research questions

What is the current status of research on tourist behaviors during and post COVID-19 periods?

What are the key drivers and barriers of tourists' travel behaviors during and post COVID-19 periods?

What are the gaps and limitations in existing literature? And what are the avenues for further research?

2.2 Literature review

2.2.1 selecting database.

We followed an SLR method Siddaway et al. (2014) as a structured methodology in a replicable form. To achieve multidisciplinary breadth, the relevant literature was searched in tourism and hospitality most important e-databases. We selected the two databases to identify the relevant literature, (1) Scopus and (2) Web of Science . Web of Science (WoS) is the most usually involved search engine for literature reviews; in any case, it does not contain a sufficient number of tourism journals. Scopus was hence utilized as an integral database because its inclusion of tourism journals is more comprehensive ( McKercher, 2008 ). Moreover, both are notable databases that have been much of the time used in past systematic literature review studies ( Dhir et al. , 2020 ; Kuhzady et al. , 2020 ; Mengist et al. , 2020 ; Michel-Villarreal et al. , 2019 ; Qiu et al. , 2021 ; Sánchez-Rebull et al. , 2018 ; Tandon et al. , 2020 ). Furthermore, probably the biggest data set of peer-reviewed literature (journals, books and conference proceedings). In addition, Google Scholar was used for additional searches (i.e. backward/forward snowballing).

2.2.2 Appropriate search term

Tourists' travel is connected with the previous behaviors of their traveling. This is conceptualized as travel conduct. This behavior is the immediate consequence of the association between certain personal and environmental variables consistently. Travel behavior can thus be defined as the manner in which tourists' behavior is indicated by their attitudes towards a certain product and their reaction by utilizing the product.

The systematic literature review analysis requires high-quality original information to try not to delude results. For this SLR the researchers selected the two databases to identify the relevant literature, (1) Scopus and (2) Web of Science . These databases search API supports a Boolean syntax, which is a kind of search allowing the combination of keywords with operators such as 'AND’, 'OR’ and 'NOT’ to deliver more relevant outcomes ( Lukoseviciute et al. , 2022 ). For effective search, we searched for all possible synonyms of the pursuit objective words; accordingly, keywords. This assessment was done on two academic databases. To identify potentially all relevant articles, we developed a comprehensive search sting: (tour* OR travel*) and (revisit* OR “ repeat visit*” OR “ visit* again ” OR “ future visit*” OR “ future travel*” OR “ travel* again ” OR “ again visit*” OR “ again travel*” OR “ visit* again ” OR loyalty) AND (covid OR covid-19 OR corona*).

2.2.3 Inclusion/exclusion criteria

We utilized six different inclusion criteria: (1) studies should focus on drivers (positive) and barriers (negative) factors in the context of tourist travel behavior, (2) studies published focused (since the happening of Corona Virus),(3) studies published in the English language, (4) only peer-reviewed journal articles are included, (5) drivers and barriers were empirically measured, (6) title, abstract, keywords and, sometimes, introduction were examined to evaluate if the focus was on tourist behavioral and COVID-19 perspective. Further, this study applied the exclusion criteria: (1) relevance, (2) review and thesis dissertations were ignored, (3) duplicate studies and (4), studies before the COVID-19 epidemic.

2.2.4 Sample selection

The process for selecting the relevant sample of studies to be included in this review started with the execution of keywords searches in the specified databases. The search execution was performed in late December 2021. Initially, we identified 384 potentially relevant research articles. We followed the methodology of Reporting Items for SLR and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) procedure. Several past types of research in tourism research were used (PRISMA) ( Janjua et al. , 2021 ; Rahmadian et al. , 2021 ). The reason behind the choice of PRISMA ( Moher et al. , 2009 ), over other existing protocols, lies in the acknowledgment of its comprehensiveness, its utilization in several disciplines around the world and its capability to increment consistency across reviews ( Kuhzady et al. , 2020 ). A PRISMA flowchart for the literature screening process (see Figure 2 ).

After deleting duplicates ( n  = 68) across databases, the titles and abstracts of all the remaining articles ( n  = 316) were scanned to ensure their relevance to the research questions of this review. This process resulted in selecting ( n = 105) relevant articles for further review and analysis. Subsequently, two authors independently performed in-depth readings of these articles based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria, and consequently, selected a sample of ( n = 41) articles with consensus. Additionally ( n = 6) relevent paper identify during the revision process. Thus, increasing the final study sample to ( n = 47). Afterward, in the first stage, the corresponding to Microsoft excels at a descriptive analysis of the published literature on tourist travel behavior in the epidemic situation, information extracted from the published studies, like country, journal and theory. Next stage, the content analysis was done to distinguish and analyze the primary research stream, reporting the outright way on the various areas and additionally referencing the future opportunities and challenges to research ( Eusébio et al. , 2020 ).

We have conducted a state-of-the-art systematic review of the current literature on tourists' travel behavior during and post COVID-19. The results of this review are presented in two subsections, as follows; (1) descriptive quantitative analysis and (2) qualitative synthesis. Initially, a descriptive quantitative analysis was performed to understand how tourist travel behavior models have evolved the Geographic distribution of publications and to identify the leading journals, and countries that publish those studies. A qualitative synthesis has been applied to look at the theoretical perspectives, (2) drivers and (3) barriers of tourists' travel behaviors during and post COVID-19.

3.1 Descriptive quantitative analysis

3.1.1 geographical contexts.

Figure 3 below presents the geographical contexts where empirical studies were conducted. We found that most of the empirical research was carried out in Indonesia ( n  = 12) ( Afriani and Sugiarto, 2020 ; Alwi et al. , 2022 ; Azis et al. , 2020 ; Bustan and Setiawan, 2021 ; Kadir et al. , 2020 ; Lemy et al ., 2020 ; Pinem et al. , 2021 ; Sianipar et al. , 2021 ; Sihotang and Sukaatmadja, 2021 ; Sitinjak et al. , 2021 ; Sukaatmadja et al. , 2022 ; Zainuddin et al. , 2022 ). After that, 7 studies were based on the data collected from China ( Agyeiwaah et al. , 2021 ; Cai et al. , 2021a ; Han et al. , 2021 ; Hu and Xu, 2021 ; Jiang et al. , 2022 ; Riestyaningrum et al. , 2020 ; Zeng and Li, 2021 ) followed by the Malaysia ( n  = 5) ( Ahmad et al. , 2021a , b ; Hanafiah et al. , 2021 ; Ramli et al. , 2021 ; Tiam Chin et al. , 2021 ) and India ( n  = 4) ( Gupta et al. , 2021 ; Kour et al. , 2021 ; Rather, 2021a , b ) and in Korea ( n  = 4) ( Shin et al. , 2022 ; Sinha and Nair, 2021 ; Yoo et al. , 2022 ; Yu et al. , 2021 ). We also noted that three studies were conducted in the USA context ( Chua et al. , 2020 , 2021 ; Milman et al. , 2020 ; Rasoolimanesh et al. , 2021 ). While three studies utilized the data collected from multiple countries' contexts ( Chua et al. , 2020 ; Neuburger and Egger, 2021 ; Rasoolimanesh et al. , 2021 ). Moreover, ( n  = 2) studies were conducted in the UK ( Hang et al. , 2020 ; Yilmaz, 2021 ), Similarly ( n  = 2) studies were conducted in Egypt ( Hassan and Soliman, 2021 ; Hassan and Salem, 2021 ). Moreover, Turkey conduted ( n  = 1) ( Cifci, 2021 ), Span ( N  = 1) ( Sánchez-Cañizares et al. , 2021 ), Serbia ( n  = 1) ( Bratić et al. , 2021 ), Hong kong ( n  = 1) ( Bhati et al. , 2020 ), Brazil ( n  = 1) ( Golets et al. , 2020 ).

3.1.2 Publication outlets

Figure 4 below shows the list of journals where selected studies have been published along with the frequency of papers published in each journal. We found that articles selected in this review are published in various multidisciplinary journals and conference proceedings which reveal the relevance and breadth of this topic to different fields. The majority of the papers are published in the Current Issues in Tourism ( n  = 6), Journal of Destination Marketing and Management ( n  = 5) and Sustainability ( n  = 3). All remaining journal published ( n  = 1) papers.

3.2 Qualitative synthesis

We reviewed and content analyzed the selected articles to delineate existing literature into three key themes, (1) theoretical perspectives, (2) drivers and (3) barriers of tourists' travel behaviors during and post COVID-19.

3.2.1 Theoretical perspectives

Extent literature has adopted a vast range of theoretical underpinnings to investigate drivers (motivating) and barriers (hindering) factors of tourists' traveling intentions and behavioral decisions. Among other intention-behavior models, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) is the most applied in existing literature ( Ahmad et al. , 2020b , 2021a ; Bae and Chang, 2021 ; Han et al. , 2020 ). Besides, there is a healthy list of theories ( n  = 17) that has been used previously to study tourists' behavior during the times of COVID-19. These include (1) protection motivation theory ( Bhati et al. , 2020 ), (2) health belief model ( Gupta et al. , 2021 ), (3) risk perception theory (F. Wang et al. , 2020 ), (4) prospect theory ( Golets et al. , 2020 ), (5) construal level theory ( Chemli et al. , 2020 ), (6) seminal marketing theory ( Matiza, 2022 ), (7) equity theory ( Zhang et al. , 2020 ), (8) set-theory approaches ( Karl et al. , 2020 ), (9) substantiate strategic memory protection theory, (10) self-congruity theory ( Cifci, 2021 ), (11) psychological emotion theory ( Bhati et al. , 2020 ), (12) cognitive appraisal theory ( Agyeiwaah et al. , 2021 ), (13) mobility turn theory ( Hassan and Salem, 2021 ), (14) expectancy-disconfirmation theory ( Azis et al. , 2020 ), (15) information integration theory, (16) uncertainty reduction theory ( Chua et al. , 2021 ) and (17) push-pull theory ( Sukaatmadja et al. , 2022 ).

3.2.2 Drivers of tourist behavior

Scholarly research on tourist behavior has utilized various drivers based on multiple approaches. Those drivers have a positive relationship with tourists' behavioral particular destinations. Based on our analysis we have categorized these factors into multiple categories based on the nature of the variables. For example, personal, health-related and destination-related.

3.2.2.1 Personal drivers

Personal drivers are the factors that are associated with the personality of individual tourists. There are several factors studied in prior research that can be categorized as personal drivers. Such as, memorability of a previous travel experience, tourist Experience, past travel experience, quality of Experience, flow experience has a significant positive effect on tourist revisit intention ( Ibrahim et al. , 2021 ; Pinem et al. , 2021 ; Setiawan et al. , 2021 ; Sitinjak et al. , 2021 ). Likewise, the past study found that past travel experience from the destination positively affects the future travel intention of tourists ( Shin et al. , 2022 ). Overall, tourist memories from the past travel experience of the destination can affect the tourist's future decision or travel intention.

Moreover, the Positive attitude of tourists is the most studied personal driver of tourist travel behavior. Studies by Afriani and Sugiarto (2020) and Rather (2021b) found that tourists have a positive attitude that affects the tourist’s revisit intention towards the destination in this epidemic situation. A previous study was done by Chua et al. (2020) and Shin et al. (2022) tourist attitude strong predictor of future travel intention post-pandemic. Moreover, previous studies by Riestyaningrum et al. (2020) and Sánchez-Cañizares et al. (2021) attitude positively affect tourist travel intention. However, a recent study by Hanafiah et al. (2021) , found that attitude significantly positively affects future travel intention. Likewise study found that attitude has a significant relationship with revisit intention ( Sukaatmadja et al. , 2022 ). Overall, the finding of the past studies suggests that if the tourist has a positive attitude will increase travel internationally during or post-pandemic situation.

The most significant personal drivers Perceived behavioral control, subjective norms are located in four studies ( Chua et al. , 2021 ; Hanafiah et al. (2021) ; Sánchez-Cañizares et al. , 2021 ; Shin et al. , 2022 ). The above Studies found that Perceived behavioral control; subjective norms positively increase tourist travel intention. Furthermore, satisfaction is the main predictor of change in tourist behavior in this COVID-19 situation. Past studies found that satisfaction has a positive effect on tourist loyalty. Similarly, a previous study found that satisfaction has a positive influence on revisit intention ( Afriani and Sugiarto, 2020 ; Alwi et al. , 2022 ; Kour et al. , 2021 ; Sitinjak et al. , 2021 ). If the tourist is satisfied with the destination they will be loyal to the destination and visit again the same destination near future ( Azis et al. , 2020 ; Cai et al. , 2021a , b ; Han et al. , 2021 ; Lemy et al. , 2020 ; Milman et al. , 2020 ).

Furthermore, nostalgia, Hu and Xu (2021) positive influence revisit intention through nostalgia, the extent of change at a tourist destination choice. Because nostalgic memories are generally special and idealized, previous memories can raise expectations regarding the destination. So if the tourist has a positive nostalgia will influence the tourist to travel to the destination. Despite these generic natures of personal variables, there are some context-specific variables that are also studied about in tourist future travel behavior. Previous studies found that customer brand engagement, personal selling, emotion regulation ability, motivation, customer brand engagement, tourist happiness, perceived value, actual self-congruity, ideal self-congruity, e-WOM quantity, epistemic value has a positive effect on tourist revisit intention towards the destination during COVID-19 ( Afriani and Sugiarto, 2020 ; Cifci, 2021 ; Ramli et al. , 2021 ; Hu and Xu, 2021 ; Kadir et al. , 2020 ; Ladiwala et al. , 2021 ; Pinem et al. , 2021 ; Rather, 2021a , b ; Yu et al. , 2021 ). A recent study found that Push motivation and pull motivation have a significant positive effect by revisiting intention ( Sukaatmadja et al. , 2022 ). Moreover, the study found that Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM) positively affects the tourist decision to Visit during the COVID-19 Pandemic ( Zainuddin et al. , 2022 ).

Furthermore, socio-demographic variables (Gender, marital status, education and monthly income), functional value, contextual value, emotional value, cognitive value, economic value, are more significant drivers of tourist post-COVID-19 travel intention. Past studies found that the above-mentioned factors are a positive effect on post-COVID-19 travel intention towards the destination ( Rasoolimanesh et al. , 2021 ; Sinha and Nair, 2021 ; Zeng and Li, 2021 ). However, some previous studies found that perceived positive impact of COVID-19, positive emotion, emotional attachment, brand humanization, shared emotions, perceived response efforts, physical factors, socio-psychological factors, financial factors, physical, socio-psychological and financial drivers have a direct and positive effect on tourist travel intention ( Agyeiwaah et al. , 2021 ; Ahmad et al. , 2020b , 2021a ; Chua et al. , 2021 ; Hang et al. , 2020 ). Recently, a study also confirmed that media influence has positive effects on travel intention ( Jiang et al. , 2022 ). From the above discussion personal drivers are those who have positively associated with the tourist behavioral intention towards the destination. Our study considers the factors as drivers of tourist behavior. Furthermore, positive drivers of tourist behavior see below in Table 1 .

3.2.2.2 Destination related drivers

Destination-related factors have gained appropriate scholarly attention in prior literature. Destination-related drivers are those factors that are positively related to a tourist destination. Moreover, destination-related factors are those factors that enhance tourists to visit or revisit the destination in this pandemic situation. For example, general sale promotion, perceived trust, tourist attraction, service quality, demographic characteristics, destination image, destination attachment, attractiveness, accommodation on service, airport service quality, innovative measures, staff- and traveler-related measures, sanitization and logistics operations positive perception or impressions of a destination is likely to mold the decision in destination's favor to revisit destination ( Cifci, 2021 ; Hassan and Soliman, 2021 ; Kadir et al. , 2020 ; Kour et al. , 2021 ; Pinem et al. , 2021 ; Ramli et al. , 2021 ; Sianipar et al. , 2021 ; Sihotang and Sukaatmadja, 2021 ).

Similarly, destination reputation and destination social responsibility is also found to have a positive relationship with revisit intention ( Hassan and Soliman, 2021 ; Kadir et al. , 2020 ). Among all the above, destination reputation-related variables have been studied in two studies ( Hassan and Soliman, 2021 ; Kadir et al. , 2020 ). Moreover, a study found that Smart tourism technologies, Tourism public health service quality (TPHSQ), tourists' trust positively affect Tourist destination loyalty ( Ahmad et al. , 2020b , 2021a ; Azis et al. , 2020 ; Han et al. , 2021 ). Moreover, crisis communication strategy also evolved the intention to visit the destination post the COVID-19 situation ( Hang et al. , 2020 ). A recent study ( Yoo et al. , 2022 ) found that the Perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 protective measures, mediates the relationship between risk perception and travel intention. Similarly, the study found that accommodation type moderates the relationship between the perceived effectiveness of COVID-19 protective measures and travel intention during pandemics ( Yoo et al. , 2022 ).

It also confirmed that post-crisis destination image, corporate social responsibility, destination attachment and monetary promotions have a positive effect on the intention to visit the destination. The above study confirmed that when the COVID-19 will end then these drivers positively affect the tourist intention to revisit the destination ( Ahmad et al. , 2021b ; Chua et al. , 2020 ). A recent study also confirmed that Destination image has a positive effect on travel intention ( Jiang et al. , 2022 ). Among all the above destination-related variables the most studied and emphasized factor is destination image has been studied in five studies ( Ahmad et al. , 2020b , 2021a , b ; Ramli et al. , 2021 ; Pinem et al. , 2021 ). Moreover, trust, crisis management, healthcare system, destination trust, political trust, government initiatives, interactional trust, positive effect the post-pandemic travel intention towards the destination ( Jiang et al. , 2022 ; Rasoolimanesh et al. , 2021 ; Shin et al. , 2022 ). The above mentioned were the destination-related drivers that positively affect tourist behavior. Although, we can see destination-related drivers in Table 2 .

3.2.2.3 Health-related drivers

Health-related factors are referred to those factors which are associated directly or indirectly with the health concerning values of the individual traveler. Within this category, the main focus is on the hygiene and physical health-related factors and these variables are considered the most important aspects of health-protective behavior ( Bhati et al. , 2020 ), the individuals who have high thoughts of health, hygiene and mental health-related factors will see the current health risk at a lot more elevated level and consequently influence their visit intentions. Similarly, prior research has supported that hygiene, health preventive behavior, familiarity with COVID-19, have a positive impact on tourist travel behavior ( Chua et al. , 2020 ; Gupta et al. , 2021 ; Riestyaningrum et al. , 2020 ). A recent study found that tourist decisions to visit during the COVID-19 Pandemic were positively affected by health awareness ( Zainuddin et al. , 2022 ). From the above discussion, a present study found those factors which are positively associated with the tourist behavior during or post COVID-19 pandemic. We can see health-related divers in Table 3 .

3.2.3 Barrier of tourist behavior

The second concept that comes under the scope of our review is the factors that negatively affect tourist behavior. The review of selected studies in this systematic process suggests that scholars have examined different barriers that indicate a negative relationship with tourist behavior toward destination during or post COVID-19 pandemic situation. These factors are further divided into three categories named, personal, health-related and destination-related.

3.2.3.1 Personal barrier

Factors associated with the personality of an individual may inhibit tourists from visiting a particular destination. There are various factors identified in prior literature such as fear arousal due to COVID-19, perceived disappointment risk, fear arousal negatively, perceived risk having a negative relationship with their intention to revisit ( Hassan and Soliman, 2021 ; Hu and Xu, 2021 ; Ramli et al. , 2021 ; Rather, 2021b ). Moreover, Gupta et al. (2021) has found that financial risk, time risk has a negative relationship with revisit desire ( Chua et al ., 2021 ). Furthermore, found by Agyeiwaah et al. (2021) and Golets et al. (2020) intolerance of uncertainty, expected duration of COVID-19 pandemic, perceived COVID-19 severity, perceived probability of contracting it, age, income education level, negative emotion, harms travel intention. Moreover, fear of COVID-19, risk attitude, travel anxiety, perceived knowledge of COVID-19, intrapersonal constraints, interpersonal constraints harm future intention to travel after the pandemic. Likewise, the perceived risk associated with COVID-19 has a positive effect on travel evading behavior ( Gupta et al. , 2021 ). However, the study found that perceived risk from epidemic negatively affects the tourist’s future travel intention ( Hanafiah et al. , 2021 ). A recent study found that if the tourist has high perceived risk (Physical risk, equipment risk, cost risk, social risk, performance risk and psychological risk) that negatively affect the travel intention ( Jiang et al. , 2022 ), Also study found that risk aversion negatively affects the travel intention ( Jiang et al. , 2022 ). Furthermore, the result of a recent study shows that perceived risk negatively affects the tourist decision to visit during the COVID-19 Pandemic ( Zainuddin et al. , 2022 ). Correspondingly, the study found that COVID-19 risk perception related factors Perceived avoid the ability of COVID-19, Perceived susceptibility to COVID-19, Perceived severity of COVID-19 significant negatively associated with travel intention during pandemic ( Yoo et al. , 2022 ). Mental well-being perceived uncertainty negatively affecting tourist travel behavior over a short period or long term period ( Chua et al. , 2020 ). From the above discussion, all the above factors are related to the intrapersonal barriers of tourist behavior. The present study found barriers that negatively affect tourist behavior during the pandemic or post-pandemic situation. Furthermore, we can see the interpersonal barrier in Table 4 .

3.2.3.2 Destination-related barriers

Factors that are associated with the destination may leverage a negative impression on tourist behavior ( Harun et al. , 2018 ; Sonmez and Graefe, 1998 ). Perceived travel risk and negative effect of the perceived risk of traveling during COVID-19 are documented negative relationships with destination visit intention ( Agyeiwaah et al. , 2021 ; Sánchez-Cañizares et al. , 2021 ). Moreover, travel risk perception Bhati et al. (2020) has also been found to affect travel intention negatively. Likewise, negative attitudes from the COVID-19 negatively affect both short-term avoidance and long-term avoidance ( Chua et al. , 2020 ). Likewise, experience from the epidemic is negatively affecting the post-pandemic travel intention. From the above discussion, destination-related barriers are those factors that have negatively affected the tourist behavior towards the destination. We can see in Table 5 destination-related barriers;

3.2.3.3 Health-related barrier

Health-related barriers are those which trigger the health consciousness and health vulnerability issues and hence steer away tourists to visit a particular destination. Perceived risk from COVID-19, post-traumatic stress disorder, intrusive thoughts, COVID-19-related situational animosity harms tourist revisit intention ( Rather, 2021b ; Yilmaz, 2021 ; Yu et al. , 2021 ). However, perceived negative impact of COVID-19, perceived severity of COVID-19, the perceived probability of infection, risk perception of COVID-19, perceived disease risk, psychological risk and perceived health risk harm the tourist's future visit intention towards the destination ( Agyeiwaah et al. , 2021 ; Chua et al. , 2020 ; Golets et al. , 2020 ; Neuburger and Egger, 2021 ; Shin et al. , 2022 ). Found by Bratić et al. (2021) travel anxiety due to the COVID-19 pandemic, general travel anxiety harms tourist travel plans behavior. Past study Chua et al. (2020) have found that the perceived health risk of COVID-19 is associated negatively with both Short-term avoidance and long-term avoidance. Likewise, the study found that perceived health risk has a significant negative effect on tourist attitude and revisit intention. Furthermore, physical risk, socio-psychological risk harms the revisit desire ( Chua et al ., 2021 ) ( Table 6 ).

4. Framework development – behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) perspective

Our review of the extant literature suggests that scholars have utilized several theoretical frameworks to understand the human decision-making process (e.g. travel intentions). Our review highlighted that the majority of the selected empirical studies have examined the tourist's travel decisions through the lens of TPB. In addition, various other theoretical models were applied to understand the risk perceptions, health beliefs and motivations behind the traveler's decision-making. We found that 17 different theories were utilized in prior literature. In this vein, we argue that the application of various theoretical frameworks borrowed from other disciplines (e.g. psychology, sociology) would not produce compelling as well as comparable results. Although it highlights the breadth and multidisciplinary coverage of the literature, at the same time it complicates the overall understanding and generalizability of the research findings. Furthermore, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) is the most adopted theoretical lens in tourists' decision-making-related literature. This theory has long been criticized in previous literature for its potential to predict generalized consumer decision makings as well as it does not include the factors that resist/hinder behavioral decisions ( Gilal et al. , 2019 ).

Against these backgrounds, we suggest that future research regarding travel decisions should utilize the behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) ( Westaby, 2005b ). BRT can be seen as an extension of the TPB ( Ajzen, 1991 ) that additionally allows investigating the relative influence of the context-specific reasons (i.e. reasons for and reasons against) in behavioral decisions. Reasons are important factors behind human behaviors that capture the justification and defense mechanisms to maintain people's self-worth. In other words, reasons are influential drivers of intention because individuals feel more comfortable with themselves when they have reasons that defend and justify their expected action ( Westaby, 2005a , b ). BRT is an emerging theoretical framework that provides scholars with a reasoning perspective on the human decision-making process ( Sahu et al. , 2020 ). BRT theory postulates that reasons serve as an important linkage between global motives (i.e. attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control), intentions and behavior which is consistent with the theory of explanation-based decision making ( Pennington and Hastie, 1988 ) and reasons theory ( Westaby, 2005a ).

According to Westaby (2005b) , reasons are defined as “specific subjective factors people use to explain their anticipated behavior and can be conceptualized as anticipated reasons, concurrent reasons and post hoc reasons”. There are two dimensions to reasons for executing a behavior/intention, ( 1 ) reasons for and ( 2 ) reasons against. In past studies, the opposing forces have been represented as pros and cons, benefits and costs, drivers and barriers and facilitators and constraint factors ( Westaby, 2005a , b ). The literature in the domain of social psychology supports the argument that the (drivers) and (barriers) might not be merely logical opposites ( Westaby et al. , 2010 ). The BRT has been recently applied to understand innovation adoption ( Claudy et al. , 2013 ; Westaby et al. , 2010 ) and the findings are encouraging supporting the argument that these conceptually distinct antecedents can be studied in a single framework. The findings of our review reported that various factors behind tourist behavior have been studied independently, till date no study examined the drivers and barriers in the light of reasoning perspective (i.e. reasons for and reasons against) in tourist behavior research. Drawing from the BRT, we develop a comprehensive framework ( Figure 5 ) for further development of knowledge in this field of study. We believe that this framework would serve as a springboard to extend scholarly debate in tourism research.

5. Research implications

5.1 theoretical implications.

The findings of the current systematic literature review advance the existing knowledge on the drivers and barriers of tourist behavior in the context COVID-19 pandemic. The findings of this systematic literature review (SLR) provide several theoretical implications. First, the present study is the first systematic literature review of the existing knowledge base on the different drivers and barriers underlying tourist behavior. Our review proposes that, although various investigations have been published regarding this matter “Between 2019 and 2022” their discoveries are divided and contextualized and could not be summed up and closed. Therefore, the current systematic literature review critically examines the drivers and barriers of tourist behavior and uncovers insightful knowledge such as theoretical underpinnings, research methods, geographic scope, publishing timeline, drivers, barriers and their association with tourist behavior.

Second, this SLR provides a holistic picture of the overall literature and highlights the key future research areas and variables. This could serve as the first step for future researchers to better understand the drivers and barriers of tourist behavior. Third, we have presented the extensive research profiling of the existing scholarly literature. Hence, this facilitating scholars to identify an important geographical area for future research and key journals that are accepting the work in this domain. Lastly, in this review, we have critically evaluated the literature on tourist behavioral intention during the COVID-19 pandemic and identified future research areas and knowledge gaps to guide future researchers. Overall this review provides scholars with a comprehensive overview of the existing literature and guides them towards future avenues of research within this field.

5.2 Practical implications

The recent study has some key practical implications. First, this study is valuable for all the stakeholders in a unique way, including destination managers, academicians and policymakers, because it provides insight into barriers and drivers that influence the development of tourist behavior towards the destination. Second, the current study also offers practical implications for people involved in tourism service industries including governments and private businesses. Policymakers and other political leaders are increasingly interested in harnessing the economic potential of tourism. Therefore, identifying the barrier which is inhibiting the tourist traffic towards the destination is beneficial to understand and effectively develop strategies to minimize the effect of such factors.

Moreover, drivers and barriers of tourist behavior towards the destination in the COVID-19 pandemic situation towards the destination may help to create a framework for the development of destinations according to the current vulnerable situation. Third, current findings suggest that tourism marketers understand the drivers and barrier constructs found in this study and tailor their marketing strategies for attracting existing and new tourists. For instance, marketers should understand the drivers and barriers of tourist behavior for effective strategy development to increase the positive effect of drivers and to reduce the negative effect of barriers.

6. Limitation and conclusion

Our study has three limitations, as follows. First, we searched only two databases, Scopus and W eb of S cience , due to which we might be missing some related studies existing on the other databases. Although these databases provide an extensive range of academic literature, further studies could extend the data collection from the other databases (e.g. via Taylor & Francis ). However, our systematic literature review (SLR) coverage is quite extensive, since journals are listed on these three main databases. Second, we followed a main study search protocol based on the synonyms and related keywords, however, some of the studies that may be related to the tourist behavior towards the destination are missing on account of the lack of our keywords in there, title, author, keyword and abstract. Furthermore, future research could endeavor to add other keywords to expand the results of studies. Third, although the accurate analysis was conducted to reduce subjectivity in identifying themes for drivers and barriers of tourist behavior, future studies on categorization could work to ensure that other sub-themes categorize.

Tourist behavior is a prime area of concern for tourism organizations, marketing managers and destination countries in this pandemic situation of COVID-19. Our review suggests the number of empirical studies on tourist behavior has sharply risen since the arrival of COVID-19, indicating a growing interest in destination-related behavior. We have evaluated the selected 47 studies on various parameters, such as inclusion, exclusion criteria and in-depth content analysis of selected studies. The understanding of tourist behavior starts with its drivers and barriers. The current study is one of the first comprehensive reviews that juxtapose both drivers and barriers of tourist behavior in one study. We have categorized the drivers and barriers into different categories based on contextual, personal, destination, social and health-related factors. Even though this article provides a few starting points for practitioners and future analysts while investigating tourist behavior and its drivers and barriers, it isn't excluded from limitations: it is restricted to the Scopus and Web of Science database, empirical evidence and the English language. A further augmentation, including different databases, a review of meta-analyses and different reviews, just as articles in different dialects would give fascinating findings.

Systematic literature review process

A PRISMA flowchart for the literature screening process

Geographical contexts

List of journals

Research framework for future scholars

Personal drivers

Destination drivers

Health drivers

Personal barriers

Destination barriers

Health-related barriers

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Is It Safe in Moscow?

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When you visit Moscow , Russia, you’re seeing one of the world’s largest, and most expensive, capital cities . While there is a history of violent crime against foreign journalists and aid personnel in Russia, a trip to Moscow is usually safe for mainstream travelers. Most tourists in Moscow only face potential issues with petty crime, though terrorism is also a concern. Visitors should stick to the principal tourist areas and abide by the local security advice.

Travel Advisories

• The U.S. Department of State urges travelers to avoid travel to Russia because of COVID-19 and to "exercise increased caution due to terrorism, harassment, and the arbitrary enforcement of local laws."  
• Anyone exploring more of Russia should avoid "The North Caucasus, including Chechnya and Mount Elbrus, due to terrorism, kidnapping,   and   risk of civil unrest." Also, travelers should stay away from "Crimea due to Russia’s occupation of the Ukrainian territory   and   abuses by its occupying authorities."  
• Canada states travelers should use a high degree of caution in Russia due to the threat of terrorism and crime.  

Is Moscow Dangerous?

The Moscow city center is typically safe. In general, the closer you are to the Kremlin , the better. Travelers mainly need to be aware of their surroundings and look out for petty crime. Be especially careful in tourist areas such as Arbat Street and crowded places like the Moscow Metro transit system. The suburbs are also generally fine, though it is advised to stay away from Maryino and Perovo districts.

Terrorism has occurred in the Moscow area, leading authorities to increase security measures. Be more careful at tourist and transportation hubs, places of worship, government buildings, schools, airports, crowds, open markets, and additional tourist sites.

Pickpockets and purse snatching happen often in Russia, perpetrated by groups of children and teenagers who distract tourists to get their wallets and credit cards. Beware of people asking you for help, who then trick you into their scheme. Don’t expect a backpack to be a safe bag bet; instead, invest in something that you can clutch close to your body or purchase a money belt . Always diversify, storing some money in a separate location so that if you are pickpocketed, you'll have cash elsewhere. Keep an eye out for thieves in public transportation, underground walkways, tourist spots, restaurants, hotel rooms and homes, restaurants, and markets.

Is Moscow Safe for Solo Travelers?

Large cities like Moscow in Russia are overall fairly safe if you are traveling alone, and the Moscow Metro public transit is a secure and easy way to get around. But it is still a good idea to follow basic precautions as in any destination. Avoid exploring alone at night, especially in bad areas. You may want to learn some basic Russian phrases or bring a dictionary, as many locals don't speak English. However, in case you need any help, there are tourist police that speak English. Also, exploring with other trusted travelers and locals or on professional tours is often a good way to feel safe.

Is Moscow Safe for Female Travelers?

Catcalling and street harassment are infrequent in Moscow and the rest of Russia and females traveling alone don't usually have problems. There are plenty of police officers on the streets as well. Still, it serves to stick to Moscow's well-lit, public areas, avoid solo night walks, and use your instincts. Women frequenting bars may take receive some friendly attention. Females can wear whatever they want, but those entering Orthodox churches will be required to cover up. Though women in Russia are independent, domestic violence and other inequality issues take place regularly.

Safety Tips for LGBTQ+ Travelers

Russia is not known as a gay-friendly country. However, Moscow is one of the more welcoming cities with a blooming LGBTQ+ community and many friendly restaurants, bars, clubs, and other venues. Hate crimes in Russia have increased since the 2013 anti-gay propaganda law. Openly LGBTQ+ tourists in this conservative country may experience homophobic remarks, discrimination, or even violence, especially if traveling with a partner. Also, while women hold hands or hug publicly—whether romantically involved or not—men should avoid public displays of affection to prevent being insulted or other issues.

Safety Tips for BIPOC Travelers

Moscow  and other big cities in Russia have sizable populations of various cultures, so discrimination against BIPOC travelers is rarer than in other parts of the country where it can become dangerous. Some people living in Russia who are Black, Asian, Jewish, and from other backgrounds have experienced racial discrimination and violence. Tourists won't usually experience overt racism but may be the recipients of some stares. If anyone should bother you, be polite and resist being taunted into physically defending yourself.

Safety Tips for Travelers

Travelers should consider the following general tips when visiting:

• It's best not to drink the tap water. If you do, boil it before drinking, though showering is safe and the amount used to brush teeth is generally not harmful. Mineral water is widely drunk, especially at restaurants, and if you prefer not to have it carbonated ask for “ voda byez gaz” (water without gas).
• If you need emergency assistance in case of fire, terrorism, medical issues, or more, dial 112 in Russia for bilingual operators.
• Be judicious about taking photographs, especially of police or officials. This can potentially bring unwanted attention to yourself by members of law enforcement who won’t mind asking to see your passport. Also avoid snapping photos of official-looking buildings, such as embassies and government headquarters.
• Carry your passport in as secure a manner as possible. If you get stopped for any reason by the police, they can fine or arrest you if you don't have the document with you. Also, keep photocopies of your passport, the page on which your travel visa appears, and any other documents that relate to your stay in Russia.
• Use official taxis only and steer clear of illegal taxi companies, especially at night. Ask your hotel to call a reputable taxi company.

U.S. Department of State. " Russia Travel Advisory ." August 6, 2020.

Government of Canada. " Official Global Travel Advisories ." November 19, 2020.

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News4 Rundown

House and Senate negotiate bill to help FAA add more air traffic controllers and safety inspectors

The Associated Press

April 29, 2024, 5:20 PM

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Congressional negotiators have agreed on a $105 billion bill designed to improve the safety of air travel after a series of close calls between planes at the nation’s airports.

House and Senate lawmakers said Monday that the bill will increase the number of air traffic controllers and require the Federal Aviation Administration to use new technology designed to prevent collisions between planes on runways.

Lawmakers agreed to prohibit airlines from charging extra for families to sit together, and they tripled maximum fines for airlines that violate consumer laws. However, they left out other consumer protections proposed by the Biden administration.

The bill was negotiated by Republicans and Democrats who lead the House and Senate committees overseeing the FAA, which has been under scrutiny since it approved Boeing jets that were quickly involved in two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019. The legislation will govern FAA operations for the next five years.

The Senate could vote on the 1,069-page measure as early as next week, but it could be delayed if senators try to attach unrelated bills. FAA is operating under a temporary authorization that expires May 10, and Congress might need to pass another extension.

The House approved its version of the bill last year, but a Senate committee approved a different version in February after fights over several provisions, including ones dealing with the training and retirement age of pilots.

In the end, negotiators dropped a House provision raising the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots to 67; it will remain at 65. Both chambers had already sidestepped a highly charged issue by narrowly rejecting a proposal backed by small airlines to let aspiring pilots count more time spent in simulators instead of flying planes toward reaching minimum experience standards.

The FAA has a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers nationwide. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., chair of the Senate Commerce Committee and one of the negotiators, said the final bill shows “that aviation safety and stronger consumer standards are a big priority …. It is also the first major upgrade to air traffic controller hiring in decades.”

One of the most contentious issues in the bill turns out to be a provision that would allow an additional 10 flights per day longer than 1,250 miles to and from Reagan Washington National Airport, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. Delta Air Lines and some Western lawmakers wanted to add 56 flights. The House said no, but a Senate committee approved 10 flights, or five round trips — and that made it into the final bill.

“We were pushing for more, but if we get five, we’ll take five,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in an interview this month.

United Airlines — which dominates less-convenient Dulles Airport, 25 miles west of the nation’s capital — opposed the idea. Lawmakers from Virginia and Maryland said Monday they were “deeply frustrated” at the provision, arguing that National is already too busy. They pointed to a close call there between two planes earlier in April, calling it a “flashing red warning light.”

Lawmakers in both chambers rejected a proposal from consumer groups to give state officials power to regulate airlines, but the administration separately cut a deal letting 15 mostly Democratic states help the U.S. Transportation Department enforce federal consumer-protection rules.

Some other provisions in the bill:

— The Transportation Department will create a “dashboard” so consumers can compare seat sizes on all the airlines, but lawmakers stopped short of setting a minimum size.

— The bill would write into law that airlines must pay a refund to customers for flight delays – at three hours for a domestic flight and six for an international one. The Transportation Department issued a similar regulation last week, but laws are harder for future administrations to change.

— When airlines offer travel credits instead of a refund, the credits must be valid for least five years.

— Maximum civil penalties against airlines that violate consumer-protection laws would triple, from $25,000 to $75,000.

— Starting next year, new airline planes must have cockpit voice recorders capable of saving 25 hours of audio, up from the current two hours, to help investigators. This won’t apply retroactively to planes already in use.

— Requires the FAA to increase oversight of aircraft repair shops in other countries, a key demand in recent years by U.S. airline unions, which claim the foreign shops aren’t as safe.

— Requires the FAA to create a new system for tracking and locating high-altitude balloons. This became an issue in February 2023 when a Chinese balloon drifted across the entire U.S. The military shot it down off South Carolina, but not before Secretary of State Antony Blinken canceled a high-level visit to China in response to the incident.

Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington contributed to this report. Koenig reported from Dallas.

Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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Overrun Japanese town puts up barrier fence to block tourist photos of Mount Fuji

A picturesque Japanese town is putting up a giant mesh barrier to block a popular selfie spot near Mount Fuji.

Fujikawaguchiko, at the foot of the Yoshida Trail to Mount Fuji, has become overrun with foreign tourists trying to get the perfect photo of Japan’s most famous mountain.

Specifically, they’re standing in front of Lawson’s, an outpost of the large Japanese convenience store chain, to get a shot of the contrast between the busy neon-lit shop and the peaceful mountain behind it.

Now the town has had enough and is putting up the mesh barrier to block the view, a local official told CNN.

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The official, who did not want to give her name, said that there have been ongoing problems with tourists leaving trash and not following traffic rules. Despite signs and security guards being posted to warn them, the situation has persisted.

“It is regrettable that we had to take such measures,” the official said.

The net, which measures 2.5m high and 20m across, will be erected early next week.

The town of Fujikawaguchiko is in Yamanashi prefecture, to the north of Fuji and about 100km west of Tokyo.

The crowds plaguing the small town are part of a larger problem affecting Japan.

Japan has been experiencing overtourism issues since reopening post-pandemic in late 2022. March 2024 was the country’s all-time biggest tourism month ever, with more than three million foreign tourists entering the country.

Many of them head straight to Mount Fuji, an icon of Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage site, leaving garbage and causing erosion along the way.

“Overtourism - and all the subsequent consequences like rubbish, rising CO2 emissions and reckless hikers - is the biggest problem facing Mount Fuji,” Masatake Izumi, a Yamanashi prefectural government official, told CNN Travel last year.

Some locals had even nicknamed the 3776m mountain, called Fuji-san in Japanese, “trash mountain.”

In an effort to mitigate the overcrowding, Yamanashi’s prefectural government announced several new policies for tourists, including a 4000-person daily limit for hikers and a mandatory fee of 2000 yen (NZ$21) apiece. Previously, the fee had been optional.

Putting up a barrier to block would-be photographers also has precedent elsewhere in the world: The Austrian town of Hallstatt, which was said to have inspired the look of the megahit Disney movie Frozen .

Hallstatt - which has about 800 permanent residents and has as many as 10,000 tourists a day in peak season - erected a wooden fence in May 2023 as a deterrent against selfie-takers.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

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To continue this Moscow itinerary, next you may want to go inside the Kremlin walls. This is the center of Russian political power and the president’s official residence. If you’re planning to pay Kremlin a visit do your best to visit Ivan the Great Bell Tower as well. Go there as early as possible to avoid crowds and get an incredible bird’s-eye view. There are a couple of museums that are available during designated visiting hours. Make sure to book your ticket online and avoid lines.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

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Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

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The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

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First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

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There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

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If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

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Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

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I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

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Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

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The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

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