Environmental tourism in crisis contexts. The role of health risk perception in Post-Covid-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the dynamics of global tourism, creating an opportunity to explore links between health risk perception and the adoption of responsible environmental practices. This study investigates how the perception of risk associated with COVID-19 influences the pro-environmental behavior of tourists residing in Greater La Plata, Argentina. Using a mixed approach, a Likert questionnaire was designed and applied to 151 international travelers, integrating theoretical constructs of the Norm-Activation Model (NAM): awareness of consequences, environmental responsibility and moral obligation. In addition, the concept of ‘pro-environmental health’ was introduced to connect psychosocial dimensions with tourism decisions. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed that moral obligation and pro-environmental sacrifice are significant predictors of sustainable behaviors, with higher correlations in segments that perceived greater physical or emotional risk during the pandemic. These findings suggest that health crises can catalyze changes in environmental values, provided that infrastructures and social norms are in place to reinforce such practices. The research proposes a conceptual framework that links theories of risk and sustainability, offering practical implications for public policy and tourism marketing strategies in post-crisis contexts.