Negotiating air pollution as a travel constraint: an exploratory study

Publication Date

1-1-2021

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Journal of Sustainable Tourism

Volume

30

Issue

1

DOI

10.1080/09669582.2021.1986054

First Page

185

Last Page

198

Abstract

Air pollution can be considered a form of travel constraint that influences tourists’ choice and behaviors during their entire travel experience. Adopting a qualitative approach, the study explored tourists’ negotiation with air pollution at different stages of their trip: destination choice, pre-trip planning, and on-site experiences. Through data collection in China, the study identified six strategies tourists used to cope with air pollution: considering air pollution in destination choice, evaluating travel plans under a smog threat, making advanced plans for air pollution, avoiding air pollution, optimizing the experience, and looking on the bright side. The negotiation strategies tourists used are associated with their perceptions of air pollution, the specific context, and the presence of other constraints. In addition, the study distinguished three types of tourists with different negotiation strategies towards air pollution: avoider, attempter, and ignorer. Overall, the study contributed to the conceptual understanding of air pollution as a new form of travel constraint to modern tourists; it suggested that most tourists treat air pollution as a negotiable constraint and that it can be managed with effort. Instead of being subjected to the constraint of air pollution, tourists negotiate air pollution during their trip to optimize their experiences.

Funding Number

JIH3154009

Funding Sponsor

Fudan University

Keywords

environment, Leisure constraint, negotiation strategies, well-being

Department

Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS