Back to the nature and travelling off the beaten path? – The explicit and implicit examination of ‘new’ destination choices and travel decisions in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Despite occasional shocks, tourism, as one of the world’s largest industries, has undergone rapid evolution in the last decades. Nonetheless, the industry has been shocked by the recent COVID-19 outbreak, and it is still unclear how the tourist psyche has changed and what the aftermath will be. This study presents an innovative explicit-implicit approach to examine how the pandemic-induced (re)connection with nature influences travel and destination choices. Based on the findings, respondents explicitly and implicitly reported a favourable perception of natural destinations amid the pandemic. Consequently, the author can observe an increase in the popularity of natural sites, along with a corresponding surge in the frequency of nature visits, particularly among women and individuals with less committed or no relationships. Key values were identified as the driving forces behind this trend, including serenity, uniqueness, safety, closeness, and discovery, which can be considered crucial factors in shaping the future of sustainable tourism.