Impacts of Covid-19 on travel intention for summer 2020: a trend in proximity tourism mediated by an attitude towards Covid-19

This exploratory study examines the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the travel intention of French people (n = 655) for holidays in summer 2020. Qualitative results show demographic and generation differences in the intention to go on vacation caused by a combination of personal uncertainties due to the pandemic, compulsory state measures and travel bans. Using PLS-SEM, quantitative results indicate that influence of perceived risks and attitude towards Covid-19 led tourists to seek out greater proximity when considering vacation travel. The findings may help tourism managers apply proximity marketing strategies using more local and digital services during global health crises.