Canadians' travel knowledge acquisition during the pandemic: A cognitive mediation model approach

Abstract

This study aimed to improve Canada's preparedness to rejuvenate the economy in public health crises by understanding how potential tourists acquire knowledge using the cognitive mediation model. We examined the effect of media motivations (i.e., surveillance gratification and anticipated interaction) in predicting two types of subjective knowledge (i.e., pandemic knowledge and travel health knowledge) through the mediation of media attention and elaboration. The study results supported all hypotheses except for the relationships between surveillance gratification and media attention, and media attention and travel health knowledge. This study provides implications for destination marketing organizations to understand Canadians' travel decisions during the pandemic.