The factors which influenced the Hungarian traveller decisions and tourism organisations during the coronavirus crisis and beyond

Abstract

In the 21st century, tourism and hospitality are highly profitable industries. Thousands of people enjoy visiting popular tourist resorts, and historical and natural sites or trying out the most exciting attractions, which give tourists the experience of a lifetime. In the aftermath of the 2019 coronavirus crisis, the way tourism organisations operate has changed dramatically. The coronavirus outbreak caused huge liquidity problems for companies, which also affected the tourism sector. We examine the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis on tourism organisations operating through primary research. The literature review is based on a synthesis of domestic and international research findings. For the primary research, an online questionnaire survey was conducted among the 312 selected respondents - active tourists - in the all regions of Hungary in 2022. We analysed the decisions of Hungarians who travelled domestically and abroad and whether such factors as media coverage of coronavirus crisis and financial situation fears influence them. The research is based on the testing of three hypotheses. Through correlation analysis and chi-square quantification, the research results showed that media coverage of the coronavirus crisis, fear of illness, and financial factors influenced respondents’ travel behaviour and thus the performance and operations of tourism organisations in Hungary.