COVID-19, destination image, and destination visit intention: unpacking the impacts of familiarity, generation, and gender amidst COVID-19

Purpose This study aims to analyze the moderating roles of familiarity, generation and gender on the impacts of coronavirus fear-uncertainty on the destination image and visiting intentions post-COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach This paper seeks to provide evidence for a research conclusion by conducting a survey of 431 potential travelers of various nationalities who visited Egypt. The data were examined using structural equation modeling with a multigroup analysis and PROCESS MACRO. Findings The findings indicated that the links between coronavirus fear-uncertainty, the destination image and intention to visit were significantly different from one gender and generation group to another. Moreover, it showed that destination familiarity moderates the negative effects of coronavirus fear-uncertainty on the destination image and intention to visit. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to explore the moderating role of destination familiarity, generation and gender in the effects post-COVID-19 of coronavirus fear-uncertainty on the destination image and travelers’ intention to visit using generational cohort theory and gender schema theory.