The Confronts of Edutourism in the Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Era: A Malaysian Perspective

Abstract

COVID-19 triggered a crisis and sliced through every facet of humankind. People were advised to practise physical distancing, and most educational institutions have integrated different digital technologies and virtual learning environments (VLE) to limit the likelihood of pandemic pedagogy. This study sought to investigate the challenges of edutourism in Malaysia for sustaining viable education during this delicate time. Therefore, it examines the determinants of sustainable education, perceived value, risk assessment, quality service, and knowledge management in choosing institutions to resume edutourism. Based on a non-probability survey sample of 308 international students in Malaysia, the data were analysed with SPSS for fundamental analyses and SEM-AMOS for hypothesis testing. The results demonstrated that most predictors highly influenced the choice of the institution; thus, the government must acquire appropriate pedagogical knowledge to assure learning coherence. This study has presented a collection of influencing factors that impact how students adjust their objectives when choosing academic institutions in Malaysia.