Travelers’ Coping Strategies in the Backdrop of Revenge Tourism

Abstract

The recent COVID-19 pandemic was a large-scale, prolonged crisis for the tourism industry. However, there has been an unprecedented surge in travel in the post-pandemic period. This study explores the motivation and coping strategies employed by travelers in the post-pandemic period. A multi-stage qualitative study was undertaken using three waves of data collection with travelers who engaged in revenge tourism in the post-pandemic period. Findings revealed that disengagement was the main motivation to travel during this period. Three coping strategies were employed by travelers to overcome the crisis—engaging in growth, seeking strength, and hope and cautious optimism. Coping strategies employed by travelers enabled them to overcome the tensions experienced during the pandemic lockdown. These findings present a clear delineation of how travelers recover from the adversities of a pandemic crisis to travel again in its aftermath, thus contributing significantly to the tourism literature.