Impact of the destination image and government policy responsiveness of China on Korean travelers' destination trust and behaviors in the post-pandemic era

The paper examines how Korean travelers form destination trust toward China and how this trust influences their post-pandemic intentions to travel to and recommend China. Amid COVID-19’s severe disruption to global tourism, Korean outbound travel has rebounded but with increased safety concerns and sensitivity to government policies. China, historically a top destination for Koreans, faces image challenges due to pandemic-related perceptions. The study addresses gaps by integrating destination image attributes and national-level government policy responsiveness into a single framework. Objectives: (1) identify China’s post-pandemic destination image dimensions for Koreans; (2) assess effects of these image factors on destination trust; (3) test direct and indirect (mediated by trust) impacts on travel and recommendation intentions; (4) evaluate the moderating role of perceived Chinese government policy responsiveness for tourism recovery. The model posits seven image dimensions (destination safety, natural environment, cultural richness, ecological richness, infrastructure, wallet friendliness, local products and services), destination trust, behavioral intentions, and perceived government policy responsiveness as a moderator.

The review traces South Korea–China tourism relations from their post-1988 expansion to present complexities shaped by geopolitics. It synthesizes push–pull theory and cultural dimensions, noting Korean travelers’ collectivist orientation, low uncertainty tolerance, heightened risk aversion, and emergence of untact tourism post-COVID. Destination image is conceptualized as a multi-dimensional, dynamic construct within a cognitive–affective–conative hierarchy, influenced by traveler characteristics and pre/post-trip experiences. For China, pre-pandemic appeal centered on rich natural and cultural resources complemented by built amenities and service interactions; however, COVID-19 media portrayals damaged perceptions of safety, making safety a core post-pandemic image dimension. Destination trust, grounded in social exchange and trust–commitment theory, is influenced by evaluations of image attributes and shapes long-term behaviors (visit and recommendation). The review introduces perceived government policy responsiveness (timeliness, effectiveness, coordination) as critical in crisis recovery, positing it moderates the image–trust relationship. Hypotheses: H1a–g (image → trust), H2 (trust → intention to travel), H3 (trust → willingness to recommend), H4a–g (policy responsiveness moderates image → trust).

Design: Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) validated a conceptual model integrating seven destination image factors (destination safety, natural environment, cultural richness, ecological richness, infrastructure, wallet friendliness, local products and services), destination trust, intention to travel, willingness to recommend, and perceived government policy responsiveness for tourism recovery (moderator). Measurement: Items adapted from validated scales (Ajzen, Morgan & Hunt, Al-Ansi et al., Han et al., Lu & Atadil, Setiawan et al., Shen et al., Wong & Lai) and refined via pilot testing to fit the recovery (post-restriction) context; 7-point Likert scale used. Data collection: Online survey via Invite (South Korea) in May 2023; eligibility: Korean nationals aged ≥19 with China visitation after 2018; back-to-back translation (English–Korean–English) and expert proofreading ensured content validity and clarity; anonymity assured and screening applied. Sample: 374 responses collected; 293 retained after exclusions (response time <10 min, pre-2018 visits, duplicates/missing). Demographics: 52.6% male; age groups mainly 30–39 (33.1%) and 40–49 (27.3%); broad income and education distributions; visit frequency in last 5 years varied (largest: 2 times, 32.1%); 24.6% visited within last year. Analysis: CFA and CB-SEM (SPSS/AMOS). Measurement model fit: χ²=1309.168, df=651, χ²/df=2.011, IFI=0.967, TLI=0.958, CFI=0.966, RMSEA=0.048. Factor loadings: 0.616–0.937; AVE=0.519–0.857; CR=0.780–0.947; discriminant validity supported (correlations < √AVE). Structural model fit: χ²=1495.193, df=588, χ²/df=2.543, IFI=0.945, TLI=0.927, CFI=0.944, RMSEA=0.052. Moderation: Invariance testing via K-means clustering to split perceived government policy responsiveness (low vs high), followed by multi-group SEM and chi-square difference tests.

- Supported image → trust paths: destination safety (β=0.168, p<0.01), natural environment (β=0.368, p<0.01), infrastructure (β=0.382, p<0.01), local products and services (β=0.658, p<0.01). Not supported: cultural richness (β=0.017, n.s.), ecological richness (β=0.097, n.s.), wallet friendliness (β=0.066, n.s.). - Trust → behavioral intentions: intention to travel (β=0.712, p<0.01), willingness to recommend (β=0.785, p<0.01). - Explained variance: R² trust=0.656; R² intention=0.716; R² recommendation=0.807. - Indirect (through trust) effects on intention and recommendation were significant for destination safety (β=0.119; 0.132), natural environment (β=0.262; 0.289), infrastructure (β=0.272; 0.300), and local products and services (β=0.469; 0.516). Cultural richness, ecological richness, and wallet friendliness showed no significant indirect effects. - Moderation by perceived government policy responsiveness: significant for natural environment → trust (Δχ²[1]=8.117, p<0.01), ecological richness → trust (Δχ²[1]=7.191, p<0.01), infrastructure → trust (Δχ²[1]=10.091, p<0.01). Not significant for destination safety, cultural richness, wallet friendliness, or local products and services. - Model fit indices indicated good measurement and structural fit throughout analyses.

Findings confirm that Korean travelers’ trust in China post-pandemic is driven primarily by safety perceptions, natural environmental quality, infrastructure, and the perceived quality of local products and services. These trust judgments strongly translate into intentions to travel and to recommend, addressing the research aim of linking image, trust, and behavior in a post-crisis context. Cultural and ecological richness, while important resources, were less salient for trust formation among risk-averse, health-conscious Korean travelers in the COVID-19 aftermath, suggesting that safety and service assurance overshadow more experiential or heritage-related appeals. The significant moderating role of perceived government policy responsiveness demonstrates that national-level governance—especially effective, timely, and well-coordinated recovery policies—amplifies the trust impact of certain image facets (notably natural environment and infrastructure). The study advances theory by integrating destination image and policy responsiveness within a trust-centered framework, showing that recovery-era destination competitiveness depends on both destination-level attributes and credible policy environments that reassure tourists about health and safety management.

This study develops and validates a comprehensive destination–policy framework explaining how post-pandemic image dimensions of China shape Korean travelers’ destination trust and, in turn, their intentions to travel to and recommend China. It highlights the primacy of safety, natural environment, infrastructure, and local products/services in trust formation and underscores the moderating importance of perceived government policy responsiveness. Practically, results guide Chinese tourism stakeholders to prioritize transparent health/safety measures, environmental quality, infrastructure and service excellence, and supportive recovery policies to rebuild trust and demand from Korea. Future research should extend the framework by incorporating affective image components, accounting for regional disparities within China, including additional stakeholders (e.g., communities, media), conducting cross-cultural comparisons beyond Korean travelers, and examining temporal shifts due to evolving geopolitical contexts.

- Image operationalization emphasized cognitive dimensions; affective image components were not included. - The model did not account for China’s regional heterogeneity (geography, socio-cultural development), which may shape perceptions. - Stakeholder scope focused on government; roles of communities, environmental groups, and media/influencers were not modeled. - Single-country respondent group (Koreans); generalizability to other outbound markets may be limited; cross-cultural validation is needed. - Findings may vary over time with changing geopolitical dynamics between South Korea and China; longitudinal analyses are warranted.