Expo Visitors' Perceived Self-Efficacy in Mitigating Pandemic Risk - A Study of Coping Mechanisms in Tourist Attractions at Expo 2020 Dubai

COVID-19 pandemic has substantially reshaped individuals' perceptions of travel risks, especially in the context of large-scale international events. The Dubai government successfully hosted the '2020 Dubai Expo' by implementing proactive quarantine measures and reopening tourism despite the global pandemic, attracting a total of 24 million cumulative visitors during the Expo period, marking a record-breaking achievement. Understanding the intention of these mega-event visitors to explore the country's tourist destinations, as well as the underlying reasons for their willingness or reluctance to visit, can provide valuable insights in an era where the emergence of mutated viruses and infectious diseases remains unpredictable. Research focused on understanding the tourism intentions of participants from the most recent Expo is still limited. This study seeks to address a notable gap in the tourism literature by investigating the roles of threat appraisal and coping appraisal to COVID-19 risk perception, and their subsequent effects on travel avoidance and cautious travel intentions. Protection Motivation Theory was applied as the theoretical framework for this analysis. Data were collected from 210 visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with the SmartPLS software to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that COVID-19 risk perception significantly contributes to protection motivation, with self-efficacy emerging as a key factor positively influencing travel intentions. These results offer insights for event organizers and tourism authorities in developing strategies that effectively address travelers' risk concerns related to epidemic diseases during public health crises. The study suggests that improving communication regarding safety protocol measures and promoting self-protective behaviors can help reduce perceived risks associated with contagious diseases. This, in turn, fosters cautious yet sustained participation in mega-events.