Travel anxiety and (non)pathologic phobias: a critical reflection and mitigation strategies

Purpose This article aims to discuss the influence of psychological factors, such as stress, anxiety and phobias, on individual motivation to travel. Throughout the journey of the tourist, from the need generation stage to the post-travel stage, the decision-making is influenced by non-rational mechanisms and beliefs. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative approach based on the content analysis of 700 comments in 20 Reddit discussions about travel anxiety. Findings The causes of travel anxiety were classified as mental disorders, phobias, and health conditions; fears/thinking about the possibility of things going wrong during the trip; and other (external) causes not controlled by the traveler. This article maps the tourist journey, identifying the critical touchpoints/moments that generate anxiety and/or stress, and the subsequent stages depicting the impacts and consequences of travel anxiety. Practical implications Reddit users shared some coping strategies that help travelers deal with travel anxiety: professional help and medication use, self-help, and pragmatic tips. Tourism operators should implement operational measures that mitigate the causes of travel anxiety. On the other hand, public health decision-makers may also create prophylactic programs to assist travelers prone to travel anxiety. Originality/value The article found several antecedents, moderating factors, and physical, psychological and social consequences of travel anxiety. Furthermore, it discusses the managerial implications for the tourism sector. Anxious tourists are compelled to make obsessive plans to avoid all the potentially stressful situations, and the cancellation or postponement of a trip may become the outcome.