CRISIS-INDUCED SHIFTS IN TRAVEL DESIRE: WHAT DRIVES OR HINDERS DISTANCE TRAVEL IN GERMANY?

Modelling complex consumptive decision-making during crisis periods represents a burgeoning research avenue, particularly in the context of intercontinental travel. Examining data generated from a representative online sample of n = 2,021 Germans as potential long-haul travelers, this study investigated which socio-demographic, psychographic and behavioral factors positively (drivers) or negatively (dampers) influenced distance desire during the contemporary era characterized by crisis events. After applying multiple linear regressions with distance desire as the dependent variable, it was found that in crisis periods, hedonistic travel motives, a high affinity for risk and previous long-distance travel experience are the drivers of distance desire, whilst socio-demographic factors (e.g., income or age) and the desire to maintain a low climate footprint do not exert a significant dampening influence. Results can support attempts to influence long-distance travel behavior in crisis periods since they clarify which travel motives and other factors drive the desire for long distance travel in Germany