Boosting self-efficacy to influence tourists' behavioral intentions toward destinations with Political Instability: the moderating role of destination image

Tourism is a very important sector, especially for developing countries, in providing an important source of revenues as well as reducing poverty (Saha and Yap, 2014). According to the World Bank the Middle East is the only... [ view full abstract ]

Tourism is a very important sector, especially for developing countries, in providing an important source of revenues as well as reducing poverty (Saha and Yap, 2014). According to the World Bank the Middle East is the only developing region that had a drop in tourist arrivals in 2011 due to political instability and armed conflict. This study aims to (1) investigate the relationship between self efficacy and tourists’ behavioral intentions toward destinations with political instability, and (2) examine whether destination image moderates this relationship or not. Based on social cognitive theory Bandura (1986) we present our conceptual model, In addition the self efficacy theory is presented to better understand of the role of self efficacy in motivation. This paper extends the existing literature in tourism marketing by examining the relationships between tourists’ self efficacy and behavioral intentions toward destinations with political instability. This paper sheds some light on how destination marketers should find new and creative ways for marketing their destinations to recover the tourism growth drop caused by political instability issues. The study also aims to better help in society's development through finding new ways that could help countries with recovered political instability issues in restoring their economic growth.