Tourists' perceived destination image and behavioral intentions towards a sanctioned destination: comparing visitors and non-visitors

Abstract

Drawing on a qualitative study, this study aims to provide an improved understanding of how tourists perceive a sanctioned destination's image and how sanction-induced crises influence tourists' behavioral intentions. To do so, this study employed semi-structured interviews with 30 individuals each with and without prior experience visiting Iran. The findings revealed that sanctions influence affective and cognitive images and enhance tourist risk perceptions, including financial, satisfaction, terrorism and war, political, crime, security, and functional/performance risks. Furthermore, a positive post-trip evaluation was found to play a significant role in further behavioral intention, thereby enhancing destination image. Overall, this study enriches the literature on tourism and crises by focusing on visitors' and non-visitors' perceptions of a sanctioned destination and their subsequent behavioral intents. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are provided in the conclusion.