Understanding the effect of risk factors on tourists’ hesitation in choosing a destination is vital for successful management in tourism, especially in the pandemic era. Based on protection motivation theory, this study investigated the impact of sport tourists’ perceived risk associated with COVID-19 on their hesitation to choose a tourist destination in the context of water sport tourism. Further, we examined whether the relationship changes according to the levels of tourists’ destination image. Data from a survey of water sport tourists (n = 312) were analyzed using structural equation modeling and Hayes PROCESS macro with bootstrapping procedures. Findings of this research empirically demonstrated that risk factors influence hesitation in choosing a destination. Furthermore, the moderating effect of destination image on the influences of perceived risks on hesitation was identified. The study’s theoretical and practical contributions to the sport tourism literature are also discussed.

There has been a surge in demand for premium single-serve juices, and college students may be in the forefront of this growing trend because of the perceived social status accompanied by their consumption. External influence (i.e., peer influence and social status) emerged as a component of motivation for the use of premium juices. Findings contribute to Veblen’s theory of conspicuous consumption, demonstrating that consumer motivation for status-laden products occurs even for consumable products that are relatively low cost.