Exploring parental risk perceptions in family travel in rural destinations

Abstract

Family travel can offer an enjoyable and enriching experience for both parents and children, but it also comes with potential risks. Children's vulnerability is a significant concern during family trips, making it imperative for parents to address these risks. Drawing upon protection motivation theory and employing a mixed-method approach, the study aimed to examine parental perceptions of risks associated with children during trips to rural areas, utilizing the phenomenological method alongside exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The findings reveal that parents perceive five types of risks pertaining to their children during vacations, including risks related to safety and health, environmental and natural hazards, social interactions, child safety and security and emotional and psychological well-being. Furthermore, two distinct mechanisms that parents use to manage risks were also identified: prevention and readiness/reaction mechanisms. Overall, this study contributes to the emerging field of child-centric tourism research by illuminating parents’ distinctive risk perception and management strategies during family vacations, offering insights for the development of tourism policies and practices that prioritize the safety and well-being of children and families.