Event motivation, subjective well-being, and revisit intentions during the second wave of the pandemic: moderating effect of affective risk about COVID-19 and perceived trust

This study examines the moderating effects of trust and perceived affective risk on the relationship between event motivations (socializing, novelty, nostalgia, emotion regulation, and loneliness), subjective-wellbeing and revisit intentions. We tested the proposed conceptual model via a convenient sample of 287 participants visiting an exhibition at the international contemporary art gallery in Istanbul, Turkey, during the second COVID-19 pandemic wave. The PLS-SEM analysis revealed that event motivations positively affect subjective well-being and revisit intention while increasing perceived trust strengthens the relationship between subjective well-being and revisit intentions. However, our findings suggest that when the visitor’s perceived affective risk about Covid-19 is higher, the positive relationships between event motivation and (a) subjective well-being and (b) revisit intentions become significantly weaker. The current study implicated that individuals who are cautious about public health and make decisions to attend events and prioritize their well-being consider doing so when they perceive less risk and sense that more safety protocol is in place. Hence, we discuss several activities related to reducing consumers’ concerns and building trust during the event that would benefit event managers in developing a safe and healthy event image and facilitating event participation.