Re-Examining the Push-Pull Model in Tourists’ Destination Selection: COVID-19 in the Context of Kerala, India

This paper discusses a new conceptual model that can better describe the destination selection decision of tourists during and possibly after COVID-19. The utility theory proposed by Lancaster (1966, 1971) is the basis of the proposed model. This research paper revises the existing push-pull literature by redefining ‘pull’ factors as the ‘pull back factors’ or constraints in destination selection. The external destination-related pull factors have become risky and unknown to travellers on account of the distress created by COVID-19. This model identifies primary push-pull constructs: environment, ethnicity, entertainment, expenses, and endurance. Responses from 311 tourists who have either visited or booked to visit Kerala in 2021 were collated for empirically testing this concept. The classic co-variance-based structural equation modelling approach (CB-SEM) was used for statistical validation. From this study, it is observed that the tourists visiting a destination are willing to spend money to experience the climate and culture; but from the entertainment point of view, they are cost-conscious. A direct positive relationship between the safety and spending habits of the tourists were found. These results call for replacing the current leisure-oriented strategies by prioritizing health, culture, outdoor experiences, nature, and well-being.