A qualitative cognitive appraisal of tourist harassment

Abstract

Although hostility against tourists has gained a respectable amount of research attention over the last two decades, tourist harassment has proved to be an elusive topic for researchers. This study makes an important contribution to the literature by demonstrating the multidimensional nature of tourist harassment, with attention paid to the application of cognitive appraisal theory. We argue the need for an in-depth understanding of victims' perspective of tourist harassment. The study involved 19 on-site interviews conducted in Ghana. The results show that tourists are subjected to aggressive and passive forms of harassment. The qualitative inquiry revealed that harassment has substantial effects on tourists' cognitive assessment, emotional response, coping strategy, destination image, and future intentions. Expressing annoyance and making behavioral adjustments were the more notable emotional and coping responses recorded. Although respondents were generally confident about recommending Ghana as a destination in spite of the harassment, they were divided in terms of their intentions to revisit the destination.