Multi-method investigations of the impact of lockdown relaxation on tourists’ and residents’ movements

Abstract

This research examines the impact of lockdown relaxation on tourists’ and residents’ movements in the context of restaurant patronage in Jeju Island, South Korea. Drawing on spatial interaction and multi-attribute attitude theories, we hypothesized the difference between tourists and residents in terms of restaurant visit patterns and choices during lockdown relaxation. A multi-method approach was adopted: spatial, data-driven analysis, and experiments. Lockdown relaxation is found to affect how tourists and residents choose and visit restaurants in different ways. This research provides explanations about tourists’ and residents’ mobility and guidelines that practitioners can use to prepare for “living with COVID-19.”.