Exploring tourists' motivations, constraints, and negotiations regarding outdoor recreation trips during COVID-19 through a focus group study

The current COVID-19 outbreak has duly influenced tourists' psychology and subsequently their behavior decision making to participate in outdoor activities. purpose of this paper is illuminate motivations, perceived constraints, negotiation strategies recreation trips, within the context. To explore categorize motivating factors, strategies, we employed a qualitative approach via semi-structured online focus group discussion with 16 tourists (mostly residents Utah, United States) during late summer 2020. First, related restrictions fewer opportunities go outdoors were found encourage recreation, for novelty-seeking experiencing normalcy. Through content analysis, that experience blend personal, social, practical, ethical constraints. Additionally, identified how negotiate constraints through different ways: by extensive planning information searching, avoiding crowds, changing leisure aspirations. Finally, discuss theoretical managerial implications study, followed recommendations future research. Understanding strategies—relevant trips—provides several destination managers marketers, as outlined below: Lack centralized reliable was frequently cited constraint discussions. In order provide adequate timely potential participations, proposed novel website template including details about be presented. As our study sheds light on companionship preferences, activity choice, evaluation destination's COVID-related operational practices, propose advertising guidelines attract tourists.