Crowding is a critical determinant of consumers' satisfaction with and preferences for different shopping and travel situations. When considering a selection of travel and hospitality options, travelers are influenced by perceived crowding. This research examined how the current health crisis (i.e., the COVID-19 pandemic) affects travelers’ preferences for crowded and non-crowded options. Specifically, we predicted that travelers would have a diminished preference for crowded (vs. non-crowded) travel and hospitality options when the ongoing pandemic is salient. We demonstrated that the primary effect of the salience of the threat was persistent across different travel categories and contexts. We also found that travelers with high levels of sensation seeking and a high need for uniqueness show the opposite pattern, suggesting a possible recovery strategy from the pandemic. This series of five experimental studies provides several theoretical and managerial implications for travel and hospitality business marketers.

拥挤程度是消费者对不同购物和旅行情况的满意度和偏好的关键决定因素。在考虑选择旅行和酒店选择时，旅行者会受到拥挤感的影响。这项研究探讨了当前的健康危机（即 COVID-19 大流行）如何影响旅行者对拥挤和非拥挤选择的偏好。具体来说，我们预测，当当前的疫情十分突出时，旅行者对拥挤（相对于非拥挤）旅行和接待选择的偏好将会减弱。我们证明，威胁显着性的主要影响在不同的旅行类别和环境中持续存在。我们还发现，寻求刺激程度高、独特性需求高的旅行者表现出相反的模式，这表明可能采取从大流行中恢复的策略。这一系列的五项实验研究为旅游和酒店业务营销人员提供了一些理论和管理启示。