Strategy for Tourism Sector Recovery Post-COVID-19: A Sustainable Tourism Behaviour Approach

Abstract

This study identifies recovery strategies for the tourism industry in North Sumatra Province post-COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to analyse the consumption patterns and behaviour of Generation Z in conducting sustainable travel transactions. This quantitative study involved 218 Gen Z respondents who had travelled in the past year and interviewed several participants. Statistical techniques used the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results showed that environmental awareness, travel behaviour, technological influence, and cultural influence significantly affected partially the consumption behaviour of Gen Z. Gen Z’s consumption behaviour was found to mediate environmental awareness, travel behaviour, technological influence, and cultural influence on Gen Z’s sustainable tourism behaviour. The result of the interview indicates that there is a need for tourism actors to identify prioritised strategies for tourism management in order to achieve an improvement in Gen Z’s sustainable tourism behaviour.