Covid-19 pandemic on youth tourism

Results 
Firstly, the demographic characteristics of the participants were analyzed descriptively in the study 
(Table 1 below). The participants' ages range between 18 and 37 and the average age is 24. The 
majority of the participants are female (57%) and almost all of them are single (92%). Their 
education status is quite high. Also, the participants were asked about the basic travel purposes 
based on the scale used by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO, 2008) for the youth tourism 
market. 
Table 1: Demographic Variables of the Participants 
Variable (n = 133) 
M 
n 
% 
Age min =18 / max=37 
24.5 
 
 
Gender 
 
 
 
Female 
76 
57.1 
Male 
57 
42.9 
Marital status 
Single 
123 
92.5 
Married 
10 
7.5 
Education status 
 
 
 
High school/equivalent or lower-level graduate 
18 
13.5 
University graduate (associate degree and undergraduate) 
90 
67.7 
Postgraduate graduate 
25 
18.8 
Travel purpose 
 
 
 
 
 
Discovering new places/cultures 
86 
64.7 
Relax and have fun 
30 
22.6 
Study abroad 
4 
3.0 
Visiting friends and relatives 
8 
6.0 
Work abroad
5 
3.8 
Principal component analysis was applied for scale structure validity, which includes the 
behavioral effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in youth tourism. While applying the analysis, the 
attention has been paid to the rule that factor loads should be equal to or greater than 0.30 (Ho, 
2006). Items with a factor load of less than 0.10 in more than one dimension were excluded from 
the analysis because they have co-morbid factor loads (Büyüköztürk, 2010). As a criterion of 
reliability, item-total correlation values that were required to be above 0.30 in item selection were 
examined (Tinsley & Brown, 2000). Items not meeting these criteria were excluded from the 
analysis. As a result, a factor structure of 15 items with 2 factors was reached. The factors were 
named "travel attitudes and preferences" and "hygiene and safety" in keeping with the original 
scale. The explained variance rate is 62%, which a satisfactory level (Çokluk et al., 2012). Besides, 
as seen in Table 2 below, the internal consistency rates, which are examined as a criterion of 
reliability, are also quite high. 
The overall average of the participants agreeing with the statements about the impact of the 
pandemic on travel attitudes and preferences is 3.19 (Table 2 below). Accordingly, it is understood 
that the effect of the pandemic is not high on the travel attitude and preferences of the participants. 
On the other hand, the overall average of participants agreeing with the statements regarding the 
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Asan: Covid-19 pandemic on youth tourism
Published by Digital Commons @ University of South Florida, 2021

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impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the hygiene and safety dimension is 3.82. In this context, 
the participants are relatively more affected by the pandemic in terms of hygiene and safety.