Exploring How the Psychological Resilience of Residents of Tourism Destinations Affected Brand Ambassador Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

In order to focus on the degree of adaptation and resilience of residents of tourist destinations to the changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore how the psychological resilience of residents affects their attitudes and behavioral intentions toward destination brand development, this study constructs a structural equation model guided by positive organizational behavior and uses a questionnaire method to conduct the research. The results show that (1) residents’ psychological resilience has a positive effect on brand ambassador behavioral intentions; (2) residents’ psychological resilience has a positive effect on resident–tourist interaction; (3) resident–tourist interaction has a positive effect on brand ambassador behavioral intentions; (4) resident–tourist interaction plays a mediating role between psychological resilience and brand ambassador behavioral intentions; and (5) cognitive reappraisal plays a moderating role between psychological resilience and resident–tourist interaction. The findings not only fill the deficiency of positive organizational behavior in tourism research, but also provide a theoretical basis for developing residents as destination brand ambassadors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic according to destination branding. In fact, destination managers not only need to strengthen residents’ behaviors to participate in destination brand development, but also should care about the psychological state and emotional events of residents who are negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.