Introduction to the Perception of Risk

Hello ，my name is Dr Pimtong Tavitiyaman， a senior lecturer of the School of Professional and Continuing Education, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Today I would like to present the contemporary issue in the topic of perception of risk and travel decision. And within during this agenda of this our presentation, I will cover the content of perception of risks, types to risk, why tourism increase risks. And lastly perception of risks and travel decision.

I believe that many of you might have some overall adventure activity while you travel, right? It can be any of water activity or even any of the else activities, all right? And some of these activities that you have experienced, you might have some happiness moment, or even you can feel very disappointment during this trip. But do you believe in this type of question? No risks no fun. Some of you may say agree, some of you may not. Right so that’s why may this is very very hot issue about the understand of risk, while you plan to travel in some of the oversea destination.

All right And you think about this in term of risk, and what if the restaurant that you plan to visit during this trip. They have a case of Pickpocketing Or even with the airline that you plan to travel with have some Airplane Explosions. And or even with the travel agency that you plan to buy the Tour Package has some type of tourist Hijacking. Or even the bomb in the city that you plan to travel. And even lastly the leakage of the nuclear plant on the destination that you plan to visit. So all these of the incidents might create a lot of uncertainty on your perception on the risk of the destination that you plan to visit.

All right, so that why what will you do? Ok I have some a couple of answer here for you to choose. Let’s say for example. If you plan to go to the restaurant, and then on the sudden you heard of this Pickpocketing. What will be your answer? A. definitely cancer the trip and itinerary B. still go no matter what And C. not sure All right, keep these in might about first answer here. How about this? What if that destination also just recently has the bomb? What will be your answer. Did you change your answer? Ok, keep thinking about that. Furthermore, what if there is another incident happening in that destination? Or together of these three incidences.

What will be your final answer here? I believe that some of you still keep the answer of either A or B. Constantly, regardless of no matter what, but some of you might still change your mind to say or change from A to B, we don’t know. Right, so right now this become an augment that whether or not how issue of us decide is depend on our internal information or internal reasons to do so. Ok,so that why this is very a broad concept in term of risk perception here.

The next is I would like to explain to you about the perception of risks. Ok, first of all, let’s talk about the meaning of perceive of risk first. Firstly, the two scholars defined the meaning of perceived risk. Uncertainty and consequence, in that it increases with higher levels of uncertainty and/or the change of greater associated negative consequences. So right here, there are two key points here, Ok. First of all ,it is higher level of uncertainty, these mean that in somehow is to create unknown consequences. All right, so that why you will never know what will happen. And somehow you might have a limit chance to handle with that, and so that why can create the negative consequences.

Let’s see for example, in the case of pickpocketing the level of uncertainty of course we will never know when you wallet will be stolen. But in term of the negative consequences, it can be very extreme. Let’s see for example, you can start from very small cash in your wallet that you have. It may not be a big deal for you if you lost that until up to the case that you totally lost your passport too. So if that is the case that can be very extreme case about the negative consequences, because it might ruin your whole trip.

Another meaning is by another scholar is talking about perceived risk as Consumer perceptions of the probability that an action may expose them to danger that can influence travel decisions if the perceived danger is deemed to be beyond an acceptable level. Pretty much ideas when we talked about danger, most of the people might think of in term of finance time, or even some of your physical risk. Ok, some kind of your health, issue health concern. So that why in that case, if it really go beyond that too extreme, so that why people might not tolerate that. Let’s see for example. If you travel with some kind of the low cost carrier, OK , with the poor facilities of the airplane facilities.

So that why this might be a little create of your high risk of health and safety issue. So that why you might need to balance on that any danger that you have, Or even whether or not you can accelerate with the health risk you might foresee in the future.