The impact of political instability on tourism: case of Thailand

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between political instability upon destination image and perception and tourism consumer behavior. Design/methodology/approach The paper takes a case study approach and uses cross‐sectional and qualitative methods to measure and contrast the perceptions of respondents who have and have not, visited Thailand. Findings The study affirms the power of image as a subjectively‐held, but important lever of consumer behavior. The findings reinforce the popularity of Thailand as a tourist destination, by both those who have and have not visited, and suggest that its image is a strong one. Practical implications The paper concludes that destination managers need to work with governments to ensure political stability, which can lead to continued tourism revenues. Originality/value The paper suggests that the effects of adverse publicity on political instability to tourism receipts may be temporary, providing a destination has a strong perceived image (such as Thailand) and the disruption does not last too long