Unlocking Travel Desires: Exploring Configurations of Gratifications and Epidemic Concerns in Short Video Context

Abstract To promote tourism recovery and growth, it's crucial to comprehend the factors influencing travel intention amid epidemic threats like COVID-19. Grounded in the uses and gratifications (U&G) theory and employing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this study aims to elucidate the causal patterns of hedonic, social, and utilitarian gratifications intersecting with epidemic concerns, shaping high travel intention in short video context. 298 college students' data unveil six configurations elucidating high travel intention. This research offers fresh perspectives on how U&Gs and epidemic concerns interact, aiding in devising strategies to boost tourism industry prosperity.