Signaling in times of uncertainty

The effectiveness of risk-coping measures disclosure in the hospitality sector

Bibliographic Data

ID21689623
AuthorsYanan Cheng (0000-0001-9088-9138, Wuhan University), Baojun Gao (0000-0002-9190-8158, Wuhan University, corresponding author), Shan Liu (0000-0002-8554-6306, Xi'an Jiaotong University)
Year2026
Publication date2026-03-10
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTourism Economics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1354-8166 • E-ISSN: 2044-0375
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/13548166261433388
OpenAlexW7134953151
LanguageEN
References cited44

In health-related crises, hotels tend to disclose risk-coping measures (RCMs) as a vital element of crisis management. While there has been active research on these measures, much of the work has focused on consumer perceptions and travel intentions. Drawing on signaling theory, we address this gap by rigorously quantifying the underexplored linkage between RCMs disclosure and performance outcomes. Leveraging a quasi-experimental design that combines difference-in-differences method with propensity score matching, we analyze matched hotel samples with/without RCMs disclosure. Our findings reveal significant performance gains for disclosing hotels, driven primarily by firm-operated measures, whereas consumer-involved initiatives yield neutral or adverse effects. Pandemic severity, government responses, and hotel status further moderate efficacy. Additionally, mediation analysis reveals that performance improvements are partially attributable to the increase in positive consumer feedback. Our findings contribute to the crisis management and tourism literature and offer managerial insights for enhancing operational performance in the hospitality industry

Hospitality · Hospitality industry · Mediation · Tourism · Customer Service Quality and Loyalty · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Public Relations and Crisis Communication

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