THE IMPACT OF MEDIA FEATURES ON TOURISM: RECOVERING THE DESTINATION IMAGE IN THE AFTERMATH OF CRISIS IN MALAYSIA

Abstract

Malaysia’s tourism industry has experienced substantial disruption following recent crises, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, which significantly altered travel behaviour and weakened destination image. Given the crucial role of media in shaping public perception, this study examines how media attributes mediate the relationship between three key determinants trust, crisis management, and solidarity and tourism recovery in Malaysia. A quantitative approach was employed, gathering 384 responses from domestic tourists in Kuala Lumpur. Data were analysed using SPSS through descriptive analysis, correlation, multiple regression, and mediation testing. Results indicate that trust, crisis management, and solidarity each contribute significantly to tourism recovery, with solidarity emerging as the strongest predictor. Media attributes were found to partially mediate all relationships, highlighting the importance of strategic communication and positive media framing in post-crisis recovery. This study extends existing tourism recovery models by integrating media influence as a mediator and emphasises the need for coordinated communication strategies, enhanced crisis response, and stronger community messaging to accelerate tourism recovery.