Functions of Currency before and after COVID-19: Is Bitcoin Sustainable for Tourism?

Sustainability

Gumkwang Bae¹  Sangmook Lee²  Hyojin Kim³ 

[1] Department of Foodservice Management, Dong-Eui University, 176 Eomgwangno, Busanjin-gu, Busan 47340, Korea;Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Kyungsung University, 309 Suyeong-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48434, Korea;Department of Tourism Management, Mokpo National University, Yeongsan-ro 1666, Cheonggyemyeon, Muan-gun 58554, Korea;

关键词: virtual currency;    Bitcoin;    functions of currency;    COVID-19;    tourists;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su132413572

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The specific purposes of this study are (1) to analyze whether there is a difference in the recognition of tourists in the functions of currency according to the type of currency spent by tourists before and after COVID-19; (2) to identify why tourists employ Bitcoin among the functions of currency; and (3) to identify tourists’ intentions to continue to using Bitcoin according to the degree of recognition of the function of virtual currency in Korea. Both quantitative and qualitative methods, including a one-way analysis of variance, a paired t-test, a simple regression analysis, and an in-depth interview, were employed. One of the conclusions implies that tourists in a tourism destination still prefer paying with cash rather than paying with card or virtual currency. Moreover, the study discovered that tourists count more on virtual currency and prepare for a future with virtual currency when a factor that has an unstable impact on social economy, such as COVID-19, happens. As to the functions of Bitcoin, tourists appeared to place a great importance on its storage, value, satisfaction, convenience, and investment. Additionally, the study showed that tourists intend to continue using Bitcoin due to the same satisfaction, convenience, and investment attributed to Bitcoin. More discussion and implications were provided.

【 授权许可】

Unknown