Second, social media use during past travel planning and during past travel did not significantly influence the likelihood to use social media to seek information in the event of a crisis during travel. This may be a limitation of this study, as a very small percentage of international leisure travelers had actually used social media to plan their trip or during travel itself. However, the finding is consistent with past research which found that use of social media in everyday life did not affect potential use of social media during a crisis
among African American leisure travelers (Pennington- Gray, Kaplanidou, and Schroeder 2012). Thus, previous social media use is not an indicator of use during a crisis.
From the perspective of the tourism industry, a practical implication of this study is that, overall, international tourists have low risk perceptions associated with travel to the United States. However, disease, crime, and financial crises were perceived to be the highest risks. Thus, if the destination is in fact safe, tourism organizations should utilize public relations strategies to inform the public that risks associated with these crisis types are, in actuality, low and to attempt to assure potential tourists that the destination is safe. Messages can also be used to provide information about preventive behaviors that tourists can engage in to mitigate the risks while traveling. To build credibility, the destination can disseminate information obtained from official organizations. For example, during flu season, the destination can provide information about how to prevent infection from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or World Health Organization (WHO), such as practicing hygiene and cleanliness. The destination management organization (DMO) can also provide updates on the number of confirmed cases. If the disease has not affected the destination, the DMO can mention this to reassure tourists that it is safe to visit. In an effort to mitigate the risk of contracting an infectious disease, individuals can be reminded to wash their hands frequently. Also, messages can be used to remind individuals to pay attention to their surroundings and to avoid revealing large amounts of cash in public to lower the risk of being a victim of crime.