Evaluation of holiday preferences and security perceptions of tourists during the COVID-19 epidemic

Epidemics have caused various economic and social problems throughout human history all over the world. The Covid-19 epidemic is one of them, and it has been a very dangerous epidemic that disrupts the balance of natural life and negatively affects people, businesses, and sectors with its different dimensions. The tourism sector is undoubtedly one of the sectors most affected by this epidemic and hit hard. The fear and panic, which immediately showed itself after the declaration of the pandemic, made it necessary to take some measures. However, with the process, both the businesses that were in a difficult situation and the individuals who were psychologically affected had to continue the process with some precautions. Careful implementation of these measures is important, as the service must be meticulously provided in the tourism sector because, in connection with the development of tourism, the number of individuals who want to participate in tourism activities and spend their free time on a vacation they can enjoy has also increased. The point that should not be forgotten is that every tourist has some expectations on the way they go and wants to feel safe. The perception of security that accompanies holiday preferences will enable the individual to have different experiences and to make decisions with the influence of these factors while forming their next preferences. The aim of this study is to determine the holiday preferences and security perceptions of domestic tourists during the Covid-19 outbreak. In this context, data have been obtained through semi-structured interview technique using qualitative research method in this study. Snowball sampling is used in this study. A total of 35 domestic tourists, 5 from seven different regions of Turkey, who have regular holiday habits, have been sent an interview form each year via e-mail. As a result of the interview, the data obtained from the participants have been analyzed using the descriptive analysis method. As a result of the research, although it is seen that the holiday preferences of the participants are generally negatively affected, it has been found that the number of those who prefer or want to experience different alternative tourism types in this process is quite high. It is reflected in the results that the participants, who want to prefer quieter places in their holiday preferences, demand this from tourism enterprises by paying extra attention to hygiene elements in the current process in their accommodation preferences, and that the rules applied for precautionary purposes play a decisive role in their security perceptions. Keywords: Covid-19, Perception of security, Holiday preferences, Tourist.