Effects of Covid-19 on Educational Tourists’ Eating Habits and Cooking Skills

Covid-19 has not only halted people from active participation in daily activities but has also influenced the personal eating habits and cooking skills of educational tourists. These raised concerns about why, what, and how people eat irrespective of their various environmental, religious, socio-cultural, and political backgrounds. Based on these challenges, educational tourists start to adapt to changes in their eating habits and cooking skills. Currently, the results on the effects of Covid-19 on educational tourists’ eating habits and cooking skills are scarce. The purpose of this study is to fill the literature gap on the effects of Covid-19 on educational tourists’ eating habits and cooking skills. Eating habits and cooking skills are vital parts of healthier food choices, which help overcome various diseases. In this qualitative study, the data collected from 29 Edu-tourists studying at Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) in North Cyprus using face-to-face interviews. Findings showed that Covid-19 had ripple effects such as; learning and improving cooking skills, hygiene consciousness, exercising, excess eating, etc., and educational tourists’ eating habits and cooking skills. One main contribution of this study is the knowledge expansion on eating habits and cooking skills. Future studies were discussed. Keywords: Covid-19; cooking skills; eating habits; educational tourists, Northern Cyprus.