Examining the perceived vulnerability and experiences of inbound tourists on cybercrime in Ghana.

Abstract

Although Information and Communication Technology (ICT) applications have become essential to the operations in the tourism industry but its benefits accruing to the growing importance is also being challenged by cyber criminals and online intruders. There has been surprisingly little effort to understand the perceived vulnerability and experiences in the context of tourism. Therefore, this study explored the perceived vulnerability and experiences of inbound tourists’ on cybercrime in Ghana. The study used a cross-sectional design with quantitative approach for data collection and analysis. A convenience sampling technique was employed to select 400 inbound tourists who visited Ghana from 1st November to 1st January which was the period for data collection. The study was guided by the Routines Activity Theory. The findings of the study proved that both cybercrime victimization and perceived vulnerability of inbound tourists in Ghana is quite low. Again, it was revealed that inbound tourists that visit Ghana do consider the issue of cybercrime when planning for their trips meanwhile their rejection of a particular destination for alternative destinations has never been on the issue of cybercrime. Respondents were also well aware of cybercrime preventive strategies. Evidently however, level of education was found to have relationship with respondents’ perceived vulnerability while trip experiences and purpose of visitation also associated with respondents’ cybercrime victimization.