Tourist roles, perceived risk and international tourism

International tourists can be classified according to the degree of novelty and familiarity sought. This study investigated the hypothesis that tourists seeking familiarity would perceive higher levels of risk associated with international tourism than those seeking novelty. A random sample of US-born voting adults was surveyed. Seven risk factors were identified: health, political instability, terrorism, strange food, cultural barriers, a nation's political and religious dogma, and crime. Three-way ANOVAs revealed that Women perceived a greater degree of risk regarding health and food. More experienced tourists downplayed the threat of terrorism. However, tourist role was the most significant variable, with familiarity seekers being the most risk adverse.