The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has challenged the fundamental desire for social interaction in international tourism. It is vital to understand how the loss of meaningful social interaction will impact on tourists' identity change. As the pandemic first appeared in Wuhan, capital city of Hubei province in central China, the study focuses on Chinese tourists' reflections on social identity change and its associated non-interaction during the time of the unexpected crisis. Using the constructivist grounded theory approach, this qualitative research explains how non-interaction with people and place influences, and indeed is influenced by, changes in their social identities during the crisis, and shapes their future social behaviours. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Keywords: China; Social distancing; Social identity; Social interaction; Virus.
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