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Japan’s hot spring tourism, vital for rural economies, faced major setbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. While research on travel intentions during health crises exists, there is limited exploration of public perceptions of health risk countermeasures in hot spring tourism. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the countermeasures implemented by hot spring operators in Japan and their perceived effectiveness by the public. A case study in disaster-affected areas reveals the challenges operators faced and how countermeasures influenced travel intentions, with demographic factors playing a key role in perceptions of effectiveness. This study makes several contributions: it is the first to explore public perceptions of health countermeasures in hot spring tourism, advancing the field of adaptive tourism by highlighting the importance of health protocols in rebuilding tourism industries after a crisis. Findings suggest that sanitation measures were viewed as the most effective, and operators can better allocate resources by focusing on these areas. Moreover, clear communication about countermeasures is crucial for boosting visitor confidence and facilitating recovery. Despite its focus on Japan and reliance on self-reported data, this research provides valuable insights for hot spring managers worldwide. The study’s findings offer practical guidance on prioritizing countermeasures. 

Climate change-induced sea level rise (SLR) will affect a range of coastal assets and prompt difficult decisions about coastal land use across the world. Several recent studies find that current and projected SLR is associated with relatively lower property values. We contribute to this growing body of research with a case study of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i, which is famed for its beaches as well as valuable coastal real estate. We leverage a dataset that unpacks multiple types of SLR exposure and coastal parcel attributes. We apply property transaction data for the island of O‘ahu through 2019 to investigate the effect of current and expected SLR exposure on residential property prices. We find that exposed properties have already experienced declines in transaction prices, at 9 to 14%, attributed to expectations of exposure to chronic inundation (as opposed to seasonal flooding). The price declines are mainly for multi-dwelling homes as opposed to single family homes. The market response of residential properties to SLR has important implications for coastal management strategies, in particular the viability and timing of programs for retreat.