Motives underlying water sport tourist behaviour: a segmentation approach

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sport tourism is a heterogeneous phenomenon with diverse motivations. However, the field of water sport tourism has not yet been intensely analyzed. The purpose of this study was twofold. Firstly, the study aimed to unfold the consumer profile of water sport tourists. Secondly, the role of demographic variables and behavioural attributes concerning flow experience in the activities was unveiled. Since flow has the potential of sustaining participation in physical activity pursuits as well as raising destination loyalty, its analysis in the field of leisure and tourism is of utmost interest. A quantitative research method was chosen. The subjects were 297 Hungarian water sport participants. Data were analyzed through k-means clustering and a multivariate general linear model using SPSS software. First, the cluster analysis yielded four clusters based on sport and tourism motivations, namely: Sport-oriented, Leisure-ignoring, Leisure-oriented, Social-oriented groups. Second, in the “Absorption in the Activity” dimension of flow experience, females demonstrated higher scores than males, and participants showed significant differences according to their skill levels. Furthermore, as a predictor variable, flow Absorption influenced expenses on sport lessons, while desired skill level affected the frequency of practising. These findings contribute to reaching water sport tourists more adequately.