Predicting Behavioral Intentions of Active Event Sport Tourists: The Case of a Small-scale Recurring Sports Event

Abstract

With the growth in the opportunities for amateur athletes to take part in competitive events it is becoming apparent that there is a need to separate active sport tourists into two types: non-event (e.g. golf, skiing) and event. Active event sport tourism constitutes travel to take part in various organized events from the hallmark New York and London Marathons to the pervasive small scale sports events hosted by communities' world wide. Understanding the variables that influence active sport tourism behaviors within the context of recurring smaller scale sports events has not been widely observed in the sport and tourism literature. This study investigated whether past participation, attitudes toward event participation, satisfaction with the sport event and destination image predict intentions to participate in a sport event again. Data were collected from 112 active event sport tourists of a small recurring sports event: the Senior Games. Mail and online questionnaires were used based on participant event registration mode. Path analysis was used to evaluate the model of this study. The results revealed mediation effects of attitudes between satisfaction and intentions to participate in the event again and destination image and intentions. The importance of collaborations between destination marketers and event organizers is discussed along with the significance of satisfaction as a driver of attitude formation and behavioral intentions.