Residents’ changed perceptions of sport event impacts: the case of the 2012 Tour de Taiwan

Abstract

The study explores subgroups within host residents based on perceptions of the impacts of the 2012 Tour de Taiwan before and after the event. Theoretical perspectives of event impact studies considering Confucian traditions, social exchange theory and a sense of ‘feel-good’ or ‘communitas’ help to provide fresh insights. Data were collected from host residents in three competition stages, before and after the event. Twenty-two impact items divided into four factors generated subgroups of ‘neutral’ and ‘moderately positive’ (pre-event), and ‘neutral’ and ‘positive’ (post-event). The results show significant differences among the subgroups at the pre- and post-event stages in terms of gender, income, engagement in cycling exercises, levels of support and interest in the event, television watching, and event attendance. General benefits, negative impacts, the level of interest in the event and attendance were significant predictors of event support. The findings suggest that event feel-good can help the intangible characteristics of sporting events (do not entail construction and maintenance of permanent structures) to lever tangible and direct benefits for host communities.