Sustainable Strategies for Marathon Tourism in the Time of Pandemics

Kuo-Hsiung Chen,Fu-Sheng Tsai,Jui-Mei Yien,Chien-Chung Kao,Ying-Yu Chen

doi:10.3390/su13052758

Abstract

This study established a new assessment framework to explore the mutual influences of the international marathon tourism indices. A hybrid multiple-criteria decision-making model was used to determine solutions. The surveyed expert team revealed that satisfaction with the Kaohsiung International marathon indices requires improvement, especially in the age of pandemic crisis. To make marathon tourism sustainable, we propose the following systematic improvement procedures: Decision-makers should improve the manager’s professional capabilities and ability to use a comprehensive thinking model to solve problems. Next, managers should invite tourism practitioners from neighboring areas to provide more diverse food and performances along the marathon route. Citizens should be invited to join the cheerleaders to create a lively atmosphere. In addition to the full marathon and half marathon, a completion certificate and a better gift should be provided to participants of races of other distances to increase their sense of self-worth and to encourage more runners to participate, thereby ensuring a more robust crowd of runners at the starting line.

Highlights

Introduction published maps and institutional affilMarathons have become a global trend, and runners from around the world participate in well-known international marathons
A hybrid Multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model is a combination of three research methods: the DecisionMaking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL), DEMATEL-based analytic network process (DANP), and modified VIšekriterijumsko Kompromisno Rangiranje (VIKOR; mV)
We used the data from the total influence matrix obtained in the first stage in DANP calculation and obtained influential weights (IW)

Summary

Introduction

Marathons (road running events) have become a global trend, and runners from around the world participate in well-known international marathons. In addition to visiting sports venues, people visit cultural, historical, and natural attractions close to the sites of sporting events [1,2]. Marathon runners generally have a higher education level, income, and overall socioeconomic status than average people [3,4]. This is true for runners participating in major domestic and international marathons [5]. Marathons contribute to marketing the host city [8], and runners have increased willingness to revisit cities hosting well-known marathons [9]

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Methods

Discussion

Conclusion