Sustaining Sporting Destinations through Improving Tourists' Mental and Physical Health in the Tourism Environment: The Case of Korea.

Jae-Gu Yu,Yunduk Jeong,Suk-Kyu Kim

doi:10.3390/ijerph17010122

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore structural relationships between emotional experiences, novelty seeking, tourist satisfaction, and destination loyalty in the context of active sport tourism. The study emphasizes the mediating effect tourist satisfaction has on the relationship between emotional experiences and destination loyalty. The validities and reliabilities of the measures used were examined through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and correlation analysis using 230 domestic and international participants who attended a marathon race as amateur athletes. Structural equation modeling analysis with maximum likelihood estimation was conducted to investigate relationships between study variables. Findings disclosed the positive impacts of (a) emotional experiences on tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty, (b) novelty seeking on tourist satisfaction, and (c) tourist satisfaction on destination loyalty, and demonstrated that (d) tourist satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between emotional experiences and destination loyalty. Based on its results, this study (a) indicates that emotional experiences play key roles in predicting tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty, (b) provides an example of the merits of the Destination Emotion Scale (DES) in a sport tourism setting, (c) implies that both emotional experiences and novelty seeking should be incorporated into tourist behavior models, and (d) contributes to tourism studies by exploring the mediating effect of tourist satisfaction on the relation between emotional experiences and destination loyalty. Thus, destination managers should manage gorgeous natural views and beautiful cityscapes, and organize various fun events, such as prize and ticket giveaway events, music performances, and charity campaigns for tourists during events.

Highlights

Stiff competition between destination management organizations with respect to attracting new and retaining loyal tourists in a saturated global marketplace has caused these organizations to devote time and resources to building tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty [1]
The current study responds to a recent call to use integrative models [54]. We incorporated both emotional experiences and novelty seeking in a tourist behavior model, and indicated novelty seeking has a favorable influence on tourist satisfaction
The objectives of this study were to determine the nature of relationships between emotional experiences, novelty seeking, tourist satisfaction, and destination loyalty with an emphasis on the mediating effects of tourist satisfaction in the tourism environment using an integrated model

Summary

Introduction

Stiff competition between destination management organizations with respect to attracting new and retaining loyal tourists in a saturated global marketplace has caused these organizations to devote time and resources to building tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty [1]. Tourist satisfaction is becoming of prime concern to destination marketers because it has long been recognized as an important component of trip experience and the possible cornerstone of future success [2]. Destination managers have viewed destination loyalty as a critical element because it is considered to be more cost-effective than traditional marketing strategies [3]. In the past, marketing managers have focused on soliciting new customers through much time and effort. Recent emphasis has been directed at the retention of loyal customers because it offers a less costly approach [4].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion