Testing the event travel career trajectory in multiple participation sports

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper employs data from a large-scale survey of respondents from five mass-participation sport events in Sweden to test and develop the ‘event travel career trajectory’. The six inter-related hypotheses of the theoretical construct are examined, dealing with the evolution of participants’ motivations, event and destination choice criteria, and travel patterns and styles as their sport ‘involvement’ increases. Involvement has been measured by reference to both attitudes and event-travel activity. Analysis of data from over 6000 respondents reveals that these sport-event tourists progress along the career trajectory as they become significantly more involved. The most highly involved have significantly different preferences, preferring the accompaniment of a club or team; they spend a significantly larger amount of money on equipment, and self-improvement is a significantly stronger motivation. The most highly involved are more selective or demanding when it comes to choosing events, including more novelty seeking, wanting a party atmosphere, and favouring events with a higher reputation and prestige factor. They want a scenic/fast track or course and they have significantly different criteria for destination preferences, including a higher need for accessibility, quality services, strong reputation in sports, competence of event organizers, pleasant weather and attractive scenery. International participants have, on average, come further along the trajectory than domestic participants. In the concluding section, a dynamic explanation to the event travel career trajectory is suggested. Implications for destinations and events are discussed and further research needs are identified.