The effect of international sporting event marketing mix (7Ps) on foreign spectators’ destination image, satisfaction and revisit intention: An empirical evidence from 2019 Gwangju FINA World Championships

Abstract

Purpose Limited research has investigated the marketing mix of international sporting events empirically. This study filled this gap by identifying the marketing mix and examined the structural relationships among marketing mix, destination image, satisfaction and revisit intention focusing on foreign spectators of 2019 Gwangju FINA World Championships. Methods The questionnaire was structured in four sections: sporting event marketing mix (seven dimensions and 21 items), host city image (three items), satisfaction (three items) and revisit intention (three items). Analysis of data from 396 foreign spectators in FINA Championships indicated that the proposed model fit the data well. Within a attitude-behavior theoretical framework, this study proposed and tested a structural relationships among the constructs. Results The results of this study presented that (1) product, place, and people in sporting event marketing mix significantly impacted foreign spectators’ destination image, (2) product, price, place, promotion, and physical evidence were appeared to be significant predictors of satisfaction, and (3) destination image and satisfaction had a significant effect on foreign spectators’ revisit intention. Conclusion The findings suggest marketing mix for the international sporting event and its influential mechanism on foreign spectators’ revisit intention. Practically, this study provides important implications for event organizers that can be utilized to develop strategic marketing mix in sporting events to enhance spectators’ destination image, satisfaction, and revisit intention.