The Interrelationship between Sport Event and Destination Image and Sport Tourists' Behaviours

Abstract

Existing literature suggests that event and destination images could interact to influence sport tourism behaviours. Within an attitude-behaviour theoretical framework, this paper proposes and tests a theoretical model examining the interrelationships between sport event image, destination image, satisfaction with the event, past experience with the event and destination, intentions to revisit the destination and subsequent behaviours of sport tourists to revisit. A population of active sport tourists, whose primary trip purpose was to participate in a sport event, was used to test empirically the proposed model. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect panel data in two waves after the event's completion. Structural equation modelling results showed a significant impact of event image on destination image but not the opposite. Destination image and past experience with the destination significantly influenced intentions to revisit the destination for sport tourism activities, while intentions were a significant predictor of actual behaviour to revisit a destination for sport tourism activities. Implications for synergistic approaches are discussed for sport events and destinations.