Involvement and Travel for Recreational Runners in North Carolina

Abstract

This study utilized an adaptation of the uni-dimensional involvement scale developed by Josiam, Smeaton, and Clements (1999) to test Havitz and Dimanche's Proposition XI, which states that “an individual's involvement profile with a recreational activity, tourist destination, or related equipment is positively related to frequency of participation, travel, or purchase” (1990, p. 189). Relationships between recreational runners' involvement in travel to road races and behavioral characteristics, including preparation for and participation in road races, travel behavior and running-related expenditures were examined. Proposition XI was partially supported. The research found statistically significant differences between the high involvement group and medium involvement group in terms of travel behavior and running-related expenditures. There were no significant differences between involvement groups and preparation for or participation in road races. It was concluded that involvement should be considered by sport and tourism agencies when planning, marketing, and managing events targeted at traveling recreational runners.

To Travel or to Compete? Motivations of Masters Swimmers

“…In addition, the regression analysis revealed that not only did past experience in their sport (as measured by the number of years registered or number of swimming competitions competed in the past year) not play a significant role in whether the participants traveled to compete in the championships, but it also did not display any significance in whether they would compete (Table 4). It may be that the sample could be classified as highly involved in their sport consistent with results reported by McGehee, Yoon, and Cardenas (2003). Those who felt more motivated to compete in their sport of choice, in this case the 2006 short course swimming championships, were less likely to be motivated to travel for its own sake.…”

“…McGehee, Yoon, and Cardenas (2003) found that running competitors participated in more than one race a year that required overnight travel. Interestingly, they found a difference in the participation level of those traveling to participate in a sport and their past experience with the sport.…”

The role of socio-psychological and culture-education motives in marketing international sport tourism: A cross-cultural perspective

“…The current study utilized a consumer acculturation framework to investigate specific aspects of the culture experience. In addition, tourism research has not examined prior sport experiences such as involvement and a desire to participate in organized events, which are likely to serve as equally important motives for international travel (Carroll & Alexandris, 1997;McGehee, Yoon, & Cardenas, 2003). Therefore, the current study examined involvement with running and strength of motivation towards running events as motives for international travel.…”

Service Quality Experience and Customers’ Behavioural Intentions in Active Sport Tourism

“…The term of active sports tourists [11] refers to people who travel to the place where a sporting event is organized and actively participate in that event [12] [13]. Recreational runners have been considered in this category [12] [14] as non-elite sporting competitions [7] attract a lot of participants, which have often been used in destination marketing.…”