Recurring Sport Events and Destination Image Perceptions: Impact on Active Sport Tourist Behavioral Intentions and Place Attachment

Abstract

Hosting recurring sport events can be a solution for sustainable tourism development resulting in destination loyalty and higher place attachment levels. This study proposes active event sport tourists may include in their destination perceptions a number of destination and event attributes, given the direct association of the event with the place. The feasibility of the convergence of event and destination image attributes in one scale was explored and that scale’s influence on place attachment and on specific active sport tourists’ behaviors was examined. Data were collected from sport event tourist participants (n= 2,015) at a recurring marathon event via an online survey. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed the factor structure of destination image to include event characteristics. Regression analysis was used to test the impact of destination image factors on behavioral intentions and place attachment and supported the predictive validity of destination image factors. Implications for event and destination marketers are discussed.

Assessing the Effects of Perceived Value on Event Satisfaction, Event Attachment, and Revisit Intentions in Wine Cultural Event at Yibin International Exhibition Center, Southwest China

“…This study aims at providing a consumer-based approach to investigate the role of the event and the place not through its tangible features [10] but rather through the eyes of attendees, as the personal connection individuals feel with the event and the place. Also perceived value has been suggested as a relevant predictor of revisiting [1,8,9], and prior study has indicated that providing events is a major task of a touristic destination [35]. Many studies reported that it influences visitors' revisit intentions [3,5,6].…”

Examining the Relationships between Destination Image, Place Attachment, and Destination Loyalty in the Context of Night Markets

“…With regard to the relationship between destination image and destination loyalty, Kaplanidou, Jordan, Funk, and Ridinger (2012) investigated the effect of destination image of sport tourists on place attachment and behavior intention. They found that the more positive the destination image, the higher the behavior intention.…”

The Antecedents of Tourists’ Behavioral Intentions at Sporting Events: The Case of South Korea

“…Generally speaking, past findings confirm that destination image is a critical factor leading to place attachment. Kaplanidou, Jordan, Funk, and Ridinger [55] investigated the impact of destination image factors on behavioral intention and place attachment in terms of sporting events and affirmed that attractions, destination atmosphere, and the event characteristics of the destination's image predicted place identity and dependence. Lee, Busser, and Yang [56] examined a conceptual model describing the relationships among these predictors that create the destination image, the actual image itself, and place attachment, arguing that cognitive image and affective image were direct antecedents of all place attachment dimensions.…”