Small-Scale Sport Events as Place Branding Platforms: A Content Analysis of Osona’s Projected Destination Image through Event-Related Pictures on Instagram

Abstract

Over the last few decades, various regions have taken advantage of sport as a tool for place branding. One of the most used strategies has been sporting events, which can help to position the regions and improve their image. With regard to destination image (DI), the penetration and popularity of social media such as Instagram has opened new avenues for place promotion and has turned the users of these platforms into active agents in the promotion of DI. This study aims to explore whether the participants and organisers of small-scale sport events (SSSEs) can contribute to the creation of destination image through the content they post on Instagram. For this purpose, the content of 1315 photographs posted by SSSE participants and organisers on Instagram was analysed. The results show that the photographs related to SSSEs reproduce destination attributes of the region and, consequently, are a source of DI creation. The results also show the importance of the specific moment of the event both in the DI and in the engagement of the posts. This research provides valuable information on the management of Instagram in the context of SSSEs, on the importance of the characteristics of the starting and finishing lines and of the course of the event; and on the desirability of aligning the perspective of the organisers and participants to maximise the potential for the creation of DI through SSSEs.

Measurement model of the projected and perceived image through the organizational identity of the Volvo Ocean Race Brazil event

“…Through these actions, managers can better understand the desires, motivations and perceptions of the community and visitors, taking into account that image works as a predecessor of satisfaction and loyalty to the event or destination, thus having a considerable influence on recommendation intentions and return (Liu et al , 2015; Marine-Roig, 2019). This also corroborates the use of sporting events for the promotion and improvement of destination image in communications and social media (Taberner and Juncà, 2021; Yan, 2019).…”

“…The former found significant differences in cognitive and affective aspects, while the latter found that the perceived image contained more sentiment content, with social media being relatively positive. Meanwhile, Taberner and Juncá's (2021) research focused on the use of sporting events as strategies to position regions and improve their image by posting content on Instagram. Yan (2019) conducted a case study that aimed to promote a destination's image through a sporting event.…”

“…The theme of image measurement is currently being explored, especially through social media and online content. Research has examined cognitive and affective differences in projected and perceived images (Duan et al , 2020; Sun et al , 2021); the use of sporting events as a strategy for social media positioning (Taberner and Juncà, 2021) and tourist destination promotion (Yan, 2019). Although these studies highlight the importance of online content and social media in shaping the image of destinations, they do not take into consideration the role of organizational identity.…”

The Marketing Mix in Mountain Bike Sports Events in Mexico. The View of the Organisers

“…In mountain biking events, the aim is to promote tourism in the visited area, since the sport plays an important role in the formation of the image of a place [43], organizers consider that the events do indeed promote tourism, as shown by the results obtained in po1 [0.78;0.82], being the opportunity to emphasise the physical aspects of the city [44], in relation to the organisation of the event po2 [0.73;0.80], we can mention that the organisers consider that the various sports events are well organised, so it is important that the sports events sector has guidelines and empirical knowledge about the characteristics of the events that can determine their performance [45].…”

Turismo activo y deporte: perfilando una línea de investigación en ciencias sociales

“…En ese sentido, la tendencia actual en la organización de eventos e itinerarios de turismo activo complementados por actividades físicas y/o disciplinas deportivas se dirige hacia escenarios en los que se decanta por la limitación en el número de participantes, así como en la gestión y control muy marcado de la huella ecológica que producen (Taberner & Juncà, 2021).…”