Author: Kaplanidou, Kyriaki

Source: Event Management, Volume 10, Number 2, 2007 , pp. 159-173(15)

Publisher: Cognizant Communication Corporation

Abstract:

Despite the growth of academic and business significance of sport tourism, little is known about the direct emotional experiences with sport events and their impacts on travelers' behavioral intentions. The purpose of this article is twofold: a) to examine whether Olympic travelers' trip purpose and characteristics (e.g., age, previous visits, continent of residence) influence their affective event and destination images and b) to test the impact of affective destination and event images on Olympic travelers' intentions to return to the host destination, and to travel to future Olympic Games. The results revealed Olympic travelers from different continents had different affective destination images, and that older travelers felt more positive about the image of the destination. Spectators perceived the event as more cheerful compared to tourists. Finally, the perceived destination's excitement and pleasantness predicted Olympic travelers' intentions to return to Athens in the future. Specific recommendations are provided for destination and event marketers.

Keywords: AFFECTIVE IMAGE; INTENTIONS; MEGA-EVENTS; PREVIOUS VISITS; SPECTATORS

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2007-04-01

More about this publication?

• Event Management, an International Journal, intends to meet the research and analytic needs of a rapidly growing profession focused on events. This field has developed in size and impact globally to become a major business with numerous dedicated facilities, and a large-scale generator of tourism. The field encompasses meetings, conventions, festivals, expositions, sport and other special events. Event management is also of considerable importance to government agencies and not-for-profit organizations in a pursuit of a variety of goals, including fund-raising, the fostering of causes, and community development.

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