Sport event visitors’ destination image, motivation to visit and intention to recommend and revisit the event hosting site : IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Lahti, Finland

Abstract

Event tourism, including sport event tourism, is recognized as one of the fastest growing tourism sectors in terms of visitor numbers. One reason for this has been the unlimited number of different events occurring throughout the year, with varying number of visitors and event formats. However, increased competition between destinations means that tourism marketers need to create an attractive destination image. In addition, destinations need to meet the desires and interests of the visitors to attract both new and returning visitors year after year.

The city of Lahti hosted the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in August 2023. The event attracted thousands of visitors from over 100 different countries being the most international event in Lahti and the whole Finland for years. The event offered an exceptional chance to collect data from the numerous sport event visitors in the Lahti region. The aim of this study is to examine sport event visitors’ pre-visit destination image of the city of Lahti and how the pre-visit destination image aligns with the perceived destination image of the city. In addition, focus is on the primary motivations driving sport event tourists to attend sport events. A third aim is to examine event visitors’ intention to revisit Lahti or recommend it to friends and family as a sport destination and for other purposes than sport. The data was collected by collecting survey answers at the event and online during the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship race weekend.

The findings imply that the pre-visit destination image of the city of Lahti is positive, and nature and sport relating, in line with the perceived destination image of the city. Nature and sport are also the aspects that the respondents would most likely recommend and revisit for since respondents are more likely to revisit and recommend Lahti for sport purposes than for other purposes. In addition, nature was the most likely recommended attribute among both the international and domestic respondents, whereas accommodation services were the least likely recommended. In the case of primary motivations, cheering on an athlete the respondent knows is found as the most common motive among all respondents. However, athletes are driven by the desire to compete, and spectators are motivated by cheering on the athletes they know.