Participant Perceptions Of A Sport Event, Destination Competitiveness, And Intended Future Behavior: The Case Of The Thunder Road Marathon In North Carolina

The current study analyzes responses from 1,393 runners who participated in a marathon event to assess how both their perceptions of the sport event and destination competitiveness are linked with satisfaction and intended future behavior. Analysis found that the perception of the sport event and two of the destination competitiveness factors (parking/traffic and hospitality) appeared to be significantly linked with satisfaction. Satisfaction in turn appeared to be strongly linked with intended future behavior. Based on the findings, several implications for sports event organizers and destination marketers are discussed.