Potential sport tourists’ decision-making during the pandemic

Abstract

Purpose

This study examined potential sport tourists’ decision-making regarding a sporting event rescheduled due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

An extended model of goal-directed behavior – encompassing the perception of COVID-19, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, positive anticipated emotion, negative anticipated emotion, desire and behavioral intention – was built and tested using survey data and structural equation modeling.

Findings

The perception of COVID-19 significantly influenced attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and positive anticipated emotion, which then collectively led to desire. Desire, alongside optimism bias, had a substantial impact on behavioral intention. However, the perception of COVID-19 was not related to negative anticipated emotion.

Originality/value

The findings highlight the roles that optimism bias and the perception of COVID-19 play in shaping individuals’ intentions to engage in sport tourism, suggesting how marketers and managers of sporting events should respond to the pandemic.

Citation

Cho, H., Joo, D. and Koh, J.K. (2022), "Potential sport tourists’ decision-making during the pandemic", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 40 No. 5, pp. 557-572. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-09-2021-0301