The importance of support for sport tourism development among local residents: the mediating role of the perceived impacts of sport tourism

ABSTRACT

This study aims to explore how the perceived impacts of sport tourism mediate the relationship between (1) place image and residents’ support for sport tourism development and (2) knowledge about tourism and residents’ support for sport tourism development. A total of 300 local residents participated in this study. The data were analysed using SmartPLS software. The results show that place image and perceived impacts of sport tourism are positively related to residents’ support for sport tourism development. Place image and knowledge about tourism are positively related to the perceived impacts of sport tourism. Additionally, the perceived impacts of sport tourism fully mediate the relationship between knowledge about tourism and residents’ support for sport tourism development, and partially mediate the relationship between place image and residents’ support for sport tourism development. These findings will offer valuable insight to tourism policy makers in crafting an effective sport tourism development plan to gain residents’ support for sport tourism development. Theoretical implications and practical implications are discussed, along with limitations and future research.

KEYWORDS:

• Sport tourism
• residents’ support for sport tourism development
• place image
• knowledge about tourism
• sport tourism impacts

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Miaw-Xian Chang

Miaw-Xian Chang is a postgraduate student who is pursuing Master of Philosophy at the Faculty of Business and Finance, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. Her master research study is sport tourism.

Yuen-Onn Choong

Yuen-Onn Choong is now at the Faculty of Business and Finance, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. His research interests are educational management, organisational studies, tourism studies and behavioural intention studies.

Lee-Peng Ng

Lee-Peng Ng is now at the Faculty of Business and Finance, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. Her research interests are organisational behaviour, pro-environmental behaviour or green practices, stress and burnout, work engagement and work-family or work-life interface.

Ai-Na Seow

Ai-Na Seow is now at the Faculty of Business and Finance, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. Her research interests are medical tourism, educational tourism, tourism SMEs and other tourism related areas.