Linking Travel Motivation and Loyalty in Sporting Events: The Mediating Roles of Event Involvement and Experience, and the Moderating Role of Spectator Type

Sporting events are an important kind of travel attraction and hedonic service offering. This study examines the effects of travel motives and purpose on event loyalty through the mediating roles of event involvement and experience as well as the moderating role of spectator type. Based on a sample of event tourists at a major sporting event, the findings show a full mediation of event involvement and a partial mediation of event experience. Yet, the mediating effect of event involvement is moderated by spectator type in that the travel motives effect is significant for on-site paid and off-site spectators, but not for on-site complimentary spectators. In addition, the relationship between travel purpose and event involvement is more salient for on-site paid and off-site spectators than for complimentary spectators. This article concludes with a discussion of the implications of the findings for theory and practice, the study's limitations, and future directions of research.