Revisit intentions of sports tourists: an extended theory of planned behavior approach

BACKGROUND: As primary participants in sports tourism, consumers play a pivotal role in the industry's development. Fostering revisit intentions and stimulating consumption activity are essential for promoting the high-quality growth of sports tourism. METHOD: This study began with a systematic literature review to establish a theoretical foundation and develop hypotheses. To refine the measurement instrument, in-depth expert interviews were conducted. Additionally, one-on-one discussions with sports tourists were held to gain nuanced insights into their travel experiences, thereby enhancing the contextual relevance and coverage of the study. A questionnaire-based survey was administered, collecting 206 pilot and 370 formal responses. Data were processed using SPSS 24.0 for preliminary organization and exploratory factor analysis. Amos 24.0 was subsequently employed to perform confirmatory factor analysis and to construct and evaluate the structural equation model. The study comprehensively examined factors influencing sports tourists' revisit intentions. RESULTS: The findings indicate that place attachment, perceived behavioral control, behavioral attitudes, and subjective norms significantly and positively influence revisit intentions among sports tourists, with place attachment exhibiting the strongest effect. Interaction effects were observed among perceived behavioral control, place attachment, and subjective norms. Furthermore, behavioral attitudes significantly mediate the relationships between subjective norms and revisit intentions, and between place attachment and revisit intentions. CONCLUSION: It is recommended to actively cultivate consumers' emotional bonds with destinations, enhance immersive experiences for sports tourists, elevate perceived behavioral value, and establish a robust and sustainable development model. Subjective norms should be nurtured through online community engagement to raise consumer awareness. Continuous promotion of sports tourism is crucial to ultimately encourage repeat visits and ensure traveler satisfaction.