Travel motivation for cultural experiences and changes to perceived destination image: insights from international sport tourists at a marathon event

Purpose This study aims to examine changes in destination image among international sport tourists and compare the influence of travel motivation for cultural experiences on destination image before and after participation in a sporting event. Design/methodology/approach Using mere exposure theory as the theoretical framework, this study collected data in two phases: pre-survey from November 2 to 12, 2018, and post-survey data from November 19, 2018, to December 3, 2018. In the pre-survey, 496 of 1,384 international sport tourists responded to the questionnaire (response rate: 35.8%), while in the post-survey, 264 of the 496 completed the follow-up (response rate: 53.2%). Findings The paired t-test results indicate that participation in sporting events significantly improved six destination image factors: city/convenience, sport, city atmosphere, sightseeing/leisure, nature and business. In addition, the results of a two-way repeated measures ANOVA showed that the main and interaction effects of travel motivation for cultural experiences on the “city/convenience” factor were statistically significant. Originality/value This study provides context-specific empirical evidence showing how mere exposure through event participation can influence destination image. The findings also indicate that cultural travel motivation may moderate this change; however, the significant moderation effect appears only for the “city/convenience” dimension. Therefore, the study offers a focused and valuable contribution by highlighting the nuanced and limited scope of cultural motivations in shaping destination image change in the context of city marathons.