Intention of mountain bikers to return

Abstract

Mountain biking forms part of cycle tourism and is a growing segment in sport tourism. Yet, information about the underlying motives of those who participate in mountain bike events, while a tourist at the same time, appears to be scant. The purpose of this  research was to determine the motives of mountain bikers and what drives their  intentions based on samples from German (n=205) and South African (n=205) cycling events. Five motives were identified using exploratory factor analysis. These were enjoyment, health and fitness, event status and team, social interaction, relaxation, and dedication. Participants in the two events significantly differed based on the importance of the motives. The motives dedication, enjoyment, and health and fitness were  identified as drivers of intention for return participation. While the motive dedication and the variable, country, significantly influenced intention to return visits. Marketers should target their promotional activities based on the different motives in relation to behavioural outcomes.

Key words: Return intentions; Motivation; Mass participation events; Mountain biking.