Sport and tourism: how Indonesian Gen Z promotes destinations and travel intentions through marathon event?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v75.117797Keywords:
destination image, travel intention, generation z, marathon events, sport tourismAbstract
Introduction: Marathon events have become a key element of sport tourism, attracting participants who also influence destination promotion. Among Indonesian Gen Z, marathon experiences and social media engagement are likely to shape destination image and travel intentions.
Objective: This study investigates how marathon experience and social media engagement affect destination image and travel intentions of Indonesian Gen Z travelers, examining the mediating role of destination image.
Methodology: A quantitative approach was used, surveying 317 Indonesian Gen Z participants who attended marathon events. Responses were measured using a 4-point Likert scale, and PLS-SEM was employed to assess reliability, validity, and structural relationships among constructs.
Results: Findings show that both marathon experience and social media engagement significantly influence destination image and travel intention. Destination image mediates these relationships. The model demonstrates good explanatory power and predictive relevance, supporting the robustness of the proposed model.
Discussion: Engaging marathon experiences and active social media participation enhance destination attractiveness among Gen Z, consistent with prior research on sport tourism and event marketing.
Conclusions: Marathon events serve as both sporting and promotional tools, strengthening destination image and stimulating travel intentions among Gen Z tourists. Combining experiential event design with social media strategies can effectively promote destinations and support sustainable sport tourism in Indonesia.
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