Analysis and Segmentation of Sports Events’ Participants: The Marathon Course in Palma de Mallorca

Abstract

Tourism in mature and seasonal destinations, such as the Balearic Islands, should be redirected towards more sustainable products and policies. With the increasing interest in sports events as a vehicle for attracting tourism, the present study examines tourists participating in a running event, underlining the role and great economic potential they have for the destination. A sample of runners in the Palma de Mallorca Marathon is segmented. Results of the study show distinct socio-demographic characteristics for choosing the tourist destination, as well as different patterns of tourist behaviour, spending and levels of satisfaction among participants. The findings have important practical implications for the promotion of running destinations as an emerging tourism product. The results of the segmentation and the cluster analysis show the presence of four differentiated groups (named hard loyal runners, non-loyal hard runners, soft runners and non-loyal soft runners). The main recommendation to the management of the event points towards the need to captivate the most experienced runners once again and intensify efforts with newcomers. Concerning satisfaction, services linked to items such as public transport and travel costs should be improved, in addition to underlining the specific value of the climate, the hospitality of residents, as well as road closures and route signage. Finally, events organized in the destination deserve greater attention, particularly in light of the continuing globalization of event tourism and heightened competition for event tourists.