The Evolution of Active Sport Event Travel Careers

Using the event-travel-career concept, this study examined the trajectory of active-sport-event travel careers through stages of development and the corresponding factors and dimensions perceived to influence career progression in the sport of cycling. In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 amateur cyclists engaged in lifestyles geared toward active event travel. A grounded theory approach revealed that active event travel careers evolve through a complex progression of 9 core themes and related subthemes. The core themes included the first event, starting out, motivation, temporal, travel style, destination criteria, event types, spatial, and later in life. On the basis of these findings, a 6-stage active-sport-event travel career model is proposed consisting of initiation, introduction, expansion, peak threshold, maintenance, and maturity. From this model, theoretical contributions, suggestions for future research, and practical implications for sport tourism and event management are discussed

Visitor bikeshare usage: tracking visitor spatiotemporal behavior using big data

Bikeshare programs are a popular, convenient, and sustainable mode of transportation that provide a range of benefits to urban communities such as reduction in carbon emissions, decreased travel times, financial savings, and heightened physical activity. Although, tourists are especially inclined to use bikeshare to explore a destination as the programs are a convenient, cheap, flexible, and an active alternative to vehicles and mass transit little research or attention has focused on visitor usage. As such the current study investigated the spatial-temporal usage patterns of bikeshare by visitors to an urban community using GPS based big data (N = 353,733). The results revealed differential usage patterns between visitors and local residents based on user provided ZIP Codes using a 50 mile geometric circular buffer around the urban destination. The visitors and residents significantly varied on numerous trip behaviors including route selection, time of rental, checkout/check-in locations, distance, speed, duration, and physical activity intensity. The user patterns uncovered suggest visitors primarily use bikeshare for leisure based urban exploration, compared to residents’ primary use of bikeshare to be public transportation related. Implications for bikeshare, urban planning, and tourism management are provided aimed at delivering a more sustainable and richer visitor experience

The Role of Travel Conditions in Cycling Tourism: Implications for Destination and Event Management

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of travel conditions on preferred destination, event, and travel characteristics in the context of Active-Sport-Event Travel Carers among cyclists who travel to take part in events. Travel conditions are circumstances surrounding a trip such as travel with family or the length of travel. A sample of cyclists that travel to participate in events (N = 1452) was collected via online survey through cycling organizations and websites. Data analysis consisted of a series of repeated measures ANOVAs and paired sample t-tests. The results indicated an individual's event, destination, and travel-style preferences are dependent on whether he or she was traveling with a non-cyclist (e.g. family member) and the distance traveled. Prior research has suggested that for active sport tourists event criteria are more important than destination characteristics and travel preferences remain relatively stagnant with career progression. In contrast, the findings here suggest travel preferences vary based on travel conditions and that attractive destinations only become advantageous if event participants are traveling with non-cyclists or on trips involving longer distances. For instance when non-participant travel companions are included, the entertainment, attractions, and activities available in the destination become much more important to active event tourists. Communities seeking to attract sport tourists as a form of sustainable tourism development would be advised to organize events incorporating these preferences and to consider the influence of travel conditions

Participation Versus Nonparticipation in a Charity Running Event

Hosting sport events to raise money for charitable causes has become pervasive, yet we know little about why individuals choose to participate or not. This study examined the differences between participants and nonparticipants of a hallmark small-scale charity running event. Data were collected via an online survey containing measures of charity event participation frequency, enduring involvement, negotiation efficacy, family support, running participation patterns, and demographics. Nonparticipants were also asked about event-related participation constraints. The sample was comprised of N = 322 event participants and N = 112 nonparticipants (committed runners). A one-way ANOVA demonstrated no statistically significant differences between the two independent samples with respect to the variables of interest. Nonparticipants indicated relatively low constraints to event participation. The most commonly reported constraints solicited in an open-ended question format were injuries and participation in an alternative event. Findings revealed that event participants and nonparticipants are very similar in terms of their running participation patterns. However, definite nonnegotiable constraints or preplanned involvement with other events inhibited participation in the studied event. Over time, this can result in either the expansion or contraction of their involvement in the running event. By illuminating nonnegotiable constraints, this study may help event organizers improve planning and management towards event sustainability

A pleiotropic missense variant in SLC39A8 is associated with Crohn's disease and human gut microbiome composition

Genome-wide association studies have identified 200 inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) loci, but the genetic architecture of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis remain incompletely defined. Here, we aimed to identify novel associations between IBD and functional genetic variants using the Illumina ExomeChip (San Diego, CA)

Exploring the trajectory of active-sport-event travel careers: a social worlds perspective

Utilizing a social worlds perspective, the study examined active-sport-event travel career progression in the sport of cycling. Event travel careers are considered potentially lifelong patterns of travel to participate in events that evolve through stages with distinct behaviors and motivations. Quantitative methods were used to test tenets of an inductively derived model of the active-sport-event travel career for cyclists. An international sample of cyclists were surveyed online; N = 1,452 responded. Using general linear modeling, the results depicted an escalation in motivation related to intellectual, social, mastery competence, giving back, and competition against others with career progression. However, while travel behavior related to preferred events characteristics changed with career progression, preferred characteristics related to destinations and travel style remained relatively stagnant. Implications for destination and event management are discussed

Mountain bike tourism economic impacts: A critical analysis of academic and practitioner studies

Mountain biking as a sport and recreational activity has grown rapidly over the previous two decades. Consequently, there has been growth recently in efforts aimed at stimulating mountain bike tourism through the development and marketing of mountain bike trails and parks. Various community advocates, academics, and industry practitioners have sought to quantify the economic impacts of mountain bike tourism to garner public and other financial assistance to aid the development of mountain bike tourism. This research critically reviewed 33 academic and practitioner studies reporting on mountain bike tourism economic impacts. Analysis revealed widespread inconsistency in instrumentation and variable measurement contributing to a fragmented body of knowledge pertaining to economic impacts of mountain bike tourism. Recommendations for improved rigor and consistency in future research measuring mountain bike tourism impacts are provided

The Role of Travel Conditions in Cycling Tourism: Implications for Destination and Event Management

The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of travel conditions on preferred destination, event, and travel characteristics in the context of Active-Sport-Event Travel Carers among cyclists who travel to take part in events. Travel conditions are circumstances surrounding a trip such as travel with family or the length of travel. A sample of cyclists that travel to participate in events (N = 1452) was collected via online survey through cycling organizations and websites. Data analysis consisted of a series of repeated measures ANOVAs and paired sample t-tests. The results indicated an individual's event, destination, and travel-style preferences are dependent on whether he or she was traveling with a non-cyclist (e.g. family member) and the distance traveled. Prior research has suggested that for active sport tourists event criteria are more important than destination characteristics and travel preferences remain relatively stagnant with career progression. In contrast, the findings here suggest travel preferences vary based on travel conditions and that attractive destinations only become advantageous if event participants are traveling with non-cyclists or on trips involving longer distances. For instance when non-participant travel companions are included, the entertainment, attractions, and activities available in the destination become much more important to active event tourists. Communities seeking to attract sport tourists as a form of sustainable tourism development would be advised to organize events incorporating these preferences and to consider the influence of travel conditions