Visitor expenditure within a mountain bike event portfolio: Determinants, outcomes, and variations

Gradually community and scholarly support for large-scale sport events is declining as sustainability and efficiency are becoming primary concerns. Thus, a drive for the creation of small-scale event portfolios that comply with a community’s resources and infrastructure is developing. In the current study, a portfolio of four small-scale mountain bike events located in the Northwest United States were investigated to better understand their impact on the local economy. An online survey was conducted after each event that assessed visitor spending, travel behavior, and participant demographics resulting in a total sample of N = 614. Through general linear modeling, chi-square testing, and multiple regression each of the four events were compared with each other and determinants of visitor expenditure were tested. The results demonstrated the four events significantly differed in regards to total expenditure, daily expenditure, daily expenditure per person, trip duration, amount of travel party event participants, travel distance, age, income, and lodging type/location. Overall expenditure and daily expenditure per person were found to be significantly determined by participant travel distance, travel party size, trip duration, and income. Managerial implications derived from these results for destinations and event organizers are discussed.