Exploring interrelationships between event attitude and destination image and loyalty of international sports

This study aims to analyse the multidimensional relationships between individual active athletes’ event attitude (EA), destination image (DI), destination loyalty (DL), and event loyalty (EL). Unlike previous studies, this research focuses on ‘individual active athletes’ rather than professional athletes or spectators, offering a new perspective on sports tourism. Data obtained from 141 foreign participants in the 22nd Ölüdeniz International Air Games were analysed using the PLS-SEM method. The research findings reveal that EA has a decisive effect on DI, while DI significantly affects both DL and EL. Furthermore, the results reveal that DI has a significant mediating effect on the relationship between EA and loyalty outcomes (DL and EL). These results provide strategic and practical guidance to destination management stakeholders on how to position sports events as instruments for image and loyalty building.