Motives and levels of flow experience found in resident versus non-resident participants in the 2011 Waikīkī roughwater swim

Abstract

Demand for travel related to sport has become one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism industry, inspiring scholarly research to better understand this emerging niche market. Research to date has focused upon those traveling to participate in multi-day, multi-sport events, largely ignoring participation in single-day, single-sport events. This study surveyed 419 resident and non-resident participants in the Waikīkī Roughwater Swim, a 2.38-mile swimming competition held annually on the island of O'ahu, Hawaiʻi. Motives, goals, training regimens, levels of athletic identity, levels of flow experienced, and demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were measured to better understand participants' backgrounds and behaviors and provide marketing information to Hawaii's sports tourism sector. Compared to residents, nonresidents on average were more athletically inclined and efficient swimmers. Results suggest that the nature of the event and the destination significantly influence nonresident sports tourists' propensity to travel. Marketing implications and suggestions for further research are advanced.