A unified approach to understanding sport tourism destination image requires
equal attention and investment being given to both the sport and the tourism
sectors. Sport tourism is derived from the interaction between the features of sport
and tourism, rather than primarily from either the sport or the tourism element
(Weed, 2009). The objective is to understand how to transform the sport event participation
into a tourism experience and to convert the tourism destination into a sport
practice venue (De Villers, 2003). This requires a clarification of the role that travel
purpose has on: a) destination image; b) the during-travel experience; and c) intention
to revisit the destination. Hence, the current research examines perceptions of destination
image of sport and non-sport tourists visiting Gothenburg, Sweden during
the eight-day European Athletics Championships. To do this, an inventory consisting
of 16 destination attributes is theoretically developed and empirically tested. The
importance of these attributes for the initial travel decision is examined through a
comparison of responses of sport and non-sport tourists visiting the destination
during the event. Finally, the perceived performance of each attribute is examined
for individual intention to revisit the destination.