Discussion
The theoretical and conceptual basis for understanding the nature of the sport tourist is still in the developmental stage. The proposed model seeks to fill the gap and provide a framework for the study of the dynamics of sport tourism. The model has wide application for practitioners as they constantly strive to provide the very best experience for sport tourists.
In the model, the relationship between sport tourism quality and intention to return is said to be fully mediated by satisfaction with the service. As Cronin and Taylor (1992) point out, consumers may not always buy the highest quality service, but may experience an enhanced level of satisfaction because of various factors such as convenience, price or availability. Comprehensive research may show that such mediation is only partial. That is, sport tourism quality may have a direct effect on intention to return and an indirect effect through satisfaction with the service. In fact, there is some research evidence to support the hypothesis of partial mediation (Bitner, 1990; Bolton & Drew, 1991). Future research should test these alternate hypotheses regarding the relationship between sport tourism quality and intention to return. Such examination of alternative, rival or competing hypotheses would only improve our understanding of the dynamics of sport tourism. Alternative theories may also help to better explain a tourist’s intention to return. For instance, Ajzen’s (1985) theory of planned behavior which has been applied to leisure activities (Ajzen & Driver, 1992) could also be applied to sport tourism. The theory of planned behavior suggests that people act according to their intentions and perceptions of control over their behavior. of planned behavior suggests that people act according to their intentions and perceptions of control over their behavior.