A Tourist-Based Model of Authenticity of Heritage Sporting Events: The Case of Naadam

Tao Zhang, Huijun Wen and Xi Li
Additional contact information
Tao Zhang: Faculty of International Tourism and Management, City University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau, China
Huijun Wen: School of Economics and Management, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot 010051, China
Xi Li: Faculty of International Tourism and Management, City University of Macau, Taipa 999078, Macau, China

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: As one of the important forms of intangible cultural heritage, heritage sporting events are becoming a potential catalyst of tourism. Commodification of heritage sporting events becomes popular for local authorities to boost economic development and express cultural authenticity, given that authenticity creates genuine performances and moving tourism experiences. However, commodification of heritage is a double-edged sword. It is a dilemma to commercialize a heritage sporting event while keeping its authenticity. Therefore, this study proposes a tourist-based model of authenticity to solve this problem, in which the authenticity of heritage sporting events incorporates “cool” and “hot” factors. The model examines these factors and their impact on tourist satisfaction and loyalty using Naadam as the example. Seven hundred questionnaires were distributed at six sites located from east to west of the Inner Mongolia, China. Factor analysis shows there are two factors in cool and hot authenticity, respectively. Both factors of cool authenticity have direct impacts on hot authenticity, satisfaction, and loyalty. Though both intrapersonal and interpersonal factors of hot authenticity have direct positive impacts on tourist satisfaction, only the former affects loyalty directly. The results show the authenticity of event culture is the most important and effective authentic factor, while authentic auxiliary products—the direct expression of commodification—is indispensable for authenticity. This study is helpful for maintaining authenticity and cultural sustainability of heritage sporting events as a destination tourism attraction, given the fact that commodification and the marketing of heritage sporting events has become popular for heritage destination development.

Keywords: heritage sporting event; cool authenticity; hot authenticity; satisfaction; loyalty; Naadam (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/1/108/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/1/108/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2018:i:1:p:108-:d:193122

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().