Clustering Residents’ Perception and Support of Urban Rally Tourism: The Sierra Morena Rally in Córdoba, Spain

José E. Ramos-Ruiz, Inmaculada Jiménez-Manchado, Marianys Fernández () and Manuel Rivera-Mateos
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José E. Ramos-Ruiz: Business Administration Department, Faculty of Law and Business Administration, University of Córdoba, 14002 Córdoba, Spain
Inmaculada Jiménez-Manchado: Statistics and Operations Research Department, Faculty of Social Sciences of Melilla, University of Granada, 52005 Melilla, Spain
Marianys Fernández: Faculty of Tourism and Finance, University of Seville, 41018 Seville, Spain
Manuel Rivera-Mateos: Human Geography Department, Faculty of Philosophy and Letters, University of Córdoba, 14003 Córdoba, Spain

Societies, 2025, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-19

Abstract: Sports events hold significant importance for host territories, influencing their economic, social, and environmental dynamics. These events generate diverse impacts that shape residents’ perceptions and subsequent support, which are crucial for ensuring long-term success. However, the study of motorsports, particularly rally events at the national championship level, remains underexplored, despite their capacity to attract tourism and foster regional development. This study adopts a quantitative approach, employing a survey of 753 responses collected during the urban track of the 2024 Sierra Morena Rally in Córdoba, Spain. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and non-hierarchical Cluster Analysis, residents were segmented based on their perceptions of impacts—touristic, economic, social, environmental, and urban—and their support for the event. The analysis identified three resident clusters: Reluctant Beneficiaries, Pragmatic Resigned, and Convinced Optimists. These groups exhibited varying levels of perceived positive and negative impacts, with significant differences in their support for the rally. The findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of resident perceptions and support for non-mega motorsports events, highlighting the importance of tailored communication strategies and anticipation of the impacts generated. This study addresses existing knowledge gaps by segmenting residents regarding their perception and support for a national-level urban rally event for the first time in the existing academic literature.

Keywords: triple bottom line (TBL); social exchange theory (SET); sports tourism; sporting event; motorsports; residents’ perception; support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A13 A14 P P0 P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 Z1 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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