This article focuses on the identification of the prime motivations for participation in sporting events, and segmentation by latent class analysis in order to identify the profile of cycling tourists with the aim of exploiting new market niches. To this end, data from a sample of 1281 participants in an annual one-day road race held in the Balearic Islands, Spain, were analysed. The findings confirm that familiarity and prestige-related motivations are the key to differentiating individuals in terms of spending, whereas sensory, physiological and security-related motivations distinguish very clearly the length of stay. Segmentation by latent class analysis reveals differences in the age variable, as cycling tourism is predominantly an activity undertaken by middle-aged and older males.
Renowned worldwide for its nightlife, Ibiza has been diversifying its portfolio of tourism products by actively committing to sports tourism. The primary objective of this study is to explore the profile of the mountain bikers participating in the 2016 IBIZA BTT, a medium-sized international sporting event, taking place in the Balearic Islands, Spain. The study addresses the analysis of visitor motivations. A sample of participants (
n
= 499) was segmented using cluster analysis to explore the differences between segments in terms of sociodemographic and behavioral variables. A factor analysis revealed four motivational dimensions: physiological-sensory, utilitarian purposes, hedonic and previous experience. The average values indicated that route signage, good weather, and the cost of the trip were the main motivations. The cluster analysis resulted in three groups of cyclists: multipurpose seekers, utility-prestige and sensory seekers. In order to refine the group profiles, they were crossed with socio-economic and behavioral variables.
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