Omani Consumers’ motivations and experiences to participate in international sports events: Some managerial implications for sport event development
Raja Tumati1, Mustafa Daskin2, Zayoun Al-Raqadi1, Engin Yavuz2*
J. Sport. Res. and Innov., vol. 2, December 2025
1 Tourism Marketing Program Oman Tourism College 2 Vocational School of Social Sciences Amasya University, 05-100 Amasya, Türkiye *Correspondence: engin.yavuz@amasya.edu.tr
Abstract
Background: International sporting events play a growing role in tourism development and desti-nation promotion, particularly in emerging markets such as the Gulf region. Understanding specta-tors’ motivations and experiences is essential for effective sport event management and sustainable tourism growth. This study aimed to identify key motivations of Omani consumers to attend inter-national sporting events and to evaluate their event-related experiences. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive research design was applied using a simple random sampling technique. Data were col-lected from 154 respondents through a structured questionnaire administered in Muscat between January and March 2023. The instrument assessed motivations for attendance, preferred sports, in-formation sources, and event experiences using ranking questions and a 5-point Likert scale. De-scriptive statistics and t-test analysis were performed. Results: Football was the most preferred sport (37%), followed by tennis (14.3%) and volleyball (13%). The primary motivations for attending events in Oman were escaping daily routine (25.3%), recreation (17.5%), and team loyalty (13.6%). For international events abroad, rivalry matches (46.1%), national team participation (40.9%), and favorite sport discipline (33.1%) were dominant motivators. Attendees reported highly positive ex-periences regarding safety and security (mean = 4.21), game atmosphere (4.13), and weather condi-tions (4.09), while parking availability and facility cleanliness were rated lowest. No significant gen-der differences were found in event experiences. Conclusions: Omani spectators’ participation in international sporting events is primarily driven by leisure, emotional engagement, and national identity. Positive experiences—especially safety and atmosphere—enhance satisfaction and loyalty. Event organizers should prioritize infrastructure, accessibility, and service quality to strengthen Oman’s position as a regional sport tourism destination.
Keywords: Consumption, international sporting events, attendee’s experience, football
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