Sport event destination image promotes subsequent sport participation through sport attraction: the moderating role of perceived stress.

BACKGROUND: Drawing on the psychological continuum model and spillover effect theory, this study examines whether and how sport event destination image promotes young tourists' near-term post-event sport participation through sport attraction, and whether this relationship is contingent on perceived stress. While prior research has suggested that sport event destination image is positively associated with post-event participation and strengthens sport attraction, the underlying mechanisms and moderating conditions remain insufficiently integrated. METHODS: We used a two-wave survey design among Chinese tourists who attended the 31st FISU World University Games in Chengdu as spectators. Data were collected at two time points with a one-month interval, yielding 290 valid matched responses. The moderated mediation model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Sport event destination image positively predicted near-term post-event sport participation. Sport event destination image also positively affected sport attraction, which in turn positively influenced near-term post-event sport participation. In addition, sport attraction mediated the relationship between sport event destination image and near-term post-event sport participation. Perceived stress significantly and negatively moderated the association between sport attraction and near-term post-event sport participation, such that the positive effect of sport attraction was weaker among individuals with higher perceived stress. DISCUSSION: This study extends destination image research by demonstrating the behavioral spillover effect of sport event destination image on near-term post-event sport participation. It also advances the application of the psychological continuum model in sport tourism by identifying sport attraction as a key psychological mechanism and perceived stress as an important boundary condition. From a practical perspective, the findings suggest that sport event destinations can foster near-term post-event sport participation not only by strengthening destination image and sport attraction, but also by addressing tourists' perceived stress after the event.