The influence of tourists’ national culture on their behaviors in a sport mega-event

Purpose: The impact of national culture on tourist behavior has been analyzed in several studies, but none of them focused on its discriminating impact on behavioral intentions during a mega-event. Using Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, this paper aims to explore the influence of national cultural values on tourist behaviors (experience, satisfaction and behavioral intentions) during the America’s Cup World Series (ACWS) in Naples. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents a quantitative analysis of primary data gathered through a survey of a convenience sample of tourists (n = 612) conducted during the ACWS organized by the City of Naples in April 2013. Findings: The findings confirm that national cultural clusters represent an important driver of behavioral intentions: tourists from different geographic clusters showed different intention to return and intention to recommend by word of mouth, caused by different levels of individualism and uncertainty avoidance. Practical implications: For destination marketing managers, this study throws light on how the national culture of tourists may influence their experiences and behavioral intentions. Originality/value: Despite the richness of works on the tourism experience, few studies have investigated the effect of national culture on tourists’ experience, satisfaction and behavioral intentions during and after a sport mega-event.