HOW LOCALS REGARD SPORT EVENTS IN TERMS OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT? A RESEARCH ON XVII MEDITERRANEAN GAMES IN MERSIN WITH IN THE FRAME OF ALTRUISTIC SURPLUS PHENOMENON

The aim of this study is to (1) investigate locals’ perceptions of the positive and negative impacts of the XVII Mediterranean Games; (2) identify which perceptions of these impacts would predict locals’ intention to support future sporting events and (3) discussing locals’ support intentions towards future sporting events within the context of altruistic surplus phenomenon. The data was obtained through stratified sampling by gathering one on one questionnaire from 422 participants, which were then analyzed by exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. The results show that while locals mostly benefit from the XVII Mediterranean Games in the areas of “tourism infrastructure development” and ‘image enhancement-consolidation’, they are complaining about uncovered economic expectations. As a result of regression analysis “tourism resource development and urban revitalization” and “image enhancement and consolidation” variables have significantly predicted the locals’ support intentions for the future sporting events. It is understood that the locals’ positive perceptions far outweighed the effects of negative perceptions in terms of intentions to support hosting future sport events. When it comes to local’s positive outlooks, effects of negative perceptions on support intention become insignificant which could be explained by the altruistic surplus phenomenon.