Motivations for participation in active sports tourism: a cross-national study

Purpose Sports tourism has gained much attention in recent decades due to its socio-economic and environmental impact on destinations. This study at first examines travel motives that might trigger participation in active sports tourism (AST). Further, it compares these travel motives and their impact on participation intention in AST (between India and Poland). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected online through a self-administered questionnaire in both countries (N = 273 in India and N = 255 in Poland). Descriptive data were analyzed using SPSS statistics 24, and SPSS AMOS 25 was used for testing the measurement model and multi-group analysis. Findings The results show that in both countries, participants are motivated mainly by travel exploration, social bonding, and stress relief, which are the primary travel motives commonly associated with tourism. However, the significance of these motives varies across both nations. Interestingly, active sports tourists are not motivated by physical strength, self-enhancement, and social recognition. Originality/value The study presents a framework to discuss travel motives in Active Sports Tourism (AST). It also describes the motives that influence Indians and Polish citizens' participation in active sports tourism.