Personal development of marathon tourists: Scale development and validation

Abstract

This study aims to develop a scale to measure marathon tourists' personal development (MTPD) by employing a rigorous scale development methodology. A qualitative study involving 21 in-depth interviews was conducted to generate a pool of items. These items were then validated through two extensive surveys with 504 and 452 participants, respectively. Results show a six-dimension 23-item scale for measuring tourists’ personal development in marathon tourism. These dimensions are self-perception, personal willpower, physical quality, emotion, skills, and ability. This study not only facilitates further empirical research in sport tourism but also provides actionable insights for marathon destination managers to enhance precision marketing strategies. Moreover, by applying the serious leisure framework to marathon tourism, this study offers significant theoretical contributions, paving the way for future interdisciplinary research in sports and leisure.