ATHLETES AS EVENT TOURISTS: CONSUMPTION PATTERNS OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE UNIVERSITY GAMES IN TURKEY

The purpose of this study was to investigate participants’ consumer behaviors of 2010 Turkish Summer University Games. Total 307 male, 118 female participants (N: 426) was joined to study voluntarily. A questionnaire which includes 15 question (demographic and consumer information) applied to participants. The questionnaire designed to find participant consumer behavior includes travel, expenses, accommodation and general ideas about games, and facilities. 311 participants were athletes, 13 were referees, 38 were managers, 31 were trainers and 32 were volunteers. Participant average overnight stay mean was 3.5 days. 67 participants stayed 2 nights, 151 participants stayed 3 nights, 100 participants 4 nights, 70 was 5 nights. Average travel expenses were 446 Turkish liras (TL). Participants spent average 90.5 TL for food, 187 TL for accommodation, 81 TL for shopping, 42 TL for transport, 20 TL for facilities and 18 TL for other expenses. Participants’ average age was 23.3 years old and average monthly income was 921 TL.