Mega sport events are believed to positively and significantly impact the host country's destination image (from the tourism perspective) and country image (from the international marketing perspective). Focusing on the short-haul market, this study questioned the prevailing “optimism” and empirically examined the impact of hosting a mega sport event on the destination image and country image through a pre-post study design. The results presented a mixed (i.e., both positive and negative) impact on the two images, and patterns of image change varied according to sport involvement, media consumption, and previous visit experiences to the host country. Additionally, this study investigated the influence of destination and country images on visit and purchase intentions. We found strong relationships among constructs and destination image was the key construct in the relation. The findings suggest the need and possibilities for inter-disciplinary research and integrated management strategies for improving destination and country images.
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