Will Volunteers in a Youth Sports Event Become Paying Visitors?

• Published in: Event Management
• Main Authors: Mahadevan, Renuka, Ren, Carina Bregnholm
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: Greenland
• Online Access: https://vbn.aau.dk/da/publications/566313f3-0c24-4591-ae2b-58ab38b219e6; https://doi.org/10.3727/152599517X15073047237278; http://www.ingentaconnect.com/contentone/cog/em/2017/00000021/00000006/art00010

This article explores possible factors that influence the willingness of volunteers to reattend as paying visitors. Using the 2016 Arctic Winter Games in Greenland as a case study, it was found that 47% of the volunteers were willing to reattend as paying visitors; some self-related benefits and broad social benefits influenced that decision. For instance, the strong sense that the event has educational value and showcased the arctic region for tourism were important considerations for volunteers becoming paying guests. Although age nor gender of the volunteers was a factor, those who were better educated and had greater satisfaction from volunteering were likely to pay to attend. These findings highlight the need for a theoretical framework to further examine these issues. Future research using a mixed-methods approach can also help to understand more holistically what volunteers value and how their experience shapes the need for different experiences.