Travelling Football Fans & Hotel Selection

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the hotel attributes that affect selection by football fans when travelling away from home to participate in a sport event. Attributes that identified in previous researches were segmented into five major sets and the most common and relevant to the purposes of this study were chosen to form the questionnaire. Questionnaires were distributed through online channels, fan Forums and social media pages. Results show that the most important aspects, for travelling fans when selecting hotel during football related trips, are price and value for money, followed by cleanliness and location related attributes. Interpersonal services such as personnel behaviour, appearance and efficiency are considered important. Elements of core service like breakfast, food quality, Internet availability, room quietness and appliances (TV) are also somehow important. Fans also admit that the hotel selection process is different when travelling for football purposes than other (business or holidays). However, they are loath to sacrifice basic hotel services for fan related and oriented ones. Finally, they are willing to return to a hotel they have previously stayed, rather than search for a new one each time they visit the destination. The study is positioned under the context of sport tourism and city break travel. Furthermore the fandom subculture is analysed in order to understand the situational background of the respondents' profile.