Destination image

The destination image of Tohoku was manifested mainly in international participants’

perception on the impacts left by the Great East Japan Earthquake and the ensuing tsunami and nuclear power plant accident. Most international participants have never visited Tohoku

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before running the Tohoku Food Marathon. The lack of a concrete destination image of Tohoku was shown in the following remark:

“I don’t know much about Tohoku. Nothing at all. For me, the north of Tokyo is Hokkaido.” (interview, informant L, international participant from Hong Kong)

A vague or a lack of a destination image of Tohoku was observed in most international participants. However, the absence of a destination image does not necessarily refrain international participants from visiting Tohoku. One of the reasons why informant N chose to run Tohoku Food Marathon was because she has never been there. Similarly, other international participants expressed their excitement of being able to visit a new place.

While a vague destination image may actually motivate one to visit the destination, a negative destination image most likely will discourage such behavior. Informant L pointed out the negative image of Tohoku among his friends due to the nuclear plant incident.

“My friends talked a lot about the radiation (from the nuclear power plant accident). Radiation is their image of Tohoku. Then I told them we are just tourists staying for a week or so. It won’t be a big deal. After all, the Fukushima nuclear power plant is far away from most tourist attractions.”

(interview, informant L, international participant from Hong Kong)

While some participants expressed concerns about the radiation, others did not care so much, and some looked at the issue more positively by seeing their trip as a way to support Tohoku revival. The latter was manifested in the following statement:

“The purpose of this marathon is to revive Tohoku tourism after the impacts brought by the earthquake. Therefore our participation is a form of support, and our word-of-mouth will in turn attract more people to visit Tohoku.”

(Facebook post, informant N, international participant from Hong Kong)

Apart from variations in destination image influenced by a case-specific event such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, change in the destination image in a more general sense was observed in the formation, revision, confirmation, and enrichment of destination image.

Visiting Tohoku for the first time, informant V described his impression on Tohoku as:

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“Tohoku is a rural place. People here are very kind, and they show very warm hospitality. Locally-grown fresh food and great scenery. Rather than a change of impression, I would say it was an establishment of impression.”

(interview, informant V, international participant from Taiwan)

While informant V formed a first impression on Tohoku, informant A revised her impression on Tohoku:

“Tohoku was not so rural as I thought. At least Sendai is a lively city and has everything I need…and public transportation was quite convenient as well.”

(interview, informant A, international participant from Taiwan) Informant Y confirmed her destination image of Tohoku:

“I knew from before that Tohoku is rich in natural resources and produces high quality agriculture products. Now that I visited Tohoku, I realize it really is an abundant agriculture area.” (interview, informant Y, international participant from Taiwan)

Having visited Tohoku twice before, informant B enriched his destination image of Tohoku:

“After the Great East Japan Earthquake, I have been to Tohoku twice. Not only did I come to realize how the earthquake influenced Tohoku, I also interacted with local people and developed a bond with Tohoku…During the Tohoku Food Marathon, I tried plenty of Tohoku gourmet food and got to know many more places I did not know before.” (interview, informant B, international participant from Hong Kong)

As shown in the above statements, through their participation in Tohoku Food Marathon and stay in Tohoku Region, international participants formed, revised, confirmed, and enriched their destination image on Tohoku. The observed changes in destination image provide empirical evidence of the cultural learning motives of international sports tourists (Funk &

Bruun, 2007). Moreover, changes in destination image may become a catalyst and facilitate future cocreation of value, as expressed by informant L:

“Because of Tohoku Food Marathon, I developed affection for the place. I wanted to know more about Tohoku, so I started reading books on the Tohoku Region. Over the next few years, I would like to plan several visits

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to Tohoku.” (interview, informant L, international participant from Hong Kong)

Finally, Table 4-3 and Figure 4-2 present a summary of value cocreation from the perspective of international participants. The categories shown in Table 4-3 correspond to section 4.1 to 4.4, and summarize value cocreation practices engaged by international participants. Specific practices under the respective categories are shown in italics, each representing a subsection in the category. Every specific practice is followed by an illustrative example. Value outcomes indicate the outcomes of value cocreation. Figure 4-2 supplements Table 4-3 by presenting the interactions and actors involved in each category of value cocreation practice.

In sum, international participants acquired and propagated value propositions by searching, receiving, processing, and sharing information. The perceived value propositions were then personalized to meet their individual needs. During the event period, international participants consumed various sports tourism elements and interpreted the meaning and significance of the intercultural communications as happened in the experience. International participants also shared and recollected sports tourism experiences, during which the meaning of the lived experiences may be reinterpreted. Moreover, engagement in value cocreation is affected by personal objectives, social contexts in which actors interact, and the destination image held by international participants.

This chapter has identified and categorized value cocreation practices engaged by international participants. Through chapters 2 to 4 the research has approached the phenomenon of value cocreation from the perspectives of three groups of value cocreating actors, i.e., event organizers, event stakeholders, and international participants. The next chapter aims to uncover the mechanism of value cocreation through an analysis across actor categories and temporal phases.

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Table 4-3 Value cocreation practices engaged by international participants

Categories Specific practices and illustrative examples Value outcomes Acquiring and

propagating value

propositions

Search and receive information

e.g. “Ever since I first heard of Tohoku Food Marathon, I have been periodically checking out their official website and Facebook page for the latest news and updates.” (interview, informant B, international participant from Hong Kong)

⚫ An initial formation of event image and destination image

⚫ Functional value

・information

・reducing efforts

⚫ Social value

・peer affiliation

・networking Process and share information

e.g. “This “food” marathon is the Japanese version of France’s Medoc Marathon...The official website is available in English. Registration can be done through the English interface."

(Facebook post on a runners’ group page, informant D, international participant from Taiwan)

Personalizing value

propositions

Participate in side events and activities e.g. “The day after the marathon I joined the Minami Sanriku tour organized by the marathon.

The purpose was to understand the progress of rebuilding after the Great East Japan

Earthquake...I think we should learn from Japan about how they get things done with careful attitude and procedure.” (interview, informant Y, international participant from Taiwan)

⚫ A personalized version of value propositions that meets individual needs

⚫ Expanded opportunity in formulating

destination image

⚫ Functional value

・learning

・training

・fitness

⚫ Affective value

・fun

・self actualization

⚫ Social value

・networking Combine marathon running with traveling

e.g. “In 2014 I started running marathons and finished my first marathon abroad. Since then I became attracted to this kind of marathon trip - combine running with traveling.” (interview, informant Y, international participant from Taiwan)

Engage in activities related to sports and running

e.g. “Ran around the Imperial Palace. Tried the services offered by a nearby running station. 500 yen for using the locker and shower facilities, and you may even rent running shirts, shorts, shoes, and socks. Finished an easy five-kilometer running while admiring the scenery along the way. Really worth a try.” (Facebook post, informant L, international participant from Hong Kong)

Train and prepare physically and mentally e.g. “Training for the upcoming Tohoku Food Marathon. I will “eat” the full marathon. Just wondering whether I should train to run more or to eat more.” (Facebook post, informant F, international participant from Taiwan)

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Table 4-3 Value cocreation practices engaged by international participants (continued) Categories Specific practices and illustrative examples Value outcomes Consuming

sports tourism elements

Engage in intercultural communications e.g. “I experienced the warm hospitality of local people…Though we don’t speak each other’s language, a smile is enough to get our message across. That’s why I took photos of volunteers and local residents…Through my lens I aimed to capture their smiles, which showed us that they have recovered from the earthquake.”

(Facebook post and interview, informant S, international participant from Taiwan)

⚫ Destination image

・formation

・revision

・confirmation

・enrichment

⚫ Functional value

・variety

・learning

⚫ Affective value

・fun

・self actualization

⚫ Social value

・networking

・peer affiliation Interpret the experience

e.g. “At Tohoku Food Marathon, you’ll see volunteers and local residents cheering for runners in many locations along the route...Maybe they don’t run marathons themselves, but you have a feeling that their supportive acts come from the bottom of their hearts. They understand how important their supportive acts are to the runners.” (interview, informant C, international participant from Hong Kong)

Sharing and reinterpreting sports tourism experience

Share across time and space

e.g. “Along the trip I have uploaded photos onto Facebook as a record for myself and to share with friends...Though this was neither my first marathon nor my first overseas marathon, the experience brought back far starker memories than other ones. Every memory is so vivid even by now.” (interview, informant L, international participant from Hong Kong)

⚫ Destination image

・revision

・confirmation

・enrichment

⚫ Functional value

・learning

⚫ Affective value

・memorability

・self actualization

⚫ Social value

・networking

・peer affiliation Reinterpret through sharing and recollecting

e.g. “I was watching a TV show in which a professor used oysters of Tohoku as an example to introduce his research on the relationship between food and anthropology. Though the oyster appeared in the show for only a short while, it reminded me of the fond memories of enjoying oysters in Tohoku. I didn’t know oysters of Tohoku are so famous!” (interview, informant C, international participant from Hong Kong)

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Event Stakeholders

Event Organizers Consuming sports

tourism elements

Acquiring value propositions Personalizing value propositions

International Participants Sharing and reinterpreting sports tourism experience Acquiring and propagating

value propositions

Legend:

Actors Value cocreation practices Interactions

Figure 4-2 Value cocreation from the perspective of international participants

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ドキュメント内 2019年度 博士学位論文 (ページ 159-167)