Personality Traits Associated with Successful Sports Tourism Management in Rivers State, Nigeria

Authors

  • Chikaike Okala Department of Human Kinetics and Sport Science, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Nigeria Author

Keywords:

Personality Traits, Sports Tourism, Management

Abstract

The study examined the role of personality traits, such as compassion and enthusiasm, in sports tourism management in Rivers State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted. The population of the study consisted of five hundred (500) employees from the Ministry of Sports, Rivers State. Two research questions and hypotheses were formulated to guide the study. The instrument used for data collection was a self-structured, validated questionnaire with a modified Likert scale. The instrument's reliability coefficient of 0.80 was attained using Cronbach's alpha, which was deemed acceptable. The data collected were analysed using simple regression analysis at the 0.05 level of significance. The results showed a strong positive correlation between sports tourism management and compassion (r =0.755), and sports tourism management and enthusiasm (r = 0.729). The findings of a simple regression analysis reveal that compassion in sports contributes approximately 57% and enthusiasm contributes 53.1% to the promotion of sports tourism in Rivers State, which has a significant impact on sports tourism development. Consequently, the study recommended, amongst others, that policymakers at various levels of government should take into account the influence of personality traits on sports tourism management. Policies should be designed to support the development of these traits among sports managers and stakeholders.

References

Al-Mulla, A., Al-Emadi, A., & Sellami, A. (2023). Examining the role of sport tourism in fostering social sustainability: Qatar youth perceptions. Sustainability, 15(10), 8234.

Chao-Chin, L. (2015). The factors influencing the destination choice of sport tourists in Taiwan. The Journal of Global Business Management, 11(2), 104-113.

Dragoș, F. P., Herman, G. V., Szabo-Alexi, M., Szabo-Alexi, P., Olău, V. M., & Buhaș, S. (2019). Motivating employees in sports organisations, an important factor in managerial policy. Geo-Sport for Society, 10(1), 39–47.

European Parliament. (2025). Sports tourism: A strategic tool for sustainable and balanced EU tourism. European Parliamentary Research Service.

Gao, W., Cao, D., Lyu, T., & Yang, Y. (2026). Revisit intentions of sports tourists: An extended theory of planned behaviour approach. BMC Psychology, 14, 152.

Jan, S., Adam, B., & Jan, M. (2023). The relationship of personality and executive functions in high-level soccer athletes: expertise and gender-specific differences. Movement science and sports Psychology, 5.

Liu, Y., Zhang, Y., & Wang, X. (2025). Exploring the effect of the sports tourism field on flow experience through a moderated mediation model. Scientific Reports, 15, 10234.

Manosudhikul, P. (2024). Behavioural intentions in sports tourism: Meta-analysis and structural equation modelling. ABAC Journal, 44(4), 1–20.

Mirzaei, A., Nikbakhsh, R., &Sharififar, F. (2013). The relationship between personality traits and sport performance. European Journal of Experimental Biology, 3(3), 439–442.

Muhammad, B. H., Sana, W., & Saiqa, A. (2019). Personality traits predict sports performance among University athletes. THE SPARK. 4(1), 149–159. Nwaogu, F. C. (2020). Implementation of government policy, effective leadership and engagement of qualified personnel as key indices for the development of sport tourism in Nigeria. European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science, 6(2), 32–39.

Okala, C. (2025). The role of competence and intellect in promoting sports tourism in Rivers State. FNAS Journal of Health, Sports Science and Recreation, 2(4), 116–121.

Rangkuti, Y. A., Bangun, A. K., Kurniawan, R., Ilham, Z., Hasibuan, S., Tambunan, T. M. B., & Silitonga, D. F. (2025). Cultural heritage and sports tourism: A systematic literature review of sustainable destination management practices. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, 1680229.

Sevilmiş, A., Kozak, M., & Özdemir, İ. (2023). Drivers of employee dis/satisfaction: A comparison of tourism and sports industries. Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Research, 11(2), 210–234.

Wang, L., Chen, J., & Li, H. (2025). Revisit intentions of sports tourists: An extended theory of planned behaviour approach. BMC Psychology, 13(1), 89.

Weaver, D. B., & Jin, X. (2016). Compassion as a neglected motivator for sustainable tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 24(5), 657–672.

Zhang, Y., & colleagues. (2026). A meta-model of participants’ emotional cues in sport tourism events: Decoding the antecedents, outcomes and boundary conditions. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 66, 101407dsh.

Downloads

Published

2026-06-30