Frontiers in Sports and Active Living | 2026
Authors: Omonova N.; Juraev A.; Makhmudova N.; Isokova G.; Hamroyeva S.; Shodieva M.; Davronov I.O.; Kadirova S.; Farmanov E.
DOI: 10.3389/fspor.2026.1805388
Journal: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
Year: 2026
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Document Type: Article
Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access
Cited by: 0
Several studies on event tourism have examined the impact of events on destination attractiveness and economic development. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms through which event quality influences economic outcomes, particularly in destinations with cultural heritage. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the mediating role of tourist satisfaction in the relationship between event quality and economic outcomes in the Bukhara region, a UNESCO World Heritage site located along the historic Silk Road. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 519 respondents, including international tourists (n = 309) and local residents (n = 210). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships, and mediation analysis was conducted according to Baron and Kenny's methodology. The results showed that tourist satisfaction mediated 94.1% of the relationship between event quality and economic outcomes, confirming that satisfaction is the predominant mechanism linking event quality to destination economic outcomes. Cultural events demonstrated the greatest effectiveness among event categories, while information availability emerged as a critical gap requiring intervention. Our findings suggest that destinations with cultural heritage should prioritize high-quality event strategies that align with their cultural identity over a proliferation of events. These findings can help destination managers and policymakers optimize event portfolio strategies, promoting both tourist satisfaction and sustainable destination development. © 2026 Omonova, Juraev, Makhmudova, Isokova, Hamroyeva, Shodieva, Davronov, Kadirova and Farmanov.
destination attractiveness; event tourism; heritage tourism; mediation analysis; structural equation modeling; tourist satisfaction; Uzbekistan