Embarking on a New Perspective of E‐Sports Tourism: A Mixed‐Method Study on E‐Sports Hotel Booking Behavior in the Chinese Context
Yushunan Dai, Guanghui Qiao, Zhilong Shao, Yang ZhouABSTRACT
With the rapid growth of the e‐sports industry, its user base has surged from 130 million in 2016 to 504 million in 2022. Many users are willing to travel to watch e‐sports events. This has led to the emergence of the e‐sports hotel market. However, research on the booking behavior of e‐sports tourists for e‐sports hotels is still limited. This study identifies that the e‐sports tourism experience consists of four dimensions: e‐sports event experience, e‐sports social experience, cultural experience, and e‐sports relaxation experience. It also clarifies that equipment performance, environmental comfort, e‐sports hotel services, and social space are key factors driving booking intentions. Based on these findings and relevant theories, a model of the determinants of booking behavior is constructed and verified. The results provide a theoretical basis for e‐sports hotels to meet e‐sports tourists' needs.