From the circuit to the territory: tribal mobility and creation of value for the destination in the MotoGP-Ducati case
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70732/tijt.v34i2.87Keywords:
destination value, tribal marketing;, sports tourism;, brand community, Motosport eventsAbstract
Purpose: Motorsport events generate large crowd flows and, increasingly, destination experiences that extend beyond the circuit. Moving between the perspectives of sports tourism and consumer culture, this research examines how a brand community transforms MotoGP-related travel into a collective and ritualised practice, and how this practice contributes to the creation of value for the destination by shaping mobility, on-site behaviours and the meanings attributed to places.
Design/methodology/approach: The research adopts a single-case interpretative design focused on the members of the Ducati Official Club (D.O.C.). The data were collected through participant observation (covert and overt) during the 2024 World Ducati Week in Misano Adriatico and the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera in Misano Adriatico (two three-day events), supported by field notes and visual documentation. In addition, 23 semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of the D.O.C. between July 2025 and September 2025. The thematic analysis was complemented by a descriptive tabular summary aimed at summarising the recurrence of the main indicators among the participants.
Originality/value: The article brings together sports tourism research and tribal marketing by conceptualizing fan travel as "tribal mobility": a movement structured by shared symbols, rituals, and brand-mediated community practices. The study broadens the debate on event tourism by specifying a social mechanism for enhancing the event: organised brand communities operate as intermediaries who take care of the itineraries, intensify emotional involvement and translate participation in the event into a broader territorial experience. The proposed framework is transferable to other branded sporting events and destinations.
Practical implications: The results suggest that destinations can increase the value captured by major sporting events by co-designing itineraries and touchpoints with brand communities, facilitating social spaces and waypoints before, during and after the event, and integrating local routes, gastronomy and heritage into branded experiences. Managers should also invest in visitor management for motorcycle mobility (safety, signage, parking, congestion mitigation) and sustainability practices, so that community-led growth remains compatible with the well-being of residents.
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