Pre-post examination of residents’ destination image toward mega event hosting country with strained bilateral relations

Purpose The current study applied the concept of country image to a context of bilateral relations for two post-Soviet states to examine the impact of a mega sport event on the image of the host country Russia. Design/methodology/approach Surveys were collected before and after the World Cup to assess any changes among Georgians with regard to their views on Russia and intentions to visit. Findings The results showed a significant change in Russia’s pre-perceived cognitive image related to reputation, respect and development, as well as the emotional aspect and overall country image after the mega sport event. Interestingly, the affective image of Russia carried more weight in shaping the overall country image compared to the cognitive aspects, suggesting the increasing importance of emotional perceptions over beliefs. However, despite these changes, the study found that mega sport events did not significantly moderate the association between country image and behavior intentions in the context of Russo-Georgian hostile bilateral relations. Originality/value This study is one of the first examinations of the impact of hosting mega sport events in countries with hostile bilateral ties. The findings support that mega sport events can be an effective mechanism to gain soft power in that such events can arouse changes in people’s emotions and feelings towards the host country, even for those living in a country with a hostile relationship with the host country. The scope of applicability of these findings can be extended to other contexts, including future hosts of mega sport events in their geo-political contexts.