ABSTRACT

This study examines the exercise goal pursuits of tourists participating in physical fitness programmes at exercise-oriented tourism resorts (EOTRs). This study draws on goal content theory (GCT), which examines the goals that individuals engage in and how such engagements, whether extrinsic or intrinsic, varyingly relate to the notion of well-being. The questionnaire on goal contents related to exercise was administered at three EOTRs, located in the southwestern United States. The findings indicate that participants attached higher importance to intrinsic goals such as health management and skill development. The valuing of intrinsic exercise-related goals is positively related elevated levels of well-being and autonomous motivation.