Resumen de Liminality and the possibilities for sex and romance at an international bike meeting: a structural modeling approach
Milene Gonçalves Lança, João Filipe Marques, Patrícia Susana Pinto
Sex and romance are part of everyday life and therefore are part of the tourism experiences. Tourism represents a break in the everyday life, a liminal space-time which enables liminoid experiences. In these experiences one can include a greater willingness for romance and sex, which can be the main motivators for travelling or an incidental activity, representing a continuation of regular lives, although possibly at a higher intensity. This research falls over an event where the festive environment combined to the liminoid states may contribute to enhance the availability for romance and sex. The correlation between these variables was tested using structural equation modeling with latent variables applied to 449 surveys carried out at the 29th Faro International Bike Meeting. The results suggest that bikers are motivated not only by the participation in the event, but also by the expectations of having sex and getting involved in a romance. The environment of the meeting influences the liminoid experiences which, in turn, contribute to activate sexual and romantic pleasures. Bikers are satisfied and intend to return, proving that a new market segment is rising up in the Algarve.
