Sustainability indicators for festival tourism: A multi-stakeholder perspective

To assist the assessment of sustainable festival tourism, this study develops sustainability indictors for festival tourism by including perspectives from four stakeholders: tourists, local residents, business owners, and government agencies. Using the Delphi technique, a panel of 15 tourism experts identified evaluation indicators from the literature. The experts reached consensus on 20 indicators: tourists (four indicators), local residents (four indicators), government agencies (six indicators), and business owners (six indicators). An analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was conducted to calculate the relative weight of each indicator. Experts placed the greatest importance on tourists (0.4015) then on local residents (0.3275) followed by governmental agencies (0.1605) and business owners (0.1105) in order.     

The role of social identification and hedonism in affecting tourist re-patronizing behaviours: The case of an Italian festival

Since the 1990s Europe and other continents have been organising a significantly larger number of festivals with the objective of stimulating tourism and exploiting potential economic opportunities. The prominence of these events has led to intense competition between festivals in attracting visitors and it has become important to analyse factors which might influence attendees’ retention. Drawing on existing literature on retail and service sectors, this study aims to identify the role played by emotions, hedonism, satisfaction, and social identification in mediating the effects of environmental factors on attendees’ re-patronizing intention. This study includes an on-site survey of 449 visitors attending an Italian festival gaining in popularity, and analyses data using a structural equations model. Results suggest that hedonism and social identification are key-facilitators between environmental cues and attendees’ re-patronizing intention.     

Tourist loyalty to a local cultural event: The case of Turkmen handicrafts festival

The purpose of this research was to examine a comprehensive model of attendee loyalty at a local festival. More specifically, the research tested a model linking festival authenticity to festival quality, value, satisfaction, trust and loyalty to a given festival. Using convenience sampling method, empirical data was collected at the Turkmen handicrafts festival in Gonbad-e-Kavoos, the most important city in the Turkmen Sahra region, Iran. A sample of 301 domestic tourists who attended the festival was surveyed. Applying structural equation modeling, the findings showed that perceived authenticity influenced perceived quality, value and satisfaction. Perceived quality was found to have the direct effect on perceived value, satisfaction and trust. Perceived value affected satisfaction, trust and loyalty. Satisfaction had the direct effect on loyalty and so did trust.     

Evaluating the efficiency of Korean festival tourism and its determinants on efficiency change: Parametric and non-parametric approaches

Local festivals may leverage local specialties and various historical, cultural, and artistic resources throughout their respective regions to attract tourists, inducing positive economic impacts. In this study, this paper is a first attempt to analyze the relative efficiency of local festival tourism by using parametric and non-parametric approaches with the data from local festivals held in Korea from 2015 to 2018. We also deal with the efficiency determinants of each typology of festivals by employing a truncated regression with double bootstrapping. Results showed that the leading sources of inefficiency were primarily embedded in pure technology inefficiency, while the principal operational drivers posed different effects depending on the typology of festivals. These insights have important practical implications for the local festival organizing committees and operators in Korea and are helpful in developing tailored operational strategies to maximize the efficiency among different typologies of festivals.     

Historical and geographical context in festival tourism development

Festivals have increasingly become a significant tool for economic development through both tourism and the re-imaging and re-branding of cities and regions as modern cultural centers. To understand the issues and challenges of festival tourism events, it is important to know the historical and geographical context in which they occur. Conceptually, the historical context can be viewed through the degree to which an event has a vernacular indigenous origin or is newly created. The geographical context, on the other hand, reflects the degree to which a festival is defined by the place in which it occurs or is more global in its thematic orientation. A contextual framework for festival tourism that takes these two factors into account results in four types of festival events: Local Heritage Festivals, Local Contemporary Festivals, National Heritage Festivals, and Global Contemporary Festivals. These four festival types face issues related to their local identity, uniqueness, liminality, and authenticity. The contextual framework for festival tourism is applied to the current situation of rapid festival development in China, with recommendations that Chinese event managers need to focus more on historically and geographically meaningful themes developed in partnership with local populations if they want to ensure an event's long-term success.     

The way of generation Y enjoying Jazz festival: a case of the Korea (Jarasum) music festival

ABSTRACT

Research studies about the attributes of music festival experiences and the effect of information technology in music festival help us to understand Millennials. With the purpose of providing more insights about the perception and behavior of young people at a festival, this study aims to investigate how festival attributes and the interactivity of information sources affect festival attendee satisfactions and behavioral intentions in a music festival. The results are expected to assist festival organizers in managing and implementing market-oriented service strategies to improve the quality of festivals and therefore to enhance the attendee satisfactions and their behavioral intentions.     

Characteristics and goals of family and owner-operated businesses in the rural tourism and hospitality sectors

This research examines goals pertaining to start-up, operations, the family, and ultimate disposition of the enterprise by family and owner-operated businesses in the rural tourism and hospitality sectors. The sample is from a survey in rural Western Australia. A large majority of respondents were from middle-aged couples, new to the business, with strong motivation to live and work in the countryside. Lifestyle and family-related goals were predominant, but there was also recognition that the business had to be profitable. Most respondents were uncertain about the ultimate disposition of their business; only about one-third had definite succession plans to involve children or other family members. Implications are drawn for business and destination development.     

A comparison of results of three statistical methods to understand the determinants of festival participants’ expenditures

The aim of the research reported upon in this study is to examine the impact of visitors’ socio-demographic and festival experience-related variables on expenditure levels and patterns of visits to festivals. Three statistical models including logit, OLS (ordinary least square) and Tobit models are employed to identify and examine the differences or similarities in results from three different approaches. A comparison of the three approaches using cross-section survey data generated differences in model fit. In addition, it was found that the set of independent variables which were significant in estimating festival visitors’ expenditures varied between the three models. As such the findings of this study suggest a singular statistical approach may be inferior to multiple ones in gaining a full understanding of the determinants of festival participants’ expenditure.     

The role of moderating variables on music festival volunteer management

The growth and popularity of festivals and events has led to a need for examination of volunteer program management. An increase in music festivals in the United States in the last decade has resulted in managers recruiting and managing volunteers to operate music festivals. This research examines relationships between moderating variables and factors of self-image congruency, motivation, satisfaction, and intent to return as a volunteer at Austin City Limits, a large-scale music festival in the United States. This research demonstrates the benefit of incorporating self-concept theory in volunteer, event, and tourism research and provides practical implications for practitioners who manage volunteer programs.     

Analyzing the effects of an urban food festival: A place theory approach

Existing literature of festival tourism emphasises on heritage festival in rural place and seldom addresses the effect of urban festival as a potent force that contributes to place making. This study examines the missing conceptual link between urban festival and notions of place from a place theory approach. In-depth interviews with urban food-themed festival goers were conducted to understand their perceived meanings of the festival and place connotation. The results disclose three dimensions of meanings: festival as place, festival as locale and festival as imaginary identity. The study confirms that urban festival enriches a unique sense of place, whilst its intrinsic value to manipulate the competing ideologies of a place should not be slighted.     

The effect of environmentally friendly perceptions on festival visitors’ decision-making process using an extended model of goal-directed behavior

This study examined the effect of environmentally friendly perceptions on the behavioral intention of visitors at the Boryeong Mud Festival in South Korea. The results of the on-site survey (N = 400) reveal that three environmentally friendly perceptions formed positive and significant causal relationships with the constructs in the extended model of goal-directed behavior (EMGB). Attitude, subjective norm, and positive anticipated emotion affected desire, which, in turn, influenced the behavioral intention. Three elements, volitional, non-volitional, and emotional aspects, were proven to be crucial in comprehending the perceptions and behaviors of the nature-based festival attendees. The findings of this study will shed light on a better understanding of the decision-making processes of festival visitors when environmental issues are incorporated.     

Local attendees' perceptions of festival impacts: A factor-cluster analysis approach to the Zanzibar International Film Festival

Appraising residents' perceptions of the impacts of festivals is imperative to festival success. Such residents can rightly claim ownership of the place where the festival is staged and the cultural aspects the festival showcases. This study aimed at elucidating local attendees' perceived festival impacts at the annual Zanzibar International Film Festival. Data for this study were collected using a structured questionnaire that yielded 263 responses conveniently drawn from festival-goers, which were then subjected to factor-cluster analysis. The results reveal the presence of three clusters (advocates, ambivalents, and cautious-advocates) that differ significantly on their perceived impacts of the festival with respect to its environmental, socio-cultural, and economic contributions. These results have both managerial and policy implications on the inclusion of the locals in planning and managing festivals.     

Wives' involvement in tourism decision processes

This study segments tourism decision-making tasks into 17 categories. Wives were asked to assign a score to their level of involvement in each task. A marginal involvement in tasks related to the “financing aspects” of the trip was observed whereas involvement was high in tasks such as “shopping”, “selecting restaurants”, “collecting information”, and “preparing luggage”. Two hypotheses were tested: the socioeconomic characteristics of wives and trip characteristics have a positive effect on the level of involvement in the tourism decisions; and levels of task involvement are consistent for the 17 tasks (stability in tasks involvement). Marketing implications and recommendations for future research were also discussed.

Résumé

La participation des épouses aux décisions de voyages. Cette étude segmente les décisions et taches des voyages en dix-sept catégories. On a demandé aux épouses d'attribuer une valeur numérique selon leur niveau de participation dans chaquetâche. On a observé peu de participation aux “aspects financiers” tandis que la participation était élevée pour le “shopping”, le “choix des restaurants”, la “collecte d'information”, et la “préparation des bagages”. On a vérifié deux hypothèses: que les caractéristiques socio-économiques des épouses ainsi que certaines caractéristiques du voyage ont un effet positif sur la participation des épouses aux décisions du tourisme, et que les niveaux de participation pour les dix-sept tâches sont stables. On discute aussi des implications de marketing et des recommandations pour la recherche future.     

The role of tourism in the economy of Scotland

This paper examines the economic impacts of tourism on the Scottish economy. Three study areas were defined on the basis of economic characteristics: the north of Scotland; the central lowlands (which generate more than half the total economic benefits attributable to tourist spending); and the south of Scotland. Financial information was obtained from businessmen involved in tourist-related industry. In 1980 about £231 million (35% of tourist spending) was retained as income to Scottish residents, and tourism was responsible for, directly and indirectly, over 100000 jobs. The ‘multiplier’ effect generates income, employment and tax revenues beyond the immediate tourist system. This summary of economic estimates should be of value to tourism planners.     

Social tourism participation: The role of tourism inexperience and uncertainty

Social tourism initiatives tend to facilitate access to tourism for groups who would otherwise be financially unable to participate in holidays. The tourism products offered in social tourism vary between individual and group holidays, and day trips. This paper presents the findings of an exploratory, qualitative study with social tourism beneficiaries and social support workers, which explores via interviews and focus groups how these different tourism products can be tailored most effectively to the needs to the beneficiaries. The findings of the study highlight the important role of travel inexperience, and associated uncertainty, in travel decisions made by this target group. The findings show that (public sector or charitable) providers of social tourism can offer the most tailored and potentially most cost-effective tourism product to each beneficiary by closely considering previous travel experience and uncertainty levels before departure.     

The impact of age and family life experiences on Mexican visitor shopping expenditures

Mexican Nationals frequently visit border towns and other cities in the United States that are in close proximity to their areas of residence for the main purpose of shopping at popular malls and outlet centers. However, it is somewhat difficult to gather the necessary information in order to profile the visitors and develop marketing strategies for targeting the appropriate market segments. The purpose of this paper is to identify the key target markets for U.S. shopping malls based on the age and family life experiences (i.e., marriage and having children) of the Mexican visitors. First, a three-factor ANOVA analysis is used to examine the impact of these characteristics on shopping expenditures, including the interaction effects. Then, a cluster analysis is performed in order to segment the market using age and the family life experience variables. Finally, recommendations are provided based on the expenditures and trip behavior by family life cycle stage.     

Behavioral intention of visitors to an Oriental medicine festival: An extended model of goal directed behavior

Despite the importance of Oriental medicine festivals to Oriental medical tourism, little research has been conducted to understand the behavioral intention of visitors to these festivals. Therefore, this study examines the behavioral intention of visitors to a Korean Oriental medicine festival. This study employs the extended model of goal-directed behavior (EMGB) that incorporates two constructs related to Oriental medicine festivals: the Oriental medicine image of festival site (image) and the perception of Oriental medicine (perception). An on-site survey was conducted with 423 visitors attending the Sancheong Herbal Festival in South Korea. Results reveal that attitude, subjective norm, and positive anticipated emotion influenced visitors' desire to attend the festival, which, in turn, influenced their behavioral intentions. Two constructs of image and perception formed positive and significant relationships with attitude toward attending the festival. Practical implications of the study results are discussed.     

Analysis of tourism information sources using a Mokken Scale perspective

This study contributes to the analysis of information sources as a determinant of the travel decision-making process. It focuses on the use of Mokken Scale Analysis (MSA) as a new methodological approach to detect unidimensional hierarchical scale in the analysis of information sources. The paper shows how MSA can be applied in the tourism field. Findings reveal two different scales (active and passive information search scales) for classifying information sources in tourism. Variations in the scales are revealed, taking socio-demographic and travel behavioural variables into consideration. The conclusions clearly explain the implications for tourism marketers and make recommendations for future research.