Exploring the relationship between attendees’ motivation, satisfaction and loyalty in the context of a home-grown festival

Abstract

Frame of the research: Festivals are events with significant place-related meaning; they play an important role in the tourism industry. Consequently, scholars are increasingly interested in exploring their impact on local economies and on the competitiveness of tourism destinations, not to mention how social and environmental fields are affected. Purpose of the paper: This study addresses the topic of home-grown festivals, which help to promote local cultural heritage; they also have a social significance beyond tourism. Specifically, this study explores the relationships between attendees’ motivations, satisfaction and loyalty. Methodology: Data were collected from 227 participants at the Maiorchino Festival, which is performed annually in an ancient town in southern Italy. This festival has been handed down over time; it is a local cultural tradition based on a typical product of the area, the Maiorchino cheese. A principal component analysis, a multiple linear regression and three logistic regressions were performed to test the hypotheses. Findings: The analysis reveals that, contrary to previous studies, festival satisfaction affects destination loyalty, but not festival loyalty. It also confirms that several motivational factors affect perceived satisfaction with the festival, and that socialization as well as experience of local culture are motivations that influence festival loyalty. Research limitations: Since we analyzed a single case study, the results may lack generalizability. Therefore, further research is encouraged to test the hypotheses within other festival contexts. Practical implications: This study provides several insights for local managers on how to exploit home-grown festivals as effective marketing tools to expand tourism flow and destination loyalty to small towns, by improving the overall satisfaction in attendee experience. Originality of the paper: This study further develops the findings of previous research on home-grown festivals, showing that, contrary to previous studies, attendees’ satisfaction affects destination loyalty, but not festival loyalty.