Taylor Thomas, Young Hoon Kim*
Full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v10/thomas.html
Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations of attendees at the Oxford Film Festival, held in Oxford, MS. One hundred nine surveys were collected, and factor analysis was used to group 10 individual motivators into 3 factors. The three factors were Togetherness in Good Environments, Money, and Film Itself.
IntroductionFestivals play a significant role for communities by attracting tourists, creating positive economic impact, creating opportunities for community involvement and togetherness, and enhancing the image of the destination. Festivals and special events have grown in all destinations and are the fastest growing segment of the tourism field (Park, Reisinger, & Kang, 2008). Special interests in festivals and events such as cultural preservation, experiencing local foods and cultures, and community involvement in a destination have led to an increased emphasis on regional and local festivals. According to the Historic/Cultural Traveler (2003), approximately 41 percent of travelers attended a festival and/or fair during their travel. A number of studies have been conducted on festivals and events with their many advantages for communities (Getz, 1993). However, many festivals are still in the early stage in both practical management and theoretical study, particularly film festivals which have increased each year leading to more attention being paid by destination marketing organizers and researchers.
Read the full manuscript: www.kon.org/urc/v10/thomas.html
