Examining the relationship among experiences, identity, and support behavior of festival attendees – Empirical analysis of two renowned religious festivals in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Pei-Shiang Chang, 張佩湘
• Other Authors: Chung-Jen Fu
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/b95rm3

博士 === 國立雲林科技大學 === 會計系 === 102 === Assessing the local culture and natural settings as well as enhancing considerable power to destination competitiveness of tourism, festival plays a prominent role in the tourism destination. The development and research of festival tourism has become a crucial marketing strategy in the understanding and success for tourism industry. This study thus aims to examine the relationships between emotional experience, authenticity experience, festival identity and the support behavior for tourism development among participants at two renowned traditional religious festivals in Taiwan, which is held in March every year. Research instrument was developed by using literature review, item analysis of pilot study, feedbacks from experts’ commands. Data was collected from attendees in the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage festival and Neimen Songjiang Battle Array festival, respectively. Data analyses were performed using statistical software and structural equation modeling to examine the structural relationships. Empirical results found that authenticity experience impacts festival identity directly and support for tourism development indirectly in the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage festival and Neimen Songjiang Battle Array festival. Moreover, emotional experience positively and significantly impact festival identity directly and support for tourism development indirectly in the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage festival. However, emotional experience negatively and insignificantly affects festival identity and support for tourism development in the Neimen Songjiang Battle Array festival. Our findings shed light on contribute to efforts to understand behavior of festival attendees and support for tourism development. Finally, managerial implications and future research directions are suggested for festival tourism.