ABSTRACT
One of the fastest-growing areas of the burgeoning tourism industry is festivals and events tourism, which has become a very important part of community destination management (Neirotti, 2003). Large-scale events designed to attract large numbers of spectators can funnel thousands or even millions of dollars into a local economy (Mules and Faulkner, 1996). However, smaller, participatory events, such as festivals, can also be advantageous, particularly for smaller cities or less populated regions. Since participatory events often make use of existing infrastructure and volunteer labor, they can be relatively inexpensive to host, and can yield high benefit-to-cost ratios (Allenby, 2000). Furthermore, participatory festivals and events have been shown to be an effective way to attract new visitors to an area and to generate return visits. Such events target consumers who seek opportunities to share their holidays with others who are also interested in the festival or event (Green and Chalip, 1998).
