A sustainable festival management model: the case of International Troia festival

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to propose a sustainable festival management model (SFMM) drawing on data from the International Troia Festival, Çanakkale, Turkey. Design/methodology/approach – Three research techniques were used in the study. Survey data examined six motivational dimensions whose importance were tested using the logistic regression analysis. In-depth interviews and observations were analyzed using content analysis. The study sample comprised festival event attendees, members of public and private businesses and NGOs. Findings – The field research indicated that, culture is the main factor, which motivates visitors to attend the festival and also the main theme of the festival that reflects the significant cultural heritage of the city. A SFMM is presented for the International Troia Festival, based on the results of the field research and literature. Research limitations/implications – The findings of this study solely of SFMM were identified during a Turkish festival. Originality/value – Future applications of SFMM both for generating development of local or international festivals in a sustainable way and for resolving general or regional environmental challenges on festival management are discussed. The model can be used to ensure the sustainability of the International Troia Festival and similar festivals.