Festival Tourism

Towns, villages and cities are increasingly keen to share their culture, environment and spending opportunities with visitors by the promotion of festivals. The festival aims to provide entertainment and fun for people of all ages including residents of the town/city, people from surrounding localities and for the many visitors to the area. Festival tourism is defined as a phenomenon in which people from outside visits a location during the festival period. Festivals can extend the tourist season, generate revenue for governments and have positive economic impacts on the local economy by generating income, supporting existing businesses and encouraging new start-ups.

A festival typology is created that broadly identifies three festival types termed 'home-grown', 'tourist-tempter' and 'big-bang'. A ‘home-grown’ festival is essentially small scale and run by one or more volunteers for the benefit of the locality. A ‘tourist-tempter’ festival is one that is aimed at attracting visitors to stimulate local economic development. A ‘big-bang’ festival is essentially a marketing tool that promotes a myriad of related activities over a defined geographical area.

Festivals, of many types, serve to meet specific social needs and duties, as well as to provide entertainment. These times of celebration offer a sense of belonging for religious, social, or geographical groups. Modern festivals that focus on cultural or ethnic topics seek to inform members of their traditions. In past times, festivals were times when the elderly shared stories and transferred certain knowledge to the next generation. Historic feasts often provided a means for unity among families and for people to find mates. Select anniversaries have annual festivals to commemorate previous significant occurrences.

Types of festivals:

- Arts festival

- Ballon festival

- Beer festival

- Comedy festival

- Endless Festival

- Film festival

- Fire Festivals of Japan (hi matsuri)

- Food festival

- Halloween festival

- Literary festival

- Mela Festival

- Music festival

- New Age Festival

- Religious festival

- Rock festival

- Science festival

- Storytelling festival

- Category:Television festivals

- Theatre festival

- Renaissance festival

- Political festival

- Hemp festival

There are numerous types of festivals in the world. Though many have religious origins, others involve seasonal change or have some cultural significance. Also certain institutions celebrate their own festival (often called "fests") to mark some significant occasions in their history. These occasions could be the day these institutions were founded or any other event which they decide to commemorate periodically, usually annually.

Local festivals are said to be celebrations of community and effectively to serve as a public demonstration of ‘what a community is all about’. Few rural festivals are about ‘money-making’. Visitors to rural festivals are often from urban centers and bring economic benefits to local-shops, restaurants, hotels, entertainers and all manner of goods and service providers in the festival area. Such festivals are considered a success if they provide ‘wholesome fun’ and cover expenses, but they are also meant to: raise funds for service organizations, put money in the pockets of local vendors, provide a showcase for local talent, create a positive image of the host community and make business sponsors happy.