The relationship between decision-making factors and ‘festivalscapes’ with visitor loyalty: Evidence from a South African national arts festival

Orientation: The escalating number of festivals leads to competition, with festivals finding themselves in the decline phase of their product’s lifecycle. In South Africa, many festivals choose to terminate, but in the case of Aardklop, the festivals chose to undergo a rebranding and repositioning process. The question is to what extent did the rebranding process influence visitors’ decision to attend the festival? Research purpose: This research determined the key ‘festivalscape’ and decision-making factors, including the rebranding and repositioning of the festival, and established the relationship between these factors and visitors’ loyalty to Aardklop. Motivation for the study: Although Aardklop and its offerings are clearly popular among the public, to date, no research attempts have been made to determine which factors influence visitors’ loyalty towards the festival. Research design, approach and method: The research was quantitative, and a survey was conducted in 2017 where 498 completed visitor questionnaires were obtained. Factor analyses identified the main ‘festivalscape’ and decision-making factors, while structural equation modelling was used to test the relationship between the factors and festival loyalty. Main findings: The results showed that a combination of ‘festivalscape’ and decision-making factors influence loyalty especially the distinct offerings, festival features and experiences. Practical/managerial implications: Managerial and marketing implications are made outlining how the distinct festival offerings need to be emphasised as they have the most significant influence on festival loyalty. Contribution/value-add: This research contributes to a better understanding of the factors that influence visitor loyalty and how these factors can be managed