Examining the Visitor Profile and Event Characteristics of a Festival

Abstract

Festivals and special events serve as important attractors for destinations and provide unique experiences for visitors. The purpose of the study examined the visitor profile and event characteristics of the 2015 Louisiana Seafood Festival.  Food and beverage and music were the top rated aspects of the festival most important to the attendee. Results showed that the festival made a valuable contribution by attracting nearly 56,000 attendees. The visitor profile provided valuable information on visitor characteristics, event characteristics, and visitor spending.  The event organizers can use the visitor profile for marketing and advertising efforts to attract more patrons to the festival.