Local Engagement in International Arts Festivals: Implications for Sustainable Tourism Practices

Abstract

Despite the growing prominence of international arts festivals, local visitor engagement often remains suboptimal. In the case of the Hong Kong Arts Festival (HKAF), there is a limited understanding of the key factors that drive local attendance and interest. Without targeted insights into the demographic and attitudinal determinants influencing participation, festival organizers face challenges in developing effective strategies to attract and retain local audiences. This study identifies and analyze the demographic and attitudinal factors that significantly influence local visitors’ attendance at the Hong Kong International Arts Festival. Using a quantitative research design data were collected through a structured survey questionnaire administered to a representative sample of 1,034 local festival attendees. The survey captured demographic, attitudinal, and behavioural variables relevant to festival participation. To identify significant predictors of attendance, the study employed logistic regression analysis while paired samples t-tests were conducted to assess the relationship between local visitors’ interest in specific performances and their overall interest in the festival. The research identifies four key determinants that impact local attendance. These factors include the education level of attendees, the number of adults accompanying them, the presence of children in the group, and the frequency of previous visits to
the festival. The paired samples t-test results indicate that visitors’ interest in ten particular performances is significantly correlated with the broader interest in the event. Understanding these influential factors is crucial for the authority of HKAF as well as the local Hong Kong government in developing targeted initiatives that can enhance the sociocultural appeal to local visitors and economic impact of the Hong Kong Arts Festival. These empirical insights and some specific policy recommendations including examples provided in the paper are applicable to other large-scale arts festivals, offering a framework for improving local visitor engagement and maximising the festival’s sociocultural and economic benefits.