MOTIVES OF VISITORS ATTENDING FESTIVAL EVENTS: THE CASE OF COMMEMORATING ERTUGRUL GHAZI AND SÖĞÜT FESTIVAL (BİLECİK-TURKEY)

Abstract

This paper investigates motives of festivals and events attendees.The study area, Söğüt, is a historical destination located in MarmaraRegion. Söğüt, the cradle of the Ottoman Empire, hosted the 736thCommemorating Ertugrul Ghazi and Sögüt” Festivities in 2017. Studydata were collected through questionnaires applied to the festival visitors.The questionnaires were responded by 112 visitors on a voluntary basisafter being selected with convenience sampling technique during thefestival, which lasted from 08 to 10 September 2017. Factor analysis wasapplied and revealed four main motivation sources attracting attendancein the festival. These include escape/desire for achievement,novelty/uniqueness seeking, historical and culturalexploration/learning, and institutional factors. Historical and culturalexploration/learning was found to be the most important factor to thevisitors to the festivities (X̅=4,58). t-test and ANOVA test were used to findout differences in motives according to socio-demographiccharacteristics. The results showed statistically significant differencesbetween variables such as gender, number of visits to the festivities, ageand educational level and various motives. The “CommemoratingErtugrul Ghazi and Sögüt” Festivities is a festival that has been going onfor centuries. Apparently it will continue for long years to come due to itshistorical and cultural significance.Successful tourism developmentrelies on transportation facilities as well as eating and drinking, andentertainment amenities. Therefore, it is important to increase the opportunities in said willow festival. In addition, promotion of the festivalshould be increased.