An empirical analysis of attendance at a commemorative event: Anzac Day at Gallipoli

Abstract

This paper tests the influence of various attributes of event attendance on visitor satisfaction. The Anzac Day commemoration at Gallipoli, Turkey, provides the backdrop for the study. The significance of this place and event is born out of the involvement of the Anzac soldiers (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) in the First World War and their battles against Turkish forces at Gallipoli in 1915. Fittingly, Anzac Day, the 25th of April, the day of the landings, is a national day of commemoration in Australia and New Zealand. Data for this study was collected by an exit survey of 331 Australian attendees at the Gallipoli commemorations. In addressing the aim of this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was undertaken as a basis for the subsequent development of a model of satisfaction using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results indicate that aspects relating to the amenities, transport and ceremonies held at Gallipoli are significant predictors of event satisfaction. This research provides a positive contribution to the understanding of customer satisfaction in event settings, extending the limited research on attendee satisfaction to investigate its elements in relation to a large-scale commemorative event associated with battlefield tourism.