How the Experience Designs of Sustainable Festive Events Affect Cultural Emotion, Travel Motivation, and Behavioral Intention

Abstract

Festivals are an important aspect of cultural design. They not only attract a large number of tourists but are also one of the most direct ways of promoting local culture. This study aimed to discover how festival experiences affect cultural feelings, travel motivations, and behavioral intentions. Based on literature research, theoretical model construction, and analysis, this paper begins with an exploration of the literature and designs a structural model to validate consumers’ expectations and conceptions of the 2021 Tainan Chihsi Festival. A total of 238 residents from Taiwan answered the questionnaire. This study used SEM and ANOVA for data analysis. The impact model of the festival experience design presented here can provide reference standards for in-depth research in related fields. Moreover, cultural emotion is a critical component in designing influential festive event experiences that evoke travel motivations and behavioral intentions. Virtual events can emphasize personal elements and educational content. In-person events can emphasize group interaction and entertainment. A combination of virtual and in-person experiences or personal and group exchanges would be ideal. Organizers should consider including emotional elements in their festive events in addition to originality. The inclusion of cultural elements can also foster “shared” experiences between locals and visitors, diversifying urban landscapes and strengthening community interaction. Organizers can plan festive events that align with consumers’ expectations, distinguish festive events from other community events, and add uniqueness and originality to their events.