Constraints to attend events across specialization levels
International Journal of Event and Festival Management
ISSN: 1758-2954
Article publication date: 31 May 2013
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the constraints to attend salsa events and festivals across salsa dancing specialization segments.
Design/methodology/approach
In‐depth interviews with salsa dancers from three salsa specialization levels were carried out.
Findings
Specialization level acted as a predictor of salsa event attendance and there appears to be an event career associated to progress in salsa dancing specialisation, which eventually branched out to a tourist career. Moreover, there was a relationship between the types of constraints and recreation specialisation level, with participants negotiating constraints frequently in order to ensure event attendance.
Research limitations/implications
The interviews were carried out on participants in a mid‐size town in southern England, where the range of competing leisure activities is limited. In addition, the study focused on one recreational activity and one type of event.
Practical implications
Several implications for the marketing of events and festivals can be drawn. First, marketers of salsa events should tie closely with providers of salsa classes and marketers of salsa classes need to provide opportunities for salsa dancers to attend events. Second, marketing strategies aiming at helping recreationists overcome constraints should be different according to the level of specialization. Third, given the nature of constraints faced by the less experienced recreationists, efforts to attract individuals earlier in the specialization path may be fruitless.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first to explicitly examine the relationship between specialization and constraints to perform behaviors associated to a recreational activity.
Keywords
Citation
Santos‐Lewis, R. and Moital, M. (2013), "Constraints to attend events across specialization levels", International Journal of Event and Festival Management, Vol. 4 No. 2, pp. 107-124. https://doi.org/10.1108/17582951311325881
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2013, Emerald Group Publishing Limited