Service performance quality evaluation and satisfaction in a USA wine festivalscape: Buying behavioural effects
International Journal of Event and Festival Management
ISSN: 1758-2954
Article publication date: 16 March 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the links between perceived festival service performance quality, satisfaction, buying wine at the event, and the first-time/repeat tourist dynamic.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was conducted on 368 attendees at a major wine festival in the northeast USA using intercept face-to-face interviews.
Findings
The facility-related quality aspects are a stronger predictor of buying behaviour than activity-related aspects and amenities. A relationship between performance quality perception and satisfaction could not be found. 35-year and older repeat visitors are the highest yielding festival visitor group from a financial viewpoint. First-timers are far more short-term oriented than repeat visitors when making the final decision to attend the festival event.
Research limitations/implications
It is very important to achieve a high degree of repeat festival attendance as this directly influenced the financial gains in selling more wine. The nature and types of activities offered at a festival must be cohesive with the theme of the event. The festival activities offered should be continually evaluated for signs of wear out, and renewed, or replaced if necessary.
Originality/value
The research provides a new perspective to festivalscape knowledge in that it identifies the first-time and repeat visitor dynamic as a strong predictor of actual buying behaviour at a festival. The higher the proportion of repeat visitors, the higher the likelihood of (wine) buying.
Keywords
Citation
Bruwer, J. and Kelley, K. (2015), "Service performance quality evaluation and satisfaction in a USA wine festivalscape: Buying behavioural effects", International Journal of Event and Festival Management, Vol. 6 No. 1, pp. 18-38. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEFM-04-2014-0009
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited