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Exploring visitors' motivations and perspectives on festival tourism in Northern Cyprus: economic, cultural and social dimensions in a post-pandemic era

Ozlem Altun (Faculty of Tourism, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Türkiye)
Sıla Kiraz (Faculty of Tourism, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Türkiye)
Mehmet Bahri Saydam (Faculty of Tourism, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Türkiye)

Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes

ISSN: 1755-4217

Article publication date: 23 July 2024

Issue publication date: 6 September 2024

168

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to investigate the motivations and perspectives of festival tourism in Northern Cyprus, emphasizing its economic, cultural, and social impacts in the post-pandemic era.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was used to find out themes from semi-structured face-to-face interviews with twenty visitors who attended various festivals in North Cyprus.

Findings

The results of this research uncover that festivals considerably contribute to the local economy by attracting tourists, which boosts sales for local businesses and promotes traditional Cypriot cuisine. Additionally, festivals play a crucial role in preserving and promoting cultural heritage through traditional music, dance, and crafts, fostering community engagement and cultural exchange. The study also identifies key challenges and opportunities, such as the need for improved marketing strategies, enhanced infrastructure, and sustainable practices to mitigate environmental impacts.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of festival tourism in Northern Cyprus, offering novel insights into its economic, cultural, and social impacts while proposing innovative strategies to enhance its post-pandemic recovery and sustainability.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Mehmet Bahri Saydam would like to thank the anonymous reviewers who had given constructive comments to this paper.

Funding: This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Citation

Altun, O., Kiraz, S. and Saydam, M.B. (2024), "Exploring visitors' motivations and perspectives on festival tourism in Northern Cyprus: economic, cultural and social dimensions in a post-pandemic era", Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Vol. 16 No. 4, pp. 485-497. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-06-2024-0130

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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