BENEFIT SEGMENTATION OF VISITORS TO A RURAL COMMUNITY-BASED FESTIVAL

This study examines the motivation of the attendees of a community-based festival in the rural Midwest of the United States. Six motivational factors are identified from the visitor data collected at the festival: escape, novelty, nostalgia and patriotism, event excitement, family togetherness, and socialization. Among them, escape was the most dominant motivation. Five clusters are identified, including family travelers, event enthusiasts, loyal festival goers, escapers, and social gathering lovers. The five clusters are distinct in terms of the respondents' perception of the festival and revisit intention. The characteristics of each segment are given, and the practical implications of the findings are discussed.