Evaluation of local people's perceptions on the effects of lakerda festival in Sinop

The aim of this study is to identify the perceptions of individuals who participated in the Sinop Lakerda Festival held in 2024. For this purpose, a questionnaire was designed and administered both face-to-face and online to reach festival participants and assess their perceptions regarding the event. The survey method was utilized during the data collection phase. The questionnaire used in the study consisted of two sections and a total of 48 questions. The research was conducted in the Sinop destination. The study population comprised individuals residing in Sinop who attended the Sinop Lakerda Festival during the data collection period. The sample was determined based on individuals who participated in the festival between November 14 and 17, 2024, and who were accessible at that time. To achieve an adequate sample size representing the population (384 participants), the questionnaire was distributed to attendees of the festival. A non-probability sampling method, specifically convenience sampling, was employed to select participants. At the end of the data collection process, a total of 407 individuals were reached, and all responses were included in the analysis. According to the results obtained through spss 27.0, the majority of respondents were male, aged 45 and above, held a bachelor's degree, were married, identified as students, had an income between 0 and 25,000 TL, and had been living in Sinop for over 16 years. The dimensions identified through factor analysis were categorized as follows: Economic Benefits (EF), Negative Aspects of the Festival (FOE), Festival Satisfaction and Loyalty (FMS), Personal Benefits (KF), Quality of Life in the Community (TYK), Perceived Value (AD), and Community Pride (TG).