Researching the experience and satisfaction of nature sports and culture arts festival participants; the case of Samsun Bafra Kapıkaya festival

Festivals have evolved from the past to the present and continue to be organized with many different contents and features. Festivals have always been preferred activities in areas such as entertainment, commemoration and promotion for generations. Today, festivals have become held in almost every town in the world. Festivals are organized in different categories such as gastronomy, culture, music, film, technology and sports. These categories are also divided into different branches and their numbers are many. The aim of this research is to examine the relationship between experience and satisfaction in the nature sports festival sample. In addition, another aim of the study is to obtain the necessary data for the improvement of nature sports festivals by examining the experience and satisfaction levels of the participants. Quantitative research method was adopted in the research and survey technique was used. Since it was not possible to reach all the participants who attended the festival, convenience sampling method was used. The study was applied to a total of 391 people, 210 women and 181 men. Participants were asked demographic, multiple choice, closed-ended, open-ended, graded questions and 35 questions with different contents regarding their experience and satisfaction levels at the festival and their opinions about the festival were obtained. The effect of experience on satisfaction was examined by performing regression analysis on the obtained data. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that experience has a significant and positive effect on satisfaction. In the results of the regression analysis conducted on the effect of experience on satisfaction, it was concluded that the sub-dimensions of experience, namely participatory experience, innovation and emotional participation, had a significant effect on satisfaction, while the dimension of experience, namely learning experience, did not have a significant effect on satisfaction. It was also stated that the number of events organized at the festival should be increased, that local product promotion should be less in the festival area and that personal need areas such as showers and sinks should be increased.