Effect of food festival participation motivation on the festival experience, image, and loyalty; An example of Konya Gastrofest

Individuals want to participate in alternative tourism activities as a consequence desire to move away from their daily life standards in these days. Local food festivals, which one of these activities, give individuals oppurtinities to gain different experiences. The study aims to determine the outcome of motivation of participation in local food festivals on the carnival experience, image and loyalty of individuals who visited Konya Gastrofest. In this respect, a survey was conducted on 385 individuals who participated in Konya Gastrofest, which was held for the second time in 2022, by utilizing a convenience sampling method, one of the probability-based sampling techniques. As a consequence of the research, four dimensions of participation stimulation were acquired: escape, pursuing, cultural experience and festival allure. It was determined that the connection between getaway (t=3.204; p<0.05), cultural experience (t=3.976; p<0.05) and festival attraction (t=2.523; p<0.05), which are among the guests' participation motivations, and the festival experience was statistically influential while the search (t=1.790; p<0.05) dimension had no impact. It was resolved that while linked between festival attraction (t=2.951; p<0.05), and cultural experience (t=4.580; p<0.05), which were among the visitors' participation motivations, and festival image were statistically significant, the dimensions of getaway (t=1.259; p<0.05) and seeking (t=1.727; p<0.05) had no influence. It was defined that while the relations between getaway (t=2.383; p<0.05),, festival attraction (t=5.118; p<0.05) and cultural experience (t=3.071; p<0.05), which were visitors' participation motivations, and festival loyalty were statistically substantial, the search (t=176; p<0.05) dimension had no effect. According to the findings which obtained result of the research; The study was concludede by offering suggestions that brand awareness of Konya Gastrofest should be increased when compared to other festivals and also there should be organized events which offer different experiences to the visitors.