events tourism meaning

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What is Events Tourism?

The role of events in tourism & how to market your event.

Events tourism is the act of organising and promoting an event in a town, region, or country in the hope to attract domestic and/or international tourists. An event has a wide spectrum of possibilities: music festivals, sporting events, religious dates (India’s Holi festival, the ‘Festival of Colour’ for example), arts, charity events, food and drink, and much more. Event tourism slides under the tourism umbrella and not only is it a big contributor to the global economy, but it’s also a field of study coupled with events management.

Events can help prompt domestic growth . A successful event can help boost the area via media exposure and, in turn, attract future visitors, provide local jobs, and help make a case for local infrastructure improvements. The benefits that events bring to a country’s economy are why many tourism boards have taken it upon themselves to help promote them.

As a tour operator, having events in your area can prove highly beneficial to you and your business. Take advantage of this extra surplus of possible customers and consider marketing your tours and activities towards those attending the event. If you don’t match the specific event hosted, creating special tours to capture that audience could work too. Take into account how long people will be staying in your area, what time of year will it be, and what they’re there for and what you envision they’d like to see.

But first, let’s dive into some examples of events.

Examples of Event Tourism

In general, you can fit all types of events under 4 main categories : niche events, participatory sporting events, cultural events, and large international sporting events. In the UK in 2019, Statista (opens in a new tab) found that sporting events were the most popular events attended by Brits with nearly 69 million people attending a live football match. Another live sporting event (not football) was attended by 45 million, 42 million attended a live music concert/event, and 32 million visited an alternative arts/cultural event.

Let’s break down the categories.

Niche events can include elements associated with a country, region, or culture. Anything art, food, drink, business, sport, etc related. Pop-up events like local farmers markets, an international expo/conference, a salsa class, group yoga sessions in the park are some examples.

Participatory sporting events are another draw to many places around the world. Marathons, the UK’s Tough Mudder obstacle and mud run course, or Western Australia’s Ironman race are prime examples of these.

Signature cultural events are fun as there are so many examples to pick from. These must-see events draw people from all over the world and some stand-out events include Oktoberfest in Munich, Japan’s sakura (cherry blossom) season, Edinburgh’s world-famous Fringe Festival, the beautiful Loy Krathong festival (Thai lantern festival), or La Tomatina (Spain’s celebrated tomato throwing festival).

And last but not least, international sporting events . These are the events that are broadcast across the world on TV and social media and make huge sums of money for their respective hosts and draw millions of viewers across the globe. Examples include the Olympics, the Champions League, Wimbledon, the Superbowl, the Masters, the Rugby World Cup, and so much more.

What Governments Have Been Doing

Many tourism boards have taken it upon themselves to help promote such events. It makes sense, the benefits that come with hosting events are huge and tourism boards worldwide have a wide audience and the tools to market them.

Take Visit Scotland (opens in a new tab) for example, they have a department dedicated to event funding across the country and have also introduced an ‘Events Recovery Fund’ to help spark the comeback from the pandemic. The funding is available for international events held in Scotland, domestic events, winter festivals, The Scottish Clans & Historical Figures Event Fund, and more! Not only that, but the tourist board also promotes said events on the dedicated section of their website and via their social media channels.

It’s not new though, with other governments pumping funding into their tourism sectors in a bid to fund, create, promote, and host events once again. Visit Britain (opens in a new tab) have introduced a Business Events Growth Programme, Hong Kong’s government (opens in a new tab) injected funds in the hope that ‘high spending groups return sooner’, and South Australia’s government offers several levels of financial support for various sizes of regional events.

How to Market Your Niche Event

For those who are looking to host their small regional event, there are a few general guidelines you can follow. After you have secured your funding, it’s time to promote it. The marketing strategy will differ depending on the type of event, but here are some broad tips to get you started:

1) Make your event look inviting . Whether you’re promoting your event via social media, your website, in a shop window, on online boards, you want to sell your event with a creative, enticing description. This description could be the deciding factor between someone going to your event or walking away from it.

• The description should be clear, imagine you’ve never heard of your event before, then describe it as concisely as you can.
• Break up the text, no one likes chunky paragraphs, especially when reading online. Add an FAQ section, make sure you cover all the questions you feel any possible
• attendee would have to dispel any doubts and encourage a smooth booking process.

2) Ensure your posts are SEO-friendly. Having the correct headlines in place, meta titles/data, permalinks, and strategically placed keywords throughout your descriptions are imperative to help drive organic traffic to your website. There is endless material online to help get the basics down.

3) Expand your horizons and look to post/promote your event on influencers pages (opens in a new tab) . Influencers these days have extensive reach and if you find someone suitable that will promote to your audience, it will only do you good. Another option is Facebook groups. Nowadays, there’s a Facebook group for everything and if you find one that fits into your niche event, get posting! If your event celebrates the country’s culture, consider searching for foreigners living in that country. It’s a great opportunity to market to a precise target audience.

Events play an important role in tourism for many reasons but aside from the financial aspect, events bring people together in celebration of culture, sport, music, food and drink, and more. If you’re creating your own event, good luck, and if you’re attending a local event or heading off worldwide, enjoy it!

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What is events tourism mean: Definition, evolution, and research

Related Papers

Tourism management

Gunka IsmyLova

sonia amrizal

Edited by two leading scholars in the field, this is the first title in a new Routledge Major Works series, Critical Concepts in Tourism. It is a four-volume collection of canonical and cutting-edge research in event tourism. The origins of event tourism as a topic of serious academic interest are comparatively recent. The subject is largely a postwar development which began especially to unfold in the 1970s, not least in response to a growing interest and recognition of the potential value of events to economies, societies, and their cultures, as well as to environmental regeneration. In part, the continued evolution of the subject has arisen from the development of convention and exhibition management as cognate areas but, through time, policy-makers, planners, and destination managers became aware of the potentially significant and wide role of events in specific localities, ranging in scale from the Olympic Games to community festivals. Event tourism is now a vibrant and dynamic field of study and research, and the sheer scale of the growth in its output makes this Routledge collection especially timely. A wide range of social-science journals have published material about event tourism and this new Major Work makes available foundational pieces of scholarship—as well as cutting-edge research—from these disparate, and sometimes less accessible sources, as well as from the leading UK, European, and North American tourism journals, and from other hard-to-find publications. As well as bringing together the key studies and journal articles that have shaped serious thought about event tourism, the collection will be welcomed as the first mapping of an area that to date has lacked an interdisciplinary synthesis. The thematic organization of the collection, together with the editors' introductions and their commentaries on the collected texts, will make sense of the wide range of approaches, theories, and concepts that have informed event tourism, and will review the history of the subject and the rise of its identity and research agenda. It is an essential collection destined to be valued as a vital research resource by all scholars and students of the subject.

Paulo Duarte

In the last decades, the effect of globalization on world tourism has led to increased competition between destinations in search for the optimal positioning. In this scenario events have become an essential element in the tourism development of destinations, attract visitors, encourage investment, improve image and boost the local economy. This article’s main objective is to expand the knowledge of this phenomenon from a theoretical and conceptual viewpoint based on an extensive review of the literature. The findings help to strengthen and synthetize the basic knowledge on events, the influence on destination image and positioning strategies, being valid for both researchers and destination managers.

Event Tourism and Cultural Tourism

Larry Dwyer

Sonja Zlatanov

IAR Consorium

IARCON Journals

The social sub-areas of leisure and tourism not only have similarities in their origins, but also similar motives for pursuing them. The increasing interest of the population in both areas as well as the urge for experiences and adventures and the change from a material-to a post-material-oriented society, finds its satisfaction in leisure time as well as in tourism. Due to the new experience society, events in tourism are becoming more and more important in order to offer something artificial, short-term and special in addition to the permanent, long-term tourist offer. The aim of this study is to make a comprehensive inventory of the relationship between leisure, tourism and events in order t o create recommendations for action. The method used in this study was a review of the relevant literature. In analysing various research findings, it was discovered that in the past, leisure time served to regenerate, to restore one's full working capacity. Today it is the other way round, work and its accompanying wages are needed to finance leisure time and to achieve and maintain economic security. As a result, the use of leisure time becomes the purpose of life, people no longer define themselves exclusively by the job they do and the work they have done, but also seek success and recognition through the experiences they have in their leisure time. People find the self-experience they are looking for in their leisure time. They contribute several elements to the emergence of tourism through their complex and comprehensive synergy. Holidays and travel remain one of the most important leisure activities for citizens. T he experience orientation and the increasingly lifestyle-oriented society point to a positive future for tourism. Due to the new experience society, events are becoming increasingly important in tourism. Events are crowd pullers. T hey are an important touristic and economic factor for cities and regions-but only if they convince through perfectly staged worlds of experience and high entertainment value. Factors that have had an impact on tourism and its development can be summarised as follows: social development and the resulting change in values, the general increase in leisure activities, and the increase in tourism-motivated travel.

Frederic Dimanche

Yona Dalonso

DR. Andriani Kusumawati

The importance of events for urban development is discussed by many experts. This paper emphasizes the event tourism industry and its impact on the economy and local communities. In this article, some cases from the literature of event tourism and their findings were reviewed. This paper examines the important factors affecting the role of event tourism and its progress and prospects for the tourism and hospitality industry. Specifically, this paper aims to investigate the importance of tourism events to promote urban development. A model is proposed based on the concept of shared economy as well as shared values related to the tourism and hospitality industry. The overall conclusion is that city events affect the host community primarily by increasing the sharing economy. The cash addition is important but not at the level that could trigger city development. Thus, the impact on the local people must be central to event management for promoting destination development. Further rese...

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Exploring Event Tourism: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Its Significance

By eventswow.

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Event tourism is one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors around the world. As the popularity of events continues to grow, so does the demand for knowledgeable and expert event tourism professionals. In this blog post, we will provide you with the necessary information to understand event tourism and its significance. We will discuss the different types of event tourism, their origins, and the benefits they offer. Additionally, we will provide you with a guide to choosing the right event for you and tips on how to make the most of your event tourism experience. By understanding event tourism, you can enjoy a unique and exciting experience without having to worry about the logistics. So stay tuned, because, in this blog post, we are going to explore everything you need to know about event tourism!

What is event tourism?

Event tourism is the fastest-growing tourism sector in the world. It refers to tourism that is derived from events, such as concerts, sporting events, conventions, and exhibitions. It has become a popular way to experience new locations and cultures.

Event tourism offers a unique opportunity to connect with people from all over the world. It can also be a great way to make money. By attending events, you can earn money by selling tickets, merchandise, and services. You can also make money by being a host or organizer of an event.

Event tourism is growing rapidly because it is a cost-effective way to travel. You can travel to new locations without having to spend a lot of money. You can also travel to locations that you would not be able to visit otherwise.

What are the benefits of event tourism?

Event tourism has become a booming business in recent years. This type of tourism is defined as tourism that takes place during special events, such as conventions, trade shows, sporting events, and concerts. Not only are these events exciting and entertaining, but they also provide a unique opportunity for travelers to experience different parts of the world.

There are a number of reasons why event tourism is becoming so popular. For starters, these types of events tend to be much more affordable than traditional tourism destinations. Additionally, event tourism offers a unique opportunity to see a destination in a way that is not normally possible. For example, attend a trade show in China and you’ll be able to see some of the most iconic brands in the world.

There are also a number of benefits to staying in a destination while attending an event. For example, you’ll be able to get a sense of the local culture and learn about the local cuisine. Additionally, you’ll be able to experience the city in a new way and make connections with locals that you may not have otherwise.

If you’re interested in exploring event tourism, then you’ll want to read our guide to understand its significance. In this guide, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know about event tourism and its potential benefits.

What are the challenges of event tourism?

Event tourism has been on the rise for years and it’s only going to continue to grow. In this article, we’ll explore some of the challenges of event tourism and how to overcome them.

Some of the key challenges of event tourism include the following:

1. High investment cost

2. Complexity of event planning

3. Limited availability of quality venues

4. Scalability of event tourism

5. Lack of awareness about event tourism

6. Lack of infrastructure

7. Lack of skilled manpower

In order to overcome these challenges, it’s important to have a well-thought-out plan and to have the right resources in place. Additionally, it’s essential to promote event tourism in order to create awareness and attract tourists.

Why is it so popular?

Event tourism has been growing in popularity over the past few years, and for good reason! It offers a unique experience that can’t be found anywhere else. Here are a few reasons why event tourism is so important:

Event tourism is a great way to boost the economy. When tourists come to your city to attend an event, it creates jobs and revenue for the businesses and restaurants that are in the area.

Event tourism is a great way to promote city pride. When tourists come to your city to attend an event, it shows off your city in a positive light and can help to attract new businesses and residents to the area.

Event tourism is a great way to increase tourism. When tourists come to your city to attend an event, it increases the number of people who visit your city and spends money on your local economy.

How can event tourism be managed?

Event tourism is an industry that is growing by leaps and bounds, and it is no wonder why. It offers a unique experience that cannot be found anywhere else. Whether you are a tourist or business owner, understanding the importance of event tourism is essential.

Event tourism is any tourism that takes place due to an event. Whether it’s a music festival, a sporting event, or a convention, event tourism is on the rise and it has a lot of benefits for both the tourist and the economy.

The first benefit of event tourism is that it creates jobs. This is not only true for the tourism industry but also for the catering and retail sectors. Event tourism is a huge industry and it benefits everyone who is involved.

The second benefit of event tourism is that it boosts the economy. When people come to a destination to attend an event, they spend money. This money is spent in the local economy and it stimulates the economy. Not only does this boost the local economy, but it also creates more jobs.

Event tourism also has a positive impact on the environment. When people attend an event, they usually stay at the destination for a longer period of time. This means that they are not spending their money on transportation, and they are not spending their money on hotels. This has a positive impact on the environment because it reduces the amount of pollution that is produced.

How can event tourism be developed?

Event tourism is an industry that is growing at an exponential rate, with new opportunities being created every day. As events become more and more popular, event tourism is becoming a viable option for many businesses. This is due in part to the fact that event tourism is a very affordable way to bring in new customers and generate additional revenue.

When exploring event tourism, it’s important to first understand its significance. Event tourism is the tourism of events. It refers to the travel of people to attend events, whether they are local or international events.

There are a number of benefits to event tourism. For businesses, event tourism can be a very cost-effective way to bring in new customers and generate additional revenue. Not only is it a great way to boost your image, but it’s also a great way to build relationships with new customers.

Event tourism can also be a very lucrative business. In some cases, event tourism can be more lucrative than traditional tourism. For example, some businesses have found that they can generate more revenue from event tourism than they can from traditional tourism.

What are the future trends of event tourism?

Event tourism has been on the rise for a few years now and there are plenty of reasons for it. The recent recession has definitely played a part in this as people have been looking for ways to save money and enjoy the things they love at the same time.

Another reason event tourism has been on the rise is because of the way technology has been changing. With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, people are more inclined to take pictures and videos of their experiences and post them online. This not only helps promote the event but also attracts other tourists who are looking for new and exciting destinations to visit.

Event tourism is quickly becoming one of the most important sectors in the travel industry. As the world becomes ever more connected, people are looking for opportunities to explore new and different cultures. This has led to the growth of event tourism, which is now one of the most popular tourist destinations around the world.

In this article, we will explore the importance of event tourism and provide you with a guide to understanding its significance. We will also provide you with tips on how to maximize your event tourism potential. Finally, we will provide you with a conclusion outlining the key points covered in this article.

Event tourism has a number of benefits for businesses and consumers alike. For businesses, event tourism can be a great way to attract new customers and boost revenue. For consumers, event tourism can be a great way to explore new and different cultures.

We hope you enjoyed our blog post exploring event tourism. Event tourism is a growing industry, and it’s important to understand its significance in order to capitalize on its potential. In this post, we outlined the different types of event tourism, as well as the benefits and challenges of each. We also provided a few tips on how to maximize the benefits of event tourism for your business. Thanks for reading, and we hope you’ll join us on our upcoming event tourism adventures!

We welcome any suggestions or questions. You can  email us  or  contact us  using the contact page.

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Event tourism: Definition, evolution and research

Author: getz, donald.

This article reviews 'event tourism' as both professional practice and a field of academic study. The origins and evolution of research on event tourism are pinpointed through both chronological and thematic literature reviews. A conceptual model of the core phenomenon and key themes in event tourism studies is provided as a framework for spurring theoretical advancement, identifying research gaps, and assisting professional practice. Conclusions are in two parts: a discussion of implications for the practice of event management and tourism, and implications are drawn for advancing theory in event tourism. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Festival and event, tourism

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Event tourism is both a field of study and a globally significant sector of the economy. It can be defined and studied by reference to its supply side (Getz 2012 , 2013 ). Event tourism at a destination level is the development and marketing of planned events as tourist attractions, catalysts, animators, image makers, and place marketers. This process includes bidding on, facilitating and creating events, and the management of portfolios of events as destination assets. For individual events, event tourism means taking a marketing orientation to attract tourists, sometimes as an additional segment and sometimes as the core business. When tourists are the core business, “destination events” are created. From the demand side, event tourism refers to the propensity of travel to attend events, both on the part of dedicated event tourists who are motivated to travel for specific events and other tourists who attend events while away from home (Getz 2012 , 2013 ).

There are four main sectors of...

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Getz, D. 2012 Event Studies: Theory, Research and Policy for Planned Events. Oxon: Routledge.

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Getz, D. 2013 Event Tourism: Concepts, International Case Studies, and Research. New York: Cognizant.

Getz, D., and T. Andersson 2010 The Event-tourist Career Trajectory: A Study of High-involvement Amateur Distance Runners. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism 19:468-491.

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Hinch, T., and J. Higham 2011 Sport Tourism Development. Clevedon: Channel View.

Picard, D., and M. Robinson (eds.) 2006 Festivals, Tourism and Social Change: Remaking Worlds. Clevedon: Channel View.

Richards, G., and R. Palmer 2012 Eventful Cities: Cultural Management and Urban Revitalization. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Ritchie, J., and D. Beliveau 1974 Hallmark Events: An Evaluation of a Strategic Response to Seasonality in the Travel Market. Journal of Travel Research 13(2):14-20.

Vanhove, D., and S. Witt 1987 Report of the English-speaking Group on the Conference Theme. Revue de Tourisme 42(4):10-12.

Weber, K., and K. Chon (eds.) 2002 Convention Tourism: International Research and Industry Perspectives. New York: Haworth.

Weed, M. 2008 Olympic Tourism. Oxford: Elsevier.

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Honggen Xiao

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Getz, D. (2014). Festival and event, tourism. In: Jafari, J., Xiao, H. (eds) Encyclopedia of Tourism. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01669-6_84-1

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Event tourism – impact and types.

The tourism world is dynamic and has evolved in many ways, and one of the many changes is the increase in event tourism, now more than ever. Travelers from all age groups are choosing to attend or participate in events to enhance their travel experiences. From sporting events to music festivals, and conference meetings to outstation weddings, tourism events have become an integral part of the industry. 

Event tourism provides travelers with unique and memorable experiences and brings significant economic and social benefits to the host destination. Event tourism can generate revenue for residents, create new job opportunities and promote the local culture and tradition of the destination.

It's time to explore event tourism in more detail. We will talk about the benefits of event tourism for both travelers and destinations, the different types of events that fall under the umbrella of event tourism, and the challenges and opportunities involved in planning and hosting successful events. Whether you're a traveler looking for a new adventure or a destination seeking to boost your tourism industry, this article will provide valuable insights into the exciting world of event tourism.

This valuable and drastically growing segment in tourism is beneficial for both event organizers as well as tourists.

Types of Tourism Events

Types of events in tourism may widely fall into different categories and experiences. 

1. Cultural or Festival Event Tourism Fair

These events include celebrations, exhibitions, and festivals that showcase the culture and traditions of the host destination. Suggested Read:  Diversity of Festivals and Events in Western Australia

2. Sports Event Tourism

Sports Tourism exhibition is one of the fastest-growing tourism in the travel industry. It has been observed that more and more travelers are interested in sports activities or events during their trips. This may or may not be the main objective of travel. Sports events are of different types and varieties and attract participants and spectators—Mega Sports events such as the Olympics, World Cup, NBA, IPL, and many others. Smaller events like marathons, relay races, run for charity and other events also come under this category. Such Tourism also calls for infrastructure development and other economic benefits.

3. Business Events

Business Events tourism, popularly known as MICE( Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions), is a more limited and focused subset of regular tourism. People are still at their job and are getting paid but are doing so away from their workplaces. Such events are good for networking, marketing, and education. Business event tourism, in comparison to conventional tourism, involves a smaller segment of the population, with distinct objectives and extra freedom-of-choice-limiting limitations imposed by the commercial components. Business tourist destinations are far more likely to be locations that have been heavily developed for corporate purposes (cities, industrial regions, etc.). A typical business tourist is wealthier than a typical leisure visitor and are anticipated to spend more money. Suggested Read:  Exploring Business Opportunities, Culture, and Economic Growth in Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030

4. Music and Entertainment Events

Music and Entertainment Event Tourism is the fastest-growing travel trend observed in the new generation. We can see people traveling miles and miles to watch their favorite performers perform live on the stage. Music Tourism is a subset of the vaster category of tourism called cultural and festival tourism, which encompasses travel to observe the festival focusing on the theme of food, beverage, movie, and literature. These festivals include concerts, theater festivals, comedy shows, and other entertainment events.

5. Spiritual and Religious Tourism

These events include pilgrimage, religious festivals and other spiritual gatherings organized around people's religious and spiritual beliefs. Hajj and Umrah are the biggest examples of religious tourism.

6. Travel Trade Shows

Travel trade shows are where suppliers get to meet their buyers on an individual basis. Destinations, accommodations, and attractions are suppliers; travel trade is buyers. Such events are 2 – 3 days long and are most often made up of short appointments with suppliers. These trade shows are also popularly known as travel exhibitions.

Here are some valuable insights into the exciting world of Tourism Events

Economic Benefits

Event tourism can have a significant impact on the economy. It helps generate revenue for businesses such as hotels, restaurants, transportation services, and local vendors. Additionally, events can create job opportunities for residents.

Social Benefits

Events and festival tourism have the potential to bring people together under one shade. Events can be an excellent opportunity for cultural exchange and social intervention. Events can also promote community development, especially in rural areas where tourists can visit during the events to explore the destination's culture.

Environmental Impact

Everything has advantages and disadvantages; thus, there can be good and bad environmental effects. The positive impact of event tourism can include raising environmental awareness, encouraging sustainable behaviors, and supporting local conservation initiatives. In contrast, the negative impact might have increased waste output, energy consumption, and emissions.

Safety and Security

Safety and security are essential considerations for event tourism, as they can impact the experience of attendees, the reputation of the event, and the safety of the local community.

Marketing and Promotion

Marketing and promotions are essential to event tourism as they are the conversation starters. They help to generate awareness and interest to attract attendees and maximize revenue. 

Innovation and Creativity

Incorporating innovation and creativity into event tourism may aid in creating one-of-a-kind and unforgettable experiences that attract tourists to a region. Event planners can create events that stand out and give something unique and intriguing to guests by harnessing technology, sustainable practices, cultural authenticity, and cooperation. Suggested Read:  Types Of Tour Operators

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. when is world tourism day celebrated.

A1. World Tourism Day is celebrated on every year on 27 September.

Q2. What activities can be done on World Tourism Day?

A2. World Tourism Day Activities include can be:

• Travel without moving: visit the neighborhoods of migrant populations, tasting and learning about various cultures!
• Workshops: Participate in workshops that will help you gain insights into the travel industry.
• Travel Literally: Travel to a destination on your bucket list and post a picture on social media.

Q3. What is event tourism packaging?

A3. There is no physical packaging around a product in tourism packaging. On the other hand, the packaging is the act of putting together the core tourist product with additional services the traveler desires. Then this package is promoted to the target travelers who can easily purchase the curated holiday experience.

Q4. What are the different types of tourism activities?

A4. Cultural tourism, sports events, business events, travel trade shows, music and entertainment, and spiritual journeys are some of the top tourism activities.

Q5. What are the features of event tourism?

A5. Economic benefits, social benefits, environmental impact, safety and security, marketing promotions, innovation and creativity are the features of event tourism.

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The Encyclopedia of Tourism Management and Marketing is, quite simply, the definitive reference work in the field. Carefully curated by leading tourism scholar Dimitrios Buhalis, this is the largest tourism management and marketing ontology that has ever been put together and offers a holistic examination of this interdisciplinary field.

Use the Search within Book (below right) or browse the list of entries alphabetically to navigate over 1200 entries from leading international scholars.

An invaluable resource for academics, students and practitioners providing an ideal starting point for any research journey. The concise entries present an accessible and condensed overview of each topic and the selected references that follow each entry suggest directions for further detailed exploration.

Although numerous prefixes can be attached to ‘tourism’ to describe special-interest markets, one of the most important is that of ‘event tourism’. It is both an applied field of study and a globally significant sector of the economy. Subdivisions relate to either the form of event (e.g., festival or sport, entertainment or exhibition), industry-related classifications (e.g., the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions [MICE] or business-events sector, leisure and cultural events) or functions (e.g., employing modifiers like mega, major, hallmark, iconic, destination, signature). Events of all kinds have grown to be substantial components in destination and country attractiveness, so much so that it is normal for cities and tourism organizations to have professionals assigned to event bidding, production and servicing events, and increasingly to strategic event portfolio management ( Getz, 2008 , 2013 ).

Event tourism can be defined and studied by reference to supply, demand and context. At the destination level, specific to tourism marketing, the focus is on the various roles that events can play: as attractions (i.e., destination events), catalysts (a role normally associated with mega events and their related infrastructure investments), animators of public spaces, central areas and redevelopment precincts, image p. 159 makers and place marketers (with co-branding of events and destinations or cities being a primary aim).

The stakeholders involved in promoting event tourism are numerous, including the entire travel and hospitality sectors as well as venues for sport, entertainment, conventions and exhibitions, arts and culture. Individual events might be small and community oriented, yet, even to them, event tourism means potential demand and profit. Major one-time and periodic events almost always take a marketing orientation that targets both loyal resident audiences and tourists. For many venues and events, tourism is a core business, and it is facilitated by dedicated event development or bidding corporations, teams with visitor and convention bureaus, and, of course, the permanent sales and marketing functions of convention bureaus and exhibition centres.

Event tourism also has a demand-side definition, based on the propensity of people to travel to planned events of all kinds: event tourism is travel to attend events, both on the part of dedicated event tourists who are motivated to travel for specific events and other tourists who attend events while away from home. It has been impossible to ignore the rise of event tourism and its importance to cities and destinations around the world, giving rise to ‘eventful cities’ ( Richards and Palmer, 2012 ), and, in some cases, to ‘over-tourism’. Bringing this phenomenon into sharp focus was the pandemic of 2020, which resulted in the rescheduling or cancellation of innumerable events, ranging from the smallest of private functions to the Olympics, alongside devastating impacts on the entire travel and hospitality sectors. Indicating their economic and social importance, and the almost unlimited demand for them, major periodic events were some of the last to be cancelled, leading to quicker spread of COVID-19; both informal and formal mass gatherings were held in defiance of legal restrictions and health recommendations, and almost all major periodic and global mega events announced 2021 rescheduling despite great uncertainty about feasibility. Sports leagues took great pains to hold events in ‘bubbles’ or without audiences. Festivals and entertainment producers went online, greatly accelerating the trend for virtual events – mostly not as replacements but to sustain audience interest and raise money.

The anticipated resilience of the events sector as a whole will become evident as the pandemic subsides, but not without many bankruptcies and perhaps major structural changes to event populations. As advocated by Antchak, Ziakas and Getz (2019 ), the impacts of the pandemic will accelerate the need for event portfolio management, replacing the almost-universal emphasis of practitioners, researchers and teachers on single-event management and marketing.

Getz (2013 , p. 18), has developed a framework for understanding and researching event tourism by identifying the core phenomena as ‘events as attractions, the event-tourist experience and meanings attached’. It might be thought of as a system defined in terms of supply and demand, but which ignores many social, cultural and environmental issues. To the suppliers and marketers of event tourism it is business, either for private hospitality and tourist servicing companies, venues that host events, cities and destinations pursuing growth or renewal and repositioning, and government agencies and not-for-profit organizations pursuing tourist segments for a variety of reasons related to efficiency, revenue generation or within the framework of policy fields such as cultural and community development. Their goals provide the meanings, although negative impacts and over-tourism can become problems to solve or limits on growth. Event tourism is also important to residents of host communities in the form of non-use values, including the importance citizens assign to tourism as a wealth generator, catalyst for leisure developments, new entertainment choices of preservers and enhancers of valued traditions.

Antecedents to the event tourist experience are complex. The general motivations behind travel apply, both seeking and escaping, but there are many special interests that must be examined. In this context, the event travel career trajectory has been theorized and a considerable body of empirical evidence exists to support its main hypotheses ( Getz and Andersson, 2020 ). For the highly involved person in any sport, hobby, lifestyle pursuit, profession or social world there are events that cater to their particular needs and preferences as well as ‘iconic’ events that hold symbolic meaning for them apart from the anticipation and decision making, travel to and from, and on-site enjoyment. The reasons and therefore the meanings are diverse. Business travellers seek learning and marketing opportunities, amateur athletes pursue challenges as part of p. 160 their personal growth and development, music lovers want to hear their favourite group or mix with kindred spirits, and so on. The event experience, co-created among organizers, performers, participants and audiences, is similarly diverse and may be a simple matter of hedonistic fun or a process of personal and social identity building and reinforcement. Because there are so many event types, settings and audience segments, the range of experiences and meanings is very wide.

Planning, design and marketing of event tourism was once very straightforward, consisting of positive imagery and messages to attract tourists or normal sales processes within venues and at individual events. Very few destination management organizations (DMOs) do more than market events, but an increasing number also produce their own events and manage event portfolios.

The event tourism portfolio, first advocated and illustrated in a pyramid model by Getz (1997 ) represents the future of event tourism marketing and development (see the entry ‘Event Portfolio’ in this Encyclopedia ). The original pyramid model illustrates both an idealized event tourism portfolio and possible measures of value for designing and managing event tourism at the destination level, a community-oriented portfolio that eliminates the mega event and stresses a different set of values. Mega events have increasingly been criticized for their high costs and negative impacts and are entirely inappropriate when the purpose of an event portfolio is to foster community development, social integration or cultural identity. This is not to say that tourism and community interests cannot be combined, but it is important to emphasize that in most cities it will be necessary to foster networks and collaboration to manage overlapping event portfolios with different mandates. This represents a major challenge to policy makers, event producers and marketers.

The expanded version shown in the figure features the main roles of events in tourism, incorporating possible measures of value and reference to the main types of events within a portfolio management context (i.e., balance, diversification and synergies).

p. 161 The outcomes of event tourism must be evaluated from multiple perspectives, reflecting the goals and meanings attached to events and tourism by all stakeholders. Impact assessment has been dominated by economic concerns, most notably the application of multipliers to tourist expenditure and other event-dependent monetary income for destinations – often leading to exaggerated benefits and discounted or ignored costs. This has been especially true for mega events (McGillivray and Turner, 2017; Zimbalist, 2015 ), which have become highly politicized in many cities and countries. Traditional impact assessment methods have also largely ignored equity issues such as who gains (generally perceived to be various elite groups) and who pays the price (leading to taxpayer opposition) for hosting events. Social and cultural impact assessment has caught up to economics in terms of methods and measures, while ecological impact assessment for tourism and events lags far behind. The incommensurability problem, pitting monetary measures of impact against (for example) resident opinions or concerns

Event portfolio pyramid

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about cultural commodification, means that a completely different approach to evaluation and impact assessment is required.

With regard to patterns and processes , policy directly impacts on event tourism, both in terms of tangible and political support, often linked to ideology and its strategic linkages with various policy domains. As event portfolio management grows in sophistication, tourism must synchronize with culture, social policy and environmental priorities. The spatial dimensions of event tourism are important in this context, related to where events are held (some settings being off-limits – for example, for conservation purposes – and others preferred for reasons of regional development). The temporal dimensions are relevant when it comes to the role of events and tourism in overcoming seasonality of demand, and also with regard to the evolution of events and their individual life cycles – can these be managed within portfolios?

The final process in the framework is that of knowledge creation , much of which is practical marketing and impact assessment in nature, but increasingly there is a need for research and theory development on how events and tourism can serve social, cultural and environmental policies.

Antchak , V. , Ziakas , V. and Getz , D. ( 2019 ), Event Portfolio Management , Oxford: Goodfellow Publishers.

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Getz , D. ( 1997 ), Event Management and Event Tourism , New York: Cognizant Communication Corporation.

Getz , D. ( 2008 ), ‘Progress in tourism management event tourism: definition, evolution, and research’ , Tourism Management , 29 , 403 – 428 .

Getz , D. ( 2013 ), Event Tourism: Concepts, International Case Studies, and Research , New York: Cognizant Communication Corporation.

Getz , D. and Andersson , T. ( 2020 ), ‘Testing and developing the event travel career trajectory in multiple participation sports’ , Journal of Sport and Tourism , 24 ( 3 ), 155 – 176 .

McGillvray , D. and Turner , D. ( 2017 ), Event Bidding: Politics, Persuasion and Resistance , Abingdon : Routledge .

Richards , G. and Palmer , R. ( 2012 ), Eventful Cities: Cultural Management and Urban Revitalisation , Oxford : Butterworth-Heinemann .

Zimbalist , A. ( 2015 ), Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup , Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press.

Table of Contents

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Event tourism: Definition, evolution, and research

Citation Count

Progress and prospects for event tourism research

Creativity and tourism: the state of the art, the nature and scope of festival studies, what makes an event a mega-event definitions and sizes, bibliometric studies in tourism, flow: the psychology of optimal experience, the ritual process : structure and anti-structure, the rites of passage, the experience economy : work is theatre & every business a stage, the ritual process. structure and anti-structure, related papers (5), motives of visitors attending festival events., event studies: theory, research and policy for planned events, event management and event tourism, assessing the impact of hallmark events: conceptual and research issues.

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Ethics, culture and social responsibility.

• Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
• Accessible Tourism

Tourism and Culture

• Women’s Empowerment and Tourism

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The convergence between tourism and culture, and the increasing interest of visitors in cultural experiences, bring unique opportunities but also complex challenges for the tourism sector.

“Tourism policies and activities should be conducted with respect for the artistic, archaeological and cultural heritage, which they should protect and pass on to future generations; particular care should be devoted to preserving monuments, worship sites, archaeological and historic sites as well as upgrading museums which must be widely open and accessible to tourism visits”

UN Tourism Framework Convention on Tourism Ethics

Article 7, paragraph 2

This webpage provides UN Tourism resources aimed at strengthening the dialogue between tourism and culture and an informed decision-making in the sphere of cultural tourism. It also promotes the exchange of good practices showcasing inclusive management systems and innovative cultural tourism experiences .  

About Cultural Tourism

According to the definition adopted by the UN Tourism General Assembly, at its 22nd session (2017), Cultural Tourism implies “A type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s essential motivation is to learn, discover, experience and consume the tangible and intangible cultural attractions/products in a tourism destination. These attractions/products relate to a set of distinctive material, intellectual, spiritual and emotional features of a society that encompasses arts and architecture, historical and cultural heritage, culinary heritage, literature, music, creative industries and the living cultures with their lifestyles, value systems, beliefs and traditions”. UN Tourism provides support to its members in strengthening cultural tourism policy frameworks, strategies and product development . It also provides guidelines for the tourism sector in adopting policies and governance models that benefit all stakeholders, while promoting and preserving cultural elements.

Recommendations for Cultural Tourism Key Players on Accessibility 

UN Tourism , Fundación ONCE and UNE issued in September 2023, a set of guidelines targeting key players of the cultural tourism ecosystem, who wish to make their offerings more accessible.

The key partners in the drafting and expert review process were the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT) . The ICOMOS experts’ input was key in covering crucial action areas where accessibility needs to be put in the spotlight, in order to make cultural experiences more inclusive for all people.

This guidance tool is also framed within the promotion of the ISO Standard ISO 21902 , in whose development UN Tourism had one of the leading roles.

Download here the English and Spanish version of the Recommendations.

Compendium of Good Practices in Indigenous Tourism

The report is primarily meant to showcase good practices championed by indigenous leaders and associations from the Region. However, it also includes a conceptual introduction to different aspects of planning, management and promotion of a responsible and sustainable indigenous tourism development.

The compendium also sets forward a series of recommendations targeting public administrations, as well as a list of tips promoting a responsible conduct of tourists who decide to visit indigenous communities.

For downloads, please visit the UN Tourism E-library page: Download in English - Download in Spanish .

Weaving the Recovery - Indigenous Women in Tourism

This initiative, which gathers UN Tourism , t he World Indigenous Tourism Alliance (WINTA) , Centro de las Artes Indígenas (CAI) and the NGO IMPACTO , was selected as one of the ten most promising projects amoung 850+ initiatives to address the most pressing global challenges. The project will test different methodologies in pilot communities, starting with Mexico , to enable indigenous women access markets and demonstrate their leadership in the post-COVID recovery.

This empowerment model , based on promoting a responsible tourism development, cultural transmission and fair-trade principles, will represent a novel community approach with a high global replication potential.

Visit the Weaving the Recovery - Indigenous Women in Tourism project webpage.

Inclusive Recovery of Cultural Tourism

The release of the guidelines comes within the context of the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development 2021 , a UN initiative designed to recognize how culture and creativity, including cultural tourism, can contribute to advancing the SDGs.  

UN Tourism Inclusive Recovery Guide, Issue 4: Indigenous Communities

Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism

The Recommendations on Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism provide guidance to tourism stakeholders to develop their operations in a responsible and sustainable manner within those indigenous communities that wish to:

• Open up to tourism development, or
• Improve the management of the existing tourism experiences within their communities.

They were prepared by the UN Tourism Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department in close consultation with indigenous tourism associations, indigenous entrepreneurs and advocates. The Recommendations were endorsed by the World Committee on Tourism Ethics and finally adopted by the UN Tourism General Assembly in 2019, as a landmark document of the Organization in this sphere.

Who are these Recommendations targeting?

• Tour operators and travel agencies
• Tour guides
• Indigenous communities
• Other stakeholders such as governments, policy makers and destinations

The Recommendations address some of the key questions regarding indigenous tourism:

Download PDF:

• Recommendations on Sustainable Development of Indigenous Tourism
• Recomendaciones sobre el desarrollo sostenible del turismo indígena, ESP

UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conferences on Tourism and Culture

The UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conferences on Tourism and Culture bring together Ministers of Tourism and Ministers of Culture with the objective to identify key opportunities and challenges for a stronger cooperation between these highly interlinked fields. Gathering tourism and culture stakeholders from all world regions the conferences which have been hosted by Cambodia, Oman, Türkiye and Japan have addressed a wide range of topics, including governance models, the promotion, protection and safeguarding of culture, innovation, the role of creative industries and urban regeneration as a vehicle for sustainable development in destinations worldwide.

Fourth UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture: Investing in future generations. Kyoto, Japan. 12-13 December 2019 Kyoto Declaration on Tourism and Culture: Investing in future generations ( English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Japanese )

Third UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture : For the Benefit of All. Istanbul, Türkiye. 3 -5 December 2018 Istanbul Declaration on Tourism and Culture: For the Benefit of All ( English , French , Spanish , Arabic , Russian )

Second UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference’s on Tourism and Culture: Fostering Sustainable Development. Muscat, Sultanate of Oman. 11-12 December 2017 Muscat Declaration on Tourism and Culture: Fostering Sustainable Development ( English , French , Spanish , Arabic , Russian )

First UN Tourism/UNESCO World Conference’s on Tourism and Culture: Building a new partnership. Siem Reap, Cambodia. 4-6 February 2015 Siem Reap Declaration on Tourism and Culture – Building a New Partnership Model ( English )

UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage  

The first UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage provides comprehensive baseline research on the interlinkages between tourism and the expressions and skills that make up humanity’s intangible cultural heritage (ICH). 

Through a compendium of case studies drawn from across five continents, the report offers in-depth information on, and analysis of, government-led actions, public-private partnerships and community initiatives.

These practical examples feature tourism development projects related to six pivotal areas of ICH: handicrafts and the visual arts; gastronomy; social practices, rituals and festive events; music and the performing arts; oral traditions and expressions; and, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe.

Highlighting innovative forms of policy-making, the UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage recommends specific actions for stakeholders to foster the sustainable and responsible development of tourism by incorporating and safeguarding intangible cultural assets.

UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage

• UN Tourism Study
• Summary of the Study

Studies and research on tourism and culture commissioned by UN Tourism

• Tourism and Culture Synergies, 2018
• UN Tourism Study on Tourism and Intangible Cultural Heritage, 2012
• Big Data in Cultural Tourism – Building Sustainability and Enhancing Competitiveness (e-unwto.org)

Outcomes from the UN Tourism Affiliate Members World Expert Meeting on Cultural Tourism, Madrid, Spain, 1–2 December 2022

UN Tourism and the Region of Madrid – through the Regional Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Sports – held the World Expert Meeting on Cultural Tourism in Madrid on 1 and 2 December 2022. The initiative reflects the alliance and common commitment of the two partners to further explore the bond between tourism and culture. This publication is the result of the collaboration and discussion between the experts at the meeting, and subsequent contributions.

Relevant Links

• 3RD UN Tourism/UNESCO WORLD CONFERENCE ON TOURISM AND CULTURE ‘FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL’

Photo credit of the Summary's cover page:  www.banglanatak.com

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Chapter 6. Events, Culture, Heritage, and Sport (Entertainment)

6.1 Festivals and Events

When travellers enter Canada, there is a good chance they will be asked at the border, “What is the nature of your trip?” Whether the answer is for business, leisure, or visiting friends and relatives, there’s a possibility that travellers will participate in some of the following activities (as listed in the Statistics Canada International Travel Survey):

• Attend a festival or fair, or other cultural events
• Visit a zoo, aquarium, botanical garden, historic site, national park, museum, or art gallery
• Watch sports or participate in gaming

These activities fall under the realm of entertainment as it relates to tourism. Documenting every activity that could be on a tourist’s to-do list would be nearly impossible, for what one traveler would find entertaining, another may not. This chapter focuses on the major components of arts, entertainment, and attractions, including motion pictures, video exhibitions, and wineries; all activities listed under the North American Industry Classification System we learned about in Chapter 1 .

Festival and Major Events Canada (FAME) released a report in 2019 detailing the economic impacts of the 17 largest festivals and events in Quebec, which amounted to a whopping $378 million in tourist spending. Let’s take a closer look at this segment of the sector and its impact across Canada.

The International Dictionary of Event Management defines a festival as a “public celebration that conveys, through a kaleidoscope of activities, certain meanings to participants and spectators” (Goldblatt, 2001, p. 78). Other definitions, including those used by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the European Union, highlight accessibility to the general public and short duration as key elements that define a festival.

Search “festivals in Canada” online and over 900 million results will appear. To define these activities in the context of tourism, we need to consider two fundamental questions, “Who are these activities aimed at?” and “Why are they being celebrated?”

The broad nature of festivals has lead to the development of classification types. For instance, funding for the federal government’s Building Communities through Arts and Heritage Program is available under three categories, depending on the type of festival:

• Local festivals funding is provided to local groups for recurring festivals that present the work of local artists, artisans, or historical performers.
• Community anniversaries funding is provided to local groups for non-recurring local events and capital projects that commemorate an anniversary of 100 years (or greater, in increments of 25 years).
• Legacy funding is provided to community-initiated capital projects that restore or transform event spaces and places. Eligible projects are those that commemorate a 100th anniversary (or greater, in increments of 25 years) of a significant local historical event or local historical personality.

Funds awarded in BC ranges from $2000 for the Nelson History Theatre Society’s Arts and Heritage Festival in 2012 (Government of Canada, 2014a) to $100,200 for the Vancouver International Film Festival in 2017 (Government of Canada, 2017). In 2017-2018, federal funding from the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, Canada Cultural Spaces Fund, and Canada Cultural Investment Fund resulted in $183 million in infrastructure and program development funds to support organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series (Government of Canada, 2019).

Spotlight On: International Festivals and Events Association

Founded in 1956 as the Festival Manager’s Association, the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) supports professionals who produce and support celebrations for the benefit of their communities. Membership is required to access many of their resources. For more information, visit the International Festivals and Events Association website .

Festivals and events in BC celebrate theatre, dance, film, crafts, visual arts, and more. Just a few examples are Bard on the Beach, Vancouver International Improv Festival, Cornucopia, and the Cowichan Wine and Culinary Festival.

Spotlight On: Cornucopia, Whistler’s Celebration of Wine and Food

For the “epicurious, cornucopia is food + drink unleashed.” Dubbed “so wild you can taste it” this 11-day event showcases tasting events, drink seminars, chef lunches and demos, avant-garde parties and more. For additional information, visit Cornucopia .

An event is a happening at a given place and time, usually of some importance, celebrating or commemorating a special occasion. To help broaden this simple definition, categories have been developed based on the scale of events. These categories, presented in Table 6.1, overlap and are not hard and fast, but help cover a range of events.

Events can be extremely complex projects, which is why, over time, the role of event planners has taken on greater importance. The development of education, training programs, and professional designations such as CMPs (Certified Meeting Planners), CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional), and CMM (Certificate in Meeting Management) has led to increased credibility in this business and demonstrates the importance of the sector to the economy. Furthermore, there are a variety of event management certifications and diplomas offered in BC that enable future event and festival planners to gain specific skills and knowledge within the sector.

Various tasks involved in event planning include:

• Conceptualizing/theming
• Logistics and planning
• Human resource management
• Marketing and public relations
• Budgeting and financial management
• Sponsorship procurement
• Management and evaluation

But events aren’t just for leisure visitors. In fact, the tourism industry has a long history of creating, hosting, and promoting events that draw business travelers. The next section explores meetings, conventions, and incentive travel, also known as MCIT .

(As it relates to tourism) includes attending festivals, events, fairs, spectator sports, zoos, botanical gardens, historic sites, cultural venues, attractions, museums, and galleries.

Public event that features multiple activities in celebration of a culture, an anniversary or historical date, art form, or product (food, timber, etc.).

Organization that supports professionals who produce and support celebrations for the benefit of their respective communities.

A happening at a given place and time, usually of some importance, celebrating or commemorating a special occasion; can include mega-events, special events, hallmark events, festivals, and local community events.

All special events with programming aimed at a business audience.

Introduction to Tourism and Hospitality in BC - 2nd Edition Copyright © 2015, 2020, 2021 by Morgan Westcott and Wendy Anderson, Eds is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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