{"id":4174,"date":"2018-09-12T17:14:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-12T09:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.ift.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/?p=4174"},"modified":"2018-09-12T17:15:06","modified_gmt":"2018-09-12T09:15:06","slug":"feast-for-the-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/feast-for-the-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Feast for the people"},"content":{"rendered":"\u4e2d\u6587\u6458\u8981 \/ Summary in Chinese<\/span>\n

As Macao authorities increasingly look to festivals as a way to diversify the city\u2019s tourism offering beyond gaming, officials should ensure these events have enough community support in order to be successful. So finds an academic study by 2 IFT scholars.<\/p>\n

\u201cResidents are the major stakeholders in community-based festivals, so their opinions towards festivals matter; because without their support sustainability and success cannot be achieved,\u201d say IFT scholars Dr. Li Xiangping and Dr. Penny Wan.<\/p>\n

Their paper \u2013 \u201cResidents\u2019 Support for Festivals: Integration of emotional solidarity\u201d \u2013 was published last year in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism. Results indicate that residents\u2019 perception of the positive impacts of festivals is influenced by \u2018emotional solidarity\u2019 and community attachment, with all 3 elements affecting resident support for festival development.<\/p>\n

The study results were based upon questionnaires answered by more than 300 respondents. The sample comprised people holding Macao permanent residency and living in the city for a minimum of 7 years, all of whom were 18 years or older. In addition, they had to have attended at least one cultural festival from a pre-selected list of events over the past year.<\/p>\n

\u2018Emotional solidarity\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to the researchers, an increasing number of academic studies have been adopting the concept of \u2018emotional solidarity\u2019 as a theoretical framework in \u201cexamining how the bonding residents experience with tourists can influence the residents\u2019 attitudes toward tourism development.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drs. Li and Wan concluded, based upon their survey, that the greater the degree to which residents \u201cidentified with tourism emotionally\u201d then the \u201cmore likely\u201d they were \u201cto perceive festival impacts positively, thus supporting festival development\u201d.<\/p>\n

In addition, the authors noted a \u201cpositive correlation between community attachment and emotional solidarity\u201d, suggesting that a \u201cfeeling of solidarity by the residents with the community and with festival participants\u201d could be determinants for understanding their attitude towards festival development, as the exchange process between residents and tourists could go beyond the economic dimension.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially in the festival context, the intangible impacts, namely social and cultural impacts, are more important,\u201d state the researchers.<\/p>\n

Rallying support<\/strong><\/p>\n

In their study, Drs. Li and Wan provided a number of suggestions to the Macao Government Tourism Office, and to festival planners and marketers, in order to \u201creduce the possibility of a community backlash\u201d against tourists at Macao festivals.<\/p>\n

The researchers noted that, \u201csince positive residents\u2019 perceptions of festival benefits are directly associated with the community\u2019s support level of tourism, tourism and festival planners should communicate the benefits of festival development, especially cultural and social benefits, through different marketing techniques and channels to gain local residents\u2019 collaboration and support\u201d.<\/p>\n

They highlighted this was particularly important in Macao, as the main purpose behind most festivals is not purely commercial, but to diversify the city\u2019s economy and its tourism offering.<\/p>\n

The IFT scholars suggested tourism and festival planners organise regular visits to community associations to explain the benefits to the public of hosting festivals, noting: \u201cMacao has more than 4,000 local clan\/community associations, many of which have a long history and are powerful in terms of influencing government policies and views of the local people.\u201d<\/p>\n

The scholars suggested similar visits be made to educational institutions, from kindergartens to universities. \u201cThrough organising some activities (e.g. bringing kids to some local festivals to experience the joys of participating in festivals and interacting with tourists) and campaigns like a drawing competition to let students think of the benefits of hosting festivals, awareness of the local people of the benefits of hosting festivals [could be] enhanced.\u201d<\/p>\n

Drs. Li and Wan also stated that \u2013 since their study found that residents were more positive about, and supportive of, development for the festival sector when those residents had a deeper degree of emotional solidarity with tourists \u2013 festival planners \u201cshould design festivals in such a way that facilitates beneficial interactions between residents and tourists\u201d. This could be done, the researchers argued, placing emphasis on fostering beliefs and behaviours shared by both groups.<\/p>\n

A third suggestion from the researchers was that festival planners should evaluate an event\u2019s connections to the community prior to making it a festival.<\/p>\n

\u201cEqually important is to allow the local residents to have a greater say in the decision-making of tourism and festival development,\u201d Drs. Li and Wan added. \u201cThrough actively engaging in festival planning, residents\u2019 sense of belonging and ownership towards the city and local festivals will be greatly enhanced.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

More info<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
The researchers<\/div>\nDr. Li Xiangping is an Assistant Professor at IFT. Dr. Li has a Ph.D. in Hospitality and Tourism Management from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, in the United States. Her research interests include tourism planning and development, destination marketing, and tourist behaviour.<\/p>\n

IFT Visiting Assistant Professor Dr. Penny Wan holds a Ph.D. from the University of Hong Kong. Her academic research focuses on tourism planning and development, heritage conservation, casino gaming management, and hospitality services. Dr. Wan has served as an editorial board member and as a reviewer for several high-profile academic journals in the field of tourism.
\n<\/div>\n

The paper<\/div>\nXiangping Li and Yim King Penny Wan: \u201cResidents\u2019 Support for Festivals: Integration of emotional solidarity\u201d, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Volume 25, Issue 4, pages 517-535, 2017.
\nhttps:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/09669582.2016.1224889<\/a>
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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