AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF FESTIVALS ON SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

This study empirically examines the impact of festivals held in the Turkistan Region on sustainable regional tourism development. A quantitative research design was employed, and survey data were collected from 250 tourists who participated in regional festivals. The collected data were analyzed using Jamovi 2.6 statistical software. The reliability of the measurement scales was assessed using Cronbach's Alpha, while Pearson correlation analysis and simple linear regression were applied to examine the relationships between the study variables. The findings revealed a strong positive and statistically significant relationship between festival experience and sustainable regional tourism development (r = 0.742, p < 0.001). The regression analysis indicated that festival experience explains 55.1% of the variance in sustainable regional tourism development (R² = 0.551). The results demonstrate that festivals significantly enhance the tourist attractiveness of the region, strengthen its destination image, promote cultural heritage preservation, and increase tourists' intention to revisit the destination. The findings provide practical implications for regional tourism policy, festival management, and sustainable destination development.