Tourism Festivals and Destination Promotion in India: An Empirical Study

Background: Tourism festivals help destinations convert culture, food, heritage, craft traditions and seasonal celebrations into memorable visitor experiences. Methods: This study examines five Indian tourism festivals, namely the International Kite Festival, International Mango Festival, Desert Festival, Elephant Festival and Tea Festival, during 2020-2024. Primary data were collected from 197 respondents through convenience sampling, while secondary data were compiled from official tourism sources. Percentage analysis, weighted mean, one-sample t-test and chi-square goodness-of-fit test were used for analysis. Results: The findings show that festivals support destination visibility, cultural preservation, visitor satisfaction and local participation. The combined perception index recorded a mean score of 3.136, with t-value = 2.750 and p-value = 0.003, indicating a statistically significant positive perception. Conclusion: Festival tourism can strengthen destination promotion in India when it is supported by reliable visitor documentation, digital marketing, community participation and sustainable event management.

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