Motivation, satisfaction and loyalty in the case of a film festival: differences between local and non-local participants

The last few years have seen a remarkable increase in the number of cultural events and festivals. The increasing competitiveness among them and the need to safeguard their future viability make it necessary to identify factors that not only attract and satisfy new participants, but also retain previous attendees. Accordingly, this article examines the relations between motivation, satisfaction and loyalty in the case of a cinema event the Valdivia International Film Festival (Chile), distinguishing, in turn, between local attendees and visitors. To achieve this goal, a structural equation modelling is performed based on the data obtained through a survey conducted among festival attendees. The results show there are different motivations for attending a festival (leisure, professional motives and cinema) and that some directly affect satisfaction and loyalty. Similarly, satisfaction is presented as an unquestionable antecedent of loyalty, the latter being measured by means of different concepts. Finally, the research highlights some significant differences between residents and tourists and seems to point to the existence of a kind of cultural tourism focused on an interest in the cinema, which contributes to the festival’s continuity and sustainability. All of this allows us to extract some implications for the managers of this type of event and for those responsible for the destination’s cultural and tourist policy.