Major Project: Winter Festivals Impact on UK Domestic Tourism

This major project critically evaluates the role of UK winter festivals in developing domestic tourism and their socio-cultural impacts. The research explores various attractive winter festivals in the UK, assessing their influence on tourism, and identifying opportunities for travel and tourism businesses. It examines the challenges in organizing these festivals and analyzes data to understand tourist demographics, motivations, and spending habits. The project investigates the benefits for the travel and tourism industry, focusing on marketing strategies, facility provisions, and pricing practices. Recommendations are provided to enhance marketing, increase revenue, and improve the overall success of winter festivals, contributing to the development of local communities and the national economy. The project includes an introduction with background, aim, objectives, and research questions, followed by a literature review, research methodology, data analysis, and conclusion with recommendations. The research utilizes both primary and secondary data collection methods including questionnaires and literature review to support its findings and conclusions.

Tourism and Hospitality
Major Project CHTM29

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Title .............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background............................................................................................................................1
1.2 Research aim .........................................................................................................................3
1.3 Objectives..............................................................................................................................3
1.4 Research questions.................................................................................................................4
1.5 Rationale of the study............................................................................................................4
1.6 Significance............................................................................................................................5
1.7 Scope......................................................................................................................................6
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................7
Theme 2.1 Overview of tourism development in UK..................................................................7
Theme 2.2 Different attractive winter festivals of the UK..........................................................9
Theme 2.3 Winter festivals have impact on UK tourism...........................................................11
Theme 2.4 Ways in which travel and tourism industry organizations can take opportunities
from different winter festivals of UK........................................................................................13
Theme 2.5 Challenges that occur in developing and conducting winter festivals in the UK....16
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY...................................................................................................18
3.1 Research philosophy............................................................................................................18
3.2 Research design...................................................................................................................19
3.3 Research approach...............................................................................................................20
3.4 Sampling Techniques...........................................................................................................20
3.5 Data Collection....................................................................................................................21
3.6 Data Analysis.......................................................................................................................22
3.7 Research strategy.................................................................................................................23
3.8 Ethical considerations..........................................................................................................24
3.9 Research limitation..............................................................................................................25
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION.....................................................................................27
Theme 1 More of the tourist have the group age of youngsters...............................................27
Theme 2 England generally preferred to enjoy winter festivals...............................................28
Theme 3 Tourist are majorly visiting the winter festive every year..........................................29

Theme 4 Greenwich Wintertime Festivals is famous among the tourist...................................31
Theme 5 Couples are maximum level of tourist in winter festivals..........................................33
Theme 6 Entertainment is considered majority motive of attaining the winter festival............34
Theme 7 £80- £140 considered to be major spending by tourist...............................................35
Theme 8 Street performers were the major attraction in winter festivals..................................36
Theme 9 Weeks of events are increased in winter festival........................................................38
Theme 10 Volunteering over weekend will be contribution....................................................40
Theme 11 Travel and tourism industry organizations get benefitted by the organization of
winter festival.............................................................................................................................41
Theme 12 Types of travel and tourism industry organizations that get benefitted the most
because of organization of winter festival.................................................................................42
Theme 13 Travel and tourism industry organizations focus more on their promotions rather
than offering products and services to their customers..............................................................43
Theme 14 Improvements made in winter festivals that are organized every year.....................43
Theme 15 All kinds of required facilities are provided to the tourist or not in winter festivals44
Theme 16 Travel and tourism industry organizations increase their rates or prices at the time
of winter festivals in order to gain profit...................................................................................45
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................................................47
5.1 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................47
5.2 Recommendations................................................................................................................49
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................51
APPENDIX....................................................................................................................................53
Questionnaire.............................................................................................................................53

INTRODUCTION
Title
“Critical evaluation of Winter festivals in UK as a source of developing domestic
tourism and its socio-cultural impacts”
1.1 Background
UK winter festivals have everything to offer to local as well as to international tourists
such as: arts, concerts, outdoor cinemas, food festivals. There are some examples of winter
festivals for which people wait for long such as: Winter Wonderland, Stardust LDN, Durham
Christmas winter festival etc. These most awaited events for people make them crazy, and they
enjoy and prefer to become an active participation of these events. These festivals provide
popular tourism destination for the visitors as many tourists specially come in this winter season
for enjoying all these festivals. Winter festivals are organized at local level so, they are
participated by local communities both as visitors as well as organizers (Newbold and Bianchini,
2017). There are several winter festivals who are also known and considered as light festivals
such as Christmas, Truro's festival of lights etc. Most of the teenagers, small enterprises and local
suppliers consider these events as means of promoting their products and services to huge range
of audience through a wide platform as many visitors as well as local communities of people
come there. So, it can be said that winter festivals provide a great support and contribution to
development of domestic tourism and the main source of income.
Winter season and all attractive festivals encourage and inspire people to visit the
destinations so that they can witness ambience, local communities, culture, music, art, food and
all attraction. All these attractions in these festivals reflect the local culture and customs of UK.
The other main aim and belief of conducting all these festivals in winters are celebrating the
longest hours of darkness or the rebirth of the sun because it is believed that it holds a powerful
energy for renewal, re-generation and self-reflection. Thus, it gives a great opportunity to young
people to understand and know their culture by means of immense fun events and for elder
people to cherish their memories which are recreated through these Winter festivals. Winter
festivals which are mostly celebrated at the time of Christmas and organized in different parts of
UK share environment, culture and tourism opportunities by promoting festivals (Dunn and
Kregor, 2017).
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The local tourists as well as outsiders consider winter festivals as an opportunity to live
with rejoice within their culture and generate income. By developing and celebrating these
festivals they do not only attract tourists and provide opportunity top them to enjoy but also
allows local businesses to explore the needs and importance of developing and conducting these
festivals and to make benefits. The local tourism developed and supported by winter festivals
that is the result and significance of development and growth of local economy. In terms of
tourism development these festivals such as: Longleat festival of light, London remixed festival
also support various industries such as travel and accommodation services, restaurants, health
care and other recreational service providers. The main destination and place where most awaited
festival Winter Wonderland is celebrated is Hyde Park which is free to enter and located in the
Heart of the London. The main attraction of this park and festival is it is transformed with
sparkling winter magic. Some other attraction which attract tourists and become the income
source includes: tallest transportable observation wheel, a season ride pass, winter wonderland
comedy club and attractive pre-bookable restaurant that is featured by Cedar and Spruce bar
along with modular kitchen. In addition, it is also stated that thrilling fairground rides and ice
skating in all these festivals are main attraction and called as seasonal fun (Dowd, 2016).
Time limited events such as winter festivals invite visitors or tourists to explore the
opportunity and to visit the destination during event so that quality of their trip can be made
memorable. Especially to the teenagers and youngsters as they provide opportunity to understand
local culture, ambience and customs of the community. As a result of this, huge media coverage,
political, social, cultural and local attention is given to the destination which makes it in lime
light as famous tourism destination. The local travel and tourism industries also consider it as
chance to interact with visitors and influence them to tell about features and importance of their
products for purchasing. Thus, local culture is flattered by international and domestic interest in
their culture. Local culture is preserved and cultivated and tourists are inspired to spend their
money within local community by supporting hotels, restaurants and other business related to
travel and tourism. In the context of London remixed festival, it can be said that this festival
offer fun, madness and creativity by remixed sound and buzzing atmosphere without making a
use of mud, rain or hassle of camping. This festival is all about celebrating the best emerging
musical talent and genres by offering fun, creativity.
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Local services and domestic tourism plays an important role for to expanding and
growing strongly for the nation so, it needs to be taken into account by local organizer and
merchants. Most of the time the tourism is promoted for international visitors only. However, the
promotion and integration of the culture based tourism in winter festivals can inspire domestic
tourists as well. There are several factors which influences the success factor of winter festivals
and also make them a powerful opportunity for the growth of business particularly travel and
tourism industry. Some factors involved: socio-cultural factors (McGee, 2019).
In addition, importance of winter season its is recommended and stated that December is
considered the best time to meet London because it is a popular place to be during the holidays.
It is also stated that for taking competitive advantages, long term business growth as well as
global exposure required that service providers of tourism industries must aim at grabbing the
small scale domestic market. The strong approach and success in these winter festivals will act as
significant promotional tools. Due to this reason winter festivals are promoted and organized at
huge scale so that large extent of domestic as well as other tourists' audience can be invited to
participate. The increased participation of the domestic travellers allows tourism sector to
witness increased profits and growth opportunity.
1.2 Research aim
“To evaluate winter festivals in the UK as a source of development of domestic tourism
and its socio cultural impact”.
1.3 Objectives
The main purpose of research is to achieve following objectives for accomplishing the
main pre-determined aim.
 To identify different most attractive winter festivals of UK which helps in local
development of tourism.
 To evaluate the degree to which winter festivals have impact on UK tourism along with
its importance.
 To identify critical ways in which different business organizations of travel and tourism
industry can take opportunities from different winter festivals of UK.
 To identify some challenges which occur in developing and conducting winter festivals in
the UK.
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1.4 Research questions
The successful completion of this research project can be made by addressing below
shown research questions:
 What are different attractive winter festivals of the UK which help in boosting and
development of domestic tourism.
 What is the degree by which business organizations of travel and tourism can get
affected from winter festivals developed in the UK?
 What are some strategies by which travel and tourism industry's business organizations of
the UK take up opportunities from Winter festivals.
 What are some problems and challenges occur in developing winter festivals of UK.
1.5 Literature review
Literature review helps in building a base of research and also helps in enhancing overall
knowledge and understanding of the researcher for current topic. As per the Lee (2016) people
have identified the cold season as the major level of excuse in order to stay indoors. The
existence of winter festivals in the London helps in mainsheet the level of development off
significant culture and domestic factor. In winters different cultural and social festivals are
organized by the government to improve covey positive message to the people. On the other
hand the Rothery, Scott and Morrell (2017) stated that there are different objectives are
associates with launching a festival in winters as they have various social & cultural values
regarding the development of local people. This can help the organizers to attract more people in
this kind of winter festivals. The basic concept behind this process is to provide opportunities to
the local people to promote their art and culture on regional level. Winters is considered to be
very cols but its is more level of beautiful time of the respective years in order to get out and
have major level of expostulation with mainly famously remember.
1.6 Recommendations
Event organizers of the winter festivals should primarily focus on marketing and
promotion of the festival by analysing the geographical diversification and should use this
information for marketing of the winter festivals. This will help them to increase awareness of
winter festival among domestic tourist which will further help them to increase revenue and
overall profit of the winter festival which is required to be organized.
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1.7 Rationale of the study
Development of domestic tourism is critical and important because it leads and improves
social and economic status of local communities as well as for the overall economic growth of
the nation. Winter festivals have all those factors and elements which can help the local
community of the UK to fulfil this need and improve economy of the country. So, it is the main
and preliminary reason of developing winter festivals and recognizing the contribution of winter
festivals in tourism development and related industries (Gensheimer, 2017). As a result of these
factors importance of winter festival increases. One of the main reason because of which
researcher has focused on choosing this research topic is to explore as well as signify winter
festivals of UK that can help in enhancing, driving or boosting domestic tourism. This study will
also focus on socio cultural factors that can impact development of domestic tourism because of
winter festivals. Various other kinds of studies have also been carried out in this sector that has
majorly focused on winter festivals only from the perspective of society but none of them have
focused on winter festivals from the perspective of development of domestic tourism or it can
also be said that none of the research carried out till now related to winter festivals of UK were
good enough to contribute to development of domestic travel and tourism industry. Winter
festivals is one of the best opportunities to enhance domestic tourism and it has always been
underestimated. This is another reason because of which this research topic has been chosen. So,
in order to fill this gap in this field of research this winter festival in UK topic has been chosen so
that it can help in boosting domestic tourism in UK.
1.8 Significance
In winters different cultural and social festivals are organized by the government to
improve covey positive message to the people. There are different objectives are associates with
launching a festival in winters. One of main purpose of government is to promote local tourism
of specific place. This is important for the economy of country and ideal development of local
remote areas. In a winter festival various point of attraction are their that can help the authorities
to attract people to be a part of these events. These festivals are consists of various social and
cultural values of local people. This can help the organizers to attract more people in this kind of
winter festivals. The basic concept behind this process is to provide opportunities to the local
people to promote their art and culture on regional level. To improve the development condition
of local place this kind of winter festivals are organized by government. It is a kind of hub that is
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consists of different element that can attract people to attend these festivals. This also allows the
authorities to attract people from local areas to contribute in order to develop better chances of
tourism. This is how winter festivals can be used to improve the local tourism on regional level.
Winter festivals are becoming great opportunities for tourism industry that motivate for
increasing profitability in marketplace. this type of domestic festivals importance which inspired
the local people to attracts towards overall traditions. In this way, winter festivals play significant
role in destination development and importance of research to identify the specific roles and
responsibilities in countries. On the other hand, it also beneficial for increasing the number of
tourist attractions and expand the tourist search of different destination places. It is also
beneficial for increasing educational opportunities for foster the feeling of communities, who are
participants within festivals. It is important for helping in conservation of social, natural as well
as traditional environment. sometimes, it contributes for improving sustainable development. it is
the most popular winter festivals for changing the patterns of services and also diversifying the
industry in terms of traditional. In this way, industry will achieve the great success in their local
regions due to increase demand of tourist’s appeal. The importance of increasing the demand of
festivals in globally where small communities seeing more opportunities to obtain tourism
dollars. The primary reason is to organise the festivals for preservation of history and cultural
environment. It also increased ability to expand existing market and bring benefits in terms of
economic development.
1.9 Scope
The winter festivals are great means to promote local tourism as well as to strengthen the
local and national economy. It gives huge employment and growth opportunities to local
communities and a great chance for the tourists to explore the social and cultural aspects of the
tourism destination. The scope of this research project is not only limited to only evaluation of
domestic growth of economy but will also analyse the various social and cultural implications
related to organisation of such festivals. Thus the study can also be used by the policy makes
who aimed to develop suitable strategies and framework for developing any tourism place.
The findings of the study can also be used to analyse and evaluate the economic
contribution of specific tourism events and local destinations. Thus for analysing the
development of specific communities and local regions also this kind of festivals can be used.
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Further the success and failure of the winter festivals is also influenced the social and cultural
factors. Hence the organisers of such festivals can also explore and utilise the research findings
to make such events more successful and impactful. The research work can also be used by other
researchers to support their studies based on local tourism or impact of tourism on local
economy.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Theme 2.1 Overview of tourism development in UK
According to the view of Medlik, (2016) Travel and tourism is one of the most important
industry of UK which impact’s its economy year by year. From the past few years records, travel
and tourism industry is continuously growing. Not only this, UK’s travel and tourism industry is
considered as world’s 10th largest tourism destination where every year more than 36 million
tourist visit UK. It is also known as one of the major sources of growth in overall GDP of UK.
Number of travellers visiting UK are continuously growing each year. In order to fulfil needs and
requirements for all the tourist visiting UK, government is focusing on bringing continuous
changes within this industry in order to meet their tourist requirements and has also focused
increasing comfortability and affordability. Organizations operating in this industry are
continuously focusing on adopting such chances in order to gain competitive advantage. As
compared to international tourism, domestic tourism has remained one of the biggest
components of tourism and more than 60 percent of tourism economy is generated from
domestic tourism. Medlik, (2016) further explains that one of the best time periods for domestic
tourism is during holiday’s, festivals etc.
As per the view of Raj and Griffin, (2015) World tourism organization has acknowledged
that among all the industries, tourism industry is one of the fastest growing industry which is not
only increasing a countries economy but is also creating jobs. Each year different types of tourist
visit UK for different purpose. Most commonly leisure tourist visits UK for leisure purpose
mostly on breaks or holidays. Other them them business tourist also visit quite often either for
some business event, conferences etc. there are many other types of tourist who visit UK every
year for various other reasons. But out of all of them most of the international tourist who visit
UK visit mostly through packages taken by tour organizers. According to a statistics number of
inbound visitors visited UK in 2018 were approximately 31.9 million and even in this London
was one of the most preferred destination in UK i.e. more than 50 percent tourist prefer to visit
London as their first priority as compared to any other tourist destination. Every year 10 percent
tourist increases who visit London. However, Raj and Griffin, (2015) also explains that number
of international tourists visiting UK decreased by 5 percent in 2017 and there was a fall in
tourism spending in 2017 which further continued in 2018 as well. The main reason behind this
was impact of Brexit and fluctuation in currency. Other than this another reason because of
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which international tourism was decreasing was that UK government prefer to expand domestic
tourism more as compared to international tourism and because of which they promote domestic
tourism more rather than international tourism (Altinay, Paraskevas and Jang, 2015). Number of
international tourists in 2018 fall to 69 percent from 76 percent in 2017.
Figure 1 Number of visitors visiting UK
From the above graph it is clear that number of visitors visiting UK have decrease in 2018
and minimum number of visitors who visits UK is during third quarter i.e. July, august and
September. According to a research Richards, (2016) says that, despite of fluctuation in
currency, Brexit, promotion of domestic tourism; number of visitors visiting London are
increasing slowly. UK Travel and tourism industry have continued to grow and various
developments in this industry have taken place. Within this hotel organizations are continuously
bringing improvement among themselves due to growing number of tourists. Transportation
facilities has also increased which has made it more convenient for the tourist to visit places in a
more comfortable and efficient manner. UK government is also working on increasing use of
advanced technologies in order to attract new tourist, public places are being continuously
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