Abstract
Afrikaans arts festivals have become important cultural institutions in South Africa, serving not only as platforms for artistic expression but also as mechanisms for cultural preservation, social interaction and local economic development. In addition to their cultural significance these festivals contribute substantially to tourism economies by attracting visitors, generating expenditure, creating employment opportunities and enhancing destination competitiveness. Despite the growing body of festival research, limited attention has been given to understanding how travel motivation and perceived value interact across generations in the context of South African Afrikaans arts festivals. This study addresses this gap by examining visitor motivation and perceived value at the Innibos National Arts Festival between 2023 and 2025.
The study is grounded in travel motivation theory and supported by generational theory as an interpretive framework. Travel motivation remains one of the most influential constructs in tourism research because it explains why individuals choose to participate in specific experiences. Previous festival studies have demonstrated that visitors are motivated by cultural interests, social interaction, entertainment, personal enrichment and opportunities to escape routine environments. Within this context, Crompton’s escape-seeking framework provides a particularly useful lens, proposing that tourism participation is shaped simultaneously by the desire to escape everyday life and the desire to seek rewarding experiences. Generational theory complements this perspective by suggesting that individuals’ values, preferences and behavioural tendencies are influenced by shared historical and social experiences. Rather than functioning as a rigid segmentation tool, generation is therefore applied as a framework for understanding how festival visitors interpret and experience the same event differently.
The research was conducted at the above-mentioned Innibos National Arts Festival, one of South Africa’s largest Afrikaans arts festivals, hosted annually in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. Since its establishment in 2004 the festival has grown into a major cultural and tourism attraction, drawing approximately 100 000 visitors each year. Data for this study formed part of a larger longitudinal research project undertaken by the TREES research unit at North-West University. Survey data were collected annually between 2023 and 2025 using a bilingual questionnaire administered to festival attendees at multiple venues. Following data cleaning procedures, a final sample of 1 176 completed questionnaires was retained for analysis.
The visitor profile revealed a market characterised predominantly by Afrikaans-speaking attendees, relatively high educational attainment, and a strong representation of female visitors. Over the three-year study period the demographic composition of festival attendees remained relatively stable, although there was some variation in income levels and generational representation. The longitudinal nature of the dataset provided a robust basis for examining visitor behaviour and perceptions beyond a single festival year.
Exploratory factor analysis was employed to identify the underlying dimensions of travel motivation and perceived festival value. The findings revealed two distinct dimensions of travel motivation. The first, labelled art-driven motivation, included variables related to interest in visual and performing arts, attendance at quality productions, exposure to artists, learning opportunities, programme diversity, and loyalty to the festival itself. This factor accounted for the largest proportion of explained variance and demonstrated very high reliability. The second dimension, labelled escape-driven motivation, reflected motivations associated with relaxation, enjoyment, escaping daily routines, and spending quality time with family and friends. Although accounting for a smaller proportion of variance, this factor also exhibited strong reliability and high mean scores. Together, the results indicate that festival attendance is motivated by both cultural engagement and a desire for leisure, relaxation and social connection.
The analysis of perceived festival value revealed two additional dimensions. The first, economic value, included perceptions relating to local economic development, tourism stimulation, destination branding, employment creation, entrepreneurial opportunities, and the positioning of Mbombela as a leading arts and tourism destination. The second factor, cultural value, comprised perceptions associated with cultural preservation, support for artists, heritage appreciation, social cohesion, cultural inclusion, and the promotion of Afrikaans and South African arts. Both dimensions achieved exceptionally high mean scores, indicating widespread recognition among attendees of the festival’s broader benefits. These findings suggest that visitors perceive Innibos not only as an entertainment event but also as an important contributor to cultural sustainability and local development.
To examine generational differences, one-way analyses of variance were conducted across four cohorts: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y and Generation Z. The results revealed limited variation between generations. No statistically significant differences emerged regarding art-driven motivation, suggesting that artistic and cultural engagement remains a shared motivation across all age groups. These findings challenge assumptions that younger and older visitors attend arts festivals for fundamentally different reasons. Instead, appreciation for the arts appears to be a stable, enduring driver of festival attendance, regardless of generational affiliation.
Statistically significant differences emerged in escape-driven motivation. Generation X displayed stronger escape motivations than Generation Z, although the effect size remained small. This result suggests that life stage and associated responsibilities may influence the importance attached to escaping everyday routines. Middle-aged visitors balancing professional and family obligations may perceive festival attendance as a particularly valuable opportunity for relaxation and renewal. Younger visitors, while still valuing leisure and social experiences, may place comparatively less emphasis on escaping routine environments.
Generational differences were also identified in perceptions of economic value. Generation X and Generation Y respondents reported stronger awareness of the festival’s economic contribution than Generation Z respondents. Although the effect sizes were small, the findings indicate that older visitors may be more conscious of the role that festivals play in destination development, tourism growth and local economic stimulation. Younger attendees may evaluate the festival more strongly in terms of personal experience, entertainment and social engagement rather than in terms of broader developmental impacts.
In contrast, no statistically significant generational differences were identified in cultural values. Respondents across all generations expressed similarly high levels of agreement concerning the festival’s contribution to cultural preservation, artistic development, heritage appreciation, and social cohesion. This represents one of the study’s most significant findings. It suggests that cultural value functions as a shared symbolic resource that transcends generational boundaries within the context of Innibos. Concerns about growing generational disconnection from Afrikaans cultural participation may therefore be overstated, as visitors of different ages continue to recognise and support the festival’s cultural role.
The findings collectively indicate that travel motivation provides a stronger explanation of festival attendance behaviour than generation alone. Generation does not determine whether visitors value the festival; rather, it influences the aspects of the experience that individuals prioritise. The results support the notion that arts festivals function as multigenerational cultural spaces where shared meanings and subtle experiential differences coexist. Festival organisers should, therefore, be cautious about over-relying on generational segmentation strategies and instead focus on creating high-quality, multilayered experiences that appeal to a broad audience while maintaining a strong cultural identity.
From a managerial perspective, the findings suggest that artistic quality and cultural authenticity should remain central to festival programming, as these attributes are valued consistently across generations. Marketing strategies, however, may benefit from greater differentiation. Communication aimed at older audiences can highlight the festival’s economic contribution, community impact and role in destination development, while campaigns targeting younger audiences may place greater emphasis on atmosphere, social interaction, entertainment and experiential quality. Such an approach may allow festival organisers to address generational nuances without compromising the festival’s overall identity.
In conclusion, attendance at the Innibos National Arts Festival is shaped primarily by art-driven and escape-driven motivations, while perceptions of value are organised around economic and cultural dimensions. Although some differences exist regarding escape motivations and perceptions of economic value, the dominant pattern is one of continuity rather than division. Art appreciation and cultural value remain remarkably consistent across generations, underscoring Innibos’s role as a shared cultural platform where individuals of different ages engage with and derive meaning from a common festival experience. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of festival behaviour within the South African context and demonstrates the value of examining visitor experiences through the combined lenses of motivation, value and generational interpretation.
Keywords: Afrikaans arts festival; escape-seeking framework; festival audiences; motivation patterns; South Africa; tourism; travel motivation
- This article’s featured image was created by Aleksandr Fedorov and obtained from Pexels.
Lees die volledige artikel in Afrikaans
Die kuns van ontvlugting na Innibos: reismotivering en waardetoekenning oor generasies heen