Cultivating and disseminating a festival image: the case of the Qingdao International Beer Festival

ABSTRACT This study uses the Qingdao International Beer Festival as an example to grasp the festival travelers’ experience quality. It investigates the critical relations among image factors in forming loyalty intentions for the festival. A psychometric process with qualitative and quantitative approaches is utilized. Community support and perceived risk of virus infection are uncovered as significant moderators, broadening the developed theoretical framework. The proposed theoretical and managerial implications provide orientations for scholars and practitioners in the field of festivals on how to design appropriate festival products and cultivate festive brands during the with-coronavirus era.