Business Models of Participatory Festivals and Their Impact on Destination Identity: The Case of the Gyalos Festival in Samos

In Greece, tourism related to the cultural sector is one of the most important types of alternative tourism promoted by the tourism industry. Festivals and cultural activities promote a place and attract visitors, as the cultural sector is attractive and a reason to travel. Through tourism experiences, people learn and redefine new social and cultural values. Today’s tourists seek daily contact with the local community, while enthusiastically participating in local people’s daily habits, increasing their experience and knowledge. At the same time, participatory cultural activities strengthen the bonds between its members, offering participants a unique experience. Participatory planning from the base of the local community interprets the particular identity of the place. This is an element that can attract visitors, as it makes the experience of attending a participatory cultural event unique, especially if it involves active participation of visitors in activities instead of passive observation. Furthermore, participatory cultural activities allow visitors to interact and learn about the customs and traditions of each place, create their art in workshops and events, improve the overall experience, and generally attract a wider audience. Therefore, participatory cultural activities can significantly impact the number of visitors to a place. In this context, the question is whether and how participatory cultural activities contribute to the identity and brand of a place. Field research considering the Gyalos Festival (Samos, Greece) has been conducted to examine the hypothesis that a participatory festival has a stronger effect on the destination identity. The findings of the semi-structured interviews with the festival organizers and artists who participated from 2021 to 2023 and tourism experts are presented and discussed critically. The initial findings show that the festival attracts the attention of specific segments of cultural tourists and creates interesting narratives regarding the cultural identity of the island, without though being the dominant ones.