Festival of Traditional Dances and Folklore Festivals in the Promotion of Cultural Tourism: A Literature Review

Cultural festivals are important tools for the development of cultural tourism, enhancing the attractiveness of destinations and offering authentic experiences to visitors, while also stimulating local economies through increased tourist traffic. In addition, such events contribute to the preservation of the intangible cultural heritage, reviving local traditions and customs and strengthening local identity and cohesion (Karagiannis & Kontogeorgopoulos, Tourist Studies 21:183–201, 2021). In Greece, where there is a strong element of tradition and traditional dances, festivals attract international visitors and effectively promote local culture, enhancing the country’s image as a cultural destination. In addition, many of these festivals take place outside the main tourist centers, thus contributing to the decentralization of tourism activity and the lengthening of the tourist season at regional level. The purpose of this research is to investigate, through a literature review, the contribution of traditional dance and folklore festivals to the promotion of cultural tourism in Greece. The methodological approach is based on an extensive review of the relevant international and Greek literature, including classical and contemporary studies. In conclusion, it will be recorded that traditional dance festivals function as a lever for sustainable tourism development and cultural promotion, offering creative cultural experiences that differentiate the tourist product. Finally, strategies for their utilization by the competent bodies will be proposed, through appropriate planning, adequate funding and visibility, in combination with ensuring the authenticity of the events, in order to maximize the benefit for destinations and local communities (Quinn et al., J Sustain Tour 29:1875–1893, 2020).