How Far are Festival-Goers Prepared to Travel to get to an Event.

There are multiple factors that drive decisions of festival-goers to attend an event or not and distance is not always the primary factor. It is vital that festival organisers understand what motivates people to travel to their event as it can determine how marketing activity is targeted and the key messages used to create interest.

The majority of festival-goers prefer to choose an event that is relatively close because it minimises travel time and reduces the overall cost of attending. However, travel times and costs only make up part of the decision-making process. Key considerations can also include the genres, line-ups, atmosphere and perceived experience which may not be available at festivals taking place nearby.

Typical Festival Catchment Areas.
The typical catchment area for a festival may depend on the type of event with smaller community festivals generally attracting the majority of their attendance from within 30 miles. A larger independent festival with a more extensive line-up up can attract festival-goers from up to about 100 miles. A well-known large-scale event with internationally recognised artists performing can attract audiences from as far as 300 miles away. The mega sized branded international festivals may attract the majority of their attendance from within 300 miles but a significant proportion of festival-goers will be traveling from overseas to attend. Festival organisers can benefit from analysis of their attendance by carefully ascertaining the location of ticket buyers for previous events. This data can help to plan where to geographically invest in marketing and advertising activity and also assists them in planning infrastructure requirements like parking facilities, shuttle buses and links to local transport hubs, for example.

Transport and Infrastructure Factors.
A festival in a remote location that is some distance away from local transport infrastructure will always limit the potential audience catchment area. Even large-scale events taking place on greenfield sites choose their location carefully so that links to transport hubs are quick and easy for festival-goers. Considerations like distances from local trains stations and plentiful road access options are key factors, festival-goers are looking for simple travel plans not multiple connections and long queues for shuttle buses. For those traveling long distances they will need accommodation and organisers should offer a variety of options for different budgets. If the organisers build great efficient infrastructure around their events festival-goers will be more willing to travel far to attend. Their decision to attend can be influenced by the availability of accommodation, parking options and ease of transport connections which can determine potential expenditure, this includes both travel costs and the time lost travelling.

Brand, Reputation and Festival Experience as a Factor.
A well-known music festival with an instantly recognised brand will always attract an international audience. These festivals are supported by great online activity that highlights previous events and the experiences festival-goers are having. Large well-respected festivals are usually organised by experienced teams who know how to create and run successful events. These factors drive international attendance because festival-goers are more willing to travel to be part of that specific event community and they often travel with like-minded friends in groups. The large international festival will always attract the best and most well-known artists resulting in a line-up that is extremely attractive to festival-goers because they will be unlikely to get another opportunity to see their favourite artists locally. The infrastructure for a professionally run large festival can add to the overall experience for international travellers because of the provision of comprehensive facilities and attractions, contained within a like-minded environment.

How Far is Too Far.
There is no definitive answer to how far festival-goers are prepared to travel to go to an event because it depends on so many factors. The bigger the event, the more recognisable the brand is and the quality of the line-up are likely to attract more visitors from further distances. For organisers planning their music festivals who want to attract audiences from larger catchment areas it is essential to understand if the perceived value of their event exceeds the combined cost, inconvenience and time required to travel. The geographical reach of a festival influences more than ticket sales. It can shape the festival's entire operating model including ticketing strategy, artist curation and environmental impact for example.

For festival organisers planning their next event using a software management platform like Festival Pro gives them all the functionality they need manage every aspect of their event logistics. The guys who are responsible for this software have been in the front line of event management for many years and the features are built from that experience and are performance artists themselves. The Festival Pro platform is easy to use and has comprehensive features with specific modules for managing artists, contractors, venues/stages, vendors, volunteers, sponsors, guestlists, ticketing, site planning, cashless payments and contactless ordering.

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