Social impacts of music festivals: A comparative study of Sziget (Hungary) and Exit (Serbia)

Abstract

Music festivals are often seen as a key driver of the city's economies. Therefore, there is an increasing interest in the impacts associated with them. The aim of this research is to examine residents' perceptions of the social impacts of two European music festivals, Sziget (Budapest, Hungary) and Exit (Novi Sad, Serbia), applying the modified Festival Social Impact Attitude Scale and to compare the results using Importance–Performance Analysis. Similarities and differences in perceptions of social impacts of two festivals are discussed with the proposition of priorities for destinations. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of residents' attitudes toward the impacts of festivals and can be utilized by local authorities to increase the positive and reduce the negative impacts of the festival.