How Are Events Changing Hamedan's Tourism Path?
Mohammad Reza Akbari, head of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Hamedan Province, wrote in a note: The tourism industry has undergone changes in recent decades, these changes have caused the competitive advantage of tourist destinations to be no longer defined solely on the basis of historical, natural and cultural attractions. Today, rather than visiting a place, tourists are looking for an authentic, meaningful and memorable experience; An experience that can recreate the narrative, identity and lifestyle of a destination in a concrete way for them.
Meanwhile, tourism events as one of the most effective means of destination management and development play a strategic role in creating experience, diversifying the portfolio of tourism products, increasing the attractiveness of destinations and access to new markets, a capacity that today has become one of the main indicators of the competitiveness and sustainability of the tourism industry at the national and international level.
The most successful tourist destinations in the world are those that have been able to present their local capacities to tourists in the form of regular, targeted and identity-oriented events. Today, events are no longer just a cultural program or a local festival, but are considered part of the value chain of the tourism industry and play a direct role in increasing travel, staying tourists, boosting the local economy, and strengthening the destination brand.
event-oriented tourism; A way to create new demand
One of the most important challenges of the tourism industry is the seasonality of trips and the concentration of tourists in certain times and places. Tourism events have the ability to create a new wave of travel during low boom times and distribute the flow of tourism throughout the year.
In many countries, cultural festivals, food events, craft fairs, sporting events, traditional rituals and local celebrations have become tools to attract new tourists. International studies also show that the events, while increasing the number of visitors, strengthen the mental image of the destination and provide the basis for the return of tourists.
Indeed, events transform travel from a simple visit into a unique experience, an experience that is not only attractive to the tourist, but also capable of extensive marketing in the media space and social networks.
product diversity; A condition for survival in the competitive tourism market
One of the most important indicators of the success of a tourist destination is the variety of products that can be offered to tourists. Destinations that rely on only one attraction or one type of tourism are more vulnerable to market changes. On the other hand, diversifying tourism products increases the competitiveness, flexibility and sustainability of the destination.
Tourism events play a role exactly at this point. A pottery festival can strengthen cultural tourism, holding music festivals, traditional rituals, handicraft exhibitions and nature tourism events also complete a part of the destination's diverse tourism portfolio.
Today, most tourists are looking for participation in a cultural, social and local experience rather than just visiting a historical monument. This is the point where events can create a link between attraction and experience.
Expansion of tourism markets with the language of events
One of the important advantages of tourism events is the possibility of accessing new markets. Each event can have its own audience, from those interested in cultural heritage and handicrafts to activists in the fields of food, sports, nature tourism and art.
The continuous and professional holding of events makes the tourist destination pass through a limited market and reach more diverse groups of tourists. Also, the integration of several events and the design of event-based travel packages can increase the duration of tourists' stay and their spending, and finally, synergy between events and tourism packages helps to strengthen the image of the destination and increase the loyalty of tourists.
Hamadan; A province with wide capacities for the development of event-oriented tourism
Due to its historical background, cultural diversity, distinctive handicrafts, natural capacities, tourism target villages and world records, Hamedan province has unique capacities for the development of event-oriented tourism.
Festivals related to Laljin pottery, food tourism events, native and local rituals, handicraft exhibitions, cultural programs in historical sites and events related to agricultural tourism can become new tourism products of the province and create new incentives for traveling to Hamedan, along with historical attractions.
Our goal in Hamadan province is to move from attraction-based tourism to experience-based tourism, an approach in which every tourist can participate in a cultural, artistic or social event in addition to visiting historical monuments and gain a lasting travel experience.
events; Investment for the future of tourism
The future of tourism belongs to destinations that can create new experiences. Tourism events are not an expense, but an investment for the future of the destination, an investment that leads to economic development, job creation, increasing the income of local communities, strengthening the cultural identity and promoting the position of the destination in the national and international markets.
Today in Hamedan province, more than ever before, we need targeted planning to design, strengthen and network tourism events, and if we can introduce local capacities in the form of professional and continuous events, not only the variety of tourism products will increase, but also new markets for traveling to the province will be formed.
Therefore, it can be said that tourism events are a bridge between past heritage and future opportunities, a bridge that can make the path of sustainable development of tourism smoother than before.