# The Dimensional Structure of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation and Their Impacts on Tourists’ Behavioral Intentions

Authors: Chaojun Li; Ping He
Journal: Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society
 (2022)

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## Abstract

The tourism festival and special event innovation are the important factors influencing the creation of superior value, the achievement of customer loyalty, and profitable growth. Based on the perspective of product supply and consumer demand integration analysis, this paper constructed an integrated model of tourism festival and special event innovation and its impacts on tourists’ behavioral intentions. The basic data was obtained through the tourist survey on Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival, and the exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were used to empirically test the relationship between various dimensions of tourism festival and special event innovation and their impacts on tourists’ behavioral intentions. The results show the following: (1) tourism festival and special event innovation includes six dimensions of performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, and loyalty program; (2) performance, self-service technology, and aesthetic environment have a significant positive impact on overall innovation, while accessibility, tourist community, and loyalty program have no significant impact on overall innovation; and (3) overall innovation has a significant positive impact on tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and tourists’ behavioral intentions. Moreover, tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity play a partial intermediary role in the impacts of overall innovation on the tourists’ behavioral intentions. The article concludes with research limitations and future research directions.


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## Body

## 1. Introduction

Festivals and special events with thousands of years of history and tradition have shown a trend of integration with tourism at this stage. Tourism festivals and special events have become a huge global industry and an important tool for governments and related companies to attract tourists to create profits [1]. According to the history and trends of the development of world tourism festivals and special events, tourism festivals and special events generally experience three stages of development: localization, internationalization, and innovation [2]. Tourism festivals and special events are highly concerned. For example, China’s tourism festivals and special events present a development trend of large amounts and rich forms. Hosting the International Horticultural Exhibition, the Olympic Games, and the World Expo has promoted the rapid development of China’s tourism festivals and special events from the localization stage to the internationalization and innovation stage. Meanwhile, China’s tourism festivals and special events also show the characteristics of insufficient innovation power, loose organizational structure, and government-oriented goal orientation. However, they face the dilemma of wanting to innovate and difficult to innovate [3]. In the theoretical cycle, researchers have recognized that innovation is a key factor in successfully hosting tourism festivals and special events [4, 5] and is an important means for tourism festival and special event organizers to achieve and maintain high competitiveness and achieve rapid growth [6–9]. Unfortunately, as pointed out by Thomas and Bowdin [10], tourism festival and special event innovation has not received enough attention; for example, what do tourism festival and special event innovation bring to tourism companies? What does it bring to the tourism festival and special event tourists? Does it improve the perception of service quality or enhance the perceived value? Has it improved the overall image or improved its overall competitiveness? These basic key questions about tourism are lacking in empirical answers.Based on the above questions, this paper built an integrated model of tourism festival and special event innovation and its impacts on tourists’ behavioral intentions using the related theories of product innovation and service marketing with the perspective of product supply and consumer demand integration analysis. Through the tourist surveys on Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival, as well as the exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to empirically test the relationship between various dimensions of tourism festival and special event innovation and overall innovation, tourists’ satisfaction, and brand equity and its impacts on tourists’ behavioral intentions so as to respond to the basic key questions about tourism festivals and special events.


## 2. Literature Review and Theoretical Model Construction

### 2.1. Definition of Related Concepts

#### 2.1.1. Festivals and Special Events

Festivals and special events are a popular activity of planning beforehand and could motivate consumers’ enthusiastic anticipation, participation, and celebration [11]. The scope of the festivals is wide, covering large-scale events, festivals, and special events. Festivals have distinct cultural, economic, and tourism characteristics, while careful planning, strict management, and coordination are necessary conditions for success. Besides, the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) commonly refers to tourism events, which refers to a comprehensive activity based on various types of conferences, expositions, cultural celebrations, festival celebrations, and sports events. At present, the definition of tourism festivals and special events has not yet reached a consensus. Based on the perspective of tourism product demand, tourism festivals and special events are defined as a special form of tourism by some scholars. From the perspective of product supply, tourism festivals and special events are defined as a special tourism product by other authors. In a broad sense, the tourism festivals and special events recognized by scholars are basically equivalent to the MICE concept. Therefore, tourism festivals and special events can be defined as a comprehensive activity that can bring comprehensive benefits to the organizers and participants and is oriented by the development of tourism and based on various conferences, expositions, cultural celebrations, entertainment events, and sports events.


#### 2.1.2. Product Innovation and Product Innovative Nature

At the level of product innovation theory, radical or incremental innovation of tangible products is the focus of traditional product innovation research [12, 13]. Service methods, store environments, and information technology management innovation are the focus of service innovation research [14–17]. Product innovation refers to the development of new tangible products or intangible services to meet external market demand. Product innovation has completely different meanings for businesses and consumers [8, 18], with the former focusing on radical innovation and the significance of radical innovation for sales revenues [19], while the latter focusing on the novelty of product innovation and innovation in product usage patterns [20]. In short, product innovation is the development of new product or the development of new market; product innovation refers to the novelty and uniqueness of new products to consumers. Adopting the novel consumer ideas is a major research thought for product innovation [21–24].


#### 2.1.3. Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation and Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovative Nature

There are mainly transactions of intangible services and festival experiences involved between the festival and special event organizers and the festival and special event tourists. From the perspective of tourists, the innovation of tourism festivals and special events includes the venues and environment of tangible festivals special events, intangible festival and special event performances, and services and experiences. In the eyes of tourists, tourism festival and special event innovation depend on the novelty of tourism products and their consumption patterns. As such, capturing the cognition and perception of tourists on innovation points of tourism festival and special event products is the key to understanding tourism festival and special event innovation. Product innovation is differentiated by the innovative nature of the products. For instance, consumers often look at and judge the innovation of products from the perspectives of novelty, uniqueness, difference, innovation, and functional changes [19, 25, 26]. In order to understand the basic attributes of tourism festival and special event innovation from the perspective of tourists, this study defines tourism festival and special event innovation as the perception of the tourism festival and special event tourists on the novelty and uniqueness of tourism festival and special event products.


### 2.2. Dimensional Structures of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation

Thinking analysis logic based on what, how, who, and where is the basic path of innovation research [14, 27–30]. It gradually developed into four basic paradigms of innovation researches: what paradigm focusing on supply, how paradigm focusing on services, where paradigm focusing on scenes, and who paradigm focusing on relations [22]. Authors in different disciplines have conducted extensive studies on innovation based on these perspectives and paradigms [28, 31, 32]. Sawhney et al. [28] believe that the single-dimensional research paradigm does not get rid of the shackles of traditional innovation theory. Originating from multidimensional logic and integrated researches are the fundamental way to break through the traditional innovation studies. On the basis of criticizing traditional research methods, they put forward the perspective of deepening the supply, service, scene, and relationship integration of cognition and innovation. They believed that enterprise innovation was the process of creating one-dimensional or multidimensional changes based on a four-dimensional perspective to create customer values. For different types of enterprises, their production, service, and value characteristics are different, so their reflection in the four-dimensional innovation points is different [14].Tourism festival and special event innovation can be traced back to the staged performance type models [33]. The festival and special event performance is a form of staged performance, mainly including skill and passion performances. Skill performances allow tourists to enjoy the performances of skilled performers in a natural and unpredictable state. Passionate performances allow tourists to participate in performance projects in an unpredictable state. The novelty and uniqueness of tourism festival and special event performances reflect the innovation of tourism festivals and special events.The innovation of the tourism festival and special event process stems from Berry et al.’s [14] service innovation model. This model pays special attention to the impact of accessibility and self-service technology on process innovation. Under the conditions of tourism festivals and special events, tourists obtaining the help of the festival and special event service staff will be restricted by various objective conditions, and accessibility will be especially important. This is the most overlooked aspect of tourism festival and special event organization. Self-service technology can enhance the convenience of separation and inseparability services and provide new service experiences and service benefits for tourism festival and special event tourists.Tourism festival and special event scene innovation can be traced back to the aesthetic environmental quality model [34, 35]. Tourism festival and special event scene innovation is a pleasing and sensory pleasing perception of the festival and special event tourists on the festival and special event scene designs. The psychological interests of tourists are enhanced by perfecting the aesthetic design consistent with the theme of the festivals and special events. Tourism festival and special event aesthetic scene innovation is the perception of the novelty and uniqueness of the physical and mental emotions brought by the environment of the festivals and special events.The innovation of tourism festival and special event relations originates from the symbiotic relationship model between enterprises and consumers [36]. Customer-enterprise relationships and customer-customer relationships are the two pillars of the theory of enterprise social connections [35]. In view of product innovation, the innovation of tourist loyalty program is the feeling of the festival and special event tourists on the novelty and uniqueness of the festival and special event plans, aiming to help tourists to establish contact with tourism festivals and special events; tourism community innovation is the sense of tourists on the professionalism and the novelty and uniqueness of the nongeographical restriction tourist communities, aiming at establishing and facilitating the connections between the festival and special event tourists.With the help of the relative achievements of service quality and customer assets, the attributes and characteristics of tourism festival and special event innovation can be further understood in depth [22]. First, the multidimensional nature of service quality is similar to the tourism festival and special event innovation. The quality of the subject and guest interaction and the quality of the physical environment are both issues of importance. Although the quality of service is valued by the festival and special event organizers and managers, it is inevitable that there will be biases in understanding the tourism festival and special event innovation based on the service quality model. Similar to the traditional definition of service quality of customers, frontline employees, and service environment interaction quality, the core content of tourism festival and special event performances is neglected. Based on the excellent evaluation criteria (good or bad, high and low), the service quality model excludes the innovative attributes (new, uniqueness, and creation) from the innovation model of tourism festival and special event products. Besides, it is difficult to fully understand the connotation of tourism festival and special event innovation. Second, the multidimensional value of customer assets is similar to the innovative value of tourism festival and special event innovation. Value, relationship, and brand equity are the three perspectives for understanding customer assets. Value assets are the product consumption evaluations that consumers make after weighing expenses and acquisitions. This dimension is closely related to the supply, service, and scenarios preset by this study. Relationship assets are the relationship between customers and enterprises formed based on maintenance activities and relationship training. This dimension is closely related to the predetermined tourist community and tourist loyalty of this study.This study drew on the innovative model analysis frameworks and ideas of Sawhney et al. [28], combining tourism festival and special event organizers, to understand tourism festival and special event innovation from the perspectives of supply innovation, service innovation, scene innovation, and relationship innovation. In addition, the marketing logic of tourism festival and special event services and experiences requires us to integrate companies, managers, and consumers to make the innovation points concerned by the festival and special event tourists as the most basic consideration for tourism festival and special event innovation [14]. Based on the above conclusions, we construct a conceptual model of tourism festival and special event innovation from the perspective of integration.


### 2.3. Research Hypotheses and Theoretical Models

#### 2.3.1. The Relationship between Various Dimensions of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation and Overall Innovation

Early innovation studies are mainly based on Schumpeter’s theory of technological innovation [37], taking obtaining patented technologies as the main indicator of product innovation; therefore, the technical indicators had naturally become the basic reference for innovation [38]. With the development of the innovation research paradigm, the consumer’s psychological cognitive process and the cognitive dimension of product innovation had begun to be incorporated into the research horizon [39]. Deighton [33] constructed a staged performance-type model and empirically found that stage performance was the hardcore of the performance products of the festival and was the true embodiment of product innovation. Berry et al. [14] empirically studied the impact of accessibility and self-service technology on service innovation. The results showed that accessibility and self-service technology could enhance customers’ perception of the overall innovation of service products. [40] indicated that customer-enterprise relationship and customer-customer relationship innovation had a direct and significant impact on product innovation. Rogers [20] regarded overall innovation as an overall evaluation of customers on innovative products. Rogers [20] also believed that consumers made attitude and behavior selection processes based on the evaluation of consumer needs and product innovation, reflecting the relationship between the product innovation points and overall innovation. Fang [21] regarded overall innovation as an attitude of organizations or enterprises adopting new ideas. It was empirically found that the key elements of overall innovation reflected the support or negative attitude of different types of customer groups for adopting new products. It can be seen that customer perception of innovation points has a significant impact on overall innovation. Based on the six dimensions of product innovation, this study proposed the following assumptions regarding the relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and overall innovation:(H1a)
The perception of tourists on the festival and special event performances has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1b)
The perception of tourists on accessibility has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1c)
The perception of tourists on self-service technologies has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1d)
The perception of tourists on the aesthetic environment has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1e)
The perception of tourists on tourist community has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1f)
The perception of tourists on loyalty program innovation has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.


#### 2.3.2. The Relationship between Tourism Festival and Special Event Overall Innovation and Tourist Variables

Kirca et al. [39] studied the impact of organizational innovation on product quality perception and consumer loyalty and found that organizational innovation had a direct and significant impact on consumer variables. In their studies, organizational innovation was defined as organizational culture or corporate philosophy and was the degree of openness of the organization to new ideas. Product innovation was closely related to the specific attributes and characteristics of new products. The study results of Kirca et al. [39] and Rogers [20] confirmed that customer satisfaction and customer loyalty were functions of product innovation. Behavioral intentions have been confirmed by most studies as important outcome variables of customer loyalty. In the tourism works of literature, a large number of studies have confirmed that there is a significant correlation between tourists’ satisfaction, revisiting tendency and word-of-mouth publicity [41]. Service quality, perception value, and tourists’ satisfaction are the core variables established by the transaction marketing paradigm tourist loyalty researches; tourist trust and tourist commitment are the core variables established by the relationship marketing paradigm tourist loyalty researches [41]. In other words, whether it is transaction marketing or relationship marketing paradigm, attitude constructs are an important antecedent variable of behavioral intentions.To better create the theoretical relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and tourist variables, this study focuses on two important attitude-type constructs of tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity. The relationship marketing theory believes that customer satisfaction is a response after consumers are satisfied and is a prerequisite emotional condition for positive word-of-mouth, repeated purchases and product loyalty [42]; brand equity is a cognitive key asset that maximizes long-term performance [43]. The study by Rogers [20] showed that customer satisfaction had a positive impact on brand equity. Therefore, incorporating the two attitude constructs of customer satisfaction and brand equity into the innovation-results chain will help to better understand the impact of tourism festival and special event innovation on the cognitive and emotional aspects of tourists.Based on the above understanding, the following assumptions are made regarding the relationship between overall innovation and tourist variables:(H2a)
The tourists’ festival and special event overall innovation perception has a significant positive impact on the satisfaction of the festival and special event experience.(H2b)
The tourists’ festival and special event overall innovation perception has a significant positive impact on the brand equity of festivals and special events.(H2c)
The tourists’ festival and special event overall innovation perception has a significant positive impact on their behavioral intentions.(H3)
Tourists’ satisfaction has a significant positive impact on the brand equity of festivals and special events.(H4)
Tourists’ satisfaction has a significant positive impact on their behavioral intentions.(H5)
Brand equity has a significant positive impact on tourists’ behavioral intentions.From the above research hypotheses, we have formed the theoretical model set in this study, as shown in Figure1.Figure 1
Theoretical model.Note. Potential variables in the set model are represented by corresponding English letters to save space. Among them, PP represents performance; AC represents accessibility; ST represents self-service technology; AE represents aesthetic environment; TC represents tourist community; LP represents loyalty program; OI represents overall innovation; TS represents tourist satisfaction; BE represents brand equity; and BI represents behavioral intentions. In Figures 2 and 3 as follows, the latent variables are also represented by the corresponding English letters, whose meanings are completely consistent with the set theoretical model.


## 2.1. Definition of Related Concepts

### 2.1.1. Festivals and Special Events

Festivals and special events are a popular activity of planning beforehand and could motivate consumers’ enthusiastic anticipation, participation, and celebration [11]. The scope of the festivals is wide, covering large-scale events, festivals, and special events. Festivals have distinct cultural, economic, and tourism characteristics, while careful planning, strict management, and coordination are necessary conditions for success. Besides, the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) commonly refers to tourism events, which refers to a comprehensive activity based on various types of conferences, expositions, cultural celebrations, festival celebrations, and sports events. At present, the definition of tourism festivals and special events has not yet reached a consensus. Based on the perspective of tourism product demand, tourism festivals and special events are defined as a special form of tourism by some scholars. From the perspective of product supply, tourism festivals and special events are defined as a special tourism product by other authors. In a broad sense, the tourism festivals and special events recognized by scholars are basically equivalent to the MICE concept. Therefore, tourism festivals and special events can be defined as a comprehensive activity that can bring comprehensive benefits to the organizers and participants and is oriented by the development of tourism and based on various conferences, expositions, cultural celebrations, entertainment events, and sports events.


### 2.1.2. Product Innovation and Product Innovative Nature

At the level of product innovation theory, radical or incremental innovation of tangible products is the focus of traditional product innovation research [12, 13]. Service methods, store environments, and information technology management innovation are the focus of service innovation research [14–17]. Product innovation refers to the development of new tangible products or intangible services to meet external market demand. Product innovation has completely different meanings for businesses and consumers [8, 18], with the former focusing on radical innovation and the significance of radical innovation for sales revenues [19], while the latter focusing on the novelty of product innovation and innovation in product usage patterns [20]. In short, product innovation is the development of new product or the development of new market; product innovation refers to the novelty and uniqueness of new products to consumers. Adopting the novel consumer ideas is a major research thought for product innovation [21–24].


### 2.1.3. Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation and Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovative Nature

There are mainly transactions of intangible services and festival experiences involved between the festival and special event organizers and the festival and special event tourists. From the perspective of tourists, the innovation of tourism festivals and special events includes the venues and environment of tangible festivals special events, intangible festival and special event performances, and services and experiences. In the eyes of tourists, tourism festival and special event innovation depend on the novelty of tourism products and their consumption patterns. As such, capturing the cognition and perception of tourists on innovation points of tourism festival and special event products is the key to understanding tourism festival and special event innovation. Product innovation is differentiated by the innovative nature of the products. For instance, consumers often look at and judge the innovation of products from the perspectives of novelty, uniqueness, difference, innovation, and functional changes [19, 25, 26]. In order to understand the basic attributes of tourism festival and special event innovation from the perspective of tourists, this study defines tourism festival and special event innovation as the perception of the tourism festival and special event tourists on the novelty and uniqueness of tourism festival and special event products.


## 2.1.1. Festivals and Special Events

Festivals and special events are a popular activity of planning beforehand and could motivate consumers’ enthusiastic anticipation, participation, and celebration [11]. The scope of the festivals is wide, covering large-scale events, festivals, and special events. Festivals have distinct cultural, economic, and tourism characteristics, while careful planning, strict management, and coordination are necessary conditions for success. Besides, the MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) commonly refers to tourism events, which refers to a comprehensive activity based on various types of conferences, expositions, cultural celebrations, festival celebrations, and sports events. At present, the definition of tourism festivals and special events has not yet reached a consensus. Based on the perspective of tourism product demand, tourism festivals and special events are defined as a special form of tourism by some scholars. From the perspective of product supply, tourism festivals and special events are defined as a special tourism product by other authors. In a broad sense, the tourism festivals and special events recognized by scholars are basically equivalent to the MICE concept. Therefore, tourism festivals and special events can be defined as a comprehensive activity that can bring comprehensive benefits to the organizers and participants and is oriented by the development of tourism and based on various conferences, expositions, cultural celebrations, entertainment events, and sports events.


## 2.1.2. Product Innovation and Product Innovative Nature

At the level of product innovation theory, radical or incremental innovation of tangible products is the focus of traditional product innovation research [12, 13]. Service methods, store environments, and information technology management innovation are the focus of service innovation research [14–17]. Product innovation refers to the development of new tangible products or intangible services to meet external market demand. Product innovation has completely different meanings for businesses and consumers [8, 18], with the former focusing on radical innovation and the significance of radical innovation for sales revenues [19], while the latter focusing on the novelty of product innovation and innovation in product usage patterns [20]. In short, product innovation is the development of new product or the development of new market; product innovation refers to the novelty and uniqueness of new products to consumers. Adopting the novel consumer ideas is a major research thought for product innovation [21–24].


## 2.1.3. Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation and Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovative Nature

There are mainly transactions of intangible services and festival experiences involved between the festival and special event organizers and the festival and special event tourists. From the perspective of tourists, the innovation of tourism festivals and special events includes the venues and environment of tangible festivals special events, intangible festival and special event performances, and services and experiences. In the eyes of tourists, tourism festival and special event innovation depend on the novelty of tourism products and their consumption patterns. As such, capturing the cognition and perception of tourists on innovation points of tourism festival and special event products is the key to understanding tourism festival and special event innovation. Product innovation is differentiated by the innovative nature of the products. For instance, consumers often look at and judge the innovation of products from the perspectives of novelty, uniqueness, difference, innovation, and functional changes [19, 25, 26]. In order to understand the basic attributes of tourism festival and special event innovation from the perspective of tourists, this study defines tourism festival and special event innovation as the perception of the tourism festival and special event tourists on the novelty and uniqueness of tourism festival and special event products.


## 2.2. Dimensional Structures of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation

Thinking analysis logic based on what, how, who, and where is the basic path of innovation research [14, 27–30]. It gradually developed into four basic paradigms of innovation researches: what paradigm focusing on supply, how paradigm focusing on services, where paradigm focusing on scenes, and who paradigm focusing on relations [22]. Authors in different disciplines have conducted extensive studies on innovation based on these perspectives and paradigms [28, 31, 32]. Sawhney et al. [28] believe that the single-dimensional research paradigm does not get rid of the shackles of traditional innovation theory. Originating from multidimensional logic and integrated researches are the fundamental way to break through the traditional innovation studies. On the basis of criticizing traditional research methods, they put forward the perspective of deepening the supply, service, scene, and relationship integration of cognition and innovation. They believed that enterprise innovation was the process of creating one-dimensional or multidimensional changes based on a four-dimensional perspective to create customer values. For different types of enterprises, their production, service, and value characteristics are different, so their reflection in the four-dimensional innovation points is different [14].Tourism festival and special event innovation can be traced back to the staged performance type models [33]. The festival and special event performance is a form of staged performance, mainly including skill and passion performances. Skill performances allow tourists to enjoy the performances of skilled performers in a natural and unpredictable state. Passionate performances allow tourists to participate in performance projects in an unpredictable state. The novelty and uniqueness of tourism festival and special event performances reflect the innovation of tourism festivals and special events.The innovation of the tourism festival and special event process stems from Berry et al.’s [14] service innovation model. This model pays special attention to the impact of accessibility and self-service technology on process innovation. Under the conditions of tourism festivals and special events, tourists obtaining the help of the festival and special event service staff will be restricted by various objective conditions, and accessibility will be especially important. This is the most overlooked aspect of tourism festival and special event organization. Self-service technology can enhance the convenience of separation and inseparability services and provide new service experiences and service benefits for tourism festival and special event tourists.Tourism festival and special event scene innovation can be traced back to the aesthetic environmental quality model [34, 35]. Tourism festival and special event scene innovation is a pleasing and sensory pleasing perception of the festival and special event tourists on the festival and special event scene designs. The psychological interests of tourists are enhanced by perfecting the aesthetic design consistent with the theme of the festivals and special events. Tourism festival and special event aesthetic scene innovation is the perception of the novelty and uniqueness of the physical and mental emotions brought by the environment of the festivals and special events.The innovation of tourism festival and special event relations originates from the symbiotic relationship model between enterprises and consumers [36]. Customer-enterprise relationships and customer-customer relationships are the two pillars of the theory of enterprise social connections [35]. In view of product innovation, the innovation of tourist loyalty program is the feeling of the festival and special event tourists on the novelty and uniqueness of the festival and special event plans, aiming to help tourists to establish contact with tourism festivals and special events; tourism community innovation is the sense of tourists on the professionalism and the novelty and uniqueness of the nongeographical restriction tourist communities, aiming at establishing and facilitating the connections between the festival and special event tourists.With the help of the relative achievements of service quality and customer assets, the attributes and characteristics of tourism festival and special event innovation can be further understood in depth [22]. First, the multidimensional nature of service quality is similar to the tourism festival and special event innovation. The quality of the subject and guest interaction and the quality of the physical environment are both issues of importance. Although the quality of service is valued by the festival and special event organizers and managers, it is inevitable that there will be biases in understanding the tourism festival and special event innovation based on the service quality model. Similar to the traditional definition of service quality of customers, frontline employees, and service environment interaction quality, the core content of tourism festival and special event performances is neglected. Based on the excellent evaluation criteria (good or bad, high and low), the service quality model excludes the innovative attributes (new, uniqueness, and creation) from the innovation model of tourism festival and special event products. Besides, it is difficult to fully understand the connotation of tourism festival and special event innovation. Second, the multidimensional value of customer assets is similar to the innovative value of tourism festival and special event innovation. Value, relationship, and brand equity are the three perspectives for understanding customer assets. Value assets are the product consumption evaluations that consumers make after weighing expenses and acquisitions. This dimension is closely related to the supply, service, and scenarios preset by this study. Relationship assets are the relationship between customers and enterprises formed based on maintenance activities and relationship training. This dimension is closely related to the predetermined tourist community and tourist loyalty of this study.This study drew on the innovative model analysis frameworks and ideas of Sawhney et al. [28], combining tourism festival and special event organizers, to understand tourism festival and special event innovation from the perspectives of supply innovation, service innovation, scene innovation, and relationship innovation. In addition, the marketing logic of tourism festival and special event services and experiences requires us to integrate companies, managers, and consumers to make the innovation points concerned by the festival and special event tourists as the most basic consideration for tourism festival and special event innovation [14]. Based on the above conclusions, we construct a conceptual model of tourism festival and special event innovation from the perspective of integration.


## 2.3. Research Hypotheses and Theoretical Models

### 2.3.1. The Relationship between Various Dimensions of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation and Overall Innovation

Early innovation studies are mainly based on Schumpeter’s theory of technological innovation [37], taking obtaining patented technologies as the main indicator of product innovation; therefore, the technical indicators had naturally become the basic reference for innovation [38]. With the development of the innovation research paradigm, the consumer’s psychological cognitive process and the cognitive dimension of product innovation had begun to be incorporated into the research horizon [39]. Deighton [33] constructed a staged performance-type model and empirically found that stage performance was the hardcore of the performance products of the festival and was the true embodiment of product innovation. Berry et al. [14] empirically studied the impact of accessibility and self-service technology on service innovation. The results showed that accessibility and self-service technology could enhance customers’ perception of the overall innovation of service products. [40] indicated that customer-enterprise relationship and customer-customer relationship innovation had a direct and significant impact on product innovation. Rogers [20] regarded overall innovation as an overall evaluation of customers on innovative products. Rogers [20] also believed that consumers made attitude and behavior selection processes based on the evaluation of consumer needs and product innovation, reflecting the relationship between the product innovation points and overall innovation. Fang [21] regarded overall innovation as an attitude of organizations or enterprises adopting new ideas. It was empirically found that the key elements of overall innovation reflected the support or negative attitude of different types of customer groups for adopting new products. It can be seen that customer perception of innovation points has a significant impact on overall innovation. Based on the six dimensions of product innovation, this study proposed the following assumptions regarding the relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and overall innovation:(H1a)
The perception of tourists on the festival and special event performances has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1b)
The perception of tourists on accessibility has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1c)
The perception of tourists on self-service technologies has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1d)
The perception of tourists on the aesthetic environment has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1e)
The perception of tourists on tourist community has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1f)
The perception of tourists on loyalty program innovation has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.


### 2.3.2. The Relationship between Tourism Festival and Special Event Overall Innovation and Tourist Variables

Kirca et al. [39] studied the impact of organizational innovation on product quality perception and consumer loyalty and found that organizational innovation had a direct and significant impact on consumer variables. In their studies, organizational innovation was defined as organizational culture or corporate philosophy and was the degree of openness of the organization to new ideas. Product innovation was closely related to the specific attributes and characteristics of new products. The study results of Kirca et al. [39] and Rogers [20] confirmed that customer satisfaction and customer loyalty were functions of product innovation. Behavioral intentions have been confirmed by most studies as important outcome variables of customer loyalty. In the tourism works of literature, a large number of studies have confirmed that there is a significant correlation between tourists’ satisfaction, revisiting tendency and word-of-mouth publicity [41]. Service quality, perception value, and tourists’ satisfaction are the core variables established by the transaction marketing paradigm tourist loyalty researches; tourist trust and tourist commitment are the core variables established by the relationship marketing paradigm tourist loyalty researches [41]. In other words, whether it is transaction marketing or relationship marketing paradigm, attitude constructs are an important antecedent variable of behavioral intentions.To better create the theoretical relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and tourist variables, this study focuses on two important attitude-type constructs of tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity. The relationship marketing theory believes that customer satisfaction is a response after consumers are satisfied and is a prerequisite emotional condition for positive word-of-mouth, repeated purchases and product loyalty [42]; brand equity is a cognitive key asset that maximizes long-term performance [43]. The study by Rogers [20] showed that customer satisfaction had a positive impact on brand equity. Therefore, incorporating the two attitude constructs of customer satisfaction and brand equity into the innovation-results chain will help to better understand the impact of tourism festival and special event innovation on the cognitive and emotional aspects of tourists.Based on the above understanding, the following assumptions are made regarding the relationship between overall innovation and tourist variables:(H2a)
The tourists’ festival and special event overall innovation perception has a significant positive impact on the satisfaction of the festival and special event experience.(H2b)
The tourists’ festival and special event overall innovation perception has a significant positive impact on the brand equity of festivals and special events.(H2c)
The tourists’ festival and special event overall innovation perception has a significant positive impact on their behavioral intentions.(H3)
Tourists’ satisfaction has a significant positive impact on the brand equity of festivals and special events.(H4)
Tourists’ satisfaction has a significant positive impact on their behavioral intentions.(H5)
Brand equity has a significant positive impact on tourists’ behavioral intentions.From the above research hypotheses, we have formed the theoretical model set in this study, as shown in Figure1.Figure 1
Theoretical model.Note. Potential variables in the set model are represented by corresponding English letters to save space. Among them, PP represents performance; AC represents accessibility; ST represents self-service technology; AE represents aesthetic environment; TC represents tourist community; LP represents loyalty program; OI represents overall innovation; TS represents tourist satisfaction; BE represents brand equity; and BI represents behavioral intentions. In Figures 2 and 3 as follows, the latent variables are also represented by the corresponding English letters, whose meanings are completely consistent with the set theoretical model.


## 2.3.1. The Relationship between Various Dimensions of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation and Overall Innovation

Early innovation studies are mainly based on Schumpeter’s theory of technological innovation [37], taking obtaining patented technologies as the main indicator of product innovation; therefore, the technical indicators had naturally become the basic reference for innovation [38]. With the development of the innovation research paradigm, the consumer’s psychological cognitive process and the cognitive dimension of product innovation had begun to be incorporated into the research horizon [39]. Deighton [33] constructed a staged performance-type model and empirically found that stage performance was the hardcore of the performance products of the festival and was the true embodiment of product innovation. Berry et al. [14] empirically studied the impact of accessibility and self-service technology on service innovation. The results showed that accessibility and self-service technology could enhance customers’ perception of the overall innovation of service products. [40] indicated that customer-enterprise relationship and customer-customer relationship innovation had a direct and significant impact on product innovation. Rogers [20] regarded overall innovation as an overall evaluation of customers on innovative products. Rogers [20] also believed that consumers made attitude and behavior selection processes based on the evaluation of consumer needs and product innovation, reflecting the relationship between the product innovation points and overall innovation. Fang [21] regarded overall innovation as an attitude of organizations or enterprises adopting new ideas. It was empirically found that the key elements of overall innovation reflected the support or negative attitude of different types of customer groups for adopting new products. It can be seen that customer perception of innovation points has a significant impact on overall innovation. Based on the six dimensions of product innovation, this study proposed the following assumptions regarding the relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and overall innovation:(H1a)
The perception of tourists on the festival and special event performances has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1b)
The perception of tourists on accessibility has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1c)
The perception of tourists on self-service technologies has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1d)
The perception of tourists on the aesthetic environment has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1e)
The perception of tourists on tourist community has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.(H1f)
The perception of tourists on loyalty program innovation has a significant positive impact on the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.


## 2.3.2. The Relationship between Tourism Festival and Special Event Overall Innovation and Tourist Variables

Kirca et al. [39] studied the impact of organizational innovation on product quality perception and consumer loyalty and found that organizational innovation had a direct and significant impact on consumer variables. In their studies, organizational innovation was defined as organizational culture or corporate philosophy and was the degree of openness of the organization to new ideas. Product innovation was closely related to the specific attributes and characteristics of new products. The study results of Kirca et al. [39] and Rogers [20] confirmed that customer satisfaction and customer loyalty were functions of product innovation. Behavioral intentions have been confirmed by most studies as important outcome variables of customer loyalty. In the tourism works of literature, a large number of studies have confirmed that there is a significant correlation between tourists’ satisfaction, revisiting tendency and word-of-mouth publicity [41]. Service quality, perception value, and tourists’ satisfaction are the core variables established by the transaction marketing paradigm tourist loyalty researches; tourist trust and tourist commitment are the core variables established by the relationship marketing paradigm tourist loyalty researches [41]. In other words, whether it is transaction marketing or relationship marketing paradigm, attitude constructs are an important antecedent variable of behavioral intentions.To better create the theoretical relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and tourist variables, this study focuses on two important attitude-type constructs of tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity. The relationship marketing theory believes that customer satisfaction is a response after consumers are satisfied and is a prerequisite emotional condition for positive word-of-mouth, repeated purchases and product loyalty [42]; brand equity is a cognitive key asset that maximizes long-term performance [43]. The study by Rogers [20] showed that customer satisfaction had a positive impact on brand equity. Therefore, incorporating the two attitude constructs of customer satisfaction and brand equity into the innovation-results chain will help to better understand the impact of tourism festival and special event innovation on the cognitive and emotional aspects of tourists.Based on the above understanding, the following assumptions are made regarding the relationship between overall innovation and tourist variables:(H2a)
The tourists’ festival and special event overall innovation perception has a significant positive impact on the satisfaction of the festival and special event experience.(H2b)
The tourists’ festival and special event overall innovation perception has a significant positive impact on the brand equity of festivals and special events.(H2c)
The tourists’ festival and special event overall innovation perception has a significant positive impact on their behavioral intentions.(H3)
Tourists’ satisfaction has a significant positive impact on the brand equity of festivals and special events.(H4)
Tourists’ satisfaction has a significant positive impact on their behavioral intentions.(H5)
Brand equity has a significant positive impact on tourists’ behavioral intentions.From the above research hypotheses, we have formed the theoretical model set in this study, as shown in Figure1.Figure 1
Theoretical model.Note. Potential variables in the set model are represented by corresponding English letters to save space. Among them, PP represents performance; AC represents accessibility; ST represents self-service technology; AE represents aesthetic environment; TC represents tourist community; LP represents loyalty program; OI represents overall innovation; TS represents tourist satisfaction; BE represents brand equity; and BI represents behavioral intentions. In Figures 2 and 3 as follows, the latent variables are also represented by the corresponding English letters, whose meanings are completely consistent with the set theoretical model.


## 3. Research Design and Data Collection

### 3.1. Questionnaire Design

The related studies on the six-dimensional conceptual model supporting tourism festival and special event innovation are mainly conceptual [14, 28, 35], lacking the test of empirical research conclusions. Therefore, this study first develops and validates the tourism festival and special event innovation scale. The scale of six dimensions of tourism and festival innovation is mainly derived from existing research results. The performance dimension scale mainly refers to the Deighton [33] scale; the accessibility dimension scale and the self-service technology dimension scale are mainly from the Berry [14] scale; the aesthetic environment dimension scale mainly refers to Berry [14] and Zeithaml’s (2003) scale; the tourist community dimensional scale and the tourist loyalty program dimension scale mainly refers to Oliver [36] and Zeithaml’s (2003) scales after appropriate adjustment. The questionnaire was measured using the Likert 7-point scale. “1” means very disagreeable; “7” means very agreeable; “2–6” means “disagree,” “disagree a little,” “neutral,” “agree a little,” “agree generally,” “agree.”In order to examine the relationship between the overall innovation and the tourists’ variables, the overall innovation scale of the tourism festivals and special events selected by this study came from the research results of Fang [21] because this scale could fully reflect the consumers’ overall attitude and recognition for innovative products. Similar to the attitude scale, the overall innovation scale is a semantic differential scale consisting of a series of bipolar adjectives (e.g., innovative-not innovative, interesting-boring, and novel-not novel), using the bipolar 7-point Likert scale to measure the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.Tourists’ satisfaction, as an emotional construct, was used to capture the emotional component of the tourists’ attitude. The Cronin [44] scale was chosen for this study because it could be used to measure three important emotional responses of consumers (happiness, delight and satisfaction) to consumption objects. The Brady [44] scale was chosen for brand equity because this scale followed the Aaker [45] consumer brand equity conceptual paradigm and proposed four major indicators indirect measuring brand equity: image, attitude, quality, and consumer satisfaction. The behavioral intention questionnaire was derived from the Brady et al.’s [44] scale, which was used to measure festival and special event tourist recommendations, revisiting, and the budget for festival and special event expenses. Tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions questionnaires were also in the form of a bipolar 7-point Likert scale.


### 3.2. Research Object

The research object of this paper is Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival. Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival, which has been held for three times to now, is an international music festival activity founded by Zhangjiajie, a world natural heritage site and a national folk music culture and art township, aiming to build Zhangjiajie into an international country music brand and a sacred place of country music. Each session invited 30 national and folk music groups with typical country music characteristics and representing the world level from no less than 20 countries. Its interactivity, openness, specificity, artistry, and internationality have gradually become a benchmark of the international country music festival. It was evaluated as a successful practice of using cultural soft power to enhance the national image by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, and its creativity and innovation cover various aspects from the endorsement of the cartoon mayor to the form of performance of country music and then to the exchange of foreign culture. This study selected the Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival case, took the tourists of the Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival as the survey objects, and empirically tested the tourism festival and special event innovation model and the relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and tourist variables.


### 3.3. Data Collection

In the sample survey of this paper, seven music performance venues including Huanglongdong Ecological Square Scenic Spot, Baofeng Lake, Shuirao Simen, Laomowan, Tianzishan, Tianmenshan, and Xibu Street were selected as survey sites by using the quasi-time-space ratio sampling method. The survey time was from August 31 to September 4, 2013. The questionnaires were kept and implemented by the staff, emphasizing the choice of survey timing to improve the quality of the questionnaires filled in by the interviewees. A total of 1,500 questionnaires were distributed in this survey and 864 questionnaires were collected, with a recovery rate of 57.6%, in which the invalid questionnaires were 708 after excluding invalid questionnaires, so the effective rate was 81.94%. After the survey was over, the questionnaires were counted to form a database. Through a detailed investigation of the demographic characteristics of the survey samples, the data obtained from the surveys were found to have a good distribution in demographic characteristics. From the perspective of gender, the gender ratio was basically balanced; the age was mainly 25–40 years old. From the perspective of education level, it was mainly junior college and undergraduate. From the perspective of occupational composition, civil servants, employees of enterprises and institutions, and freelancers were main. From the monthly income of family per capita, it was mainly above 4,000 yuan.


### 3.4. Analysis Method

This paper used SPSS19.0 and LISREL8.7 software for analysis. The main methods were (1) using the internal consistency of the Cronbachα coefficient consideration scale; (2) confirmative factor analysis (CFA) analyzing and testing the aggregation validity and discriminant validity of each scale, providing a basis for structural model analysis; and (3) analyzing the causal link between variables by means of structural models and the impacts of tourism festival and special event innovation on tourists’ satisfaction, tourists’ behavioral intentions, and brand equity.


## 3.1. Questionnaire Design

The related studies on the six-dimensional conceptual model supporting tourism festival and special event innovation are mainly conceptual [14, 28, 35], lacking the test of empirical research conclusions. Therefore, this study first develops and validates the tourism festival and special event innovation scale. The scale of six dimensions of tourism and festival innovation is mainly derived from existing research results. The performance dimension scale mainly refers to the Deighton [33] scale; the accessibility dimension scale and the self-service technology dimension scale are mainly from the Berry [14] scale; the aesthetic environment dimension scale mainly refers to Berry [14] and Zeithaml’s (2003) scale; the tourist community dimensional scale and the tourist loyalty program dimension scale mainly refers to Oliver [36] and Zeithaml’s (2003) scales after appropriate adjustment. The questionnaire was measured using the Likert 7-point scale. “1” means very disagreeable; “7” means very agreeable; “2–6” means “disagree,” “disagree a little,” “neutral,” “agree a little,” “agree generally,” “agree.”In order to examine the relationship between the overall innovation and the tourists’ variables, the overall innovation scale of the tourism festivals and special events selected by this study came from the research results of Fang [21] because this scale could fully reflect the consumers’ overall attitude and recognition for innovative products. Similar to the attitude scale, the overall innovation scale is a semantic differential scale consisting of a series of bipolar adjectives (e.g., innovative-not innovative, interesting-boring, and novel-not novel), using the bipolar 7-point Likert scale to measure the overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events.Tourists’ satisfaction, as an emotional construct, was used to capture the emotional component of the tourists’ attitude. The Cronin [44] scale was chosen for this study because it could be used to measure three important emotional responses of consumers (happiness, delight and satisfaction) to consumption objects. The Brady [44] scale was chosen for brand equity because this scale followed the Aaker [45] consumer brand equity conceptual paradigm and proposed four major indicators indirect measuring brand equity: image, attitude, quality, and consumer satisfaction. The behavioral intention questionnaire was derived from the Brady et al.’s [44] scale, which was used to measure festival and special event tourist recommendations, revisiting, and the budget for festival and special event expenses. Tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions questionnaires were also in the form of a bipolar 7-point Likert scale.


## 3.2. Research Object

The research object of this paper is Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival. Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival, which has been held for three times to now, is an international music festival activity founded by Zhangjiajie, a world natural heritage site and a national folk music culture and art township, aiming to build Zhangjiajie into an international country music brand and a sacred place of country music. Each session invited 30 national and folk music groups with typical country music characteristics and representing the world level from no less than 20 countries. Its interactivity, openness, specificity, artistry, and internationality have gradually become a benchmark of the international country music festival. It was evaluated as a successful practice of using cultural soft power to enhance the national image by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China, and its creativity and innovation cover various aspects from the endorsement of the cartoon mayor to the form of performance of country music and then to the exchange of foreign culture. This study selected the Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival case, took the tourists of the Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival as the survey objects, and empirically tested the tourism festival and special event innovation model and the relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and tourist variables.


## 3.3. Data Collection

In the sample survey of this paper, seven music performance venues including Huanglongdong Ecological Square Scenic Spot, Baofeng Lake, Shuirao Simen, Laomowan, Tianzishan, Tianmenshan, and Xibu Street were selected as survey sites by using the quasi-time-space ratio sampling method. The survey time was from August 31 to September 4, 2013. The questionnaires were kept and implemented by the staff, emphasizing the choice of survey timing to improve the quality of the questionnaires filled in by the interviewees. A total of 1,500 questionnaires were distributed in this survey and 864 questionnaires were collected, with a recovery rate of 57.6%, in which the invalid questionnaires were 708 after excluding invalid questionnaires, so the effective rate was 81.94%. After the survey was over, the questionnaires were counted to form a database. Through a detailed investigation of the demographic characteristics of the survey samples, the data obtained from the surveys were found to have a good distribution in demographic characteristics. From the perspective of gender, the gender ratio was basically balanced; the age was mainly 25–40 years old. From the perspective of education level, it was mainly junior college and undergraduate. From the perspective of occupational composition, civil servants, employees of enterprises and institutions, and freelancers were main. From the monthly income of family per capita, it was mainly above 4,000 yuan.


## 3.4. Analysis Method

This paper used SPSS19.0 and LISREL8.7 software for analysis. The main methods were (1) using the internal consistency of the Cronbachα coefficient consideration scale; (2) confirmative factor analysis (CFA) analyzing and testing the aggregation validity and discriminant validity of each scale, providing a basis for structural model analysis; and (3) analyzing the causal link between variables by means of structural models and the impacts of tourism festival and special event innovation on tourists’ satisfaction, tourists’ behavioral intentions, and brand equity.


## 4. Empirical Analysis

### 4.1. Research 1: Measurement of the Dimension Structure of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation

In order to measure and test the dimensional structures of tourism festival and special event innovation, this paper follows the basic procedure of scale development; that is, based on literature review, the test item development, test item purification, factor analysis, factor naming, factor validity, and reliability test were carried out and the tourism festival and special event innovation scale was developed and verified.


#### 4.1.1. Test Items Development

The test items were obtained in this study through the following methods: (1) comprehensively sorting out the innovation types, related research results at home and abroad of product innovation and service marketing, to establish and improve the test item database as much as possible; (2) fully referring to the questions related to six-dimensional scale of tourism festival and special event innovation (see the questionnaire design section for details); (3) based on the needs of the tourism festival and special event innovation dimension framework, combined with relevant theories to modify or develop some test items to adapt to the development of tourism festival and special event in the Chinese context; and (4) bringing the test items to 30 tourism management and exhibition professional teachers to supplement and improve them. Through the above research process, a preliminary scale consisting of 40 questions was compiled. The tourism festival and special event innovation include four aspects of supply, process, scene, and relationship innovation, which can be further and can be decomposed into six dimensions: performance, accessibility, aesthetic environment, self-service technologies, tourist community, and loyalty program.


#### 4.1.2. Project Purification, Exploratory Factor Analysis, and Factor Naming

Following the test item purification standard, using SPSS19.0 for exploratory factor analysis, after the factor purification operation, 15 questions were deleted from 40 questions, and the remaining 25 questions constitute a scale that can be used for analysis. Statistics showed that the KMO (Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin) value of the 25 items was 0.942 and the significant level of Bartlett’s spherical test was less than 0.001, indicating that it was suitable for factor analysis. The eigenvalues showed that the mean value of the first six factors was greater than 1, indicating that there were six factors. The gravel map showed that the first six factors varied greatly and started to slow down from the seventh factor, indicating that the extraction of six common factors was appropriate. The contribution rate of variance interpretation showed that the cumulative interpretation rate of the first six common factors was 68.73%, which exceeded the critical value of 60%. The overall Cronbachα-value was 0.87, indicating that the data results were better. The factor load was higher than 0.5, indicating that the overall factor extraction effect was better (see Table 1).Table 1
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis results.
Common factors (constructs)Correlation coefficient matrixFactor loadCRAVES1 (n = 354)S2 (n = 354)S1S2S1S2S1S212345612345678910Performance1174–8775–8890936568Accessibility68174170–8675–8687916265Self-service technology666217971169–8574–8989926270Aesthetic environment6166481686855165–7774–8183865159Tourist community69676169184747478162–8068–8484905365Loyalty program686573475917873756075165–8272–8882895467Overall innovation584645465247172–919166Tourist satisfaction27262141352741181–928881Brand equity4638304851405655172–898969Behavioral intention323424514326527164163–908665In Study 1, the sample size was 354,χ2 (df) = 898.27 (385), χ2/df = 2.33, p < 01; CFI = 98; NNFI = 98; AGFI = 79; and RMSEA = 068. In Study 2, the sample size was 354, χ2 (df) = 2153.12 (978), χ2/df = 2.20, p < 01; CFI = 98; NNFI = 98; AGFI = 73; and RMSEA = 063. Note. (1) According to the requirements of triangular mutual certification, this study divided the total sample size (708) into two, to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and CFA analyses, and to be represented by S1 and S2, respectively. S2 was also the basis for the study of the relationship between overall innovation and tourist variables; (2) CR was construct reliability, which meant constructive reliability; AVE was average variance extracted, which meant average extraction variance; (3) To save layout space, all decimal digits of all values were omitted in the table.Combining literature reviews and interviews, based on exploratory factor analysis, tourism festival and special event innovation consists of six dimensions (dimensions), and 25 test indicators (test statements) were formed under the corresponding dimensions. The test items affiliated by first factor included “the performer’s skills were unique,” “the performer’s skill was novel,” “the show was full of passion,” “the performer’s performance style was unique,” and “the performance of festivals and special events changed and enhanced my travel experiences and could be named as “performance.” The naming of other factors is shown in Table1.


#### 4.1.3. CFA Analysis, Factor Naming, and Reliability Test

According to the requirements of the triangle mutual certification, the remaining 1/2 sample size (n = 354) was subjected to CFA analysis using LISREL8.7 software. Statistics showed that the average values of the six dimensions of the festival and special event innovation were 4.69, 4.87, 4.58, 5.35, 5.19, and 4.52, respectively; the standard deviations were 1.13, 1.16, 1.25, 1.05, 1.07, and 1.13, and the relationship coefficient was between 0.47 and 0.73. Psychological measurement attributes such as factor loading, construction reliability, and average extraction variance were measured by CFA analysis (see Table 1S2 for specific results). The construction reliability of all factors was between 0.82 and 0.90, which was higher than the critical value of 0.60; the factor load was between 0.68 and 0.89, which was higher than the critical value of 0.50, indicating that the scale had good convergence. The average extraction variance was between 0.59 and 0.70, which was higher than the 0.50 threshold and further validated the aggregation validity of the tourism festival and special event innovation scale. By comparing the correlation coefficient between the average extracted variance with each construct, the validity of the discriminant can be tested. Table 1 shows that all the extracted squared differences between constructs are larger than the correlation coefficient, which verifies the discriminant validity of the tourism festival and special event innovation scale. In addition, as shown in Table 1, the RMSEA threshold of 0.08, the CFI and NNFI threshold of 0.90, and the AGFI threshold of 0.90, absolute fit, incremental fit, and brief fit indicate that the tourism festival and special event innovation measurement model is acceptable. Under complex multidimensional conceptualization conditions, AGFI value is lower than the critical value, which is acceptable [46].The above exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, respectively, confirmed and verified the six dimensions of performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, and loyalty program of tourism festival and special event innovation, which verified the 6-dimensional structure of tourism festival and special event innovation proposed by this study.


### 4.2. Research 2: The Relationship between the Overall Innovation of Tourism Festivals and Special Events and the Tourists’ Behavioral Intentions

In order to test the relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and tourists’ satisfaction and behavioral intentions, this paper used structural equation modeling to conduct empirical tests. According to the structural equation model analysis methods and steps, the measurement model analysis must first be carried out to carry out the reliability and validity test, and then the structural model analysis was carried out to test the relationship between the variables.


#### 4.2.1. Sample Overall Reliability Test

The internal consistency of the Cronbachα coefficient consideration scale is generally used. Reliability is checked by whether the measurement results match the actual values. Statistics show that the overall reliability of the questionnaire in Study 2 is 0.885, which is much larger than the critical standard value of 0.6. This indicates that the internal consistency of the measurement index is strong, the reliability is high, and the questionnaire has good homogeneity reliability.


#### 4.2.2. Measurement Model Evaluation

Statistics showed that the average values of performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, loyalty program, overall innovation, tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions were 4.69, 4.87, 4.58, 5.35, 5.19, 4.52, 5.12, 6.13, 5.85, and 6.01; the standard deviations were 1.13, 1.17, 1.25, 1.05, 1.07, 1.13, 1.21, 1.00, 1.07, and 1.01, respectively; the correlation coefficient is between 0.21 and 0.84. Among them, the average value of brand equity, tourists’ satisfaction, and behavioral intentions were much higher than other constructs.In order to further test the measurement validity and the degree of discrimination between the indicators of the overall innovation, tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions, to carry out CFA analysis, the measurement model A was constructed using LISREL8.7, and the various fitting indicators are the fitting indexes of model A in Table2.Table 2
Three models’ fitting indices and their comparison.
Modelχ2dfχ2/dfΔχ2ΔdfRMSEANNFICFIGFIAIC criteriaTagmemePartially mediatingModel A2385.4610072.37——0.0620.980.980.962623.381Full mediatingModel B2403.5210092.3818.0620.0630.980.980.962635.472Model C2535.8710092.51132.3520.0620.970.980.962756.823Note. (1) Model A is the preset theory model, partial mediating model, and baseline model; model B is the satisfaction nested model, model C is the brand equity nested model, and both are full mediating models; (2) the baseline model is compared with the nested model through the chi-square value difference; (3) the model order is determined by the chi-square test and the AIC criteria.Test of goodness of model fitting: Table2 shows that the value of χ2/df of model A is 2.37 and the value of RMSEA is 0.062. The values of NNFI, CFI, and GFI are both greater than the critical value of 0.9, indicating that model A fits well and is a fully acceptable model.Reliability and validity test: when the construction reliability is greater than 0.7, the measurement reliability of the question items to the constructs is higher. When the factor load is greater than 0.5, it is significant at theP value of 0.01, and when the average extraction variance is greater than 0.5, the aggregation validity is better. When the average extraction variance is greater than 0.5, the correlation coefficient between constructs is smaller than the average extraction variance, which satisfies the discriminant validity [47]. Table 1 (S2 part) shows that the factor load is between 0.63 and 0.91 (threshold value is 0.5), the construction reliability of all factors is between 0.86 and 0.92 (threshold value is 0.7), and the average extraction variance is between 0.59 and 0.81 (threshold value is 0.5), which has fully verified the convergent validity of the 10 major construct scales. In addition, all the extracted squared differences between the 10 constructs are larger than the correlation coefficients, and the discriminant validity of the 10 constructive scales has also been verified.Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the 10 latent variables had good validity and reliability; therefore, the next structural model analyses could be carried out.


#### 4.2.3. Structural Model Evaluation

This study includes two important mediator variables: brand equity and tourists’ satisfaction. Previous studies have shown that brand equity and consumer satisfaction can enhance the predictive power of overall innovation on the consumers’ behavioral intentions [42,43]. In order to test the role of mediation, this study compared the partial mediating model (i.e., the research setting theoretical model; see Figure 1) with the full intermediate model (two nested models; see Figure 2). The first competitive nested model is a satisfaction model developed based on brand equity research: consumer satisfaction plays a full mediating role in the relationship between overall innovation, brand equity, and behavioral intentions [48]; the second competitive model is a brand equity model developed based on market performance research: brand equity plays a full mediating role in the relationship between overall innovation, consumer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions [45].Figure 2
Full mediating model (competitive nested model).Following the research idea of Hair et al. [46], the mediating effect was tested by a series of chi-square difference tests. CFA and chi-square difference analyses were performed using LISREL 8.7 software to compare the fit of different structural models. The difference between the chi-square values of the partial mediating model (i.e., the set theory model) and the full mediating model (two nested models) proved that the introduction of the partial mediating model reduced the chi-square value (see Table 2). This shows that the two attitude constructs of tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity coexist in the relationship model of innovation and behavioral intentions as mediating variables.As shown in Table2, the fitting indexes χ2/df values of the three models are all less than 3, and the values of RMSEA are less than 0.08, and the values of NNFI, CFI, and GFI are all greater than 0.9, indicating that the model fits the data well. Based on the model comparison principle of Hair et al. (2006), the comparison of the two models depends on the corresponding changes of Δχ2 and Δdf. The model simplification is better when the chi-square value change Δχ2 caused by the increase of the degree of freedom Δdf is smaller than the critical value of χ2 when the degree of freedom is Δdf, α = 0.01. Using the above principle, it can be considered that model A is the optimal model of the set model of research.


#### 4.2.4. Hypothesis Testing

After the reliability and validity of the measurement model were confirmed, the previous latent variables and their question items were imported into the set structural model to test the research hypothesis, and the model was estimated by the maximum likelihood method. The test indicators and verification results of the set model are shown in Table3. It can be seen from Table 3 that H1a, H1c, H1d, H2a, H2b, H2c, H3, H4, and H5 have all passed the statistical tests, but H1b, H1e, and H1f do not pass the statistical test. Therefore, in order to better fit the conceptual model with the data, it is necessary to correct the set model based on the test results and MI.Table 3
Setting model verification indicators and relationship hypothesis test results.
HypothesisRelationship between variablesPath nameStandardized path coefficientt-valueStandard errorHypothetical result testH1aPerformance⟶ overall innovationλ2,10.7218.871∗∗∗0.057SupportedH1bAccessibility⟶ overall innovationλ3,1−0.053-0.4520.078Not supportedH1cSelf-service technology⟶ overall innovationλ4,10.2732.695∗∗∗0.061SupportedH1dAesthetic environment⟶ overall innovationλ5,10.3554.173∗∗∗0.069SupportedH1eTourist community⟶ overall innovationλ6,1−0.042−0.2230.091Not supportedH1fLoyalty program⟶ overall innovationλ7,10.1441.1350.103Not supportedH2aOverall innovation⟶ tourist satisfactionß3,20.3926.752∗∗∗0.072SupportedH2bOverall innovation⟶ brand equityß4,20.3926.518∗∗∗0.046SupportedH2cOverall innovation⟶ behavioral intentionß5,20.5437.752∗∗∗0.067SupportedH3Tourist satisfaction⟶ brand equityß4,30.3876.871∗∗∗0.054SupportedH4Tourist satisfaction⟶ behavioral intentionß5,40.67111.293∗∗∗0.069SupportedH5Brand equity⟶ behavioral intentionß6,50.2684.544∗∗∗0.076SupportedNote. ∗∗∗ indicates being significant at p < 0.01.In order to optimize the theoretical model, the preset model needs to be modified according to the test results of the set model and the MI index. The paths that have not been verified shall be gradually eliminated until all paths pass the tests. The modified model fit indexes show that the RMSEA is 0.047,χ2/df is 2.016, AGFI is 0.895, and GFI, CFI, TLI, IFI, and NFI are all above 0.900; each fitting index has reached an excellent level and is comprehensively better than conceptual models. The path coefficients passed the tests, which proved that compared with the theoretical models, the modified models were more consistent with the inherent logical relationship of the data and did not violate the theoretical basis. The results of the modified models are shown in Figure 3.Figure 3
Corrected theoretical model.Note. The solid line indicates significant; the dotted line indicates not significant.It can be seen from Figure3 that the modified model has better prediction ability and the relationship among the latent variables in the model is stable, indicating that the modified model has good rationality.From the explained variance of each latent variable in Figure3, the explained variance of overall innovation and behavioral intentions exceeding 50% is 57.1% and 65.4%, respectively; the explained variance of tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity being above 20% is 29.5% and 26.3%, respectively, indicating that the relationship between the latent variables of the modified model is stable, and each path better explains the relationship between the latent variables.


## 4.1. Research 1: Measurement of the Dimension Structure of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation

In order to measure and test the dimensional structures of tourism festival and special event innovation, this paper follows the basic procedure of scale development; that is, based on literature review, the test item development, test item purification, factor analysis, factor naming, factor validity, and reliability test were carried out and the tourism festival and special event innovation scale was developed and verified.


### 4.1.1. Test Items Development

The test items were obtained in this study through the following methods: (1) comprehensively sorting out the innovation types, related research results at home and abroad of product innovation and service marketing, to establish and improve the test item database as much as possible; (2) fully referring to the questions related to six-dimensional scale of tourism festival and special event innovation (see the questionnaire design section for details); (3) based on the needs of the tourism festival and special event innovation dimension framework, combined with relevant theories to modify or develop some test items to adapt to the development of tourism festival and special event in the Chinese context; and (4) bringing the test items to 30 tourism management and exhibition professional teachers to supplement and improve them. Through the above research process, a preliminary scale consisting of 40 questions was compiled. The tourism festival and special event innovation include four aspects of supply, process, scene, and relationship innovation, which can be further and can be decomposed into six dimensions: performance, accessibility, aesthetic environment, self-service technologies, tourist community, and loyalty program.


### 4.1.2. Project Purification, Exploratory Factor Analysis, and Factor Naming

Following the test item purification standard, using SPSS19.0 for exploratory factor analysis, after the factor purification operation, 15 questions were deleted from 40 questions, and the remaining 25 questions constitute a scale that can be used for analysis. Statistics showed that the KMO (Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin) value of the 25 items was 0.942 and the significant level of Bartlett’s spherical test was less than 0.001, indicating that it was suitable for factor analysis. The eigenvalues showed that the mean value of the first six factors was greater than 1, indicating that there were six factors. The gravel map showed that the first six factors varied greatly and started to slow down from the seventh factor, indicating that the extraction of six common factors was appropriate. The contribution rate of variance interpretation showed that the cumulative interpretation rate of the first six common factors was 68.73%, which exceeded the critical value of 60%. The overall Cronbachα-value was 0.87, indicating that the data results were better. The factor load was higher than 0.5, indicating that the overall factor extraction effect was better (see Table 1).Table 1
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis results.
Common factors (constructs)Correlation coefficient matrixFactor loadCRAVES1 (n = 354)S2 (n = 354)S1S2S1S2S1S212345612345678910Performance1174–8775–8890936568Accessibility68174170–8675–8687916265Self-service technology666217971169–8574–8989926270Aesthetic environment6166481686855165–7774–8183865159Tourist community69676169184747478162–8068–8484905365Loyalty program686573475917873756075165–8272–8882895467Overall innovation584645465247172–919166Tourist satisfaction27262141352741181–928881Brand equity4638304851405655172–898969Behavioral intention323424514326527164163–908665In Study 1, the sample size was 354,χ2 (df) = 898.27 (385), χ2/df = 2.33, p < 01; CFI = 98; NNFI = 98; AGFI = 79; and RMSEA = 068. In Study 2, the sample size was 354, χ2 (df) = 2153.12 (978), χ2/df = 2.20, p < 01; CFI = 98; NNFI = 98; AGFI = 73; and RMSEA = 063. Note. (1) According to the requirements of triangular mutual certification, this study divided the total sample size (708) into two, to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and CFA analyses, and to be represented by S1 and S2, respectively. S2 was also the basis for the study of the relationship between overall innovation and tourist variables; (2) CR was construct reliability, which meant constructive reliability; AVE was average variance extracted, which meant average extraction variance; (3) To save layout space, all decimal digits of all values were omitted in the table.Combining literature reviews and interviews, based on exploratory factor analysis, tourism festival and special event innovation consists of six dimensions (dimensions), and 25 test indicators (test statements) were formed under the corresponding dimensions. The test items affiliated by first factor included “the performer’s skills were unique,” “the performer’s skill was novel,” “the show was full of passion,” “the performer’s performance style was unique,” and “the performance of festivals and special events changed and enhanced my travel experiences and could be named as “performance.” The naming of other factors is shown in Table1.


### 4.1.3. CFA Analysis, Factor Naming, and Reliability Test

According to the requirements of the triangle mutual certification, the remaining 1/2 sample size (n = 354) was subjected to CFA analysis using LISREL8.7 software. Statistics showed that the average values of the six dimensions of the festival and special event innovation were 4.69, 4.87, 4.58, 5.35, 5.19, and 4.52, respectively; the standard deviations were 1.13, 1.16, 1.25, 1.05, 1.07, and 1.13, and the relationship coefficient was between 0.47 and 0.73. Psychological measurement attributes such as factor loading, construction reliability, and average extraction variance were measured by CFA analysis (see Table 1S2 for specific results). The construction reliability of all factors was between 0.82 and 0.90, which was higher than the critical value of 0.60; the factor load was between 0.68 and 0.89, which was higher than the critical value of 0.50, indicating that the scale had good convergence. The average extraction variance was between 0.59 and 0.70, which was higher than the 0.50 threshold and further validated the aggregation validity of the tourism festival and special event innovation scale. By comparing the correlation coefficient between the average extracted variance with each construct, the validity of the discriminant can be tested. Table 1 shows that all the extracted squared differences between constructs are larger than the correlation coefficient, which verifies the discriminant validity of the tourism festival and special event innovation scale. In addition, as shown in Table 1, the RMSEA threshold of 0.08, the CFI and NNFI threshold of 0.90, and the AGFI threshold of 0.90, absolute fit, incremental fit, and brief fit indicate that the tourism festival and special event innovation measurement model is acceptable. Under complex multidimensional conceptualization conditions, AGFI value is lower than the critical value, which is acceptable [46].The above exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, respectively, confirmed and verified the six dimensions of performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, and loyalty program of tourism festival and special event innovation, which verified the 6-dimensional structure of tourism festival and special event innovation proposed by this study.


## 4.1.1. Test Items Development

The test items were obtained in this study through the following methods: (1) comprehensively sorting out the innovation types, related research results at home and abroad of product innovation and service marketing, to establish and improve the test item database as much as possible; (2) fully referring to the questions related to six-dimensional scale of tourism festival and special event innovation (see the questionnaire design section for details); (3) based on the needs of the tourism festival and special event innovation dimension framework, combined with relevant theories to modify or develop some test items to adapt to the development of tourism festival and special event in the Chinese context; and (4) bringing the test items to 30 tourism management and exhibition professional teachers to supplement and improve them. Through the above research process, a preliminary scale consisting of 40 questions was compiled. The tourism festival and special event innovation include four aspects of supply, process, scene, and relationship innovation, which can be further and can be decomposed into six dimensions: performance, accessibility, aesthetic environment, self-service technologies, tourist community, and loyalty program.


## 4.1.2. Project Purification, Exploratory Factor Analysis, and Factor Naming

Following the test item purification standard, using SPSS19.0 for exploratory factor analysis, after the factor purification operation, 15 questions were deleted from 40 questions, and the remaining 25 questions constitute a scale that can be used for analysis. Statistics showed that the KMO (Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin) value of the 25 items was 0.942 and the significant level of Bartlett’s spherical test was less than 0.001, indicating that it was suitable for factor analysis. The eigenvalues showed that the mean value of the first six factors was greater than 1, indicating that there were six factors. The gravel map showed that the first six factors varied greatly and started to slow down from the seventh factor, indicating that the extraction of six common factors was appropriate. The contribution rate of variance interpretation showed that the cumulative interpretation rate of the first six common factors was 68.73%, which exceeded the critical value of 60%. The overall Cronbachα-value was 0.87, indicating that the data results were better. The factor load was higher than 0.5, indicating that the overall factor extraction effect was better (see Table 1).Table 1
Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis results.
Common factors (constructs)Correlation coefficient matrixFactor loadCRAVES1 (n = 354)S2 (n = 354)S1S2S1S2S1S212345612345678910Performance1174–8775–8890936568Accessibility68174170–8675–8687916265Self-service technology666217971169–8574–8989926270Aesthetic environment6166481686855165–7774–8183865159Tourist community69676169184747478162–8068–8484905365Loyalty program686573475917873756075165–8272–8882895467Overall innovation584645465247172–919166Tourist satisfaction27262141352741181–928881Brand equity4638304851405655172–898969Behavioral intention323424514326527164163–908665In Study 1, the sample size was 354,χ2 (df) = 898.27 (385), χ2/df = 2.33, p < 01; CFI = 98; NNFI = 98; AGFI = 79; and RMSEA = 068. In Study 2, the sample size was 354, χ2 (df) = 2153.12 (978), χ2/df = 2.20, p < 01; CFI = 98; NNFI = 98; AGFI = 73; and RMSEA = 063. Note. (1) According to the requirements of triangular mutual certification, this study divided the total sample size (708) into two, to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and CFA analyses, and to be represented by S1 and S2, respectively. S2 was also the basis for the study of the relationship between overall innovation and tourist variables; (2) CR was construct reliability, which meant constructive reliability; AVE was average variance extracted, which meant average extraction variance; (3) To save layout space, all decimal digits of all values were omitted in the table.Combining literature reviews and interviews, based on exploratory factor analysis, tourism festival and special event innovation consists of six dimensions (dimensions), and 25 test indicators (test statements) were formed under the corresponding dimensions. The test items affiliated by first factor included “the performer’s skills were unique,” “the performer’s skill was novel,” “the show was full of passion,” “the performer’s performance style was unique,” and “the performance of festivals and special events changed and enhanced my travel experiences and could be named as “performance.” The naming of other factors is shown in Table1.


## 4.1.3. CFA Analysis, Factor Naming, and Reliability Test

According to the requirements of the triangle mutual certification, the remaining 1/2 sample size (n = 354) was subjected to CFA analysis using LISREL8.7 software. Statistics showed that the average values of the six dimensions of the festival and special event innovation were 4.69, 4.87, 4.58, 5.35, 5.19, and 4.52, respectively; the standard deviations were 1.13, 1.16, 1.25, 1.05, 1.07, and 1.13, and the relationship coefficient was between 0.47 and 0.73. Psychological measurement attributes such as factor loading, construction reliability, and average extraction variance were measured by CFA analysis (see Table 1S2 for specific results). The construction reliability of all factors was between 0.82 and 0.90, which was higher than the critical value of 0.60; the factor load was between 0.68 and 0.89, which was higher than the critical value of 0.50, indicating that the scale had good convergence. The average extraction variance was between 0.59 and 0.70, which was higher than the 0.50 threshold and further validated the aggregation validity of the tourism festival and special event innovation scale. By comparing the correlation coefficient between the average extracted variance with each construct, the validity of the discriminant can be tested. Table 1 shows that all the extracted squared differences between constructs are larger than the correlation coefficient, which verifies the discriminant validity of the tourism festival and special event innovation scale. In addition, as shown in Table 1, the RMSEA threshold of 0.08, the CFI and NNFI threshold of 0.90, and the AGFI threshold of 0.90, absolute fit, incremental fit, and brief fit indicate that the tourism festival and special event innovation measurement model is acceptable. Under complex multidimensional conceptualization conditions, AGFI value is lower than the critical value, which is acceptable [46].The above exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, respectively, confirmed and verified the six dimensions of performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, and loyalty program of tourism festival and special event innovation, which verified the 6-dimensional structure of tourism festival and special event innovation proposed by this study.


## 4.2. Research 2: The Relationship between the Overall Innovation of Tourism Festivals and Special Events and the Tourists’ Behavioral Intentions

In order to test the relationship between tourism festival and special event innovation and tourists’ satisfaction and behavioral intentions, this paper used structural equation modeling to conduct empirical tests. According to the structural equation model analysis methods and steps, the measurement model analysis must first be carried out to carry out the reliability and validity test, and then the structural model analysis was carried out to test the relationship between the variables.


### 4.2.1. Sample Overall Reliability Test

The internal consistency of the Cronbachα coefficient consideration scale is generally used. Reliability is checked by whether the measurement results match the actual values. Statistics show that the overall reliability of the questionnaire in Study 2 is 0.885, which is much larger than the critical standard value of 0.6. This indicates that the internal consistency of the measurement index is strong, the reliability is high, and the questionnaire has good homogeneity reliability.


### 4.2.2. Measurement Model Evaluation

Statistics showed that the average values of performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, loyalty program, overall innovation, tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions were 4.69, 4.87, 4.58, 5.35, 5.19, 4.52, 5.12, 6.13, 5.85, and 6.01; the standard deviations were 1.13, 1.17, 1.25, 1.05, 1.07, 1.13, 1.21, 1.00, 1.07, and 1.01, respectively; the correlation coefficient is between 0.21 and 0.84. Among them, the average value of brand equity, tourists’ satisfaction, and behavioral intentions were much higher than other constructs.In order to further test the measurement validity and the degree of discrimination between the indicators of the overall innovation, tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions, to carry out CFA analysis, the measurement model A was constructed using LISREL8.7, and the various fitting indicators are the fitting indexes of model A in Table2.Table 2
Three models’ fitting indices and their comparison.
Modelχ2dfχ2/dfΔχ2ΔdfRMSEANNFICFIGFIAIC criteriaTagmemePartially mediatingModel A2385.4610072.37——0.0620.980.980.962623.381Full mediatingModel B2403.5210092.3818.0620.0630.980.980.962635.472Model C2535.8710092.51132.3520.0620.970.980.962756.823Note. (1) Model A is the preset theory model, partial mediating model, and baseline model; model B is the satisfaction nested model, model C is the brand equity nested model, and both are full mediating models; (2) the baseline model is compared with the nested model through the chi-square value difference; (3) the model order is determined by the chi-square test and the AIC criteria.Test of goodness of model fitting: Table2 shows that the value of χ2/df of model A is 2.37 and the value of RMSEA is 0.062. The values of NNFI, CFI, and GFI are both greater than the critical value of 0.9, indicating that model A fits well and is a fully acceptable model.Reliability and validity test: when the construction reliability is greater than 0.7, the measurement reliability of the question items to the constructs is higher. When the factor load is greater than 0.5, it is significant at theP value of 0.01, and when the average extraction variance is greater than 0.5, the aggregation validity is better. When the average extraction variance is greater than 0.5, the correlation coefficient between constructs is smaller than the average extraction variance, which satisfies the discriminant validity [47]. Table 1 (S2 part) shows that the factor load is between 0.63 and 0.91 (threshold value is 0.5), the construction reliability of all factors is between 0.86 and 0.92 (threshold value is 0.7), and the average extraction variance is between 0.59 and 0.81 (threshold value is 0.5), which has fully verified the convergent validity of the 10 major construct scales. In addition, all the extracted squared differences between the 10 constructs are larger than the correlation coefficients, and the discriminant validity of the 10 constructive scales has also been verified.Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the 10 latent variables had good validity and reliability; therefore, the next structural model analyses could be carried out.


### 4.2.3. Structural Model Evaluation

This study includes two important mediator variables: brand equity and tourists’ satisfaction. Previous studies have shown that brand equity and consumer satisfaction can enhance the predictive power of overall innovation on the consumers’ behavioral intentions [42,43]. In order to test the role of mediation, this study compared the partial mediating model (i.e., the research setting theoretical model; see Figure 1) with the full intermediate model (two nested models; see Figure 2). The first competitive nested model is a satisfaction model developed based on brand equity research: consumer satisfaction plays a full mediating role in the relationship between overall innovation, brand equity, and behavioral intentions [48]; the second competitive model is a brand equity model developed based on market performance research: brand equity plays a full mediating role in the relationship between overall innovation, consumer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions [45].Figure 2
Full mediating model (competitive nested model).Following the research idea of Hair et al. [46], the mediating effect was tested by a series of chi-square difference tests. CFA and chi-square difference analyses were performed using LISREL 8.7 software to compare the fit of different structural models. The difference between the chi-square values of the partial mediating model (i.e., the set theory model) and the full mediating model (two nested models) proved that the introduction of the partial mediating model reduced the chi-square value (see Table 2). This shows that the two attitude constructs of tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity coexist in the relationship model of innovation and behavioral intentions as mediating variables.As shown in Table2, the fitting indexes χ2/df values of the three models are all less than 3, and the values of RMSEA are less than 0.08, and the values of NNFI, CFI, and GFI are all greater than 0.9, indicating that the model fits the data well. Based on the model comparison principle of Hair et al. (2006), the comparison of the two models depends on the corresponding changes of Δχ2 and Δdf. The model simplification is better when the chi-square value change Δχ2 caused by the increase of the degree of freedom Δdf is smaller than the critical value of χ2 when the degree of freedom is Δdf, α = 0.01. Using the above principle, it can be considered that model A is the optimal model of the set model of research.


### 4.2.4. Hypothesis Testing

After the reliability and validity of the measurement model were confirmed, the previous latent variables and their question items were imported into the set structural model to test the research hypothesis, and the model was estimated by the maximum likelihood method. The test indicators and verification results of the set model are shown in Table3. It can be seen from Table 3 that H1a, H1c, H1d, H2a, H2b, H2c, H3, H4, and H5 have all passed the statistical tests, but H1b, H1e, and H1f do not pass the statistical test. Therefore, in order to better fit the conceptual model with the data, it is necessary to correct the set model based on the test results and MI.Table 3
Setting model verification indicators and relationship hypothesis test results.
HypothesisRelationship between variablesPath nameStandardized path coefficientt-valueStandard errorHypothetical result testH1aPerformance⟶ overall innovationλ2,10.7218.871∗∗∗0.057SupportedH1bAccessibility⟶ overall innovationλ3,1−0.053-0.4520.078Not supportedH1cSelf-service technology⟶ overall innovationλ4,10.2732.695∗∗∗0.061SupportedH1dAesthetic environment⟶ overall innovationλ5,10.3554.173∗∗∗0.069SupportedH1eTourist community⟶ overall innovationλ6,1−0.042−0.2230.091Not supportedH1fLoyalty program⟶ overall innovationλ7,10.1441.1350.103Not supportedH2aOverall innovation⟶ tourist satisfactionß3,20.3926.752∗∗∗0.072SupportedH2bOverall innovation⟶ brand equityß4,20.3926.518∗∗∗0.046SupportedH2cOverall innovation⟶ behavioral intentionß5,20.5437.752∗∗∗0.067SupportedH3Tourist satisfaction⟶ brand equityß4,30.3876.871∗∗∗0.054SupportedH4Tourist satisfaction⟶ behavioral intentionß5,40.67111.293∗∗∗0.069SupportedH5Brand equity⟶ behavioral intentionß6,50.2684.544∗∗∗0.076SupportedNote. ∗∗∗ indicates being significant at p < 0.01.In order to optimize the theoretical model, the preset model needs to be modified according to the test results of the set model and the MI index. The paths that have not been verified shall be gradually eliminated until all paths pass the tests. The modified model fit indexes show that the RMSEA is 0.047,χ2/df is 2.016, AGFI is 0.895, and GFI, CFI, TLI, IFI, and NFI are all above 0.900; each fitting index has reached an excellent level and is comprehensively better than conceptual models. The path coefficients passed the tests, which proved that compared with the theoretical models, the modified models were more consistent with the inherent logical relationship of the data and did not violate the theoretical basis. The results of the modified models are shown in Figure 3.Figure 3
Corrected theoretical model.Note. The solid line indicates significant; the dotted line indicates not significant.It can be seen from Figure3 that the modified model has better prediction ability and the relationship among the latent variables in the model is stable, indicating that the modified model has good rationality.From the explained variance of each latent variable in Figure3, the explained variance of overall innovation and behavioral intentions exceeding 50% is 57.1% and 65.4%, respectively; the explained variance of tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity being above 20% is 29.5% and 26.3%, respectively, indicating that the relationship between the latent variables of the modified model is stable, and each path better explains the relationship between the latent variables.


## 4.2.1. Sample Overall Reliability Test

The internal consistency of the Cronbachα coefficient consideration scale is generally used. Reliability is checked by whether the measurement results match the actual values. Statistics show that the overall reliability of the questionnaire in Study 2 is 0.885, which is much larger than the critical standard value of 0.6. This indicates that the internal consistency of the measurement index is strong, the reliability is high, and the questionnaire has good homogeneity reliability.


## 4.2.2. Measurement Model Evaluation

Statistics showed that the average values of performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, loyalty program, overall innovation, tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions were 4.69, 4.87, 4.58, 5.35, 5.19, 4.52, 5.12, 6.13, 5.85, and 6.01; the standard deviations were 1.13, 1.17, 1.25, 1.05, 1.07, 1.13, 1.21, 1.00, 1.07, and 1.01, respectively; the correlation coefficient is between 0.21 and 0.84. Among them, the average value of brand equity, tourists’ satisfaction, and behavioral intentions were much higher than other constructs.In order to further test the measurement validity and the degree of discrimination between the indicators of the overall innovation, tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions, to carry out CFA analysis, the measurement model A was constructed using LISREL8.7, and the various fitting indicators are the fitting indexes of model A in Table2.Table 2
Three models’ fitting indices and their comparison.
Modelχ2dfχ2/dfΔχ2ΔdfRMSEANNFICFIGFIAIC criteriaTagmemePartially mediatingModel A2385.4610072.37——0.0620.980.980.962623.381Full mediatingModel B2403.5210092.3818.0620.0630.980.980.962635.472Model C2535.8710092.51132.3520.0620.970.980.962756.823Note. (1) Model A is the preset theory model, partial mediating model, and baseline model; model B is the satisfaction nested model, model C is the brand equity nested model, and both are full mediating models; (2) the baseline model is compared with the nested model through the chi-square value difference; (3) the model order is determined by the chi-square test and the AIC criteria.Test of goodness of model fitting: Table2 shows that the value of χ2/df of model A is 2.37 and the value of RMSEA is 0.062. The values of NNFI, CFI, and GFI are both greater than the critical value of 0.9, indicating that model A fits well and is a fully acceptable model.Reliability and validity test: when the construction reliability is greater than 0.7, the measurement reliability of the question items to the constructs is higher. When the factor load is greater than 0.5, it is significant at theP value of 0.01, and when the average extraction variance is greater than 0.5, the aggregation validity is better. When the average extraction variance is greater than 0.5, the correlation coefficient between constructs is smaller than the average extraction variance, which satisfies the discriminant validity [47]. Table 1 (S2 part) shows that the factor load is between 0.63 and 0.91 (threshold value is 0.5), the construction reliability of all factors is between 0.86 and 0.92 (threshold value is 0.7), and the average extraction variance is between 0.59 and 0.81 (threshold value is 0.5), which has fully verified the convergent validity of the 10 major construct scales. In addition, all the extracted squared differences between the 10 constructs are larger than the correlation coefficients, and the discriminant validity of the 10 constructive scales has also been verified.Confirmatory factor analyses showed that the 10 latent variables had good validity and reliability; therefore, the next structural model analyses could be carried out.


## 4.2.3. Structural Model Evaluation

This study includes two important mediator variables: brand equity and tourists’ satisfaction. Previous studies have shown that brand equity and consumer satisfaction can enhance the predictive power of overall innovation on the consumers’ behavioral intentions [42,43]. In order to test the role of mediation, this study compared the partial mediating model (i.e., the research setting theoretical model; see Figure 1) with the full intermediate model (two nested models; see Figure 2). The first competitive nested model is a satisfaction model developed based on brand equity research: consumer satisfaction plays a full mediating role in the relationship between overall innovation, brand equity, and behavioral intentions [48]; the second competitive model is a brand equity model developed based on market performance research: brand equity plays a full mediating role in the relationship between overall innovation, consumer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions [45].Figure 2
Full mediating model (competitive nested model).Following the research idea of Hair et al. [46], the mediating effect was tested by a series of chi-square difference tests. CFA and chi-square difference analyses were performed using LISREL 8.7 software to compare the fit of different structural models. The difference between the chi-square values of the partial mediating model (i.e., the set theory model) and the full mediating model (two nested models) proved that the introduction of the partial mediating model reduced the chi-square value (see Table 2). This shows that the two attitude constructs of tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity coexist in the relationship model of innovation and behavioral intentions as mediating variables.As shown in Table2, the fitting indexes χ2/df values of the three models are all less than 3, and the values of RMSEA are less than 0.08, and the values of NNFI, CFI, and GFI are all greater than 0.9, indicating that the model fits the data well. Based on the model comparison principle of Hair et al. (2006), the comparison of the two models depends on the corresponding changes of Δχ2 and Δdf. The model simplification is better when the chi-square value change Δχ2 caused by the increase of the degree of freedom Δdf is smaller than the critical value of χ2 when the degree of freedom is Δdf, α = 0.01. Using the above principle, it can be considered that model A is the optimal model of the set model of research.


## 4.2.4. Hypothesis Testing

After the reliability and validity of the measurement model were confirmed, the previous latent variables and their question items were imported into the set structural model to test the research hypothesis, and the model was estimated by the maximum likelihood method. The test indicators and verification results of the set model are shown in Table3. It can be seen from Table 3 that H1a, H1c, H1d, H2a, H2b, H2c, H3, H4, and H5 have all passed the statistical tests, but H1b, H1e, and H1f do not pass the statistical test. Therefore, in order to better fit the conceptual model with the data, it is necessary to correct the set model based on the test results and MI.Table 3
Setting model verification indicators and relationship hypothesis test results.
HypothesisRelationship between variablesPath nameStandardized path coefficientt-valueStandard errorHypothetical result testH1aPerformance⟶ overall innovationλ2,10.7218.871∗∗∗0.057SupportedH1bAccessibility⟶ overall innovationλ3,1−0.053-0.4520.078Not supportedH1cSelf-service technology⟶ overall innovationλ4,10.2732.695∗∗∗0.061SupportedH1dAesthetic environment⟶ overall innovationλ5,10.3554.173∗∗∗0.069SupportedH1eTourist community⟶ overall innovationλ6,1−0.042−0.2230.091Not supportedH1fLoyalty program⟶ overall innovationλ7,10.1441.1350.103Not supportedH2aOverall innovation⟶ tourist satisfactionß3,20.3926.752∗∗∗0.072SupportedH2bOverall innovation⟶ brand equityß4,20.3926.518∗∗∗0.046SupportedH2cOverall innovation⟶ behavioral intentionß5,20.5437.752∗∗∗0.067SupportedH3Tourist satisfaction⟶ brand equityß4,30.3876.871∗∗∗0.054SupportedH4Tourist satisfaction⟶ behavioral intentionß5,40.67111.293∗∗∗0.069SupportedH5Brand equity⟶ behavioral intentionß6,50.2684.544∗∗∗0.076SupportedNote. ∗∗∗ indicates being significant at p < 0.01.In order to optimize the theoretical model, the preset model needs to be modified according to the test results of the set model and the MI index. The paths that have not been verified shall be gradually eliminated until all paths pass the tests. The modified model fit indexes show that the RMSEA is 0.047,χ2/df is 2.016, AGFI is 0.895, and GFI, CFI, TLI, IFI, and NFI are all above 0.900; each fitting index has reached an excellent level and is comprehensively better than conceptual models. The path coefficients passed the tests, which proved that compared with the theoretical models, the modified models were more consistent with the inherent logical relationship of the data and did not violate the theoretical basis. The results of the modified models are shown in Figure 3.Figure 3
Corrected theoretical model.Note. The solid line indicates significant; the dotted line indicates not significant.It can be seen from Figure3 that the modified model has better prediction ability and the relationship among the latent variables in the model is stable, indicating that the modified model has good rationality.From the explained variance of each latent variable in Figure3, the explained variance of overall innovation and behavioral intentions exceeding 50% is 57.1% and 65.4%, respectively; the explained variance of tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity being above 20% is 29.5% and 26.3%, respectively, indicating that the relationship between the latent variables of the modified model is stable, and each path better explains the relationship between the latent variables.


## 5. Conclusions and Discussion

### 5.1. The Multidimensional Nature and Characteristics of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation

Innovation is the process of developing opportunities, but innovative products and market development do not necessarily lead to good results. Aldebert et al. [2] believed that the integrity of the understanding of the dimensional structure of innovation determined the market outcomes of innovation. At present, a large number of festivals and special events become a mere formality, short-lived, fleeting, indicating that deepening the understanding of tourism and festival innovation has become the key to promoting tourism product development and marketing.The “what” paradigm, “how” paradigm, “where” paradigm, and “who” paradigm of traditional innovation researches focus on the dimensions of supply, services, scenarios, and relationships of innovation, respectively [22]. Researchers from different disciplines have conducted extensive researches on innovation based on the above perspectives and paradigms [28]. For example, traditional product innovation focuses on technology-driven products to enhance novelty and uniqueness and is a product innovation concept of the perspectives of supply and enterprise production and management. This study integrated the two perspectives of product supply and customer demand and drew on the theory of product innovation and service marketing to construct a conceptual model of tourism festival and special event innovation. The EFA and CFA analyses, respectively, confirmed and verified the six dimensions of tourism festival and special event innovation: performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, and loyalty program, which verified the 6-dimensional structure of tourism festival and special event innovation proposed by this study. This finding confirms Sawhney et al.’s [28] idea that “innovation is a one- or multidimensional change based on a multidimensional perspective to create value for customers” and confirms Masayuki et al.’s [22] idea that “multidimensional integration is the fundamental way out for innovation.” It can be seen that tourists have objective requirements for novelty and uniqueness in tourism performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, and loyalty program, which provides an empirical basis for tourism festival and special event innovation.This study highlights the importance of managing the controllable part of the aesthetic environment, which is similar to Aaker’s [45] conclusion that product innovation should be presented in a visual way to increase the brand’s external visibility. In other words, in the process of tourism and festival innovation, the innovation of intangible tourism and festival experience should make great efforts in the direction of visualization to cope with fierce competition in the market.


### 5.2. The Relationship between the Overall Innovation of Tourism Festivals and Special Events and the Tourists’ Behavioral Intentions

According to verifying the 6-dimensional structure of tourism festival and special event innovation (i.e., answering “what is tourism festival and special event innovation”), this study also explored the impact of tourism festival and special event innovation on the behavioral intentions of tourists and further answered the question of “what can festival and special event innovation result in.” Through empirical research, the following conclusions are drawn:(i)
Among the six dimensions of tourism festival and special event innovation, performance, aesthetic environment, and self-service technology have a significant positive impact on overall innovation, while accessibility, tourist community, and loyalty program have no significant impact on overall innovation. As can be seen from Figure3, the path coefficient of performance to overall innovation is as high as 0.719, which confirms that performance is the core content of tourism festival and special event innovation and is consistent with the findings of Danneels and Kleinschmidt [18], Deighton [33], and Thomas and Bowdin [10]. The path coefficients of aesthetic environment and self-service technology to overall innovation are 0.352 and 0.280, respectively, indicating that the aesthetic environment and self-service technology are important contents of tourism festival and special event innovation, which is consistent with the research conclusions of Bitner [34] and Zeithaml and Bitner [35]. However, this study found that the accessibility, tourist community, and loyalty program innovation have no significant impact on the overall innovation. This conclusion is inconsistent with the conclusion of Thomas and Bowdin [10]. The possible reasons are as follows: the tourists of Zhangjiajie Music Festival are immersed in the shocking performance of the festival, which affects the importance evaluation of other dimensions of festival innovation and then affects the reliability and validity of the construct indicators; the performance, aesthetic environment, and self-service technology have more direct and important impacts on the festival and special event satisfaction, which are “incentives“ to improve the perception of tourists on innovation, while the accessibility, tourist community, and loyalty program are “health factors“ that enhance the perception of tourists on innovation. Therefore, the accessibility, tourist community, and loyalty program in this study having no statistically significance do not deny their importance in the festival and special event innovation.(ii)
The overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events has a significant positive impact on tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and tourists’ behavioral intentions. As can be seen from Figure3, the path coefficients of overall innovation to tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions are 0.385, 0.387, and 0.542, respectively, which confirms the importance of tourists’ perception of overall innovation in tourism product innovation. This conclusion is consistent with the research conclusions of Moreau et al. [19] and Fang’s [21] overall innovation improving customer satisfaction and Kirca’s [39] overall innovation improving customer behavioral intentions level. This profoundly reveals the generation process of the tourists’ behavioral intentions, indicating that the tourists’ behavioral intentions are the results of the feedback effects of the tourism festival and special event consumption and emotional experience process.(iii)
Tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity play a partial intermediary role in the impacts of overall innovation on the behavioral intentions of tourists. This conclusion is somewhat different from the researches by Keller and Lehmann [48] and Aaker [45]. The possible reason is that the researches did not regard tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity as partial mediating variables, but this study found that the partial mediating model is a better model through comparing the full mediation model with the partial mediation model. From this perspective, the research conclusions of this paper more deeply reflect the action mechanism of the tourism festival and special event overall innovation variables on the behavioral intentions variables of tourists, which is also consistent with the findings of Dosi [38] and Kirca et al. [39] that brand equity and consumer satisfaction could improve the predictive power of overall innovation on consumer behavioral intentions. Tourists’ behavioral intentions (recommendation and repeated purchases) are important indicators of impacts and competitiveness of tourism festivals and special events. In the context of tourism festivals and special events, emotional satisfaction has a greater impact on the behavioral intentions of tourists than cognitive factors. Tourists’ satisfaction has a significant impact on brand equity, indicating that brand equity can be seen as a result variable for tourists’ satisfaction, which is consistent with Johnson et al.’s [43] research conclusions that tourists’ satisfaction is improving market performance.


### 5.3. Management Inspiration

Taken together, the theoretical model provides us with an effective understanding tool for how tourists evaluate tourism festival and special event innovation based on innovation points. From the perspective of market development, tourism festival and special event organizers or enterprises should innovate around the points of the festival and special event innovation to enhance the satisfaction of tourists. The study results show that the six dimensions of tourism festival and special event innovation play different strategic roles in innovation management. As a service innovation tool, this framework model advocates the creation of new service and environmental benefits by providing access to convenient transportation, self-service technology, new scene design, and unique social interaction opportunities. For the relationship dimension (tourist community and the loyalty program) as a relationship, innovation tool requires new incentives to build friendship and caring consciousness among the loyal tourists. For the festival and special event marketing organizers, through the fine and innovative management of the tourism festival and special event innovation dimensions, it will help to enhance the satisfaction of tourists, establish an innovative and radical brand image, and enhance the long-term performance of the market.


## 5.1. The Multidimensional Nature and Characteristics of Tourism Festival and Special Event Innovation

Innovation is the process of developing opportunities, but innovative products and market development do not necessarily lead to good results. Aldebert et al. [2] believed that the integrity of the understanding of the dimensional structure of innovation determined the market outcomes of innovation. At present, a large number of festivals and special events become a mere formality, short-lived, fleeting, indicating that deepening the understanding of tourism and festival innovation has become the key to promoting tourism product development and marketing.The “what” paradigm, “how” paradigm, “where” paradigm, and “who” paradigm of traditional innovation researches focus on the dimensions of supply, services, scenarios, and relationships of innovation, respectively [22]. Researchers from different disciplines have conducted extensive researches on innovation based on the above perspectives and paradigms [28]. For example, traditional product innovation focuses on technology-driven products to enhance novelty and uniqueness and is a product innovation concept of the perspectives of supply and enterprise production and management. This study integrated the two perspectives of product supply and customer demand and drew on the theory of product innovation and service marketing to construct a conceptual model of tourism festival and special event innovation. The EFA and CFA analyses, respectively, confirmed and verified the six dimensions of tourism festival and special event innovation: performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, and loyalty program, which verified the 6-dimensional structure of tourism festival and special event innovation proposed by this study. This finding confirms Sawhney et al.’s [28] idea that “innovation is a one- or multidimensional change based on a multidimensional perspective to create value for customers” and confirms Masayuki et al.’s [22] idea that “multidimensional integration is the fundamental way out for innovation.” It can be seen that tourists have objective requirements for novelty and uniqueness in tourism performance, accessibility, self-service technology, aesthetic environment, tourist community, and loyalty program, which provides an empirical basis for tourism festival and special event innovation.This study highlights the importance of managing the controllable part of the aesthetic environment, which is similar to Aaker’s [45] conclusion that product innovation should be presented in a visual way to increase the brand’s external visibility. In other words, in the process of tourism and festival innovation, the innovation of intangible tourism and festival experience should make great efforts in the direction of visualization to cope with fierce competition in the market.


## 5.2. The Relationship between the Overall Innovation of Tourism Festivals and Special Events and the Tourists’ Behavioral Intentions

According to verifying the 6-dimensional structure of tourism festival and special event innovation (i.e., answering “what is tourism festival and special event innovation”), this study also explored the impact of tourism festival and special event innovation on the behavioral intentions of tourists and further answered the question of “what can festival and special event innovation result in.” Through empirical research, the following conclusions are drawn:(i)
Among the six dimensions of tourism festival and special event innovation, performance, aesthetic environment, and self-service technology have a significant positive impact on overall innovation, while accessibility, tourist community, and loyalty program have no significant impact on overall innovation. As can be seen from Figure3, the path coefficient of performance to overall innovation is as high as 0.719, which confirms that performance is the core content of tourism festival and special event innovation and is consistent with the findings of Danneels and Kleinschmidt [18], Deighton [33], and Thomas and Bowdin [10]. The path coefficients of aesthetic environment and self-service technology to overall innovation are 0.352 and 0.280, respectively, indicating that the aesthetic environment and self-service technology are important contents of tourism festival and special event innovation, which is consistent with the research conclusions of Bitner [34] and Zeithaml and Bitner [35]. However, this study found that the accessibility, tourist community, and loyalty program innovation have no significant impact on the overall innovation. This conclusion is inconsistent with the conclusion of Thomas and Bowdin [10]. The possible reasons are as follows: the tourists of Zhangjiajie Music Festival are immersed in the shocking performance of the festival, which affects the importance evaluation of other dimensions of festival innovation and then affects the reliability and validity of the construct indicators; the performance, aesthetic environment, and self-service technology have more direct and important impacts on the festival and special event satisfaction, which are “incentives“ to improve the perception of tourists on innovation, while the accessibility, tourist community, and loyalty program are “health factors“ that enhance the perception of tourists on innovation. Therefore, the accessibility, tourist community, and loyalty program in this study having no statistically significance do not deny their importance in the festival and special event innovation.(ii)
The overall innovation of tourism festivals and special events has a significant positive impact on tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and tourists’ behavioral intentions. As can be seen from Figure3, the path coefficients of overall innovation to tourists’ satisfaction, brand equity, and behavioral intentions are 0.385, 0.387, and 0.542, respectively, which confirms the importance of tourists’ perception of overall innovation in tourism product innovation. This conclusion is consistent with the research conclusions of Moreau et al. [19] and Fang’s [21] overall innovation improving customer satisfaction and Kirca’s [39] overall innovation improving customer behavioral intentions level. This profoundly reveals the generation process of the tourists’ behavioral intentions, indicating that the tourists’ behavioral intentions are the results of the feedback effects of the tourism festival and special event consumption and emotional experience process.(iii)
Tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity play a partial intermediary role in the impacts of overall innovation on the behavioral intentions of tourists. This conclusion is somewhat different from the researches by Keller and Lehmann [48] and Aaker [45]. The possible reason is that the researches did not regard tourists’ satisfaction and brand equity as partial mediating variables, but this study found that the partial mediating model is a better model through comparing the full mediation model with the partial mediation model. From this perspective, the research conclusions of this paper more deeply reflect the action mechanism of the tourism festival and special event overall innovation variables on the behavioral intentions variables of tourists, which is also consistent with the findings of Dosi [38] and Kirca et al. [39] that brand equity and consumer satisfaction could improve the predictive power of overall innovation on consumer behavioral intentions. Tourists’ behavioral intentions (recommendation and repeated purchases) are important indicators of impacts and competitiveness of tourism festivals and special events. In the context of tourism festivals and special events, emotional satisfaction has a greater impact on the behavioral intentions of tourists than cognitive factors. Tourists’ satisfaction has a significant impact on brand equity, indicating that brand equity can be seen as a result variable for tourists’ satisfaction, which is consistent with Johnson et al.’s [43] research conclusions that tourists’ satisfaction is improving market performance.


## 5.3. Management Inspiration

Taken together, the theoretical model provides us with an effective understanding tool for how tourists evaluate tourism festival and special event innovation based on innovation points. From the perspective of market development, tourism festival and special event organizers or enterprises should innovate around the points of the festival and special event innovation to enhance the satisfaction of tourists. The study results show that the six dimensions of tourism festival and special event innovation play different strategic roles in innovation management. As a service innovation tool, this framework model advocates the creation of new service and environmental benefits by providing access to convenient transportation, self-service technology, new scene design, and unique social interaction opportunities. For the relationship dimension (tourist community and the loyalty program) as a relationship, innovation tool requires new incentives to build friendship and caring consciousness among the loyal tourists. For the festival and special event marketing organizers, through the fine and innovative management of the tourism festival and special event innovation dimensions, it will help to enhance the satisfaction of tourists, establish an innovative and radical brand image, and enhance the long-term performance of the market.


## 6. Research Limitations and Prospects

As an exploratory study, although the concept model of tourism festival and special event innovation and the impacts mechanism model of tourism festival and special event innovation on tourists’ behavioral intentions have been constructed, the scientific and systematic empirical tests have been done, and from the perspective of tourists, the problems: “what is tourism festival and special event innovation and what results have arisen?“ have been answered; there are further researches that should be carried out due to limitations of ability and finance.First of all, the interview work before the development of the tourism festival and special event innovation scale needs to be strengthened. The six dimensions obtained in this study may not fully reflect the entire composition of the tourism festival and special event innovation system. Second, the types of tourism festivals and special events are different, and the types of consumption are different, then the importance of innovation points may be different. The types of tourism festivals and special events as a regulated variable may have different effects and can be the direction of future researches. Thirdly, the data obtained in this study belongs to the category of static research. It is best to establish a dynamic database to better track the mechanism of the tourist community and loyalty program in the innovation of the festivals and special events.In the future researches, it is necessary to improve the design of the scale and improve the basic test item question bank for tourism festival and special event innovation to make the tourism festival and special event innovation scale be more aligned with the actual development of China’s festival and special event industry; at the same time, through different types of tourism festival and special event and diachronic investigations, deepening the tourism festival and special event innovation and understanding about the impact mechanism on tourists’ behavioral intentions is required so as to enhance the internal and external validity of the researches.[48]



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*Source: 1154295-2022-05-21.xml*