EARLY PLANNING FOR TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE EVENTS: FACTORS IN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

One gorgeous natural event which attracts tourists to a destination is an eclipse. This paper is an initial attempt to investigate the effective factors for early planning in destinations for a total solar eclipse. A qualitative-quantitative methods (with exploratory factor analysis) were used. The results reveal seventeen effective factors and five variables such as management and planning at different levels; setting up a news agency website and social networks to increase the level of public awareness and advertising; local involvement; organizing local festivals in nearby villages and cities; and public involvement as the main factors in early planning in destinations for a total solar eclipse. The results also illustrate that there is correlation between the identified variables. Eclipse events in a short period of time attract numerous tourists to a destination, and this is a form of mass tourism. Therefore, early management of the event plays an axial role in the sustainable development of the region.

Keywords

• astronomical event
• event
• event management
• solar eclipse
• sustainable tourism