Research article (English)

A case study for a transformational festival creation in Lourinhã, Portugal

João Carvalho [1], Victor Afonso [2] e Nuno Gustavo [3] (2022). European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation; 12 (1); pp.46-60.

This research aims to evaluate, select, and validate strategic alternatives for implementing a transformational festival proposal in the municipality of Lourinhã, Portugal. The methodological model investigates the historical context, the classical festival themes, and the transformational festival’s characterisation through literature review and an exploratory interview with a major British stakeholder; the market potential through randomised inquiries representative of the Portuguese population; the contextual strategic assessment through a focus group with local stakeholders; and verifying the possibility of validating the concept of a festival design based upon these premises, through an interview with a major national stakeholder and three short interviews. As a result, we characterised transformational festivals, con-firmed consumer profile key indicators, and validated a concept design with a hybrid strategic approach, essential to developing a disruptive, attractive, and marketable concept. The originality of the research is related to the return to the origins that these festivals highlight, as opposed to digital trends. The discrepancy between the paradigmatic importance of transformational festivals and their acceptance was highlighted. The research was limited by the lack of stakeholders’ acceptance of participation in the qualitative research.

Book Chapter (Portuguese)

Festivais transformacionais – Proposta de um novo referencial conceptual.

João Carvalho [1], Victor Afonso [2] e Nuno Gustavo [3] (2022). Temas Emergentes em Ciências Empresariais – Volume 2 – Novas abordagens nas áreas científicas dos Recursos Humanos, Marketing e Turismo, Empreendedorismo e Inovação. Edições Sílabo. pp.107 – 118.

In this chapter, we try to understand the different strategic dimensions of events, as well as, to characterise transformational festivals. From the emergence of festivals to the tourism product, we identify the concept, typologies and activation dynamics of festivals, analyse the common values and characteristics of transformational festivals, identify the genetic countercultural events of transformational festivals (and some of their examples), and propose a conceptual framework for transformational festivals.

Master’s Thesis (Portuguese)

Plano de negócios. Festival Cósmico. Festival Transformacional

João Carvalho [1] (2019). Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies.

With this work, carried out in the context of research associated with the work project to obtain the degree of Master in Tourism, with specialization in Strategic Event Management, by the Estoril Higher Institute for Tourism and Hotel Studies, and in the implementation of the work developed by Start-up Beach Break®, is intended to plan, organize, produce and set up a medium- sized, annual Transformational Festival that will be reproducible in subsequent years, resulting in a wide range of socio-cultural, environmental and political impacts through the programming of scenographic spaces, artistic, political and environmental content and personal development activities that trigger unique and unforgettable feelings in festival-goers, both individually and collectively, paving the way for a new ethos. The Cosmic Festival is held to meet the demand for meaning and authenticity by present generations, trapped by the disenchantment of modernism and postmodernism, and climate change. It aims to facilitate experiences, associated with transpersonal psychology, that contribute to the creation of meaning, mental health resilience, and well-being, through the creation of a safe environment to welcome festival-goers from all segments in search of leisure, hedonistic, artistic, learning, personal development, sharing, healing, space, surprising, interactivity, communitas, collective effervescence, synchronicity, mystical, transcendental and transformational experiences. It intends to communicate, through the representation, contestation and inversion of culture, a conscious message, at political, social and environmental level, that can contribute to the sustainable transition of society, in the least painful way possible, in a fantasy, thematic, festive, of rituals and celebration, meditation, sacred, and debate environment.

Opinion Articles (PORTUGUESE)