Results of 2010 industry-wide survey to be released this spring

April 26, 2011 - PRLog -- The first phase of Ottawa Festivals’ research project that began a year ago is complete. Individual festival reports were released on Friday, April 15, detailing the results of the 2010 industry-wide survey conducted at various festivals.

“It is exciting for Ottawa Festivals to have such a strong start with this research project,” says Barbara Stacey, Ottawa Festivals’ Executive Director.

“This is an area that hasn’t been addressed before in Ottawa and having firsthand information about visitor demographics, interests, and motivations is invaluable. There is more to the industry than economic impact, and our ability to identify the social and environmental aspects will be greatly beneficial to our members.”

With the help of 110 volunteers, Ottawa Festivals’ research team collected over 3,500 surveys over the course of the 2010 festival season. Volunteers spent a total of 500 hours surveying visitors at 17 different festivals, special events and fairs hosted within Canada’s Capital region.

“It was a great experience,” says one of the volunteers. “Being a part of the team and helping festivals in Ottawa with this industry-wide study has been great, and knowing that it will help the community makes it worthwhile.”

The data gathered from the survey is currently being analyzed by a team of researchers and will be published in a final report to be released in early summer of 2011.

“The individual reports are the first part of a final comprehensive report on the social impacts,” says Tamer Mansy, Ph.D., who led the Research Project, “The information in the final report will confirm our belief that Ottawa is a great city to live in and visit because of the wide range of festivals and events that take place here each year.”

Upon its completion, the research project will examine the social, economic and environmental impacts of festivals, special events and fairs in Canada’s Capital Region. This five year research project would not be possible without funding from the City of Ottawa, Employment Ontario, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

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About Ottawa Festivals

Ottawa Festivals is a not-for-profit organization that represents 57 not-for-profit festivals, special events and fairs that take place in Canada’s Capital Region. In partnership with the City of Ottawa, Employment Ontario and Trillium Foundation, the organization manages a number of programs to develop and sustain the industry to contribute to positive benefits that impact the community.