Developing Cultural Tourism Through Festivals: The Case Study of the Pangsau Pass International Festival

Abstract

Festivals have been generating a significant amount of arts travel, a form of cultural tourism for decades while attracting thousands of global tourists.  The Pangsau Pass festival was started in 2009 with a purpose to promote trade and culture through Pangsau pass between India and Myanmar. However, neither the festival program of performances nor its organization and marketing were compatible with the way tourism market works. Basic requirement such as online Restricted Area Pass and other tourism services and product have never been satisfactorily integrated in the festival planning. Some specific guidelines are proposed in the paper aimed at marketing the festival and designing a program in a professional manner, that is attractive to the tourists from within and outside the country.