Photo: Live4ever Media
Festival attendances in the UK will drop again next year if results found by the latest YouGov SixthSense study prove to be correct.
Earlier this year, the YouGov Sixth Sense Music Festival Report found that half of those surveyed who had attended a festival in 2011 did not plan to do so this year, and now the new poll reports that only 19% of those quizzed who have visited a UK festival in the past are likely to purchase tickets next year.
Various reasons, including over-crowding and over-pricing, were given by those who will shun the outdoor events in 2013, while nearly a quarter are hoping to book an overseas holiday instead of a festival ticket.
“Our study suggests there is declining interest in attending music festivals that tend to span more than one day,” YouGov SixthSense Research Director James McCoy has commented. “Part of this is due to people having less money to spend, but many of the festival-goers we surveyed were turned off by poor weather and long queues.”
“In contrast, our research indicates that a majority of those who attend live music concerts are not put off by the recession, and will continue going to gigs in 2013. This could be down to the fact that a single gig is much less of a commitment, both in terms of time and money, than going to a festival.”
2012 will be looked back on as a tough year for the summer festival season, with many events being forced to withdraw due to economic issues and slow sales. By contrast, after experiencing its own struggles in 2008, Glastonbury now appears to be going from strength to strength, and quickly sold-out for next June when tickets went onsale in October.