I update my probability that the impact of local events is always a major component of the destination validation process.
My opinion is closer to the idea that this relationship is more often conditional than decisive, with a wide confidence interval on its relevance.
If the purpose of a trip is very specific, like a university conference in Rome, the presence of a local festival is not a fundamental factor for destination selection, but rather a logistical constraint to manage.
The base rate of its importance decreases sharply in cases where the goal takes precedence over the atmosphere or induced costs, which is a reality here in Italy.