Segmentation and the Senior Traveler: Implications for Today's and Tomorrow's Aging Consume

Abstract

When one combines their greater economic well-being with their escalating numbers, more independent living, and better overall health, aging consumers constitute a very attractive market for the travel and tourism industry. This paper examines key factors that impact the consumption decision-making, attitudes, and behavior of the mature consumer, with particular attention to the service sector of travel. It presents a review of relevant segmentation studies and recommends specific, additional variables to increase the predictive and explanatory power of models intended to segment current and future senior travelers. Finally, it discusses implications of the segmentation process for effective strategy formulation.     

旅游型海岛游客与居民时空间行为研究——以辽宁省长海县为例

旅游型海岛承担着生活和旅游的双重功能，明晰游客与居民的时空间行为特征，对海岛空间优化、基础设施配置等具有现实意义。辽宁省长海县是典型淡旺季分明的旅游型海岛，本研究基于实地调研和空间分析方法，分类刻画游客与居民活动行为模式及其活动-移动时空特征。结果表明：（1）受旅游淡旺季影响，海岛年内活动群体空间集聚区域明显分异，形成了旺季围绕景点、浴场等场所，淡季围绕家、村镇中心等场所的游客与居民时空间行为模式；（2）游客和居民活动行为的时空特征明显，游客出行频次更多，行为空间范围更广，大长山岛镇中心和广鹿岛镇中心是游客前往景点和浴场的集散地之一，也是居民日常活动的集散地，是游客和岛民行为空间重叠区域，也是海岛共享度最高的空间。（3）游客时空间行为受行为目的、偏好和活动组合影响，居民时空间行为主要受社会角色、个体社会经济属性影响，群体时空间行为影响因素存在显著差异。本研究可针对旅游型海岛的基础设施空间优化配置、海岛社会空间效率提升、海岛国土空间规划等方面提供参考依据。     

Rural tourism development in Lithuania (2003–2010) — A quantitative analysis

The objectives of the Rural Development Programme for Lithuania for the period 2007 to 2013 are to: (a) preserve natural and cultural heritage objects, (b) support complementary activity in the rural areas, and (c) generate rural tourism as an economic sector. The aim of this study is to identify current trends specific to the Lithuanian rural tourism sector and propose potential means of development. This study focuses on an inter-county assessment of rural tourism flows within Lithuania by the means of an index decomposition analysis. Consequently, an analysis was undertaken covering factors including the number of the rural tourism farmsteads, spatial distribution of those farmsteads, and capacity, an amended Defert Index, and duration of stay effects. The analysis suggests that the Lithuanian rural tourism sector was negatively affected by the 2008 recession. Indeed, the impacts exhibited relatively high elasticity of demand for rural tourism. Hence, there is a need for the further development of appropriate marketing and information dissemination strategies aimed at both middle and lower income consumers.     

The eruption of Airbnb in tourist cities: Comparing spatial patterns of hotels and peer-to-peer accommodation in Barcelona

In recent years, what has become known as collaborative consumption has undergone rapid expansion through peer-to-peer (P2P) platforms. In the field of tourism, a particularly notable example is that of Airbnb. This article analyses the spatial patterns of Airbnb in Barcelona and compares them with hotels and sightseeing spots. New sources of data, such as Airbnb listings and geolocated photographs are used. Analysis of bivariate spatial autocorrelation reveals a close spatial relationship between Airbnb and hotels, with a marked centre-periphery pattern, although Airbnb predominates around the city's main hotel axis and hotels predominate in some peripheral areas of the city. Another interesting finding is that Airbnb capitalises more on the advantages of proximity to the city's main tourist attractions than does the hotel sector. Multiple regression analysis shows that the factors explaining location are also different for hotels and Airbnb. Finally, it was possible to detect those parts of the city that have seen the greatest increase in pressure from tourism related to Airbnb's recent expansion.     

Travel and Leisure Services Preferences and Patronage Motives of Older Consumers

The population is aging and the number of people over 55 (older consumers) is increasing. Firms which recognize the importance of the older consumer segment can use this demographic change to their advantage. However, the older consumer market is more heterogeneous than the younger consumer market when it comes to preferences, motives, and spending patterns. Travel and leisure services are no exception. This study reports the result of a large‐scale study that examined the responses to travel and leisure services and patronage motives of different age and lifestyle groups. The results suggest several marketing strategies that would be most appropriate for reaching older consumers of travel and leisure services.     

Senior tourists’ accommodation choices

The current trend towards short-term travelling and reduced spending on accommodation has had a significant impact on the hotel sector. However, the hotel industry is becoming increasingly interested in the senior tourist segment, a population group that prefers hotel-type accommodation to other more inexpensive alternatives, even in periods of economic uncertainty. This paper aims to identify the variables that determine senior tourists’ accommodation choices in Spain. In so doing, it identifies the following variables: length of stay, self-perceived health, self-perceived economic status, self-perceived available time, security/safety at the destination, medical coverage, climate, events and festivals, places of historical/artistic interest, and attractions and natural landscapes. These results have important implications for both the hotel industry and the development of tourist destinations.     

A latent class approach to examining migrant family travel behavior

Despite numerous studies suggesting the presence or absence of children influence family vacation travel, there has been little focus on migrant families. Latent class analysis was used to create empirically derived travel behaviour clusters of Western professional migrant families with and without children based on their motive to move, self-concept and how they construct a sense of home in the Hong Kong and Macau Special Administrative Regions of China. The analysis identified six distinct classes. Three groups were families without children and the rest were those with children. Each segment has markedly different travel behavior patterns with differences in demographic and migration characteristics also apparent. Implications for tourism management and future research are discussed.     

Wage differences in the hospitality sector

The article examines the origin of differences between wages in the hospitality sector and the rest of the private sector in Spain. The evidence obtained for the 2002–2010 period shows that the wage disadvantage of hospitality presents an increasing profile along the wage distribution so that it is particularly relevant for those earning comparatively higher salaries. In contrast with other low-wage sectors, lower wages in hospitality are explained almost entirely by the specific characteristics of its workers and jobs (particularly their lower educational qualifications and their higher presence in low-skilled occupations), and not by the existence of lower rewards to those characteristics. Highly qualified individuals are however an exception since they suffer a wage penalty for working in the sector. Furthermore the analysis shows that pay inequality is substantially lower in the hospitality sector and that it is not due to the relative characteristics of its workers and jobs.     

Cruise passengers' behavior at the destination: Investigation using GPS technology

This paper aims at segmenting cruise passengers in order to identify passengers' profiles according to their behavior at destination. Through an integrated use of traditional survey instruments and of GPS technologies, a set of indicators for the analysis of passengers' mobility at destination is proposed. Data collected in the port of Palermo are used in order to investigate space-time activities of cruise passengers at the destination. Monothetic Analysis is used in order to segment passengers according to their behavior at destination, and groups are then compared in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and other variables collected through questionnaire-based survey. Results identify seven different broad patterns of activity, and indicate that several socio-demographic characteristics and other features of passengers seem to be associated with movement patterns at destination. A better knowledge of cruise passengers' behavior at destination is a fundamental pre-requisite in order to better serve visitors' needs and meet their expectations.     

Mediterranean charters — a comparative geographic perspective

The growth of inclusive tour charter (ITC) flights has contributed significantly to the growth of Mediterranean tourism during the 1970s and early 1980s. This article examines the demand over time for ITC flights originating from airports in the UK, FR Germany and Sweden, to destinations within Spain and Greece. Significant regional biases are found to occur in the destinations favoured by each of the three generating markets for both Spain and Greece. A more detailed analysis of the patterns and trends of intra-national variation in ITC-flight demand could be useful to decision makers within the tourism industry.     

The influence of exploitative leadership on hospitality employees’ green innovative behavior: A moderated mediation model

Growing awareness of environmental sustainability in the hospitality sector has made employee green innovative behavior an important element of their establishment’s performance. Drawing from ego depletion theory, this paper aims to study how and when exploitative leadership influences hospitality employees’ green innovative behavior. We collected data from 467 full-time hospitality employees and their direct leaders in 96 teams, and examined a cross-level moderated mediation model employing multilevel path analysis. The results showed that exploitative leadership in the hospitality sector negatively associates with hospitality employees’ green innovative behavior, mediated by their emotional exhaustion. The results further showed that perceived organizational support moderates the influence of exploitative leadership on emotional exhaustion and subsequent green innovative behavior. Implications for theory and practice in the hospitality sector are discussed.     

Tourism on two wheels: Patterns of motorcycle leisure in Wales

The motorcycle leisure sector has evolved from a rebellious culture of the 1950s to a large mainstream market sector today. Motorcycle touring has grown significantly in recent years, with a shift to larger capacity motorcycles and an increase in the average age of motorcyclists. The demographics of this group has meant that, increasingly, motorcycles are used for leisure purposes rather than commuting. Peripheral locations, with a high proportion of the mountain and scenic roads favoured by motorcyclists, have seen a dramatic influx of these recreationists. Despite this significance there has been little academic work on the subject, or concerted efforts to embrace this market sector by destination marketing organisations. This paper discusses the findings of an investigation into the motorcycling leisure and tourism sector in Wales, UK, examining travel patterns of motorcycle tourists, motivations and preferences of this group and the potential economic impact.     

Towards Strategic Intent: Perceptions of disability service provision amongst hotel accommodation managers

The tourism sector globally has become increasingly mindful of how an ageing population is reshaping service provision forms and offerings. This being particularly true of accommodation operations where there is a now a growing recognition of the commercial value for providing market groups with exceptional service. With this in mind, this study sought to ascertain the perceptions of managers in the accommodation sector towards disability service provision with a view to identifying any current service gaps or failings. An inductive, qualitative approach was used with the data collection phase incorporating a series of one on one interviews and a focus group. The in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 managers of hotels deemed to have accessible rooms that complied with the relevant building codes and standards. A focus group comprised 22 managers of hotels located in the Sydney central business district, Australia. Study findings revealed five key themes that had not been previously discussed in the literature. They were: inclusive attitudinal approach; safety; the responsibility of people with a disability to communicate their needs to the hotel; perceptions of accessible rooms by the general public; and operational processes. Related themes that emerged from the data analysis that had previously been aligned with the literature included: legislative responsibility, policy and building codes; disability as a market segment; staff awareness/training; and language, marketing, and promotion information. Implications with respect to management of accessible rooms in the accommodation sector are outlined and further areas of research are proposed.     

A Conditioned Attitude Model of Individual Discriminatory Behavior—A Rejoinder

Abstract

This article examines tourist travel patterns at the meso level of a destination region. The destination region used for the study was Vancouver Island, British Columbia. A number of hypotheses were examined regarding the summer travel patterns in this relatively closed destination region. These included an assessment of the distance decay concept, as applied to the tourist volumes associated with increasing distance from the principal gateways, and an examination of area familiarity as an explanation of the distortion between reported and actual travel behavior. The actual travel patterns were subsequently used to create a probability matrix of future trip behavior for island visitors. The revealed travel patterns and the probability matrix are used to suggest some future tourism development and planning strategies for Vancouver Island.     

Public Financing of Headquarter Hotels in the United States

Abstract

The past decade has seen a dramatic shift toward public sector financing of large hotels in the United States. This dialectic analysis examines trends in public participation in hotel development and examines why governments are investing in these projects. It looks at the different types of public participation and considers the market implications of these subsidies on private sector hotel development. The case is made that there is a need for accountability and more thorough review of these public investments. The paper proposes various ways that this can be achieved and discusses barriers to such reforms.     

Tourism in British Columbia Metropolitan and Camping Visitors

Two issues common to tourism planning are investigated in the context of a current planning proposal between the British Columbia and Canadian governments. These issue are the problem of spatial imbalance in travel patterns and the place of camping in market development strategies. Through the use of multiple regression two group discriminatory analysis, several characteristic of metropolitan and campers visitor to British Columbia are differentiated. The dominant tourist position of British Columbia's two metropolitan centers is shown to be a function of their relative location and the availability of familiar visits. The campers proved to be independent travellers: independent of familial ties and metropolitan locations. Some implications and planning strategies for the integration of these two groups into the travel industry development objectives for the province of British Columbia are suggested.     

Is the hotel classification system a good indicator of hotel quality?: An application in Spain

This paper analyses whether the hotel classification system is a good indicator of hotel quality, where quality is defined to be satisfying the expectations and needs of the client. We conducted our research in Spain, where a five-category system using stars is employed. To be exact, the hotel sector of one autonomous community (Cantabria, located in northern Spain) was studied, given that it is these autonomous regions that have exclusive authority to regulate and promote tourism. The results of the study confirm that even though significant quality differences are seen between the different categories, the ranking by quality does not correspond to that by categories. This supports the idea that quality is associated with the delivery of a service according to client expectations, more than it is with establishment category.     

Are stars a good indicator of hotel quality? Assymetric information and regulatory heterogeneity in Spain

This paper proposes a methodology for continuous monitoring of the hotel sector based on “objective” and demand criteria. The method applies Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) to hotel facilities and services. Using that indicator the impact of differing regional regulations relating to hotel classifications is duly analysed, based on information from The Official Guide to Hotels in Spain (OGHS). The results show that even though official stars classification might be considered a good indicator of quality, there also is significant overlapping with regard to levels of quality between adjacent official categories. It is suggested that the very coexistence of 17 different regulations is one of the reasons for this.     

The effect of Cultural Intelligence on consumer-based destination brand equity

Achieving destination appeal and competitiveness is a major priority of tourist destination managers. They must implement new strategies that are distinct from those of their competitors and that influence tourists’ perceptions, attitudes and behaviors and reinforce the brand equity of the destination. The present work focuses on Cultural Intelligence (CQ). CQ increasingly features in business strategy due to the effect of cultural differences and diversity on tourist behavior. The aim is to propose and validate a model that captures the effect of tourists’ CQ on their evaluation of the destination. Using a sample of 503 tourists visiting Spain, the study demonstrates that a tourist’s CQ influences their assessment of destination brand equity and that this relationship is moderated by tourism type. The paper presents a series of implications of interest both to scholars and professionals in the tourism sector.     

Tourist districts and internationalization of hotel firms

The present paper brings together two lines of research that the literature has more often than not studied separately: the generation of externalities in industrial districts; and the international strategy based on location advantages. The application of industrial district approach principles serves to identify the tourist holiday districts situated along the Spanish coastline. This is followed by an analysis of the extent to which the degree of firm agglomeration specific to each district, as well as the presence of institutions generating specific technical knowledge, influence the globalization of the tourism sector, both regarding internationalized Spanish hotel chains and foreign hotels installed in Spain.