Margarida Custódio Santos, Célia Veiga and Paulo Águas
This paper sought to examine the pertinent literature to identify trends that lead to the emergence of new tourist profiles. The study simultaneously focused on analysing the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper sought to examine the pertinent literature to identify trends that lead to the emergence of new tourist profiles. The study simultaneously focused on analysing the implications of these new tourist segments for service providers. In a time characterised by constant and accelerated change, the tourism market environment must be systematically and proactively monitored to define more carefully adjusted marketing strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper examined the academic, institutional and trade literature to provide an overview of the main trends and profiles of the main market segments.
Findings
The most relevant segments identified and profiled are the seniors and millennials. The importance of this two generational segments for tourism derives from their large dimensions and strong interest in travelling. Empirical evidence has been found that the senior segment comprises two distinct sub-segments: “younger at heart” and “older at heart”. Therefore, seniors cannot be targeted as a homogeneous segment. Regarding the millennials, they are considered digital natives, who look for authentic experiences and see themselves as travellers rather than tourists. They are expected to be the largest market segment by 2020. The implications of each segment profile for service providers are discussed.
Originality/value
The profiling of the two most important tourist segments allows managers to design more effective marketing-mix strategies to implement along the different stages of the tourism consumption process, which include the pre-travel, during-travel and post-travel phases.
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Margarida Custódio Santos, Célia Veiga, Paulo Águas and José António C. Santos
The purpose of this study posited that tourism companies and more especially hotels located in tourist destinations dependent on air transportation, need to commit more strongly…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study posited that tourism companies and more especially hotels located in tourist destinations dependent on air transportation, need to commit more strongly to sustainability because of their greater distance from the main outbound markets. The research focused on determining whether hotels’ star rating, location, age and size influence their sustainability communication and on identifying the characteristics of the messages used in hotels’ sustainability communication.
Design/methodology/approach
To accomplish these objectives, a sequential mixed methods design with three interconnected phases was used, including quantitative data and content analysis.
Findings
Less than 10% of hotels located in a tourist destination strongly dependent on air transportation and peripheral to the main outbound markets actually communicate about sustainable practices on their websites. Communication practices are dependent on hotels’ star rating, location, size and age.
Research limitations/implications
The study limitations are that it was conducted in only one destination and that the hotel websites’ layouts are heterogeneous, which means that the analysis and comparison of the relevant information is extremely challenging. In addition, the research only considered hotels or similar lodgings, leaving out other types of accommodation.
Practical implications
Hotels in tourist destinations dependent on air transportation need to adjust their sustainability communication in response to the trend among tourists toward greater consciousness about the environmental impacts of their individual tourism-related choices. Hotels also need to provide more accurate and detailed information on sustainable practices, with both affective and rational appeals that focus on tourists’ experiences.
Originality/value
The study was conducted in a destination dependent on air transportation and peripheral to the primary outbound markets.
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Célia Veiga, Margarida Custódio Santos, Paulo Águas and José António C. Santos
This study aims to address the paradigm changes currently affecting tourism: the increasingly recognisable signs of irreversible climate change and the consequences of this and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to address the paradigm changes currently affecting tourism: the increasingly recognisable signs of irreversible climate change and the consequences of this and overtourism for service providers, destinations and tourists’ experiences. A more specific objective was to identify good practices carried out by destinations and companies in different tourism sectors to increase sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
The research involved examining the academic, institutional and trade literature to develop an overview of the most important challenges and an accurate portrayal of how innovative and proactive companies and destination managers are addressing these issues.
Findings
Increased tourism demand has contributed to social and environmental unsustainability in tourism. Although the tourism sector has already implemented sustainable initiatives, an accurate quantification and measurement of these practices’ real impacts on global tourism’s sustainability is not yet possible.
Originality/value
This study’s value arises from the systematic identification of the implications of climate change and overtourism as major features of a paradigm shift in tourism. This paper also presents a set of good practices to provide tourism stakeholders with more sustainable strategies and inspire these entities to adopt appropriate measures.
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Célia Veiga, Margarida Custódio Santos, Paulo Águas and José António C. Santos
The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of the millennials segment that is most likely to cause a significant disruption in the way the tourism sector is…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of the millennials segment that is most likely to cause a significant disruption in the way the tourism sector is currently structured. A profile of this segment has been developed along with an analysis of the marketing implications for destinations and tourism providers.
Design/methodology/approach
The research involved examining academic, institutional and trade literature to provide an overview of the millennials profile and the related developments causing disruptive changes in the tourism sector.
Findings
The characteristics of the millennials with the greatest potential to disrupt the tourism sector are their strong digital skills, high degree of permanent connectivity, search for outstanding experiences and altruistic behaviours. The results already present from these characteristics – with a high probability of intensifying in the future – are the practice of volunteer tourism, search for places not connected with tourism and adoption of new, disruptive technologies. Even though volunteer tourism is an act of altruism, it can have harmful implications for tourist destinations in which it occurs. In addition, tourist invasions of places traditionally occupied only by residents can lead to the removal of locals from these places, manifestations of “tourismphobia” and ultimately degradation of these tourists’ experiences. Finally, the adoption of disruptive technologies by tourism agents to fulfil the millennials’ demands for immediate responses reduces human interactions highly valued by millennials and, therefore, requires close monitoring.
Originality/value
This study’s value arises from its systematic identification of the millennials characteristics that are most likely to disrupt the tourism sector’s functioning, allowing the relevant stakeholders to adopt proactive strategies, minimise potential negative impacts and maximise opportunities.
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Margarida Custódio Santos, Célia Veiga, José António C. Santos and Paulo Águas
This study sought to assess the extent to which tourism research has considered sustainability as a success factor for tourism destinations. It also aims to identify the relevance…
Abstract
Purpose
This study sought to assess the extent to which tourism research has considered sustainability as a success factor for tourism destinations. It also aims to identify the relevance of the economic, environmental and socio-cultural dimensions of sustainability for tourist destination success, identify gaps in the literature and draw theoretical and practical implications and make recommendations.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology consists of a systematic literature review on sustainability as a success factor for tourism destinations.
Findings
Research interest in the topic is recent and mostly focused on environmental sustainability. Developing a sustainable tourism policy and performing adequate destination management are crucial for tourism destination success. It is also acknowledged that perceiving a destination as sustainable has a significant positive impact on tourists' experiences, purchasing behaviour and loyalty.
Originality/value
This study's value arises from the fact that, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no systematic literature review was yet been performed on the topic of sustainability as a success factor for tourism destinations.
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Margarida Custódio Santos, Célia Veiga, Samara Santiago Dantas, Paulo Águas and José António C. Santos
This article assesses the degree of adoption of the circular economy model in the tourist accommodation sector. Additionally, the study aims to understand whether the type of…
Abstract
Purpose
This article assesses the degree of adoption of the circular economy model in the tourist accommodation sector. Additionally, the study aims to understand whether the type of accommodation, size and year of construction or remodelling have an impact on the adoption of circular economy practices.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a survey administered to directors and owners of tourist accommodation facilities in Portugal. The questionnaire was developed based on an extensive literature review of circular economy practices in the accommodation sector.
Findings
Accommodation companies currently operate in a linear economy model and are still in the early stages of transitioning to a more circular economic model. Among the most commonly implemented practices are those that represent expenditure savings for accommodation companies. The findings also suggest a growing awareness and commitment to sustainability and circular economy practices in the tourist accommodation sector, particularly in more recently constructed or renovated accommodation.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the accommodation characteristics that impact the adoption of sustainability and circular economy practices in the tourist accommodation sector. It contributes to the literature by providing primary quantitative data supporting the adoption of such practices.
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Paulo Águas, Célia Veiga and Helena Reis
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the competitiveness of the European Union Member States of Southern Europe (France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain) as tourist…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the competitiveness of the European Union Member States of Southern Europe (France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain) as tourist destinations for European Union Member States of Central and Northern Europe (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, The Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden and the UK).
Design/methodology/approach
Application of the market share analysis tool, initially developed by Faulkner, using secondary data from Eurostat – statistical office of the European communities.
Findings
The results obtained show that France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain present distinct levels of competitiveness for the various generating countries, with changes having occurred in the period between 1999 and 2007.
Originality/value
The paper offers refreshment of Faulkner's tool and an insight into tourist flows in Europe as a tool for tourism and hospitality managers.
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P. P. Mohanty and Niharranjan Mishra
Overtourism is an emerging concept and a perennial process every destination is going through. It is a cyclic phenomenon derived from the destination, retained in the destination…
Abstract
Overtourism is an emerging concept and a perennial process every destination is going through. It is a cyclic phenomenon derived from the destination, retained in the destination and at last demised by the destination. It's a kind of ‘tourism illness’ spreading rapidly in every destination in the present scenario. The status of overtourism in every destination has been caused by the tourist, of the tourist and for the tourist. In the context of religious places in Odisha, overtourism is a ‘disorder’ that cannot be mitigated, as religiosity, faith and spiritualism have propelled and governed people's sentiment and emotion. Hence ambiguity arises out of making an intrigue situation between a myth or a spiritual sojourn bounded by faith and belief. This chapter significantly contributes by unfolding the existing literature by providing the origin and evolution of overtourism, various stated definitions by the different authors, causes and consequences, and overtourism in religious destinations by adopting an exploratory study, particularly in case of the Golden triangle of Odisha.
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Opeyemi Femi-Oladunni, Pablo Ruiz-Palomino and Israel Roberto Pérez Jiménez
This study aims to identify how Spanish consumers’ extrinsic preferences for food have evolved by examining the extant literature on food preferences in Spain, focusing on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify how Spanish consumers’ extrinsic preferences for food have evolved by examining the extant literature on food preferences in Spain, focusing on food-related attributes and food-related values.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on a synthetic review of the extant academic literature on Spanish consumer preferences for food-related attributes and food-related values from the mid-20th to the 21st century. This study uses key economic and social milestones that are most likely to influence food value chain actors to show how consumer preferences have evolved over the study period.
Findings
Spanish consumer food attribute preferences expanded as the food sector of the nation continued to grow, and value preferences showed a similar pattern from the mid-20th to the 21st century. The drivers of these preferences were trust, lifestyle, education (campaigns), sociodemographic factors and purchasing power.
Originality/value
Evaluating the extant literature’s contribution to consumer preferences for food-related attributes and values is important because it can aid in understanding the hierarchy and variety of consumers’ food preferences as well as the factors that drive these preferences. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore how Spanish consumer preferences evolved between the mid-20th and 21st centuries.