Question

2. Using Cohen’s Tourist typology, explain how you can effectively segment a tourism attraction of your choice.

Answer 1

Cohen;s tourist typology described two types of turist as:-

1. First two as institutionalized tourist, and
2. The lattertwo as non- Institutionalized

• Institutionalized tourist

1. The organized mass tourist: who buys a package holiday to a popular destination and largely prefer to trael around with a larrge group of other tourists, following an inflexible predetermined itinerary.In general such tourist tend not to stray far from the neach or their hotel.
2. The Individual mass tourist: buys a looser package that allows more freedom, for e.g. a fly-drive holiday

• Non- Institutionalized

1. The Explorer: makes his or her own travel arrangments and sets out, consciously, to avoid contact with other tourists. Explorer sets out to meet the local people but they will expect a certain level of comfort and security.
2. The drifter: Tries to become accepted, albeit temporarily, as part of the local community. Drifters have no planned itinerary and choose destinations and accomodaion on a whim.

Basis on which we can effectively segment a tourism attraction of our choice:-

• Geographical segmentation: Based on geographical factors, and widely used in tourism:-

1. Tour operators consider where their clients live when deciding
2. which departure airports to offer flights from.
3. Airlines develop their routes on the basis of geographical patterns of demand.
4. An assumption is made that people from cool northern climates will often show a preference for warmer southern climates when selecting their holiday destinations.
5. The desire of urban dwellers to visit rural locations forleisure, as a contrast with their everydayenvironment.

• Demographic segmentation: Based on the demographic factors, and particularly popular in tourism:

  1.Age- some tour operators, notably SAGA and Club18-30 in the UK, segment their potential market, purely in terms of age.

  2.Sex- many weekend break packages and conference partner programmes base their market on gendered stereotypes. For instance, golf is usually seen as a male activity while it is argued that women will prefer shopping.

  3.Religion- this is clearly at the heart of the pilgrimage market.

• Socioeconomic segmentation: Based on socioeconomic variables. based on the JICNAR’s classification. For example, the case of the UK theme parkmarket is an example of the latter, withmuseums and opera performances being typicalof the former.

• Phsycographic Segmentation: Based on the idea that the lifestyles, attitudes, opinions and personalities of people determine their behaviour as consumers and its more modern approach than the other.

1. Health farms and spas target their marketing atconsumers who aspire to lead a healthy lifestyle.
2. People who are environmentally aware and whoselifestyle is influenced by environmental concerns are agood target market for conservation holidays.
3. Hedonistic sun, sand, sea and sex holidays are usuallytargeted at extrovert people.
4. .People who seek thrills are the target market for bungee- jumping or ‘white -knuckle rides’  at theme parks.

• Behaviouristic segmentation: Consumer - relationship with a particular product.

1. Airline frequent flyer programmes (FFPs) areaimed at regular users to increase loyalty to the product and make people more enthusiastic purchasers of the product.
2. 2 Hotels and airlines stress the quality of theirservice.
3. 3 Budget tour operators, airlines and hotelchains promote services to consumers whose main ‘benefit sought’ is economy.