Disclosing homogeneity within heterogeneity: A segmentation of Spanish active tourism based on motivational pull factors

Abstract

In the context of postmodern tourism, active tourism has acquired great importance. This type of travel fits the tastes of the new tourist, who seeks new and differentiated experiences that deliver a diverse range of sensations. The present works aims at in depth exploring the profile of active tourists, with emphasis on the reasons that lead them to seek this kind of experiences. Given the framework provided by the push and pull theory, the aim of this study is to identify groups with homogeneous features in the heterogeneous collective of active tourists. Factor and cluster analysis, focused on a scale of pull factors, are sequentially applied to data obtained through an online questionnaire. The results show that the Spanish market of active tourism can be segmented into three groups ("health, novelty and cultural heritage seekers, adventure and fun seekers and professionals and health seekers neutral to pull factors"), where the importance attributed to different pull factors varies according to each group's push motivations. Specifically, those who engage in active tourism motivated by keeping healthy and discovering new places or people are those who most value the cultural heritage of the destination; those who engage in it seeking new sensations are those who most value the possibilities of having fun in the destination; and those who do it for professional reasons are indifferent towards the attractions of the destination. Nevertheless, regardless of the groups to which they belong, active tourists prioritize the richness of the natural surroundings when choosing a destination. Management implications: A better understanding of its target market is vital for active tourism destinations: • In the case of rural destinations, the segment of health, novelty and cultural heritage seekers could be a good target to which to offer hiking circuits, promoted through specialized guidebooks and magazines, which include interesting heritage resources. • Urban destinations, especially coastal ones, could seek to attract the adventure and fun seekers segment through an offer of exciting and fun activities, whose promotion, preferably carried out through social networking sites, would highlight the possibilities of nightlife. • Every destination should prioritize the protection and improvement of the natural surroundings.