Market Segmentation by Motivations in Ecotourism: Application in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park, Spain

Mauricio Carvache-Franco, Conrado Carrascosa-López and Wilmer Carvache-Franco
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Mauricio Carvache-Franco: Facultad de Turismo y Hotelería, Universidad Espíritu Santo, Samborondón 092301, Ecuador
Conrado Carrascosa-López: Departamento Organización Empresas, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Wilmer Carvache-Franco: Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanísticas, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Guayaquil 090615, Ecuador

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 9, 1-18

Abstract: Environmental awareness and carrying out tourism activities in nature are increasing today. Therefore, the present study has been conducted in a natural park, and its objectives are the following: (a) identify the motivation of ecotourism; (b) determine the segmentation by motivations of ecotourism; and (c) establish the relationship between the segments and variables of satisfaction and loyalty such as return, recommendation and saying positive things about the destination. The study was carried out in the Posets-Maladeta Natural Park located in Spain, in the center of the Pyrenees mountain range. The sample consisted of 341 surveys obtained in situ. To analyze the data, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and nonhierarchical segmentation of K-means were used. The results in ecotourism applied to a natural park show seven motivational dimensions: self-development, interpersonal relations, construction of personal relations, escape, reward, appreciation of nature and ego defense function. The results also reveal the existence of three segments of ecotourists: “reward and escape”, “nature” and “multiple motives”. The “reward and escape” segment shows the highest score in satisfaction and loyalty variables. The results will serve as development guides for the administrators of the natural parks and in the elaboration of ecotourism products according to the demand found.

Keywords: motivation; demand segmentation; protected area; satisfaction; Pyrenees (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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