Segmentation by Image Attributes in Island Marine Protected Areas: The Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Mauricio Carvache-Franco, Orly Carvache-Franco, Tahani Hassan, Ivonne León-Espinoza and Wilmer Carvache-Franco ()
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Mauricio Carvache-Franco: Universidad Bolivariana del Ecuador, Campus Durán Km 5.5 Vía Durán Yaguachi, Durán 092405, Ecuador
Orly Carvache-Franco: Universidad Espíritu Santo, Km. 2.5 Vía a Samborondón, Samborondón 092301, Ecuador
Tahani Hassan: Brunel Business School, Kingston Lane, Brunel University London, Uxbridge, Middlesex, London UB8 3PH, UK
Ivonne León-Espinoza: Universidad Bolivariana del Ecuador, Campus Durán Km 5.5 Vía Durán Yaguachi, Durán 092405, Ecuador
Wilmer Carvache-Franco: Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Humanísticas, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral ESPOL, Campus Gustavo Galindo Km 30.5 Vía Perimetral, Guayaquil 090902, Ecuador

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 4, 1-18

Abstract: The image attributes of a tourist destination are the elements that make up the perception that visitors have about a place. Segmenting by image attributes is establishing subgroups of tourists, differentiating them by the way they perceive the image of the destination. The present study in a marine protected area aimed to (i) identify image attributes, (ii) establish segments based on image attributes, (iii) determine the relationship between image segments, satisfaction, and behavioral loyalty, and (iv) ascertain the socio-demographic characteristics of image segments in insular marine protected areas. This study was conducted in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador, a marine protected Pacific Ocean area declared a World Heritage Site. A total of 407 surveys were collected in situ. The data were interpreted using factor analysis techniques and non-hierarchical K-means cluster analysis. The results show four image attributes in marine protected areas: Staff Attention, Tourist Facilities, Nature and People, and Cultural Attractions. Likewise, three segments based on image attributes were identified: the Passive segment, with low scores overall; Nature, with high scores only in attributes related to nature; and the Want It All segment, with high scores in all image attributes. Among these groups, the Want it All segment demonstrates the highest satisfaction and loyalty levels. The results will serve as management guidelines for marine protected area administrators and contribute to academic literature.

Keywords: segmentation; image attributes; satisfaction; loyalty; marketing; island marine protected areas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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