Signs of segmentation and major segments of the tourist market

Feature - a way to highlight the segment in the market. In tourism, the main features of segmentation are:

 . geography;

 . demographics;

 . socio-demographic;

 . psychographics;

 . behavioral.

    When market segmentation by geography appropriate to consider the group of consumers with the same or similar preferences, determine residence in a particular territory. As the geographical area can be considered an entire country or group of countries with any historical, political, ethnic or religious community.

     Demographic characteristics (sex consumers, age, number of family members) are among the fairly applied. This is due to the availability of features, their stability over time, and the presence among them and demand a very close relationship.

Socio-economic indications suggest the selection of segments of consumers based on common social and professional status, education and income level.

    Psychographic segmentation combines a range of characteristics of consumers. It is generally expressed by the term "lifestyle". The latter is a model of a person's life, which is determined by passions, actions, interests, opinions, type of relationship with other people, etc.

    Behavioral symptoms related and are largely determined by psychographics. The basis of their use is that the different aspects of consumer behavior, such as travel motivations, the desired benefits, the degree of commitment to the company, willingness to purchase a tourist product, the sensitivity to the service, etc.

     The above features provide a basis only for the primary segmentation. The task of marketing is to select for a particular company combination, allow you to accurately determine which segment of the market to the greatest extent consistent with the goals and capabilities of the firm. It is helpful to use a combination of various characters, forming the combined parameters of segments of the tourist market.

     In tourism, there is a tendency to select relatively homogeneous segments by age consumers. According to the sign are three segments, which should correspond to different tourism product offer:

 . Youth tourism;

 . Tourism middle age;

 . tourism is the third age.

     Youth Tourism (under 30 years) - is cheaper than traveling with comfortable accommodation facilities and transport, fun evening programs (bars, disco, discussion clubs, meetings of interest, lotteries, contests, etc.). For this segment is characterized by high tourist activity due to the desire of young people to communicate, knowledge and available time (eg vacation).

      For the second segment - tourism in middle age (30-50 years) - is characterized by the predominance of family tourism. In this connection it is necessary to provide for the use of children's playground, children's pool, etc. This is especially important when creating tourist complexes in the resort areas.

     Tourists middle-aged high demands for comfort and convenience, informative tour programs, including familiarization with objects according to their professional interests.

    In the development of tourist services for this segment has to be recognized that people of middle age and is economically active population.

   Their desire to make a camping trip caused by the need to rest, associated with the change of environment.

    The concentration of the holiday season and school holidays is a major cause pronounced seasonality of tourism in this segment of consumers.

    However, be aware that the general trend in many countries is the division of leave in two, allowing for a year to make two trips - one in winter and one in summer. In addition, tourist travel can take place not only during holidays and vacations, but during the holidays, which in combination with the holidays are "a block of free time" required for tourist travel. The number of short trips (for example, the principle of "from winter - in the summer") from year to year.

   For participants of this kind of "blitz trips" trip distance is not an obstacle. Main goal of the journey - a sharp change of environment, experience, desire to see as much as possible. Development of the visit of such groups is built under the slogan "another world opening in 2-4 days." It must be very hard, making it possible to obtain the maximum amount of tourist information. The program should also be included in the bill or the tour, or for an additional fee evening events entertainment. This intense program will create the tourists feel that they are not absent for 2-4 days, but a whole month, so many they saw and learned.

    Tourism third age (over 50 years) requires not only comfort, but also the personal attention from the staff, access to quality health care, availability of diet food in restaurants, hotel accommodation, situated in quiet places. Tourism in particular the third age, which makes it very attractive to experts, is the absence of a pronounced seasonality. On the contrary, when traveling on holiday these tourists tend to avoid the peak tourist season (July, August), because it coincides with the hottest period of the year. They prefer the "velvet" season with a mild climate. Moreover, with the timing of a tourist trip tourists "third age" is not merely limited to the holiday period.

    The segmentation of the tourism market is and the level of income of consumers of tourism services. On the one hand, tourism demand expanded by increasing involvement in tourism with secondary and even relatively low-income countries as the need for rest, associated with the change of the situation, with the journey, becoming one of the main ones. On the other hand, demand for tourist trips continue to bring people with high incomes.

 Tourism product offer for the two segments of the tourist market should be different. If the first interest group travel, you always get the maximum discount, the latter prefer to travel solo.

 WTO experts on the basis of a combination of two characteristics (income and education) are 4 segment of the tourist market.

     For the first segment consists of persons with a secondary or even a relatively low income. The main purpose of their trip is to rest on the sea, with the choice of destinations is mainly determined by the level of prices. For this segment of the tourist market is not characterized by a tendency to a sharp change of impressions. They, on the contrary, involves setting that does not require a change of habits. This applies both to accommodation (it should provide all the comforts to which tourists are accustomed at home), and the food, which should be focused on international cuisine. This category of tourists has more money, is sensitive to the price of services and at the same time, it is critical to their quality. The basic principle - for the money to get all full. Staying in hotels of low discharges, they at the same time showing a great interest in all kinds of entertainment, nightclubs, bars, discos. Despite the fact that the cognitive goal is not the main motive of their journey, they still may be interested in a variety of excursions, which could make their trip more prestigious when telling about it to friends, relatives and acquaintances. Souvenirs for tourists these are real proof perfect trip, so every tourist definitely took with them some inexpensive souvenirs. In international tourist exchanges this segment of the tourist market is the largest, which form the basis of mass tourism approach. Is traveling at close range, mainly to the nearest sea.

     The second segment of the tourist market include people with incomes above srednego.Eti tourists often have higher education, sometimes specialized secondary education. The main purpose of travel for them is rest, combined with cognitive interest, with a choice of destinations second motive prevails. As already noted, the first motive of their journey is the rest, but active rest, giving the opportunity to engage in sports, make excursions, go to the theater and concerts. While the first category of travel "to the nearest sea," that this segment of the market are tourists who enjoy having an interest in the culture and customs of the country visited. Because these tourists cognitive motive prevails, they can put up with the lack of comfort in their interest to visit the region in the event that another opportunity to visit the region not. However, this does not mean that tourists in this segment do not demanding on the quality of accommodation and food.

      The third segment, persons with high incomes. Having largely higher education, they are interested in educational trips, trying to change impressions. There are two age groups: middle and "third" age. If a person of "third" age travel in groups, the middle-aged prefer individual trips or travel in small groups of friends.

 For this segment of interest on long journeys of 2-3 weeks. Tourists interested in souvenirs. And it can be expensive products, indicating that people have made from exotic journey.

   The fourth segment are highly educated people with an interest in the study of nature, culture, way of life, customs and traditions of other nations. This consists of people of different ages and with different levels of income, but they are willing to travel to spend significant resources, often at the expense of savings. The specific purpose of visits may vary. The main thing that unites tourists - a commitment to personal experience. If the purpose of travel is to see the lives of other people, the tourists live among the locals, eat their food, and sometimes even engage in local crafts, show great interest in folklore. This segment of the tourism market is very small in number, but in recent years it has grown significantly and has a tendency to further growth. Among the most common concerns of the tourist market segmentation on the motives for clients that lead to target travel.