António Almeida

Segmentation by benefits sought: the case of rural tourism in Madeira

Rural tourism has been promoted as an effective catalyst for growth in rural areas severely hit by the rural structuring process. However, with regard to islands, rural tourism has been mainly advertised and promoted as a counterpoint to mass tourism. While in most Western countries rural tourism has been in place for decades, islands have been pursuing a rural tourism agenda only since the 1990s. Consequently, we face a dearth of research regarding motivation factors that attract tourists to the rural hinterland on islands. The purpose of this study is to segment and profile rural tourists based on benefits sought in order to gain a better understanding of the current demand trends. The data collection procedure were based on a self-administered survey applied to a sample of 180 tourists, and four clusters were identified. The relaxer cluster which comprises individuals attracted by opportunities to relax and recharge batteries, are the most dominant, suggesting that the sector mimics, to a large extent, the main tourism market. This is a problematic outcome because the sector is failing to attract a more diverse and wealthy clientele. Due attention should also be paid to other clusters. The ruralist segment values relaxation in natural segments to escape from daily routine, the ‘want it all segment’ is composed of tourists interested in all kind of activities and the family-oriented cluster is mainly interested in socialising with the family. Implications of our preliminary conclusions for theory and practice are discussed.

Tourism development in Madeira: an analysis based on the life cycle approach

This paper identifies Madeira Islands growth stage in accordance with Butlers life cycle model. Life cycle analysis is pursued using an econometric approach over an extended period, from 1976 to 2006. The results suggest that Madeira is about to enter the stagnation phase. The industrys development since the 1970s was found to conform to Butlers model, but in its own way. In the case of Madeira, the islands positive image and the time span within each of the life cycle stages challenge the traditional life cycle model, suggesting rather that the maturity stage may persist indefinitely.

Insights from analysing tourist expenditure using quantile regression

Mature tourism destinations are increasingly needing to diversify their products and markets. To be successful, such strategies require a very detailed understanding of potential tourists’ levels and patterns of spending. Empirical studies of tourist expenditure have tended to employ ordinary least squares regression for this purpose. There are, however, a number of important limitations to this technique, chief among which is its inability to distinguish between tourists who have higher- and lower-than-average levels of spending. As such, some researchers recommend the use of an alternative estimation technique, known as quantile regression, which does allow such distinctions to be made. This study uses a single data set, collected among rural tourists in Madeira, to analyse the determinants of tourist expenditure using both techniques. This enables direct comparison to be made and illustrates the additional insights to be gained using quantile regression.

The on-going process of reinventing classic tourism destinations - the case of Nordic tourists in Madeira Island.

Abstract In this paper, we analyze the effect of tourism experience-related variables on Nordic visitors’ interest in Madeira as a potential second home destination, within the framework of the reinvention of classic tourism destinations as attractive residential areas and tourism hot spots. Over time, Madeira has experienced a sharp decline in terms of the numbers of Nordic visitors, which has prompted local experts to discuss alternative paths to re-attract past visitors back to the island. The second home market was considered one of the viable solutions among the several alternatives considered to address problems of declining market shares. In order to assess the conditioning factors of success in this market niche, we applied a questionnaire to a sample of Nordic visitors to assess their interest in the local second home market. The econometric approach retained in this study is based on the randomized response to take into account potential bias in the data. We suggest that Nordic visitors are only marginally interested in Madeira for second home purposes, which does not mean that we are dealing with a hopeless situation. Further development in this sector can only be reached in the medium term based on sustained quality improvements along with long-term strategic thinking focused on developing a feeling of attachment among potential second home owners.