Ivan Sever

Mediterranean Cruise Itineraries and the Position of Dubrovnik

Within an analysis of the competitiveness of ports/destinations on an international cruise market, this paper is attempting to answer one of the core and permanent questions: how to obtain relevant, unbiased and objective data/information for such an analysis? The focus of this paper is to analyze the capability and features of data gathered from cruise itineraries, offered through Internet websites, to provide objective and unbiased information on the current market position of a competitive cruise port/destination. This paper is specifically focused on evaluating the scope and relevance of such easily-accessible data sources, with regards to revealing key information for the analysis of competitiveness of Mediterranean cruise ports/destinations but also on assessing the size and structure of the Mediterranean cruise market, and the competitive position of Dubrovnik as one of the leading Mediterranean ports of call. Based on cruise itineraries’ data, offered by 25 cruise companies in 2010, the Mediterranean cruise market was analyzed with regards to the total number of different itineraries and cruises. Moreover, other relevant factors include: the total number of ports/destinations participating in cruise tourism within the Mediterranean; the interdependence of the respective ports, itineraries and cruise companies; the number of cruise ships involved, according to ship size; and the seasonality of cruises. Dubrovnik’s competitive position was assessed through the comparison of cruises that have Dubrovnik as a port of call versus those that do not. Such an approach enables ports/destinations to directly assess their market position whilst also gathering information on the characteristics of ports/destinations that they rely on and/or compete with on different itineraries.

Identifying Trends in Tourism Demand Using Longitudinal Survey

A success of tourism industry depends partly on its ability to recognize and adapt to economic, social, political, technological and environmental trends impacting the size and characteristics of demand. Longitudinal research design is particularly suitable for detection, examination and monitoring patterns of change over time. Although there is an increasing number of longitudinal surveys in tourism, this chapter fills the gap that exists in relation to trend studies focusing on tourist behavior in a destination. It is based on a longitudinal survey of Croatian tourism demand characteristics and behavior in 1987–2014 period and focused on both the results and methodological issues and challenges in application of longitudinal research design in a study of tourism demand.