Title: Segmenting youth tourists to cultural heritage destinations: motivational determinants and experiential characteristics

Authors: Nikolaos Boukas

Addresses: Center for Sustainable Management of Tourism, Sport & Events (CESMATSE), European University Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus, 6 Diogenes Str. Engomi, P.O. Box 22006, 1516 Nicosia, Cyprus

Abstract: Although youth tourism has been recognised as an important market for several forms of tourism, its role for cultural tourism is underestimated. However, youths are important tourists in cultural heritage destinations while culture constitutes a significant motive in their travel career. The paper aims to examine the motivational determinants and experiential characteristics of youth tourists in cultural heritage destinations and identifies the sub-segments of the youth market. Employing mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative research techniques, the study recognises that the youth cultural segment has some similarities but cannot be considered as homogenous. In this respect, strategic marketing planning of cultural heritage destinations needs to consider also the micro-differences of the youth segment in terms of their motives and perceptions. The paper concludes with a model that demonstrates the sub-segments of the youth market and the pertinent marketing management strategies that need to be considered to fully realise, appreciate and exploit their potential for cultural heritage tourism development.

Keywords: youth tourism; youths; cultural heritage; heritage management; cultural tourism; segmentation; clusters; Greece; cultural tourists; young people; cultural destinations; heritage destinations; strategic marketing; strategic planning; youth tourists; tourist motives; tourist perceptions; marketing management; marketing strategies.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLTM.2014.059259

International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, 2014 Vol.4 No.1, pp.63 - 89

Received: 08 Oct 2013
Accepted: 18 Oct 2013

Published online: 07 Aug 2014 *

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