Characteristics of Malaysian ecotourist segments in Kinabalu Park, Sabah

Bidin, Sheena; Mariapan, Manohar; Aziz, Azlizam

doi:10.1080/14616688.2013.865069

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Also, there are studies in the literature, where the groups found differed from this study. These studies were conducted by Weaver and Lawton [28] and confirmed by Sheena et al [65]. They found three groups: "hard" ecotourists, who showed great affinity for conservation, were physically active, and enjoyed challenging activities; "soft" ecotourists, who were not very physically active and liked comfort; and "structured" ecotourists, who were physically similar to the "hard" ecotourists, but liked the comfort, similar to the "soft" ecotourists.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

“…They found two groups: (1) nature, or those who have the unique motivation to enjoy nature and resources; and (2) multiple motives, i.e., those who have a combination of various reasons, such as enjoying nature and gastronomy, and visiting villages to learn about cultures and traditions. By contrast, Sheena et al [65] analyzed the different groups of ecotourists who visited the Kinabalu Park, Sabah, in Malaysia. Like Weaver and Lawton [28], they found three groups: (1) hard, who constituted the largest segment of ecotourists in the park and were more willing to try highly challenging activities and maintained a desire to learn; (2) structured, who were mainly similar to the "soft" ecotourist group because of their preference for services during the trip, previous travel arrangements, and their strong preference for a learning component; and (3) soft, who disliked physical activities and preferred guided walks through nature.…”

Section: Demand Segmentation In Ecotourismmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Segmentation by Motivation in Ecotourism: Application to Protected Areas in Guayas, Ecuador

2019

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Among tourists, there is recently a growing interest in the environment and enjoying the natural world. This study analyzed the motivations and segmentation of the demand for ecotourism, using functional theory as a reference point. Empirical analysis was carried out in Santay National Recreation Area, Morro Mangrove Wildlife Refuge, and Samanes National Recreation Area. The sample included 382 surveys, obtained in situ using the simple random sampling method. Factorial analysis and non-hierarchical segmentation were performed to analyze the data. The results indicate that there are several motivational dimensions in ecotourism, including self-development, interpersonal relationships and ego-defensive function, building personal relationships, escape reward, and nature appreciation. We also identified three different segments of ecotourists based on their motivations—nature, multiple motives, and reward and escape—as well as the characteristics of the different segments. The present investigation will help public institutions and private companies improve their tourism offerings and develop more efficient marketing plans.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Section: Demand Segmentation In Ecotourismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Segmentation by Motivation in Ecotourism: Application to Protected Areas in Guayas, Ecuador

2019

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“…(2011) found that convenience is considered the most important factor when Chinese ecotourists choose accommodation that they mostly prefer to choose fixed-roof accommodation facilities such as hotels and ecolodges with comfort that implement eco-friendly practices and have unique features. Sheena et al. (2015) identified proximity to nature, location (location from the market) and nature-based attributes as well as a more isolated and rustic experience as important attributes when selecting ecolodge accommodation in Malaysia.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding accommodation preferences of visitors to the Kruger National Park

Kruger

Merwe

Saayman

et al. 2017

Tourism and Hospitality Research

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Accommodation plays such an important role in the tourist’s experience that one would imagine that many studies concerning this topic have been conducted. However, surprisingly, very few studies have focused on this subject despite the growth in both demand and supply. This gap or lack of research led to the present exploratory study that addressed the question: ‘What are visitors’ accommodation preferences when they select accommodation in the Kruger National Park?’ Based on a visitor survey in the Northern region of the Park during December 2015 where 294 fully completed questionnaires were administered, respondents were segmented based on their accommodation preferences (self-service, serviced and safari). Three distinct segments were identified, Self-service seekers, Servicescape seekers and Self-safari seekers. These segments differ regarding their socio-demographic characteristics and especially regarding the factors they regard as important when selecting accommodation and campsites. This was the first time that the accommodation preferences of visitors to the flagship national park in South Africa have been analysed. The results demonstrated that while visitors to the Kruger National Park appear homogeneous regarding their demographic profile, they differ significantly when it comes to accommodation needs and preferences. The findings from the research are valuable to park management, especially when developing and expanding accommodation options in the park as it shows the preferences of each distinct market. This research furthermore contributes to the current literature regarding ecotourism and ecotourists’ accommodation preferences.

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“…As a consequence, a tourism product may not be able to satisfy the demands of all tourists. Effective destination marketing through market segmentation by marketers needs to recognize that tourists are different (Andreu et al, 2006; Quintal et al, 2014; Sheena et al, 2014). Thus, destination marketing practitioners and academics need to group tourists into meaningful market segments, which include tourists similar to each other and dissimilar to tourists of other segments.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-segmenting a gaming destination market

Wong

Kim

2016

Journal of Vacation Marketing

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The so-called ‘Monte Carlo of the Orient’, Macau, has an economy that relies heavily on gambling. By 2006, Macau’s gambling revenue had exceeded that of Las Vegas. Mainland Chinese gamblers are a major source of customers for many Macau casinos. However, the nationwide crackdown on corruption in China has resulted in a tremendous revenue decrease in Macau. As a result, tourist managers need to learn how to adapt to these new changes and begin to segment tourists markets and address the different market segments more systematically by providing a varied range of services. This study aims to gain insight into Mainland Chinese travelers and to categorize these travelers according to their motivations. Three clusters of tourists emerged: ‘freedom seekers’, ‘multipurpose seekers,’ and ‘entertainment and gambling seekers’. Each cluster had a different sociodemographic profile and assessment regarding the gambling destination attributes. To attract tourists from these heterogeneous categories, managers should incorporate the corresponding responses into their marketing strategies.

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Characteristics of Malaysian ecotourist segments in Kinabalu Park, Sabah

Cited by 20 publications

References 35 publications

Segmentation by Motivation in Ecotourism: Application to Protected Areas in Guayas, Ecuador

Segmentation by Motivation in Ecotourism: Application to Protected Areas in Guayas, Ecuador

Understanding accommodation preferences of visitors to the Kruger National Park

Re-segmenting a gaming destination market

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