The construct “lifestyle” in market segmentation: The behaviour of tourist consumers

The swift and wide‐ranging changes that present‐day society is undergoing are leading to an increasing personalization in consumer behaviour patterns. These are increasingly less well explained by socio‐demographic and economic criteria. This effect seems to be particularly well reflected in tourism. As one of the chief characteristics of this market is its heterogeneity, there is a need to include other variables, such as lifestyle, in order to segment it more adequately. This would permit a greater depth of knowledge of the variables influencing tourist behaviours, rendering them accessible to businesses, which could thus better satisfy tourists’ needs and wants by matching the services they offer more efficiently to them. Defines the construct “lifestyle” based on the activities, interests and opinions approach. Offers in addition certain innovations of scholarly interest, but also of practical use for business. Although this variable is not a brand‐new concept, it is still being actively researched.