An Improved Segment-Based Approach: Case of Internet Travel Planners

Abstract

Internet-enabled commerce activities have evidently been strong in the leisure and tourism industry. The use of the Internet reveals an ever-growing market of millions of business and leisure travelers who use the Internet for travel planning purpose. As segment-based approach is an accepted tool in strategic marketing and helps understand the needs of homogeneous travel planner subpopulations, this study suggests a framework as the guideline and procedure to improve the segmentation approach. The main aim is to increase understanding of the growing Internet travel market by accurately classifying the Internet travel planners. Following the procedures methodically shown in the framework, the study conducted multiple complementary statistical techniques to cross validate statistical results found in each step. The typology of Internet travel planners was therefore identified systematically with great accuracy and validity. The typology consists of four groups of Internet travel planners: sensate, deal, defensive, and totemic. Based on the major characteristics of each group, the study also provided discussions and suggestions for the implementation of the typology to develop successful e-commerce. The findings offer academia and practitioners a paradigm for strategic marketing.

Citation

Chang, D.Y. (2014), "An Improved Segment-Based Approach: Case of Internet Travel Planners", Advances in Hospitality and Leisure (Advances in Hospitality and Leisure, Vol. 9), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 69-97. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1745-3542(2013)0000009008