Tracking data-driven market segments

Market segmentation has become a standard concept in tourism marketing. A priori and a posteriori (data-driven) segmentation approaches enjoy high popularity among both practitioners and researchers. In order to optimize the market segmentation strategy it is not only necessary to identify relevant market segments, describe them, evaluate the match between corporate or destination strengths and segment needs but also, to determine how segments develop over time. This knowledge is typically accounted for when a priori segments are used. In the case of a posteriori segments, however, such trend tracking is neglected. In this paper a tracking framework is presented that allows testing of a posteriori segment developments over time on the basis of identical consecutive guest surveys. The framework is flexible with regard to methods applied at each step and – through validation of explorative findings by means of repetition – allows insight into market structure from multiple perspectives.