Comportamiento turístico sostenible: un enfoque de segmentación en Gipuzkoa
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2025-07-07
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Universidad de Alicante / Universitat d'Alacant
Resumen
La gestión de la mayoría de los destinos turísticos se ha orientado hacia el crecimiento desde una perspectiva económica que a la larga ha puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de revisar los modelos de medición tradicionales basados en el número de visitantes o en el gasto; el escenario actual se caracteriza por una creciente preocupación por la sostenibilidad en sus todos sus ámbitos: ambiental, social, cultural y económica. En ese sentido uno de los grandes retos globales de esta industria es el cambio climático que puede llegar a modificar los flujos y los propios destinos turísticos. El creciente impacto del cambio climático ha hecho de la descarbonización una prioridad crucial para la industria de los viajes y el turismo, afectando a todos los actores involucrados: proveedores, gestores, reguladores, intermediarios, consumidores y turistas. Diversos estudios muestran que la presión por reducir las emisiones de carbono en el sector está en aumento. No obstante, el camino hacia esta transformación se enfrenta a numerosas barreras como el costo de las tecnologías sostenibles, las limitaciones de estas, la falta de incentivos financieros o una concienciación insuficiente. Este estudio examina el perfil de la demanda frente a estos desafíos, segmentando en función del comportamiento sostenible en general y, específicamente, en relación con las acciones contra el cambio climático, siendo esta su principal contribución teórica. Para sectores clave de la industria turística, como el de alojamiento, objeto de este estudio, resulta fundamental comprender la actitud y el comportamiento de la demanda turística, con el fin de desarrollar y promover mercados con conductas pro-sostenibles y/o reducir aquellos segmentos con comportamientos negativos. Además, llegar a soluciones de segmentación significativas es útil para las organizaciones de gestión de destinos (Destination Management Organizations, DMO) como base para una estrategia de optimización de la demanda. Esta estrategia permitirá a los organismos responsables de la gestión turística implementar acciones específicas para cada perfil de turista, facilitando respuestas más efectivas para mitigar los efectos del cambio climático según el contexto, la ubicación, la temporada y el tipo de turismo (reuniones, incentivos, conferencias y exposiciones; ocio; aventura; costa; interior; y otras formas). A través de una metodología cuantitativa, un cuestionario diseñado con base en investigaciones previas, el estudio analiza a 432 turistas en Gipuzkoa, España, distinguiendo tres tipos de segmentos que se han denominado: Rezagados, Consumidores estándar y Viajeros conscientes. Estos resultados muestran que entender los hábitos y comportamientos de los viajeros desde una perspectiva de sostenibilidad permitirá a los proveedores de servicios y a los gestores turísticos centrarse en segmentos que fomenten conductas más responsables, e incluso impulsar prácticas de turismo regenerativo en el destino.
The management of most tourist destinations has traditionally focused on growth from an economic perspective, which has increasingly highlighted the need to reassess traditional measurement models based on visitor numbers or expenditure. The current landscape is characterised by a growing concern for sustainability in all its dimensions: environmental, social, cultural, and economic. In this regard, one of the key global challenges for this industry is climate change, which has the potential to alter tourist flows and even the destinations themselves. The rising impact of climate change has made decarbonisation a critical priority for the travel and tourism industry, affecting all stakeholders involved: providers, managers, regulators, intermediaries, consumers, and tourists. Various studies indicate that pressure to reduce carbon emissions within the sector is intensifying. However, the path towards this transformation faces numerous obstacles, such as the cost and limitations of sustainable technologies, the lack of financial incentives and insufficient awareness. This study examines the demand profile in response to these challenges, with a segmentation based on overall sustainable behaviour and, more specifically, actions related to climate change mitigation, which represents its primary theoretical contribution. For key sectors within the tourism industry, such as accommodation—this study’s focus—it is essential to understand the attitudes and behaviours of tourism demand in order to develop and promote markets with pro-sustainability practices and/or reduce segments with negative behaviours. Moreover, achieving meaningful segmentation solutions is useful for Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) as a foundation for a demand-optimisation strategy. This strategy enables tourism management bodies to implement targeted actions for each tourist profile, facilitating more effective responses to mitigate climate change effects based on context, location, season and type of tourism (such as meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions; leisure; adventure; coastal; inland; and other forms). Using a quantitative methodology and a questionnaire based on previous research, this study analyses 432 tourists in Gipuzkoa, Spain, distinguishing three segment types, labelled: Lagging, Standard Consumers, and Conscious Travellers. The findings demonstrate that understanding travellers’ habits and behaviours from a sustainability perspective will enable service providers and tourism managers to focus on segments that foster more responsible conduct and even promote regenerative tourism practices within the destination.
The management of most tourist destinations has traditionally focused on growth from an economic perspective, which has increasingly highlighted the need to reassess traditional measurement models based on visitor numbers or expenditure. The current landscape is characterised by a growing concern for sustainability in all its dimensions: environmental, social, cultural, and economic. In this regard, one of the key global challenges for this industry is climate change, which has the potential to alter tourist flows and even the destinations themselves. The rising impact of climate change has made decarbonisation a critical priority for the travel and tourism industry, affecting all stakeholders involved: providers, managers, regulators, intermediaries, consumers, and tourists. Various studies indicate that pressure to reduce carbon emissions within the sector is intensifying. However, the path towards this transformation faces numerous obstacles, such as the cost and limitations of sustainable technologies, the lack of financial incentives and insufficient awareness. This study examines the demand profile in response to these challenges, with a segmentation based on overall sustainable behaviour and, more specifically, actions related to climate change mitigation, which represents its primary theoretical contribution. For key sectors within the tourism industry, such as accommodation—this study’s focus—it is essential to understand the attitudes and behaviours of tourism demand in order to develop and promote markets with pro-sustainability practices and/or reduce segments with negative behaviours. Moreover, achieving meaningful segmentation solutions is useful for Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) as a foundation for a demand-optimisation strategy. This strategy enables tourism management bodies to implement targeted actions for each tourist profile, facilitating more effective responses to mitigate climate change effects based on context, location, season and type of tourism (such as meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions; leisure; adventure; coastal; inland; and other forms). Using a quantitative methodology and a questionnaire based on previous research, this study analyses 432 tourists in Gipuzkoa, Spain, distinguishing three segment types, labelled: Lagging, Standard Consumers, and Conscious Travellers. The findings demonstrate that understanding travellers’ habits and behaviours from a sustainability perspective will enable service providers and tourism managers to focus on segments that foster more responsible conduct and even promote regenerative tourism practices within the destination.
Palabras clave
Comportamiento proambiental
Segmentación
Análisis de conglomerados
Cambio climático
Sostenibilidad ambiental
Pro-environmental behaviour
Segmentation
Cluster analysis
Climate change
Environmental sustainability
Segmentación
Análisis de conglomerados
Cambio climático
Sostenibilidad ambiental
Pro-environmental behaviour
Segmentation
Cluster analysis
Climate change
Environmental sustainability
Descripción
Materias
Cita
Fernández-Villarán Ara, A., & Abad Galzacorta, M. (2025). Comportamiento turístico sostenible: un enfoque de segmentación en Gipuzkoa. Investigaciones Turísticas, 30, 113-137. https://doi.org/10.14198/INTURI.27866