Abstract
This chapter reviews previous studies in tourism segmentation and points out the evolution of tourism segmentation between 2000 and 2006. Firms in the tourism industry frequently apply market segmentation using geographical, socio-economic, demographic, psychographic and behavioural characteristics. Tourism scholars traditionally adopt two main approaches, a priori or a posteriori segmentation. This chapter reviews the literature on both methods and provides a framework for analysing the latest tourism segmentation studies. As an emerging construct in the evolution of tourism segmentation and taking into account the importance of experience in tourism, this chapter shows an application of segmentation based on affective variables. The chapter concludes with an assessment of tourism segmentation studies and implications for further research.