This study investigates drivers of airline loyalty. It contributes to the body of knowledge in the area by investigating loyalty for a number of a priori market segments identified by airline management and by using a method which accounts for the multi-step nature of the airline choice process. The study is based on responses from 687 passengers. Results indicate that, at aggregate level, frequent flyer membership, price, the status of being a national carrier and the reputation of the airline as perceived by friends are the variables which best discriminate between travellers loyal to the airline and those who are not. Differences in drivers of airline loyalty for a number of segments were identified. For example, loyalty programs play a key role for business travellers whereas airline loyalty of leisure travellers is difficult to trace back to single factors. For none of the calculated models satisfaction emerged as a key driver of airline loyalty.

Typically, the image of a destination is studied by questioning a sample of tourists about their perceptions using a list of attributes and then condensing the data into average values for each individual destination. The city perception analysis (CPA) presented in this article, which is based on the perceptions-based market segmentation concept (PBMS, Dolnicar, Grabler & Mazanec, 1999;Mazanec & Strasser, 2000;Buchta, Dolnicar, & Reutterer, 2000), approaches the positioning task from a completely different perspective. The fundamental assumption is that different consumers harbor different perceptions of various destinations in their minds. Therefore, averaging the perceptions and ignoring inter-individual differences in city image perceptions dramatically distorts the results. The CPA approach uses a three-way data structure and identifies archetypal destination perceptions before revealing information on which cities they were associated with, thus avoiding the false assumption of homogeneous consumers. The information on which perception was classified with respect to which brand is disclosed afterwards, thus allowing specific destination image insights. On the basis of CPA results, destination management can analyze the destination images as perceived by the tourists, choose attractive image positions for the future and deduce strategic policies. For the final positioning strategy, segments underlying the single perceptual positions have to be studied in detail. The CPA approach is illustrated using an empirical image study of six European city destinations, followed by a discussion of the managerial implications and advantages over traditional methods. CPA approach is illustrated using an empirical image study of six European city destinations, followed by a discussion of the managerial implications and advantages over traditional methods.

Heterogeneity of perceptions is a neglected issue in market segmentation studies. Only recently parametric approaches toward modeling segmented perception-preference structures such as combined MDS and Latent Class procedures have been introduced. A completely different nonparametric method is based on topologysensitive vector quantization (VQ) for consumers-by-brands-by-attributes data. It maps the segment-specific perceptual structures into bar charts with multiple brand positions exhibiting perceptual distinctiveness or similarity. A brief introduction into the VQ methodology is followed by a sample study on three urban destinations competing on the world travel markets. City images serve as the underlying behavioral constructs. Preferential data are based on respondents' comes-closest-to-ideal-city judgments and incorporated into the perceptual positions of city profiles. Perceptual charting works on two levels of aggregation named prototypes and perceptual sub-structures. The results demonstrate how this method prevents the analyst from drawing erroneous conclusions due to uncontrolled aggregation. AbstractHeterogeneity of perceptions is a neglected issue in market segmentation studies. Only recently parametric approaches

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Climate change and its possible consequences for winter vacation destinations constitutes a new and complex challenge to tourism research. The actual effects of climate change, as well as its perception and presentation by the media, by politics and society at large all influence entrepreneurial decisions and the future development of a region. In order to research the future of a winter sport resort community, a transdisciplinary research framework was developed for the destination of Schladming in Austria. We evaluated the effects of climate change by investigating spatial differences on a local scale and adapting the large scaled climate change models to this local level. Then we studied the attitudes and preferences of visitors, including the possible effects of the media on public opinion. An analysis of regional economic statistics documented the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the study area. In addition, we considered the opinions of local representatives, as well as stakeholders, interest groups and associations. These results provide background information for the first expanded implementation of the Tourism Optimization Management Model (TOMM) in Europe. In this visitor management process, local people are formulating strategic regional decisions considering climate change and other trends in tourism in order to enhance a sustainable development in their region.