Marketing approach to Nordic tourism

• Published in: Technological forecasting & social change 2021-02, Vol.163, p.120441, Article 120441
• Main Authors: Alcalde-Giraudo, Alberto, Fernández-Hernández, Ruth, Paradinas-Márquez, Carmen, Sánchez-González, Pilar, García-Muiña, Fernando E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Classification; Experiential marketing; Hotel classification; Hotels & motels; Hotels and motels; Leisure; Marketing; Nordic tourist; Profitability; Sales promotions; Segments; Service experience; Tourism; Travel industry; Work environment
• ISSN: 0040-1625; 1873-5509
• DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2020.120441

•Literature contribution defining a specific hotel rating model based on rational - emotional variables for Nordic tourism.•Existing hotel rating models based on stars present deficiencies as they consider only supply-side attributes.•Purchase decision is highly influenced by quality, personal care and environmental issues. The hotel industry is looking for new positioning strategies to attract more clients or capture new segments to achieve maximum profitability. In order to do this, hotel companies are trying to achieve a competitive positioning that responds to the real situation of a global, changing, connected and hypercompetitive environment. However, the absence of a common European framework regulating the types of rating for the hotel sector makes rating model difficult to define. Literature recognises that the traditional hotel classification causes a loss of value for the contemporary tourist. It is no longer valid to choose by the criterion of the “stars” that the establishment possesses. It is necessary to provide differentiation for the customer to live a broader experience and become loyal. Starting from the two dimensions that usually drive a client's perception of a hotel, staff and environment, this work analyses the factors that explain Scandinavian tourists’ service experiences in Malaga that they have shared on Tripadvisor. This city was selected since it is the main destination of Nordic tourists in Andalusia (Spain). The results obtained in our exploratory research reflect the interest of this tourism micro-segment in the face of stimuli such as innovation, design, art and new leisure options. Therefore, it is recommended to adapt tourists in order to increase the presence of Scandinavian ones in the territory analysed.