The paradox of cultural and media convergence. Segmenting the European tourist market by information sources and motivations

Abstract

The globalization of markets has led destination marketing organizations to question whether their marketing strategies should appeal to cultural convergence or divergence, both in the media to be used (information sources) and in the content to be communicated (related to travel motivations). The purpose of this study is to investigate the "cultural convergence" and "media convergence" using data from a computer-assisted web interviewing survey on 17 European countries. The methodology uses multiple correspondence analysis, factor analysis, and cluster analysis to segment the market. The results identify both phenomenon (convergence and divergence) by culture (blocks of countries), media (set of information sources), and content (motivations). The 17 European countries were segmented by information sources into Ensurers, Ensurers with digital exploration, and Low-social media users and by motivations into Adventures and Pleasure, Socializing, and Rest with Knowledge. An overall understanding of these segments and the paradoxical cultural and media convergence will serve as a tool for destination marketing organizations in the development of their segmenting and communication strategies, as they will be able to know what social media to use to best reach each culture and what content to communicate based on the European consumers' individual motivations.