Attitudes, perceptions, values, beliefs

Attitudes, perceptions, values and beliefs are strongly linked to behaviour and as such they can be used as a basis upon which the consumer market can be segmented. For example, a belief in ethical trading practices unites a section of the general population and the success of the ‘fairtrade’ products can be attributed to the identification and effective targeting of the product to this specific consumer segment.

In tourism, segmenting consumers by attitudes, perceptions, values and beliefs can contribute to an understanding of how particular groups view services in the marketplace. A good example of this is the market for backpacker travel experiences. The backpacker market can be segmented in terms of their perceptions and beliefs about the world around them including attitudes to politics, the organisation of society, attitudes towards other cultures and so on. Another example would be that of ‘eco-tourism’ products and services which segments consumers in terms of their attitude towards the environment and the impact of tourism.