Why Do They Choose a SPA Destination? The Case of Japanese Tourists

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to segment Japanese spa tourists according to push motivation using a factor-cluster market segmentation approach. The study examines why these tourists choose spa destinations from among the numerous available tourism options, and what kind of attractiveness they seek. The authors derive 7 factors from 44 motivation items by factor analysis and the tourists are segmented into five clusters. Their analysis reveals that these tourists chose spa destinations when they were in search of a ‘soothing’ experience, one of the seven factors considered specific to spas. The answer to the question on the kind of attractiveness sought varied by segment.