ANALYZING SEASONAL DIFFERENCES IN A DESTINATION’S TOURIST MARKET: THE CASE OF MINHO

The present study analyses patterns of seasonal tourist consumption, based on data collected in the Minho, a rural region situated in the Northeast of Portugal. The study aims at identifying and discussing main differences regarding socio-demographic profile and tourist beha-vior between tourists visiting the destination in the high, medium, and low season. Results permit a discussion of implications on destination management and marketing. More specifically, the understanding of these differences, considering the existing resources, constraints, and potentialities of the destination, shall help develop strategies yielding the diversification of demand, creating conditions for attracting, satisfying, and possibly ensuring loyalty of different tourist types in different seasons of the year (Jeffrey, D., & Barden, R. (2001). An analysis of the nature, causes and marketing implications of seasonality in the occupancy performance of English hotels. In T. Baum & S. Lundtorp (Eds.), Seasonality in tourism (pp. 119 140). Amsterdam: Pergamon). That is, the here discussed results should help strategically manage demand yielding sustainable destination development (Kastenholz, 2004).