Segmenting Overseas Golf Tourists by the Concept of Specialization

A main goal of this study was to use the concept of specialization to segment and better understand Korean overseas golf holiday tourists' demographics, motivations, overseas golf tourism destination attributes, and preference for overseas golf tourism destination attributes. A total of 424 questionnaires were collected and 370 questionnaires were used for further statistical analysis. According to results of data analyses, the advanced segment was more likely to be motivated by the quality of overseas golf resorts and other benefits (such as business opportunities), compared to the beginner and intermediate segments. The beginner group was more likely to be a company employee or housewife who earn the least at between US$35,000–US$50,000 per annum, travel on full package tours, use information from family or relatives, and have a stronger preference for the Philippines or China as golf destinations. The study's results showed potential benefits using the concept of specialization in a sport tourism setting even though the concept has been popularly applied in the outdoor setting.

[1]  C. Humphreys.  Golf Tourism , 2010 .

[2]  D. Thilmany,et al.  Golfers in Colorado , 2007 .

[3]  J. Petrick,et al.  Positioning analysis of overseas golf tour destinations by Korean golf tourists , 2005 .

[4]  L. Pennington-Gray,et al.  Insights from Role Theory: Understanding Golf Tourism , 2005 .

[5]  Gary Geissler.  An Examination of the Golf Vacation Package-Purchase Decision: A Case Study in the U. S. Gulf Coast Region , 2005 .

[6]  B. Thapa,et al.  Moderator and Mediator Effects of Scuba Diving Specialization on Marine-Based Environmental Knowledge-Behavior Contingency , 2005 .

[7]  Tom Robinson,et al.  A question of primary and secondary motives: revisiting and applying the sport tourism framework , 2004 .

[8]  D. Scott,et al.  Measuring Birding Specialization: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis , 2004 .

[9]  M. Weed,et al.  Sports Tourism: Participants, Policy and Providers , 2003 .

[10]  Ayele Gelan,et al.  Local economic impacts - the British Open. , 2003 .

[11]  K. Siegenthaler,et al.  Older Golfers: Serious Leisure and Successful Aging , 2003 .

[12]  J. Petrick,et al.  An Examination of the Construct of Perceived Value for the Prediction of Golf Travelers’ Intentions to Revisit , 2002 .

[13]  J. Petrick.  An examination of golf vacationers' novelty. , 2002 .

[14]  Roger L. Moore,et al.  Recreational Specialization: A Critical Look at the Construct , 2001 .

[15]  Candice E. Clemenz,et al.  Segmenting Golfers by Their Attitudes Toward Food and Beverage Service Available During Play , 2001 .

[16]  J. Petrick,et al.  Analysis of Golfer Motivations and Constraints by Experience Use History , 2001 .

[17]  Deborah L. Kerstetter,et al.  An Exploration of the Specialization Concept within the Context of Heritage Tourism , 2001 .

[18]  D. Gursoy,et al.  Competitive analysis of cross cultural information search behavior , 2000 .

[19]  D. Kerstetter,et al.  Level of Specialization and Place Attachment: An Exploratory Study of Whitewater Recreationists , 2000 .

[20]  David C. Bojanic,et al.  A Structural Analysis of Value, Quality, and Price Perceptions of Business and Leisure Travelers , 2000 .

[21]  高俊雄.  運動觀光“Sport Tourism” , 2000 .

[22]  Peter C. Boxall,et al.  Past Experience and Behavioral Choice Among Wilderness Users , 1998 .

[23]  H. Gibson,et al.  Segmenting the active sport tourist market: A life-span perspective , 1998 .

[24]  D. Scott,et al.  An exploration of the relationships among social psychological involvement, behavioral involvement, commitment, and future intentions in the context of birdwatching. , 1997 .

[25]  B. McFarlane,et al.  Socialization influences of specialization among birdwatchers , 1996 .

[26]  M. D. Richard,et al.  A factor/regression model of public golf course choice intentions. , 1995 .

[27]  G. Godbey,et al.  Recreation Specialization in the Social World of Contract Bridge , 1994 .

[28]  G. Sage,et al.  The Golf Boom in South Korea: Serving Hegemonic Interests , 1992 .

[29]  C. McDonald,et al.  Differential effects of past experience, commitment, and lifestyle dimensions on river use specialization. , 1992 .

[30]  C. Hall,et al.  Adventure, sport and health tourism. , 1992 .

[31]  J. Pigram,et al.  Recreation specialization reexamined: The case of vehicle‐based campers , 1992 .

[32]  N. Mcintyre.  The personal meaning of participation: enduring involvement , 1989 .

[33]  Randy J. Virden,et al.  Recreation Specialization As an Indicator of Environmental Preference , 1988 .

[34]  Richard Schreyer,et al.  Attribute Preferences for Wildland Recreation Settings , 1986 .

[35]  J. Vaske,et al.  Degree and Range of Recreation Specialization: Toward a Typology of Boating Related Activities , 1986 .

[36]  J. Roggenbuck,et al.  Recreation Specialization and Norms of Depreciative Behavior Among Canoeists , 1982 .

[37]  H. Bryan.  Leisure Value Systems and Recreational Specialization: The Case of Trout Fishermen , 1977 .

[38]  J. Gower,et al.  Multivariate data analysis , 1972 .

[39]  D. Scott,et al.  Conflict in the great outdoors : toward understanding and managing for diverse sportsmen preferences , 2008 .

[40]  Jurgen Schwark.  Sport tourism: introduction and overview , 2007 .

[41]  Klubi Tampere,et al.  MARKETING PLAN , 2007 .

[42]  B. Ritchie,et al.  More than just a game: the consequences of golf tourism. , 2004 .

[43]  J. Blunden.  Open for play, open for business. , 2003 .

[44]  D. Zilberman,et al.  Economic impacts of California's golf course facilities in 2000. , 2002 .

[45]  J. Petrick,et al.  An investigation of selected factors on golfer attachment. , 2000 .

[46]  H. Gibson.  Active sport tourism: who participates? , 1998 .

[47]  M. Sullivan.  The Japanese golf holiday market. , 1996 .

[48]  H. Oppewal,et al.  Leisure market segmentation : An integrated preferences/constraints-based approach , 1996 .

[49]  W. Hammitt,et al.  Purism revisited: Specifying recreational conditions of concern according to resource intent , 1995 .

[50]  G. Ashworth,et al.  Sports tourism: the case of golf. , 1995 .

[51]  R. Ditton,et al.  Effect of social group, activity, and specialization on recreation substitution decisions , 1994 .

[52]  B. McFarlane,et al.  SPECIALIZATION AND MOTIVATIONS OF BIRDWATCHERS , 1994 .

[53]  Stephen G. Smith.  An investigation of motives for birdwatching along the upper Texas gulf coast , 1994 .

[54]  Naresh K. Malhotra,et al.  Marketing Research: An Applied Orientation , 1993 .

[55]  T. Heberlein,et al.  Does specialization affect behavioral choices and quality judgments among hunters , 1992 .

[56]  R. Ditton,et al.  Recreation Specialization: Re-conceptualization from a Social Worlds Perspective , 1992 .

[57]  M. J. Norušis,et al.  SPSS 6.1 base system user's guide , 1990 .

[58]  Daniel R. Williams,et al.  The Effect of the Experience Use History on the Multidimensional Structure of Motivations to Participate in Leisure Activities , 1990 .

[59]  M. G. Huffman,et al.  Recreation specialization as a factor in backcountry trail choice. , 1986 .

[60]  Daniel R. Williams.  A developmental model of recreation choice behavior , 1985 .

[61]  R. Sitgreaves.  Psychometric theory (2nd ed.). , 1979 .

[62]  J. Nunnally.  Psychometric Theory (2nd ed), New York: McGraw-Hill. , 1978 .