The Role of Motivations in the Segmentation of Ecotourism Destinations: A Study from Costa Rica

In recent years, the interests and motivations of tourists for nature and leisure have increased. The objectives of this study include following: (i) identifying the underlying variables or motivational dimensions in ecotourism; and (ii) analyzing the demand segmentation in ecotourism. This empirical study was conducted in The Arenal National Park and The Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica, a country with ecological importance for ecotourism. The sample consisted of 310 surveys obtained in situ. For data analysis, factor analysis and a non-hierarchical K-means segmentation were performed. In the study, seven motivational dimensions in ecotourism were obtained, such as “Self-development”, “Interpersonal relationships and ego-defensive function”, “Nature”, “Building personal relationships”, “Rewards” and “Escape”. Moreover, the characteristics of the different segments are established according to their motivations; thus, there are three segments of ecotourists: “Reward and escape”, “Multiple motives” and “Nature”. The findings of this research provide management guides to public institutions and information for companies for developing products according to demand.