Tourist Classification in gastronomy of Santiago de Compostela: based on the data collected from Santiago(e)Tapas contest, 2010

The paper proposes a classification of tourist of Santiago de Compostela city in the domain of gastronomy. In order to satisfy tourist‟s needs, it is important to know their preferences about the offerings provided by the hosting location, thus a precise classification could be a valuable tool for demand analysis and product management. The classification was derived from the data gathered from the Santiago(e)Tapas contest, an event which is launched in Santiago de Compostela on a yearly basis. The 63 participants in our study should fill in a questionnaire as well as participate in an experiment aimed at testing a recommender system. After applying different clustering methods the results were compared with related classifications proposed in the literature. Our classification provides a clear idea of the typology and characteristics of each group. The tourist classification will be useful to improve the value of the tapas suggested by our recommendation system, and to develop personalized marketing strategies. Furthermore, this classification can be applied in future analysis and studies in the gastronomy tourism domain. Tourist Classifications in gastronomy of Santiago de Compostela: based on the data collected from Santiago(e)Tapas contest, 2010

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