Re-segmenting a gaming destination market: A fresh look at Mainland Chinese tourists in Macau
Journal of Vacation Marketing: An International Journal for the Tourism and Hospitality Industries
Published online on May 11, 2016
Abstract
The so-called ‘Monte Carlo of the Orient’, Macau, has an economy that relies heavily on gambling. By 2006, Macau’s gambling revenue had exceeded that of Las Vegas. Mainland Chinese gamblers are a major source of customers for many Macau casinos. However, the nationwide crackdown on corruption in China has resulted in a tremendous revenue decrease in Macau. As a result, tourist managers need to learn how to adapt to these new changes and begin to segment tourists markets and address the different market segments more systematically by providing a varied range of services. This study aims to gain insight into Mainland Chinese travelers and to categorize these travelers according to their motivations. Three clusters of tourists emerged: ‘freedom seekers’, ‘multipurpose seekers,’ and ‘entertainment and gambling seekers’. Each cluster had a different sociodemographic profile and assessment regarding the gambling destination attributes. To attract tourists from these heterogeneous categories, managers should incorporate the corresponding responses into their marketing strategies.