The relation of preference of tourism type, tourist typology and generation: A research in Bodrum

The movement in the globalizing world is very fast and continuous. It is essential for the tourism sector to be more dynamic than other markets by the segmentation of the tourism market and the development of a long-term strategy that must adapt very rapidly to the conditions of the future. It is obvious that tourist typologies and types of tourism have been examined in the literature in the segmentation of tourism market and the formulation of strategies. The aim of this study is to relate the tourist typologies defined by Westvlaams Ekonomisch Studiebureau to the types of tourism and newly examined generations. The research data were obtained face to face from 671 local and foreign participants who visited Bodrum district of Muğla province in 2018. According to the findings of the Westvlaams Ekonomisch Studiebureau, active sea lover, contact-minded holiday maker, nature viewer, rest-seeker, discover, family oriented sun and sea lover and tradionalist with Baby Boom Generation, Generation X, Generation Y, Generation Z and tourist typologies. There is a significant relationship between generations, typologies and tourism types. Selection of Westvlaams Ekonomish Studiebureau among many typologies and scrutinize of tourism types as a historical and cultural tourism, yacht tourism, congress tourism, health tourism, sea tourism, cave tourism, ski tourism, hunting tourism, golf tourism, faith tourism, SPA tourism and cruise tourism is due to the fact that it is most suitable for the domestic and foreign tourist profile coming to Bodrum. As a result of these findings, tourism offers clues that enable faster and more effective decision making for market dynamics.