Tourist Typologies in Spain. The case of the Basque Country
TYPOLOGY OF TOURISTS IN SPAIN. AN OPERATIONAL
ANALYSIS.
The case of tourists whose main destination is the
Autonomous Community of Euskadi
7th International Forum on Tourism Statistics.
Stockholm, Sweden.
Augusto Huéscar Lerena
Maria José Azurmendi López
June, 2004
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
1. Introduction
The Tourism Studies Institute of Spain (Instituto de Estudios Turísticos de España:
IET) has a wealth of information to hand on the flows of international tourists to Spain.
The sheer depth and reliability of this information enables it to carry out complex
analyses, of undoubted interest to the tourism sector, such as the one presented
herein1.
Based on the results of the Spanish Inbound Tourism Survey (Encuesta de
Movimientos Turísticos en Fronteras: Frontur), this paper aims to analyse the types of
tourists heading for one of the Autonomous Communities in Spain: namely, the Basque
Country (País Vasco). This information is broken down into a series of variables that
are considered to be of interest. Furthermore, the Frontur information enables tourism
entries to be broken down to municipal level, so a typology is given here of the
destinations of international tourists in the Basque Country, in terms of the particular
specialities of each destination.
The choice of this Autonomous Community for the analysis is justified not only by the
intensity of international tourist flows into the Basque Country; the heterogeneity of
these flows, due to its border status and the traditional and long-standing relationships
with the bordering French zones, also make this community a particularly interesting
case of enormous possibilities for establishing a tourist typology. The large number of
same-day visitors (making no overnight stay) in the Basque Country is another
important area of study that is not part of this paper.
Analyses such as this one furnish fundamental information for strategic decision-taking
at both regional and state level, for they are able to explain tourism flows much more
thoroughly than analyses of a lesser depth.
2. Analysis Procedure
As already explained, the information used for this analysis comes from the Spanish
Inbound Tourism Survey (Encuesta de Movimientos Turísticos en Fronteras: Frontur)
for the years 2001, 2002 and 2003. This report has used the information from this
survey referring to those travellers who, entering the Community across any border,
whether by air or road, made a visit with at least one overnight stay in the Autonomous
Community of the Basque Country. The total information used comes in all from about
14,000 surveys.
The set of variables offered by this survey refer both to the descriptive characteristics
of the tourists and their tourism activities. These enable the most important features of
the visit to be identified, on the strength of which typologies can be drawn up not only
of tourists but also geographical destinations, in terms of the features they share in
common. The core characteristics of this survey are:
1
The analysis presented has been promoted by the Consejería de Industria, Comercio y Turismo of the
Basque Government based on information supplied by the Instituto de Estudios Turísticos of Spain
2
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
-
The accommodation used
-
The main purpose of the visit
-
The municipalities and main areas in which overnight stays were made
-
The type of transport used
-
Whether or not a package tour was used
-
The tourist’s country of residence
-
The number of overnight stays in the Basque Country
-
The interview month.
A consideration to be taken into account a priori in establishing a tourist typology in the
Basque Country is the existence of significant differences depending on the means of
transport used for entering the region. This difference is bound up with some of the
basic characteristics used for the analysis. It has therefore been thought worthwhile to
make a single analysis for all travellers and another specific one for tourists entering
the Basque Country by road. In each case a typology is established by tourists and by
destinations.
The analysis therefore involves the following systematic steps:
a. Selection of the questionnaire variables for building up the model of
typological description.
This selection takes into account the frequency of the variables to be modelled
and a preliminary analysis of the degree of association of the model with each
variable. Previous tests were therefore carried out before deciding on the final
model.
On the basis of this criterion, and in light of the fact that road and air give rise to
different typologies, aggregations were carried out for some of the model
variables. This particularly affects the aggregations of geographical destinations
and hence the search for typologies among them. Some localities, however,
such as capitals, weigh so heavily in the analysis and show such specific trends
that they are worthy of being studied in their own right in all cases.
b. Factor analysis, as the base for the search for typologies.
Multiple correspondence factor analysis was used for generating tourist
typologies, while binary correspondence factor analysis was used in the search
for tourism-destination typologies.
3
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
c. Typological description of individuals and zones, based on the factor
analysis carried out in the previous step. The aim here is to sketch out the main
pull factors attracting tourists resident abroad.
The tourist typologies obtained from multiple correspondence analysis are a
series of general type-defining traits conforming the series; in the case of the
typologies of areas and destinations, however, the emphasis is placed on the
specialisation of these zones in these same traits.
Given the type of analysis opted for, the model explains the common
specialisation of the zones making up each type – precisely the factors that
make them belong to the given type – rather than the defining features of each
zone. The zones that are brought together in the same type might therefore at
times be surprising. This problem does not arise with the tourist typology, based
on multiple correspondence factor analysis.
To get round this problem a last stage analysis was carried out as well as
establishing in each case the specific nature of the zonal typological analysis
with respect to the individual analyses.
d. Independent characterisation of each zone elected in terms of the variables
and aggregations used in the typological analysis. The aim here is to stress the
differences in the zones making up the same type, on the one hand, and to
build up a description of the particular features defining each zone to top up the
description of its specialisation.
Although this paper focuses on the four most significant models, the typological
description has been built up from six factor models of association of variables, one for
each means of entering the region (air and road) and one for each level of objectives,
i.e., tourist typology on the one hand and geographical destinations on the other. Table
1 shows each model’s explanation level of the original variables for the complete and
for the road analysis.
4
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Table 1. Explanation level of the factor models for the typological analyses.
TYPOLOGICAL ANALYSES
FACTOR MODEL’S
EXPLANATION % OF
ORIGINAL VARIABLES
EXPLANATION % BY
THE PROJECTION
AXES
Tourists typology.
81 %
13 %
Destinations typology.
100 %
29 %
Road tourists typology.
81 %
10 %
Destinations typology, by road.
82%
23 %
In all cases the factor model chosen exceeds an explanation level of 80% for the
variables initially introduced, with small variations in the number of axes necessary for
reaching this percentage. As shown in Table 1, the axis projection gives only a
preliminary idea of the main associations and main descriptive elements of the various
types obtained. It should also be borne in mind that this percentage represents a
pessimistic estimate of the explanatory capacity of these first two axes, which usually
have an initial information summing-up capacity higher than this estimate.
3. Typological analysis of tourism in the Basque Country
Passing mention has already been made of the marked differences in the country of
origin of travellers and the basic characteristics of their trips, depending on whether
they arrive in the Basque Country by air or road.
This paper first of all gives an analysis referring to the total of tourists from 2001 to
2003 whose main destination was the Basque Country and the types of destinations
(according to their specialisation) chosen by them; an analysis is then presented of the
tourists (and their destinations) received in this same period by the main means of
entering the region: by road (road entries account for two out of every three tourists
arriving in the region in the period under study).
3.1. Tourist typologies in the Basque Country
The first analysis of the whole set of tourists used the factor map obtained from a
first stage based on the application of multiple correspondence analysis to the set
of variables shown in Table 2. These variables are used to build up a first map (See
Graph 1 of the Annex) in which the set of variables and types has been projected
over the first two axes. This explains 13% of the original information (pessimistic
estimation).
5
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
On the basis of the results of the correspondence analysis, a cluster analysis is
then made with the first 22 factors, which explain 81% of the information. The
dendogram (Dendogram 1 of the Annex) suggests there are 8 classes.
Table 2. Variables used for the typological analysis (all tourists)

Means of entering the region.
o Air.
o Road.

Purpose of the visit.
o Leisure/Holidays.
o Work / studies.
o Personal reasons (health,
family visit).
o Other motives.

Accommodation used.
o Hotels and similar
establishments.
o Owned accommodation.
o Rented accommodation.
o Accommodation with family
or friends.
o Campsite.
o Other accommodation.

Number of overnight stays.
o One..
o 2 to 3.
o 4 to 7.
o 8 to 15.
o 16 or over.

Package tour.
o Travelling on a package tour.
o Not travelling on a package
tour.

Year.
o 2001.
o 2002.
o 2003.

Destination zones.
o Vitoria – Gasteiz.
o Rest of Álava.
o San Sebastián.
o Irún.
o Hondarribia.
o Urola Costa.
o Rest of Guipúzcoa.
o Bilbao.
o Rest of Biscay.

Country of residence.
o Belgium.
o Great Britain.
o Germany.
o France.
o Italy.
o Holland.
o Portugal.
o Switzerland.
o Other European
countries.
o Other Latin American
countries.
o USA. – Canada.
o Other countries of the
world.

Month.
CLASS 1. Leisure tourism in San Sebastián (28.96% of tourists):
This type of tourist is characterised by those who come by road to San Sebastián
with the main purpose of leisure / holidays. They also go to the town of Hondarribia
but its lower weight in tourism means that this class is better defined by those
travelling to San Sebastián.
This type of tourism is mainly carried out by tourists resident in France; Italians and
North Americans are also associated with the type, though without sufficient weight
for defining it. Most stay in hotels and similar establishments (65%), but there is
6
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
also a high association of this type of tourism with overnight stays in campsites.
The visits are short, ranging from 1 to 3 days. Taken together with the purpose of
the visit this factor suggests that they come to see the main sights of the area and
enjoy its specific tourism features.
This tourism is spread throughout the whole year, albeit with a concentration in
August and September.
CLASS 2. Dutch leisure tourism in the district of Urola Costa. (6%):
This constitutes a set of tourists with a predominance of the Dutch nationality and
destination in the district of Urola Costa. In this class there is a higher proportion of
tourists travelling on a package tour basis and also those staying in campsites. The
purpose of the trip is leisure / holidays and they mainly come by road, usually at the
end of spring and beginning of summer.
Residents in Belgium and Germany also show a positive association with this type
of tourism, albeit without the significance of the Dutch.
CLASS 3. Transit tourism, with the use of hotel establishments. (8.41%):
Residents in Portugal, Switzerland and, to a lesser degree, Belgium make up a
type of tourism characteristic of the Basque Country due to its strategic position in
relation to general tourism movements. The type in question is transit tourism,
within which the Basque Country holds a strategic position on the routes
connecting various parts of Europe to major tourism destinations. French residents
show no particularly strong association with this tourism type, but it should not be
forgotten that in general French tourism stands out over the rest and that is also the
case here.
Tourists with a single overnight stay in San Sebastián, especially, in Irún or Vitoria,
as well, in hotels and in holiday periods.
CLASS 4. Transit tourism, without the use of hotel establishments. (11.63%):
The importance of transit tourism is underlined by the fact that it accounts for two
types of tourism.
Vitoria and Irún, once again, are two resting points par excellence for transit traffic,
this time involving residents in France, particularly, or Portugal. The main difference
with the preceding type of tourism is that these tourists tend to use their own
vehicles for accommodation or other non-hotel establishments, for single-night
accommodation.
CLASS 5. French tourism motivated by family visits (12.45%):
This type of tourism is characterised by French tourists who stay in the dwellings of
family or friends and come for personal reasons (including family visits). Inland
7
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Guipúzcoa is the geographical destination most representative of this type of
tourism but it is in fact spread fairly evenly throughout the whole Basque Country.
These are medium or long-stay visits, ranging from a minimum of 4 days to over 16;
the mean is 8 to 15 days. There is a concentration at Christmas time but it may
occur at any time of year except summer. These tourists travel by road and do not
use a package tour.
CLASS 6. International tourism related to family stays. (4.1%):
Latin American tourists make up a type in their own right among the visitors to the
Basque Country. There is, however, also a significant input from other countries,
always far away, such as North America or any non-European country. These
tourists make long stays, normally in the dwellings of family or friends; they travel
by air and usually come in autumn, spring and Christmas.
CLASS 7. Students. (8.26 %):
These use rented and owned accommodation and they come from European
countries such as Germany, Italy, Belgium, Great Britain or Switzerland (also
France within the whole set of tourists) presumably for study purposes. They come
by air and do not travel on a package tour.
CLASS 8. Business Tourism. (20.2%):
Work-based and business tourism centres on Bilbao, with medium-length stays
between 2 and 15 days. The tourists come mainly from Great Britain, Germany,
and, to a lesser degree, other European countries or even North America, albeit
with a much lower weight. The visits, logically, usually take place outside the
holiday seasons.
3.2. Destination Typologies in the Basque Country
The typology of geographical destinations for the whole set of air and road visitors
bears out the differences between both forms of travel in terms of the areas visited
and activities pursued. Depending on the means of transport used for entering the
region there may be different activities and travelling trends for the same zone.
The factor analysis of binary correspondences and the analysis of the typologies
obtained therefrom give an overview of the most important trends in the various
zones. These are clearly bound up with the means of transport used for entering
the region, this being the prime factor in the typological breakdown. It is therefore
essential to make a separate analysis of tourists entering by road and total tourists.
8
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
The types obtained from the analysis do not show defining traits of the zones
grouped in these types but rather trends differentiating one from another depending
in the first place on the means of transport chosen for entering the Basque Country.
Four major zonal types are obtained, each one with its differentiation vectors. The
types were obtained from the total axes, representing the whole set of original
information.
The projection (See Graph 2 of the Annex) was based on the first two axes,
explaining 29% of the original information. This projection bears out the first
conclusion drawn from the dendogram analysis (Dendogram 2 of the Annex), i.e.,
the election of four zonal poles, rather than a model with three zonal groupings.
Type 1. Poles of attraction for transit tourists. (17.9%)
Vitoria and Irún act as poles of attraction for road transit tourists heading for other
Communities or countries, especially Portugal and France. This set includes those
who visit their home towns in holiday periods, crossing the Basque Country to do
so.
This type can therefore be defined as a rest zone par excellence for transit tourists
crossing the Basque Country.
Type 2. Poles of attraction for leisure tourists. (44.9%)
San Sebastián and the coastline running to Hondarribia, on one side, and Urola, on
the other, make up an area particularly attractive for leisure tourism, mainly using
campsites for accommodation. The tourists heading for these destinations usually
travel by road and there is a high though not majority proportion of package tours.
These tourists usually make short- or medium-length stays (shorter in San
Sebastián, longer on the coast, especially Hondarribia) and often come from North
America, France and Italy to spend their summer holidays in these destinations.
Type 3. Poles of specialisation in family tourism. (9.4%)
Inland Guipúzcoa and Biscay do not tend to exert a great tourism pull. When they
do so they usually attract tourists coming to the Basque Country on family visits or
for work purposes, often with family accommodation backup.
In any case the dominant features in the stays in these areas are family and
personal visits, family accommodation and work-based purposes. The visits are
usually made in non-holiday periods. The means of transport best associated with
these zones is air travel.
The tourists in these destinations usually come from countries further afield than
Portugal, France or Italy. Tourists do not visit these zones on package tours.
9
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Type 4. Poles of attraction for business tourists (27.7%)
Bilbao and inland Álava tend to attract business- or study-based tourists who
usually come by air.
They attract both long and short trips, with accommodation in hotels (business) or
in rented dwellings (mainly studies). The visits are usually paid outside the holiday
periods.
These travellers are essentially British and German but also come from other
European countries such as Switzerland and Italy, and also from outside Europe.
The French tourist is a special case. While still being the majority country of origin
in these zones, in specialised tourism resorts it loses some of the predominance
with which it usually stands out as the main originating country of tourism to the
Basque Country.
TOURISTS TYPOLOGIES
DESTINATIONS TYPOLOGIES
1. Leisure tourism in San Sebastián.
1.
2. Leisure tourism in Urola – Costa.
2. – Poles of attraction for transit
tourists.
3. Transit tourism, using hotel
establishments.
4. Transit tourism without using hotel
establishments.
5. Family visits.
6. Long distance tourism and family
accommodation backup.
3. - Poles of attraction for leisure
tourists.
4. – Poles of specialisation in family
tourism.
5. – Poles of attraction for business
tourists
7. Students.
8. Business tourism.
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Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
3.3. Typologies of tourists entering the Basque Country by road
The typological analysis for foreign tourists entering the Basque Country by road is
based on the variables shown in Table 3, for building up both tourism typologies
and destination typologies; they are practically the same as those used in the
general typological analysis, although some different aggregations have been used,
depending on their incidence.
In practice a 10-class model has been obtained. These classes can be observed in
a projection on the two first-order factor axes obtained in the multiple
correspondence analysis (see Graph 3 of the annex).
The classes are obtained from a 22-factor model that explains 81% of the original
information. The dendogram (Dendogram 3 of the Annex) suggests a division into
10 classes:
CLASS 1. French pleasure tourism in San Sebastián (21.55% of road tourists):
The study of travellers by road makes it even more clear that there is a type of
tourist, French in origin, that heads for San Sebastián for short-stay holiday visits
with the prime aim of getting to know the city.
Their main accommodation is the hotel though many also resort to campsites. The
best time for this type of tourism visit seems to be the holiday periods and spring.
CLASS 2. Cultural Tourism (10.98%):
Cultural tourism concentrates on the localities of Bilbao and Hondarribia. The
countries of origin are varied but it is the North Americans and Italians who seem to
be particularly attracted by this sort of tourism, followed by the British and more
distant European countries. The French account for a large percentage within this
group (34%), albeit lower than their normal majority share of tourism in the Basque
Country.
The stays are short to medium, ranging from 2 to 15 days, usually in summer and
autumn. The tourists stay in hotel establishments and frequently use hired cars as
their means of transport.
11
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Table 3. Variables used in the typological analysis (tourists by road)

Purpose of the trip.
o Work, study.
o Visits to family or friends.
o Cultural tourism.
o Pleasure tourism.
o Sports activities.
o Other type of leisure.
o Others.
Number of overnight stays.
o One.
o 2 to 3.
o 4 to 7.
o 8 to 15.
o Over 15
Accommodation used.
o Hotels and similar
establishments.
o Campsite, caravan.
o Owned dwelling.
o Rented dwelling.
o Free dwelling (family, friends).
o Others.



Package tour.


Destination zone.
o Vitoria – Gasteiz.
o Rest of Álava.
o San Sebastián.
o Irún.
o Hondarribia.
o Zarautz.
o Urola Costa.
o San Sebastián.
o Rest of Guipúzcoa.
o Bilbao.
o Rest of Biscay.
Tourist’s country of residence.
o Belgium.
o Germany.
o France.
o Great Britain.
o Italy.
o Holland.
o Portugal.
o Switzerland.
o Other European countries.
o USA. – Canada.
o Other countries of the world.
o Travelling on a package tour
o Not travelling on a package tour
Illustrative variables used for the analysis were:
 Month and year.
 Means of transport used.
o Own car.
o Hire car.
o Car with caravan.
o Motor caravan.
o People carrier.
o Motorbike.
o Scheduled coach or bus.
o Non-scheduled coach or bus.
12
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
CLASS 3. Group tourism on bus or coach.(6.22%):
This type is defined by the use of the non-scheduled bus or coach as part of a
package tour trip.
The main country of origin for this type of tourism is Holland and the main
destinations are Urola Costa (without Zarautz) and Bilbao, pleasure tourism in the
former case and cultural tourism in the latter. Short stays (up to three days)
predominate over medium or long stays, though some longer stays are made.
Accommodation is in hotels.
CLASS 4. Portuguese and Belgian single-day tourism. (15.41%):
The cities of San Sebastián and Vitoria are used by Portuguese and Belgians for
single-day tourism (significant weight of transit tourists). They carry out some sort of
non-routine leisure activity and stay in hotel establishments. These visits are
normally made off holiday periods. Work is the purpose of many of the trips but it
does not go so far as to define the type.
CLASS 5. Transit tourism with the use of hotel establishments. (6.46%):
Residents in Switzerland and Portugal account for a type of tourism that is
characteristic of the Basque Country due to its strategic position in terms of general
tourism movements. This is called transit tourism.
These are tourists with a single overnight stay in San Sebastián, Irún or Vitoria,
especially in hotels. Bilbao also features in this type of tourism, suggesting that the
A-8 motorway has now been incorporated into the strategic transit routes through
the Basque Country. They travel in their own cars without package tours.
CLASS 6. Transit tourism without the use of hotel establishments. (11.72%):
The Basque Country’s strategic location for transit tourism is reflected in a second
type of tourism made up by transit tourists who make a single overnight stay not in
hotels, as in the above type, but rather in their own vehicles (vans, car with caravan
or motor caravans have a very high association) or other means of alternative
accommodation. In this case Vitoria and Irún are clearly the strategic points for the
overnight stays. The main countries of origin are France followed at some distance
by Germany and Belgium.
CLASS 7. French campsite tourism in Biscay (4.17%):
This type is made up by tourists, mainly from France who come to the Rest of
Biscay (Biscay without Bilbao) to carry out sporting activities and put up in a
campsite and / or their own vehicle (the use of the motor caravan is important) for
nearly a week.
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Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
CLASS 8. Pleasure Tourism in Zarautz. (2.93%):
Zarautz registers a campsite and pleasure tourism. Like the rest of the district of
Urola Costa it receives a high number of travellers who make use of non-scheduled
buses or coaches for their transport. Germans, Dutch and Belgians bear a positive
association with this type of tourism and there is also a significant French input,
albeit with a lower share than in general tourism.
CLASS 9. Study-based Tourism. (5.41%):
Work- and study-based tourism that uses rented dwellings, especially, and owned
dwellings for long and very long stays in the Basque Country. The survey months
and the absence of package tours in the trip organisation suggest that it comprises
the stays of foreign students in the Basque Country rather than those who come for
purely business reasons.
A notable positive association is expressed with a German, English, Italian and
Belgian origin, although it is the French who make up the most important group
(38%) a percentage that is nonetheless below their share in general tourism.
Hondarribia is associated with this type of tourism. Presumably this has more to do
with its offer of owned and rented holiday dwellings than the main purpose
represented by this type of tourism.
CLASS 10. Tourism for visits of family or friends. (15.15%):
This type of tourism is made up by tourists who come to the Basque Country to visit
family or friends, staying overnight in their homes. This type of tourism is evenly
distributed throughout the whole Autonomous Community, although with a slight
edge of the districts close to San Sebastián (without including San Sebastián itself),
Bidasoa or Biscay as a whole.
It mainly comprises residents in France who use their own car, without using a
package tour.
3.4. Destination typology for tourists arriving by road
Binary correspondences are used to build up a typology of the different tourism
zones in the Basque Country, in terms of their similarities with respect to the
tourism models used.
As already pointed out, the attractions and specialisations of these areas only
define the specific attraction each zone presents, i.e., the tourism elements in
which it stands out in comparison to other zones or zonal types, without necessarily
defining it completely.
14
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
The typology was modelled from the set of factor axes obtained in the
corresponding binary correspondence analysis. A model of 7 zonal types is
obtained (Dendogram 4 of the Annex), differentiated in the dendogram in their
minimum mutual point of union. The aim here is to group them into zones in terms
of their common elements of specialisation rather than by the criterion of complete
typological definition, tantamount in this case to a mere zonal description.
The first two axes, used for projecting the destination types and modalities of
variables associated with them (Graph 4 of the Annex), explain 23% of the original
information.
We thus obtain seven major areas of preferential tourism pull, zones with special
attraction for specific forms of tourism. There is hence no great zonal aggregation
on the basis of their specific tourism models. In fact many of the zones show
sufficiently differentiated traits to be able to make up an individual type.
Type 1. Transit Zones. (20.6%)
The tourist making a single overnight stay, probably in transit to other Autonomous
Communities or to or from Portugal, usually makes this overnight stay in Irun or
Vitoria, and to a lesser extent in the rest of Álava. French, Germans and
Portuguese account for most of the visitors of this type, usually received in the
holiday seasons: in July and during the Christmas holidays.
As a type, these zones stand out as ideal rest-up areas for tourists in transit across
the Basque Country towards other destinations, especially those travelling to and
from their own or their families’ places of origin in holiday periods. This trend is
borne out by their location on borders or by the side of the N-I road, and also by the
range of services they offer.
Travellers making overnight stays in this type of zone use caravans more than
other types of tourists and also to a large degree the car with caravan. They also of
course use their own cars. These areas do not attract travellers on package tours.
Type 2. Multi-feature Zones. (2.2%)
The district close to San Sebastián (without including San Sebastián itself) makes
up a group in its own right characterised by a mixture of features. It is very little
specialised in its tourism pull, but shows many attractions that are better
represented elsewhere.
It is attractive for the transit tourist, since it is crossed by the main thoroughfares N-I
and A-8, but it also attracts work-based travellers and, in common with inland
Guipúzcoa, a tourism of family visits.
In general it attracts very short-duration visits of one day, which are made in non
holiday periods, and Portuguese or French travellers.
15
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Type 3. Zones of special attraction for leisure and holiday tourism. (43.4%)
This type is defined by the city of San Sebastián. It specifically attracts tourists
seeking a pleasure-based trip in general terms, without more specifications. These
tourists make good use of the motor caravan although their main means of
transport is the private car. They have a high association with the use of campsites
and even higher with hotel accommodation. This zone, as compared with others, is
especially attractive for non-European tourists (especially North Americans and
Canadians), and also Italians and British.
This tourism takes place mainly in August. San Sebastián also seems to attract
mainly tourists making few overnight stays, only 1 to 3, regardless of the month in
which the visit is made. This suggests that visitors to San Sebastián are tourists
who wish to get a rapid idea of the city and its tourism attractions, while also taking
full advantage of its beaches and coastline.
Type 4. Zones of family-visit tourism. (1.8%)
Inland Guipúzcoa tends to attract medium- to long-term stay visits, related mainly
with family visits. In keeping with this trait a high percentage of the tourists are put
up in family dwellings, a smaller but still significant percentage finding
accommodation in owned or rented dwellings.
Visitors to this area travel without a package tour. The main markets are Belgium,
Holland and Germany or other more distant European countries. These countries
are positively associated with this type of tourism but give only a partial explanation
of their travellers.
The visits to these areas usually take place in periods that are not strictly holiday
seasons. It is in any case an area with little attraction for overnight stays by foreign
travellers.
Type 5. Zones of special attraction for sports tourism. (6.4%)
Biscay without Bilbao and Zarautz in Guipúzcoa stand out as attractive zones for
sports tourism, with medium stays of between 4 and 7 days but also longer stays of
up to 15 days.
These zones are by no means defined by this type of tourism. This type
designation should be understood in the sense that they are the areas preferentially
chosen by sports tourists in the Basque Country.
This tourism is especially made up by the German and Dutch, although the main
country of origin is France. The main accommodation used is campsites, especially
in the spring.
Type 6. Zones of group tourism in bus or coach. (2.8%)
16
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Defined only by the district of Urola Costa (without Zarautz), a zone specifically
attractive for tourists with a package tour, on a non-scheduled bus or coach for
cultural- or pleasure-tourism purposes.
It is a zone geared towards French and Dutch tourists who make medium-length
visits at the end of spring or beginning of summer, outside the high-summer
season. It also has an above-average attraction for tourists with car and caravan. In
any case most of the visitors to this district put up in hotels.
Type 7. Cultural Tourism Zones. (22.8%)
This type is made up by tourists headed for Bilbao, especially, and the town of
Hondarribia, which specialises heavily in cultural type tourism. These zones and
this type of tourism attract European tourists, especially from Great Britain, Italy and
Switzerland, but also North American tourists.
In these zones the stays are between 2 and 15 days, in mid-spring, end-of-summer
or early-autumn visits. These tourists travel in their own cars but also make use of
the hired car.
TYPOLOGY OF TOURISTS BY ROAD
1. French pleasure tourism in San Sebastián.
2. Cultural tourism.
4. Portuguese and Belgian one-day tourism.
5. Transit tourism using hotel establishments.
without
using
7. French campsite tourism in Biscay.
8. Pleasure tourism in Zarautz.
9. Study-based tourism.
10. Visits to family and friends.
1. Zones of attraction to transit
tourists.
2. Unspecialised attraction poles.
3. Group tourism in bus or coach.
6. Transit tourism
establishments.
TYPOLOGIES OF TOURIST
DESTINATIONS BY ROAD
hotel
3. Zones of attraction to pleasure
tourism and holidays.
4. Poles of family attraction
5. Poles of attraction for sports
tourism.
6. Zones of special attraction for
group tourism in bus or coach.
7. Zones of attraction for cultural
tourism.
4. Conclusions
The creation of typologies is a tricky process, meeting in itself all the requisites for an
analysis of tourism flows. In the first place it calls for a sufficiently solid, tried and tested
and varied information source. Both sample data and grossed-up data need to be
representative; the information needs to be suitably detailed and meet all internationally
accepted standards in all its breakdowns. Only then will the subsequent analysis, like
17
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
the one presented here, be solid, rich in detail and cross-checkable. Secondly the
putting into practice of this type of analysis submits this information source, hitherto
considered apt without necessarily having been applied for statistical analyses, to new
and thoroughgoing statistical trials and crosschecks, which act as a new filter in the
search for maximum quality and reliability in the results. This paper has not dealt with
these two aspects (justification of the quality of the Frontur figures and statistical
analysis prior to the correspondence and clustering analysis) for sheer lack of space.
The groups or types of tourists obtained in this analysis show the diversity of tourism
flows to the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country and could serve as guide
and support in tourism promotion policies, helping to ensure they are correctly directed
at the promotional specific targets. Types of tourists such as transit tourists, studybased tourists or even long-distance tourists are still liable to record sharp growth rates
in the Basque Country; derived from the results, the same goes for tourism stays in
San Sebastián, the main foreign-tourism destination in this Autonomous Community.
The breakdown of tourists entering the region by road shows a different tourism
typology from the total tourists travelling to the Basque Country from 2001 to 2003, with
a greater level of detail on their purposes, accommodation and activities in the
destination.
As regards the destination types obtained, it should again be stressed that the analysis
shows here the specific features of each zone of the Basque Country, not a definition
of the characteristics of the trips to each zone. Thus, the four specific features of the
tourism destinations in this region are transit tourism (the thoroughfares crossing the
Basque Country are some of the most important in Spain), leisure (mainly on the
coasts and in San Sebastián), business and family visits. The tourists visiting the
region by roads show a similar destination typology.
The models presented herein have a very high potential for explaining and classifying
tourism flows. This analysis could therefore be of great interest and help to the
Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism (Departamento de Industria, Comercio y
Turismo) of the Basque Government and also the instituto de Estudios Turísticos in
terms of the methodological research it implies and the possible applications of its
results.
18
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
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Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Annexes
20
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Chart 1. Dendogram for tourists in the Basque Country
Classif ication mixte
26%
6%
8%
12%
13%
4%
8%
20%
%
&01& &05& &62& &09& &76& &63& &28& &66& &23& &39& &24& &36& &61& &51& &79& &67& &86& &49& &56& &60& &06& &13& &75& &74& &68& &84& &57& &54& &29& &47& &52& &65& &64& &71& &69& &46& &07& &19& &20& &04& &33& &53& &55& &37& &11& &22& &02& &70& &41& &10& &12& &42& &59& &35& &18& &21& &48& &15& &40& &26& &16& &08& &30& &25& &82& &80& &72& &58& &44& &85& &32& &83& &81& &78& &73& &27& &34& &17& &14& &50& &77& &38& &45& &43& &31& &03&
Chart 2. Dendogram of the Tourism Zones in the Basque Country
Classif ication hierarchique directe
Vitoria
Vitoria
Irún
Urola Costa
Hondarribia
San Sebastián
Resto Gipuzkoa
Resto Bizkaia
Resto Álava
Bilbao
21
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Chart 3. Dendogram of Tourists received by Road
Classification mixte
10
Chart 4. Dendogram of Destinations for Tourists received by Road
Classif ication hierarchique directe
Vitoria - Gasteiz
Resto de Álava
Irún
San Sebastiánldea
San Sebastián
Resto de Gipuzkoa
Resto de Bizkaia
Zarautz
Urola Costa
Hondarribia
Bilbao
22
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Graph 1. Projection of variables and types on the first two axes. Whole set of tourists
23
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Graph 2. Projection of zonal types, zones and associated variables on the first two axes. Destinations of the whole set of
tourists
24
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The case of the Basque Country
Graph 3. Projection of variables and types on the first two axes. Tourists entering by road
Tourist Typologies in Spain. The Case of the Basque Country
Graph 4. Projection of zonal types, zones and variables on the first two factor axes. Destinations of Tourists entering by
road
2