Tourist Consumption Behaviour In A Sun And Beach Mediterranean Mature Destination And Its Implications For Local Development

Local retail commerce in many sun and beach, mature, Mediterranean destinations along the northern coast of the Mediterranean basin has faced several years of declining returns because of the economic crisis suffered by major origin markets(national and international), and the competition from new destinations offering alternative and competitive tourism products. In many cases, tourism consumption is restricted to the very beach area and happens only during the short tourism season. This paper presents the results of an empirical analysis of the consumption habits of tourists in a destination that meets the type described: the beaches of Cullera, in the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Although contextual factors impose a number of limitations when extrapolating results obtained, there are many similarities among consolidated tourist destinations of the Spanish Mediterranean coast that permit, at least in those cases, identify common trends in terms of tourism consumption habits, unsatisfied demand, and dominant commercial models, among others.