The Subjective Typology of Tourists in terms of the Meaning of Tourism Destination (the Case: Shiraz City)

This study aimed to identify the subjective typology of tourists in terms of the meanings of tourism destinations in Shiraz city. This study is applied research in terms of purpose and is descriptive in terms of method. Given the purpose of this research based on identifying the subjective typology, the Q method was used. The statistical population of the study consisted of individuals who had at least once traveled to Shiraz. The sampling method in this study was based on Purposive sampling. Data analysis was performed using Q factor analysis. The exploratory Q factor analysis process consists of two steps: extracting the factors and then rotating them so that they can be interpreted. The findings of this study identified seven subjective types for tourism destination meanings in Shiraz; these types of typology were as follows: enthusiasts, collectivists, adventurers, relaxation searchers, self-reflections, differentiators, and reminders. Finally, these extracted mentalities were interpreted. This research provided a practical approach for tourism destination managers and activists in this field and hospitality sector to segment the market based on the meaning of tourism destination. And then each of segment target and marketing plans design.