Image and Risk Perception of Mozambique as a Tourism Destination: A Segmentation Study

Abstract

Tourism has been recognised as one of the main industries in the world. It creates opportunities for developing tourism destinations; however, it also requires adaptation to new challenges in constant evolution. In this context, there is a continuous need to identify and explore new tourism markets, take advantage of emerging opportunities, and create products that offer innovative and differentiating tourism experiences. Mozambique is betting on the development of tourism as a factor of economic and territorial dynamism. This article aims to present a destination image-based segmentation study of potential visitors to Mozambique. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of 382 potential visitors to Mozambique. The application of a hierarchical cluster analysis based on the perceived destination image allowed the identification of three clusters: “nostalgic”, “destination lovers”, and “concerned”. The results highlight differences in terms of perceived risk and intentional behaviour among the clusters identified. The paper ends with important practical implications to improve the image of Mozambique as a tourism destination.

Keywords

• image perception
• risk perception
• segmentation
• tourism destination image
• mozambique