Abstract:

In the brand management process, value-oriented competition in touristic destinations, as well as in products and services, constitutes today's tourist market dynamics. One of the conditions for destinations to create the intention of revisiting is to create consumer-based brand equity. It is essential to successfully execute the strategic brand management process in order to create brand equity. For this reason, the first step of the brand management process is the identification and segmentation of the consumer group in the market. In this study, as an innovative approach to traditional market segmentation strategies, market segmentation based on perceptions has been implemented in touristic destinations. In this study, the perceptions of 1,168 tourists towards the brand equity of the destination in Fethiye under various dimensions, their experiences in organizing their holidays in the region and having a holiday in the region, and market segmentation with cluster analysis in the context of their demographic characteristics. As a result of the research, it has been determined that local and foreign tourists visiting Fethiye form different market segments according to their perceptions of Fethiye's brand equity. Within the scope of the study, some inferences have been made that will contribute to the development of marketing strategies that will enable the destinations to develop locally and contribute to the national economy.

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