Consumer preferences and price markets on rental second homes in Spain: Public attributes and social marketing implications

This paper attempts to find out the relationship between tourist profiles and consumer value in a specialized tourism area like Costa Brava (Spain). Primary data were collected using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. A database of prices and characteristics of rental second homes in different strategic locations on the Costa Brava area has been used through brochures (1000 second homes). A methodology based on hedonic techniques has been applied in order to highlight how consumer value and order preferences with attributes related to location: beach, landscapes and municipalities where are settled. Different quantitative rankings given by market value are obtained. Moreover, other attributes what consumers most value in second homes are also studied: swimming pool, car park, common garden, house size and so on. Later a sample of in-depth interviews was used in the same area to explore how sustainable consumption practices on tourism help us to understand how beach and landscape values are taken into account. Qualitative rankings of how the public attributes are valued by consumers are considered. Also how suppliers develop corporate social initiatives to take advantage on final price shown on brochures. Finally using one-way and two-way ANOVA, contingent tables and other statistical techniques we look for significant correlations among qualitative rankings (through surveys) and quantitative rankings (through hedonic pricing techniques). We want to find out whether consumer preferences are reflected on final prices of the tourist markets. This paper is useful for managers of rental second homes intermediaries to command marketing mix techniques knowing the value of public attributes that consumers reveal thanks to surveys and knowing their own information provided by brochures breaking down the price through hedonic techniques. Social marketing implications have arisen in this paper when beach and landscape values are taken into account.