The Holiday Market in Queensland: Building an Understanding of Visitors Staying in Commercial Accommodation Philip L. Pearce James Cook University of North Queensland & Co-operative Research Centre for Reef Research Alastair Morrison Purdue University, USA Noel Scott Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation Joe O'Leary Nandini Nadkarni Purdue University, USA Gianna Moscardo James Cook University of North Queensland & Co-operative Research Centre for Reef Research Abstract This study reports the combined efforts of researchers from the government and academic cultures of tourism research. The target of the co-operative effort was to understand the holiday market in Queensland using the Queensland Visitor Survey, an established data base built on questioning tourists who stay in commercial accommodation. Using a cluster analysis approach focussed on a critical question describing the attractions, features and activities available in Queensland, six distinct clusters were identified. It was demonstrated that these clusters were not only coherent, comprehensible groupings based on the original question used for differentiation, but, further, that there were some marked demographic and travel pattern differences among the groups. An evaluation of the usefulness, appeal and value of the clusters was undertaken with some notes and observations for improving the survey itself and developing more refined market segmentation studies. 1 Introduction In a number of recent analyses of the nature of tourism study it has been suggested that there are three cultures of tourism research (Gunn, 1994; Pearce, 1993; Ritchie, 1994). These three cultures include an academic culture of tourism research where the emphasis is on understanding the tourism phenomenon. A government culture of tourism research can also be identified. Here the collection and organisation of information is perceived to be the core of the research process. In the government culture, research is frequently directed at informing policy and strategic planning. There is also an industry culture of tourism research. The industry culture produced and uses research in a lobbying environment or to improve profitability. It has been argued that these three cultures do not always communicate with one another. Some of the problems in studying tourism generally may arise partly because of this differentiation of purpose and the failure of all cultures to provide a cumulative account of tourism as a whole (Faulkner, Pearce, Shaw and Weiler, 1995). While it is likely that the separate agendas of the three cultures will continue to produce differences and to create separate avenues of research endeavour, from time to time it would be profitable for the three cultures to share insights with one another. The Australian Tourism Research Conference in 1996 is an appropriate venue for this cross cultural sharing in tourism research. This appropriateness can be explained by a brief history of this cultural challenge. In 1994 Mr Ken Roseberry, then Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation, offered a challenge to tourism researchers in the academic stream with the question 'So what?' as applied to the findings and implications of much academic research. This challenge was redefined as an opportunity for researchers in 1995 when Mr Noel Scott, General Manager of the QTTC Research Section, offered the Queensland Visitor Survey for targeted research projects. Now in 1996 it is timely to discuss the cooperative research endeavour undertaken between Purdue University, James Cook University and the Queensland Tourist and Travel Corporation in an attempt to build an understanding of visitors in the Queensland holiday market through the use of the government sponsored instrument, the Queensland Visitor Survey. The