The Seasonality of Demand in Spanish Tourist Municipalities: Analysis and Determinants

Abstract

Seasonality in tourism consists of the disequilibrium in tourist numbers over the course of the year and has become one of the main problems for the sustainability and growth of the sector. The aim of this study, given the sparse quantitative literature on the subject, is to explore the relevance, changes over time, and explanatory factors of seasonality across a wide range of Spain’s tourist destinations (124) for the period 2006–2012. The econometrical analysis is carried out based on a fixed effects panel data model that maximizes estimation efficiency. We think that some implications can be derived in terms of tourist policy. Keywords: Tourist seasonality; Tourist destinations in Spain; Measurement.