Tourist satisfaction with the Municipality of Ponta Delgada (Azores)

Abstract

The combination of unique and differentiating aspects and the concentration of a substantial proportion of accommodation and tourism-related companies has made Ponta Delgada the most developed tourism destination in the Azores. A questionnaire was structured to evaluate tourist satisfaction with the municipality as a tourism destination. The data was analyzed using measures of descriptive statistics, nonparametric hypothesis tests, algorithms of Ascendant Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and the Nonlinear Principal Component Analysis. It reveals that Ponta Delgada has earned competitive tourist satisfaction, has competitive attractions and attracts different tourist profiles, with cruise passengers being more satisfied and more likely to stay in the city and engage in softly activities while tourists travelling by airplane, who are more critical, tend to engage in more dynamic, nature-based activities. This paper contributes to research on destination competitiveness, tourism performance and strategic tourism planning at the local level through statistical analysis of tourism data.