Foundation 5: Data-driven market segmentation is static, the market is dynamic. Any data-driven segmentation study can only provide insight into the market structure at the time of surveying tourists. Consequently, destination management needs to regularly repeat segmentation studies to identify chances in the segment structure of developments in specific segments that may be of particular value to the destination. A tracking framework for segmentation studies to be conducted over multiple periods of time has been proposed by Dolnicar (2004b).
To sum up, the implications of all the foundations outlined above are the following (1) data analysts and managers need to be aware of the exploratory nature of data-driven market segmentation and not over interpret the value of one single segmentation solution which was not based on thorough preliminary data structure analysis, (2) repeated computations of segmentation solutions can easily be undertaken to assess the stability of alternative solutions, (3) stability analysis will inform the data analyst and manager about the nature of the derived segmentation, whether it reveals true clusters, identified stable artificial groupings or represents an artificial construction of the most suitable grouping in a data set with very little structure, (4) it is not necessary for all segments derived from a segmentation solution to be valid. For a tourism destination searching for a niche, it is perfectly sufficient to have identified or constructed one market segment which has high external validity, (5) market segmentation is not independent. A successful market segmentation strategy is in line with the tourism destinations positioning and differentiation strategy, thus accounting for the particular strengths of the destination and the competitive environment, and (6) data-driven segmentation studies have to be repeated regularly to ensure validity of the insight gained into the market structure at any point in time.