Segmentation of physician-assisted suicide as a niche tourism market: An Initial Exploration. (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wen, Jun; Goh, Edmund; Yu, Chung-En
• Is Part Of: Journal of hospitality & tourism research. Volume 47:Number 3(2023)
• Page Start: 574
• Page End: 589
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: pas tourism -- pas travel -- segmentation -- micro–macro approach -- secondary commentary -- user-generated content; Hotel management -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Restaurant management -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Food service management -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; 647.068
• DOI: 10.1177/10963480211011630
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1096-3480

Abstract

Suicide travel, in which potential suicide candidates visit certain destinations to perform physician-assisted suicide (PAS), is an emerging topic in tourism. Despite noted discrepancies between suicide travel and traditional definitions of tourism, PAS practices in tourism have gained the attention of scholars and practitioners. This type of travel is inherently complex, and its segmentation remains ambiguous. This study examines a sample of PAS-related videos and viewer comments to identify relevant travel segments. Based on two rounds of thematic content analysis, the resultant segmentation offers a preliminary perspective on this emerging market. Theoretically, this study is among the first to provide a comprehensive overview of the roles of PAS practices in tourism in terms of specific target groups. Practically, the findings offer novel insight for industry practitioners and policy makers.