Is tourist accommodation homogeneous? An analysis of the adults-only category through a three-step approach

Purpose This paper aims to classify tourist accommodation using data from Booking.com and TripAdvisor and analyse the extent to which the different segments identified differ in terms of being adults-only. Design/methodology/approach In total, 1,535 properties located in nine Spanish sun and beach destinations were examined using a latent class cluster analysis (LCCA). The bias-adjusted three-step approach was used to investigate the differences between belonging to adults-only accommodation or not among the identified clusters. Findings Results show that adults-only accommodation tends to belong to the cluster with higher online ratings. In small Spanish islands, adults-only hotels account for a large share (more than 25%) of hotels. Research limitations/implications It was not possible to analyse whether the higher rating was due to the accommodation being better or due to the tourists being more satisfied with their stay. Practical implications In urban destinations, the model is not widely used. However, in coastal destinations, it is becoming more than a novelty or a new trend. Social implications In small Spanish islands, people traveling with children are becoming a minority. Families may feel discriminated against and express dissatisfaction with this situation in the future. Originality/value This study covers the gap in the academic literature on this growing hotel segment.