Performance as a classification criterion of tourist origins and destinations

Portfolio analysis has been used as a tool for the study of market segments, namely of tourist destinations. However, a review of the literature did not identify a single case where the performance variable is adjusted to the nature of the object. This article presents a performance proxy that enables a direct comparison between generating countries (origins) and between destinations. The proposed tool is a component of a model for the identification of priority market segments. The instrument is applied to the 15 member states of the European Union (before its expansion on 1 May 2004), for the period from 1996 to 2001.