Analysis of destination competitiveness by IPA and IPCA methods: The case of Costa Brava, Spain against Antalya, Turkey

In a highly competitive market place, understanding competitive position of the destination is important for destination managers. Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) and its extension Importance Performance Competitor Analysis (IPCA) are two common methods used by the researchers for this purpose. By using IPA and IPCA methods, this study identifies the competitive position of the Costa Brava, Spain against Antalya, Turkey as popular resort destinations. The data were collected from Russian tourists visiting the destinations. IPA results showed that Costa Brava has some strength attributes, such as clean beaches, local cuisine, and value for money. However, IPCA findings revealed that most of these attributes are null advantage, when the performance of its rival Antalya is taken into account. Thus, the results of the study signify the importance of determining a resort destination's competitiveness by using different analytical frameworks.