Measuring Tourism Seasonality Across Selected Mediterranean Countries

Seasonality, as one of the key features of tourist activity, represents an unavoidable topic in scientific and professional analyses, whose aim it is to determine its causal effects. The economic consequences of seasonality are the kind of consequences that are most often emphasized and considered in discussions. They include inefficiencies in resource use, income variability, changes in the employment level, etc. However, only a few analyses have provided a more in-depth discussion of the common problems of seasonality among the Mediterranean countries. The most commonly used method of calculating the Gini coefficient will be used in order to estimate seasonality. This coefficient is characterized by certain advantages, such as taking into account the distribution asymmetry and the relative insensitivity to extreme values, as well   as the stability indication of overnight stays distribution in a single year. Based on individual calculations of the seasonality index, this paper will provide a unique view of the similarities and differences between countries with regards to seasonal tourism oscillations. The analysis will cover the total number of tourists’ overnight stays in hotels and similar accommodation facilities, RevPAR revenue, and the average room price – ADR per month between 2007 and 2017. This paper will focus on determining the seasonal characteristics of the selected Mediterranean countries. The quantitative seasonality calculation will be a key indicator for seasonality measurements across different research areas. The contribution of this paper is reflected in the application of financial and non-financial indicators in hotel business that has not yet been implemented. Keywords: Tourism seasonality, RevPAR, ADR, gini index