Confidence intervals as a tool to determine the thresholds of the life cycle of destinations

Abstract

Butler’s TALC (Tourism Area Life Cycle Model) is a descriptive model that has become one of the most influential and widely referenced approaches in the analysis of tourism area development. However, from an empirical point of view, and despite many attempts, the model encounters difficulties when making it operational. This article advocates the use of statistical confidence intervals as a useful tool for determining the various stages through which destinations evolve.