Would you call yourself a sentimental holidaymaker, or an independent? And if you're neither, are you perhaps a seeker, a radical, a pragmatist or a conformist?

These are the ad-man categories the English Tourism Council came up with when they did market research for their new report, Sea Changes, about reviving the country's coastal resorts.

The conformists are the largest group - 3.4m of the potential market of 8.5m: they, the sentimentals and the seekers are most likely to go on a British seaside holiday. The pragmatists, the radicals and the independents are the least likely to be found huddled against a breakwater by the English Channel.

Conformists want sameness and familiarity, the report says: "They like comfortable environments, chatty atmospheres and scenic fresh air." They want to be surrounded by people like them.

Sentimentals are not responsive to trends. Any change or drop in standards can alienate them, says the report, "as can 'intruders' of an undesirable nature".

Seekers: "These people are image driven, like to think of themselves as trendy and are conscious of being seen in the right place with the right people. They like to have fun, but often have responsibilities and are budget constrained."

Radicals: "Free spirits and big travellers. They work hard and play hard, like to discover a destination before others. They want distinctive restaurants, pubs, bars, clubs and nightlife."

Independents seek out different cultural experiences away from the crowd: "Places that lack culture, have a downmarket feel and are noisy are a turn-off; upmarket restaurants, sports, heritage, accommodation and beaches are important."

Pragmatists are "highly cultured and artisan", enjoy peace and quiet and go to places where they can enjoy the outdoors and fresh air. They are the most frugal, and 20% of them never take a holiday at all.

The report concludes that British resorts have a long way to go: "Radicals experience the biggest gap between what they would like and what they find, whereas sentimentals find that the gap is smallest. It is also clear that the English seaside does not conform to the ideal seaside resort for any of the six segments."