The most comprehensive regional tourism research project to date!
The largest pan regional visitor research project ever to be undertaken on leisure staying visitors was carried out this summer by Tourism South East (TSE).
The research will enable TSE and tourism businesses to match potential customers to destinations and products (for example type of accommodation, attractions, events and experiences) according to their needs and motivations and will help the industry to package information for visitors more effectively.
The research was conducted in two stages. Firstly Senior King carried out a survey to identify which destinations in the South East were recognised by people living outside the region as being the key leisure visitor locations. Sixteen destinations were identified as primary visitor "brands" by both the UK and major overseas markets.
The second stage of the research was carried out this summer in partnership with these destinations. TSE conducted nearly 6,000 face to face interviews gathering data on customers' age, life stage, duration of stay, travel times and the activities undertaken during their holiday. Visitors were also profiled using two different segmentation systems in order to identify why and how different destinations appeal to different types of people. The first model, CAMEO, is a geodemographic model which groups visitors according to postcode sectors; the second is a motivational model called ArkLeisure which helps marketeers to understand how people's values influence their holiday- taking decisions.
The findings of the research are now being shared with visitor destinations and owners of tourism businesses in a series of four workshops across the region. The first workshop, held in Winchester, presented a profile of tourists to the New Forest, Winchester, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight and revealed, amongst other findings, how the impact of Gunwharf Quays was bringing a new type of visitor, termed High Streets, to Portsmouth. This fashion- conscious and high spending segment are also choosing to visit the famous historic ships, already a popular venue with an older and more traditional market. Whilst the High Street market was also important to nearby Winchester, the city's heritage appeal was also bringing in a more classic market, defined as Traditionals and Functionals, who were less inclined to shop, choosing instead to take a more relaxed approach to exploring and soaking up the atmosphere. The research also highlighted the broad appeal of the New Forest which attracts one of the widest audiences found in any destination in the region, from the very self assured Functionals to the more stylish and individualistic Cosmopolitans. The New Forest was also the chosen place to stay for many of the visitors that were found in nearby cities including Winchester and Portsmouth.
The research will help to inform Tourism South East's regional marketing campaigns but will also be shared with destination marketers and tourism businesses to help inform marketing campaigns and to encourage tourism providers to work together based around customer preferences.
Christine Melia, TSE's Commercial Services Director said, "We now have a rich and comprehensive understanding of what draws certain types of visitors to different destinations and what it is that each type likes to do when they are there. This intelligence is invaluable in helping us to bring more tourists into the region and will allow us to select and present information to them that is most likely to make them want to visit. The research focused on the major visitor destinations, and whilst these are undoubtedly the hooks that bring people into region, we now know how to select other lesser known cities and rural areas that are likely to appeal to the identified customer groups. It is a major step forward in terms of allowing us to place customers at the centre of regional and destination marketing".
TSE will use the evidence to produce a new regional marketing strategy and promotional plan for 2006 / 07 targeting both domestic and overseas visitors.
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For further information contact Jodie Hodge TSE Corporate Communications Officer on 023 8062 5502 or jhodge@tourismse.com or visit http://www.industry.visitsoutheastengland.com/brands/index.aspx
For Further information on the Arkleisure model visit http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Images/Market%20Segmentation_tcm12-16802.pdf
Notes to Editor
Tourism South East is the strategic tourism body for Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
The workshop dates are:
17/11 - Winchester, Hants workshop in covering Portsmouth, Winchester, New Forest and IOW
30/11 - East Grinstead, W Sussex workshop covering rural Sussex, Sussex by the Sea, Brighton, Eastbourne, Chichester and Lewes/ Hastings
13/12 - Hever Castle, Kent workshop covering rural Kent, coastal Kent and Canterbury
14/12 - S Oxfordshire workshop covering Oxford, Windsor, River Thames Chilterns
Key findings for Hampshire - based on research of leisure staying visitors during the peak summer period.
Visitors were researched in Winchester, Portsmouth, New Forest and the Isle of White.
The most significant type of visitors choosing Winchester are described as Traditionals and fall into the same category as the visitors to other heritage cities in the South East. They are people who hold traditional values dear and rate proven functionality over superficial style in their choices. They enjoy intellectual challenges, arts and culture and many choose to live a relaxed life style. These people were clearly enjoying the heritage and culture on offer in the city. Exceptional service is of importance to these people and indeed is expected as standard by many of them.
Portsmouth's profile showed a very significant number of visitors categorised as High Streets. These are a style conscious group who like to try new things and are prepared to spend money quite lavishly on the things they want. They are also active and spend their holidays packing in lots of activity. Not surprisingly this group were drawn by the offer of Gunwharf Quays but over half were also visiting the Dockyard and taking advantage of the other shopping, attraction and seafront things to do. Other destinations in the region that share this profile are Chichester and Rochester. For families staying on the Isle of Wight this was also the top category.
Of the range of people using the New Forest, the two top occurring groups are the Habituals and the Functionals. The former group is characterised by people who know what they like and are happy to enjoy it time and again. These people value a relaxed pace of life and like to get good value for money from their holiday. The Forest clearly appealed with opportunities for gentle walks and relaxing sightseeing. Functionals on the other hand like an active holiday, lapping up arts and culture and this would account for the number of visitors staying in the New Forest who were to be found taking day trips from their holiday base to the nearby cities including Winchester and Portsmouth.
Visitors to the Isle of Wight had a similar profile to the New Forest (Habituals and Functionals) but on the whole there were more senior citizens choosing to stay on the Island, take leisurely strolls along the seafront and eat and drink in cafes. Family visitors to the Island however were most likely to be the style conscious High Streets entertaining and educating the kids at the many attractions or on the beach.
The Ark Leisure segments are:
Tradionals
Functionals
Habituals
High Streets
Discoverers
Followers
Style Hounds
Cosmopolitans