TRAVEL RESEARCH CONNECTING THE DOTS TO TELL A STORY. Kevin Hanstad January 31, 2017

Transcription

1 TRAVEL RESEARCH CONNECTING THE DOTS TO TELL A STORY Kevin Hanstad January 31, 2017

2 TRAVEL RESEARCH Travel research tends to be single-metric oriented, e.g. Number of visitors Hotel occupancy Economic impact Less common to tell a story around such metrics Often tell the What, but not the Who, When, Where and Why Tend not to connect the dots across multiple pieces of research Limited research data to work with 2

3 To share three small examples of connecting the dots across multiple pieces of research to tell a story. TODAY S OBJECTIVE 3

4 FIRST EXAMPLE Travel writers national survey conducted by Meet Minneapolis (2016) Focus groups in Chicago among past visitors to Minneapolis (2016) 4

5 TRAVEL WRITERS STRENGTHS OF MINNEAPOLIS AS A DESTINATION? Source: National Travel Writers Survey Conducted by Meet Minneapolis April 2016, n = 188 5

6 TRAVEL WRITERS CHALLENGES FACING MINNEAPOLIS AS A DESTINATION? Source: National Travel Writers Survey Conducted by Meet Minneapolis April 2016, n = 188 6

7 CHICAGO FOCUS GROUPS When you think of Minneapolis what words come to mind? Source: Focus Groups Conducted by Meet Minneapolis in Chicago on June 27,

8 CHICAGO FOCUS GROUPS I think of you as Diet Canada... the American version... quieter, slower, friendlier, healthier. Source: Focus Groups Conducted by Meet Minneapolis in Chicago on June 27,

9 FIRST EXAMPLE Consistency between the travel writers and visitors provides Confidence in the validity of the data Ability to bring the survey data to life with a colorful quote from the focus groups Opportunity to tell more of a story 9

10 Visitor profile data from DK Shifflet (2015) SECOND EXAMPLE Syndicated report received gratis from a consultant (2016) Leisure traveler survey conducted by Meet Minneapolis (2012) 10

11 VISITOR ACTIVITIES MSP Source: D.K. Shifflet & Associates, Ltd Stays Based, n = 1,512 11

12 VISITORS QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE Minneapolis Rank Among 121 American Cities Arts & Entertainment 4 Overall Tourism 26 Nature & Parks 31 Nightlife 37 Shopping 37 Restaurants 37 Rankings derived from visitor ratings of very good or excellent on social media such as Trip Advisor and Yelp (270 million combined reviews). Source: 2015 Minneapolis Tourism Quality Performance Report, Resonance Consultancy Ltd. 12

13 LEISURE TRAVELER AWARENESS (UNAIDED) 7% 6% 5% 3% 2% 1% 1% 16% 13% 23% 34% 42% When you think of American cities to visit, which ONE comes to mind first? Still thinking about American cities to visit, what other cities come to mind? 50% Source: Meet Minneapolis Awareness Tracking Study, September 2012 n =

14 LEISURE TRAVELERS PERCEPTIONS OF MINNEAPOLIS Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with each of the following statements: The city of Minneapolis is / has... ( Agree Strongly, Agree Somewhat, Neither Agree Nor Disagree, Disagree Somewhat, Disagree Strongly ) 72% 70% 65% 63% 57% 55% 55% 54% 50% 50% 49% 48% 43% 40% 38% 30% 28% 26% 23% Source: Meet Minneapolis Awareness Tracking Study, September 2012 n =

15 Connecting these dots developed a strong hypothesis Visitors are simply not aware of all there is to do in Minneapolis. SECOND EXAMPLE Indeed, in our 2016 focus groups we heard this loud and clear Not sure what makes it noteworthy beyond Prince... I m not aware of any renowned art museums, galleries, theaters. (Chicago) Promote activities... Communicate the activities that you have. (Des Moines) Used to think of Minneapolis as an arts and culture destination. Now feels it's all about sports and Mall of America! (Fargo) 15

16 THIRD EXAMPLE Minneapolis residents intercept data (2016) National recent visitors survey conducted by Meet Minneapolis (2016) Visitor profile data from DK Shifflet (2015) 16

17 RESIDENTS WHERE DO YOU TAKE VISITORS? Source: Open Streets MPLS Collected by Meet Minneapolis June - October,

18 Restaurants Shopping (Other than MOA) 70% 97% RECENT VISITORS Leisurely Walks Sightseeing 70% 65% ACTIVITIES Parks 49% Bars/Nightclubs 48% Neighborhoods 47% Mississippi River 41% Professional Sports Events 38% Source: National Travelers Study Conducted by Strategic Insights & Solutions (SIS) on Behalf of Meet Minneapolis in June and July, 2016, n =

19 Craft Beer Taprooms City Lakes Museums Festivals/Fairs Theaters Live Music in Clubs Stone Arch Bridge Farmers Markets Sculpture Garden Arena Concerts Biking Orchestras Comedy Clubs 4% 4% 29% 28% 27% 25% 22% 19% 18% 18% 16% 13% 10% RECENT VISITORS ACTIVITIES Source: National Travelers Study Conducted by Strategic Insights & Solutions (SIS) on Behalf of Meet Minneapolis in June and July, 2016, n =

20 ACCOMMODATIONS Other 1% Non-Paid 34% Hotel 61% Paid Non Hotel 4% Source: D.K. Shifflet & Associates, Ltd Person-Stays Based, n =

21 Connecting these dots allowed us to explain the inconsistency between what residents were telling us and what visitors were saying. THIRD EXAMPLE 21

22 THANK YOU!