market strategy for the netherlands · contents – market strategy for the netherlands 1. analysis...

Market strategy for the Netherlands

2

Background

The Norwegian government is keen to increase value creation and productivity in the travel and

tourism industry, with more year-round jobs and more unique, high-quality experiences that attract

guests with a high willingness to pay. We also wish to focus on sustainable tourism. The Netherlands

is the fourth biggest foreign market in terms of the number of guest nights, and the Dutch market is

very important to many travel and tourism enterprises throughout Norway. It is therefore very

important to ensure that Dutch people continue to choose Norway as a holiday destination in future.

Contents – Market strategy for the Netherlands

1. Analysis – the current situation 2. Goals – what do we want to achieve 3. Strategy - how are we going to reach our goals? - How shall Norway meet a minimum of

expectations of a holiday?

- Explorers are the main target group – How can

we become more relevant to this group?

- What target group should we focus on in the Netherlands and how?

3.a – Consequences

- 9 action points

Market strategy for the Netherlands 2012 – Situation analysis - Dutch holidays in general

24%

0%

0%

35%

18%

20% 0%

3%

18%

20%

6%

26%

2%

6% 23%

0%

Dutch holidays to Norway + all holidays to any destination from the Netherlands

The size* of each segment

Source: Dutch holidays to Norway N = 72 Warning: Low sample size! Source: All holidays to any destination in the quantitative sample

* Share of overnight stays: The segment volume is derived from the number of overnight stays on each occasion. The figures on the slide show the share of overnight stays for all holidays.

Share of Dutch holidays to Norway N = 68 Warning: Low sample size

Share of all holidays to any destination

0%

Norway has quite a diffuse fit with the segment landscape

SHARING GOOD TIMES

-.32

BROADENING YOUR HORIZON

.19

EXPLORATION

.25

LIBERATION

.41

ROUTINE

-.04

HARMONY

-.20

Perceptual Fit with segments – Norway (in the Netherlands)

Perfect fit (>0.60) Good fit (0.30-0.60)

Neutral fit (-0.25-0.29) Negative fit (<-0.25)

LUXURY

-.26

TOGETHERNESS

.36

Denmark Austria Greece Sweden Germany

Germany Austria Denmark France

Croatia Spain Greece Italy Turkey

Sweden Scotland Austria Croatia Denmark China

Scotland

USA New Zealand Egypt

China Croatia

Germany France

Fit (from -1 to +1) of the perceptual profile of Norway with what each of the segments is looking for.

A score of 1 means that Norway delivers exactly what the segment is looking for; a score of -1 means Norway represents the exact opposite of what people are looking for in that segment.

7

SWOT analysis Strengths Weaknesses

• Norway has unique nature and unique natural phenomena: the fjords, the Midnight Sun, the Northern Lights, the coast and the mountains

• Geographically close to the Netherlands • Positioned for active holidays • Good accessibility (but often expensive because

routes are based on business traffic) • More defined brand footprint than in other markets

(although it could be clearer in the Netherlands as well)

• Norway is expensive and has become even more expensive

• Unstable climate (real and imagined) • Experienced as deserted and lonely • Lack of knowledge about what there is to see and

do • One-dimensional perception of Norway – a lot of

rock and water • Lack of information in English • Delivers poorly in relation to perception of activity

options and product characteristics (especially food and social factors)

• Often tries to say too much in communication • The message is often too functional – Based on

the product and geography and not on the tourist • Lack of continuity as regards skiing

Opportunities Threats

• More targeted communication of the Norway brand • Untapped potential – Norway is on the

consideration list, but people don't go • Present more culture, food and history • Ferry capacity up by 12% (new ships) • Increasing interest among partners • Undiscovered destination – many people looking

for new and exciting experiences

• Decline in the number of commercial guest nights

in the last year • Perceived as not being different enough from the

Netherlands • Uncertainty in the Dutch economy and rising

unemployment • Fall in house prices • 400,000 fewer people going on holiday in the

Netherlands in 2012 • Biggest decline in Eastern Norway, which has

traditionally had most Dutch guests

Main challenges in the Netherlands • Higher price level in Norway and reduced purchasing power among Dutch people –

reduced ability to travel on a holiday to Norway

• Untapped potential – relatively speaking, Norway is higher on Dutch people's lists of

countries they wish to visit than actual visits to Norway

• Decline in the number of commercial guest nights from the Netherlands since 2008 –

the decline is on the same level as the other Nordic countries and general departure

figures from the Netherlands

• Biggest decline in Eastern Norway in the number of commercial guest nights

• Norway can create an even clearer brand footprint – and Norway is not perceived as

being relevant enough to attract enough tourists

• Norway delivers pretty well on the emotional level (motivation and personality of

Norway) but not on the functional level (activities and product characteristics) – this

particularly applies to the social aspect, accessibility, food and culture)

• The message is often too functional – and not enough consumer-oriented campaigns

• Increased complexity with new digital media – fragmentation of products and players

Market strategy for the Netherlands 2012 – Marketing strategy - How shall Norway meet a minimum of expectations of a holiday?

A) Meet the expectations people have for all types of holidays The core of all holidays is about

Escapism New and

interesting places

Being together

Norway mostly meets these expectations, except the social element

We must address the basic expectations that Dutch people have when going on holiday, including basic comfort, a more social experience and more cultural

content.

• Easy travel experience • Easy booking • Visualising the trip:

knowing how to travel, where to go

A comfortable experience

• Communicate lively towns & villages

• ‘Populate’ the isolated scenes

• Isolation as a choice, not a given

• It is not like home! • E.g. stories about Dutch

people moving to Norway for a change of lifestyle?

A social experience

• Talk about local food & drink traditions

• But also talk about good international cuisine (for the less adventurous)

Good food & drink

A) Meets the expectations people have for all types of holidays Areas for improvement to meet hygiene expectations

Market strategy for the Netherlands 2012 – Marketing strategy - Explorers are the main target group. How can we become more relevant to this group?

What they look for: Explorers - their main motivation for travelling is to explore new territories; nature, culture, local

life, food and traditions. They also want to gain new energy and to broaden their horizons.

Who are they: Higher education, seasoned travellers, digital, travel without children/empty nesters

There are two sub segments within this target group:

B) Targeting

Explorers

Active explorers:

This group tends to favour physically active experiences in nature such as hiking, cycling, fishing etc. They are usually found in markets

close to Norway.

Curious explorers

This group seeks more cultural content in addition to nature experiences and favour

sightseeing, round trips and city trips. They wish to increase their cultural capital.

Addresses 18% of all Dutch holidays abroad Already the most important reason why the Dutch currently travel to

Norway Decent perceptual fit Competition is relatively weak

• China, Canada, New Zeeland & Scotland all have a presence in this area, but none of them as a strong perceptual or behavioural leader

• Proximity is the key advantage over far away destinations

Enough potential to focus on Exploration as key strategic target

Exploration

PERSONALITY

• FRESH • REAL • ADVENTUROUS • OPEN-MINDED

PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

• The spectacular fjords and landscapes of the coast, steep breathtaking mountains and the world’s most beautiful archipelagos • The natural miracles of the Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun • The distinct heritage and culture of Norway • Informal, open-minded people • Not far away, not hard to get to, easy to plan and easy to book

ACTIVITIES

•Go on sightseeing tours • Wide variety of nature-based activities • Wide variety of hiking routes • Local food - fresh seafood and coastal specialities • Discover local culture and lifestyles • Unique possibilities for sea fishing – only in Norway!

WHAT

B) Targeting

Positioning of Norway in the Netherlands

EMOTIONAL BENEFITS

•ALLOWS ME TO DISCOVER NEW AND INTERESTING PLACES •HELPS ME ESCAPE FROM MY HECTIC DAILY LIFE •GIVES ME RICH EXPERIENCES •ALLOWS ME TO BROADEN MY HORIZONS •ENRICHES MY VIEW OF THE WORLD

WHY

The most dramatic and rich coast and fjord experience in the world

Exploration versus Norway (the Netherlands) BE LESS • Structured • Gives me a safe feeling

• Restores my sense of harmony & balance

• Peaceful • Soothing

BUILD ON • Adventurous

• Nature activities (other than skiing)

• Unspoiled nature

BE MORE •Unique •Explorative

•Gives me rich experiences •Enriches my view of the world •Allows me to grow personally

•Allows me to discover new & interesting places •Discover local history & legends •Discover local culture & lifestyle

Exploration

Market strategy for the Netherlands 2012 – Marketing strategy - What types of holiday should we focus on in the Netherlands and how?

Focus on the following areas

• Round trips (constitute 70-

80%) • Northern Norway

winter/Hurtigruten coastal express

• Alpine

• Fishing • Hiking • Active summer

Norway campaign Northern Lights campaign Alpine campaign Themed campaign Active (part of the Norway campaign)

Curious explorers

Active explorers

Active explorers

Campaigns: Target group: Products:

• Fishing • Hiking • Active summer

Active explorers:

• Themed campaign

• Active (part of the Norway campaign)

Motivation for going on holidays: Exploration and liberation Activities: •Activities in nature •Hiking •Experience the beauty of nature •Taste local food and drink •Go on sightseeing tours •Experience natural phenomenon •Fishing

The active explorer in a nutshell About 4% of the Dutch population

Why they travel: •Exploration, new energy and liberation Sociodemographics: •Overrepresented by 50+ and few under the age of 30 •Dominated by couples (but significantly more singles without children than the curious explorers) •Overrepresented by males •Higher education – almost twice as many with higher education than the average population •Average gross household income is around 60,000 € (more with low income than the curious explorers) •Almost two of three have kids, but more people without kids than the curious explorers

How they travel: •Active holidays, hiking holidays, fishing holidays •Spend less money than average •Use less info sources than average both before and during the trip, but slightly more active on social media •Slightly shorter planning horizon than other Dutch travellers, but still more than 50% plan their trip more than 3 months before departure •Less likely to be influenced by partner than other travellers (even though 50% claim to be influenced by partner), and more likely to be influenced by friends (28%) •28% will stay in a medium standard hotel, and overall choose slightly cheaper accommodation than other travellers •76% will organise the trip themselves •65% will travel with partner, but more likely to travel with friends than average (27%) and less likely to travel with kids (19%) •Less likely to travel by plane (25%). This corresponds to where they travel – more travel within Europe and less to far away destinations

The active explorer - sociodemographics Age Active

explorers What is your age?

18-24 7.81 25-29 05.31 30-39 16.25 40-49 21.56 50-59 27.19 60-65 21.88

Children Active explorers

How many children do you have living in your household?

0 37.34 1 15.82 2 31.01 3 10.76 4 2.53 5 0.63 6 1.27

7+ 0.63

Income Active explorers

What is the total combined gross income of your household?

< 9,999 Euro per year 3.12

10,000 – 19,999 Euro per year 5.94

20,000 – 29,999 Euro per year 9.06

30,000 – 39,999 Euro per year 11.25

40,000 – 49,999 Euro per year 11.88

50,000 – 59,999 Euro per year 10

60,000 – 69,999 Euro per year 9.06

70,000 – 79,999 Euro per year 6.25

80,000 – 89,999 Euro per year 5.62

90,000 – 99,999 Euro per year 2.81

100,000 Euro per year or more 6.56

Don’t want to answer 18.44

Gender Active explorers

Are you…? Male 62.81

Female 37.19

Marital status Active explorers

Are you:

Married with children 37.19

Married without children 13.44 Single with children 2.81

Single without children 20.94

Cohabitant/partner with children 7.19

Cohabitant/partner without children 16.25

Other 2.19

Education level Active explorers What is your highest completed education?

Incomplete secondary (9 grades of secondary school) 0.31

Secondary (11 grades of secondary school) 11.56

Secondary vocational 21.25 Incomplete higher 6.25 Higher education 40.31

PhD / academic degree 20.31

The active explorer – How they travel Where do they travel?

Germany 16.25 France 13.44 Switzerland 9.38 Belgium 8.75 Austria 8.44 Spain 5.31 Italy 4.69 Scotland 3.44 Greece 2,5 Netherlands 2.19 Denmark 2.19 Portugal 2.19 Turkey 2.19 Norway 1.88 Sweden 1.56 USA 1.25 Czech Republic 1.25

UK 1.25

Croatia 1.25 Canada 0.31

Info sources before travelling Active explorers

Internet in general 68.44 Websites about the destination 46.25

Websites of hotels/ other accommodations 38.44

Websites of attractions and sights 22.19

Websites of carriers, including airlines etc. 20.62

Booking sites such as Expedia and Lastminute 6.25

Social media such as Facebook or blogs 5

Reviews from other travellers online 15.94

Travel portals like Tripadvisor 4.06

Catalogues or brochures 17.19

Newspapers or magazines 5.62

Guidebooks 13.44 TV or radio 2.81 Travel agent in homeland 5.62 Travel fairs 3.12 Advice from friends / family 16.25

Other 7.19 Don't know 1.88 None 9.38

Info sources while travelling Active explorers


Websites of hotels/ other accommodation 3.75




Social media such as Facebook or blogs 3.44







Organisation of trip Active explorers

Please choose one of the statements below that best describes how you travelled on this occasion

I/we travelled in a group with an organised tour 8.12

I/we had the trip organised by others and travelled independently

14.37

I/we organised the trip myself/ourselves and travelled independently

76.25

Don’t know 1.25

The active explorer – How they travel

Amount spent Active explorers

Please indicate the total amount spent on this occasion, for your personal travel group

Less than 250 Euro 1.56

251-500 Euro 9.06 501-1,000 Euro 24.38

1,001-1,500 Euro 19.69 1,501-2,000 Euro 15.00 2,001-2,500 Euro 9.69 2,501-3,000 Euro 3.75 3,001-3,500 Euro 1.56 3,501-4,000 Euro 1.25 4,001-4,500 Euro 0.62 4,501-5,000 Euro 1.25 5,001-5,500 Euro 0.94 5,501-6,000 Euro 0 6,001-6,500 Euro 0.31 6,501-7,000 Euro 1.56 7,001-7,500 Euro 0 7,501-8,000 Euro 0 8,001-8,500 Euro 0.62 8,501-9,000 Euro 0 9,001-9,500 Euro 0 9,501-9,999 Euro 0

10,000 Euro or more 0.94

Don’t know 7.81

Travel companion Active explorers

with whom Alone 5.94

Children 0-6 years 5.62 Children 7-14 years 6.56

Children 15 years and older 7.5

Spouse/partner 64.69 Other family/relatives 14.37

Friends 2719 Other people 6.56

Don’t know 0.31

Who influenced the decision? Active explorers

Partner 56.25



Parents/other relatives 8.75

Friends/acquaintances/ colleagues 27.5

Other 1.25 Nobody except myself 15

Don’t know 0.94

Planning Active explorers

How long before your departure did you decide

on this trip on this occasion?

Less than one week before departure 6.25

1-3 weeks before departure 10.62

Up to 1 month before departure 12.19

Up to 2 months before departure 16.25

Up to 3 months before departure 15

Up to 4-6 months before departure 23.75


More than one year before departure 1.56

Don’t know 1.56

Accommodation Active explorers

Hotel (budget) 8.75

Hotel (medium standard) 27.5

Hotel (high standard) 9.38 Guest house /

Bed & Breakfast 13.75

Rented or borrowed cabin / holiday home / flat 25

Owned cabin / holiday home / flat 6.56

Hostel 4.38 Tent 13.44

Camping cabin 2.19

Caravan / camper van 4.38

With friends / acquaintances 2.81

With family 1.88 Don’t know 2.19

Travel to destination

Active explorers

Car 60.31

Camper van 1.88 Car w/ caravan 2.81

Bus 11.25 Ferry / boat / cruise 5.62

Charter plane 11.88 Scheduled plane 11.56

Motorbike 2.5 Train 11.25 Other 3.44

Don’t know 0.31

• Round trip by (car/bus) • Northern Norway winter Hurtigruten coastal express

Curious explorers

•Round trips (constitute 70-80%) •Northern Norway winter/Hurtigruten coastal express

Motivation for going on holidays: Mostly exploration Activities: •Experience the beauty of nature •Taste local food and drink •Go on sightseeing tours •Discover local culture and lifestyles •Experience natural phenomenon •Shorter hikes and physical activities in nature (soft) •Visit historical buildings

The curious explorer in a nutshell About 11% of the Dutch population

Why they travel: •Predominantly for exploration Sociodemographics: •Overrepresented by 50+ and few under the age of 30 •Dominated by couples •Overrepresented by males •Higher education - almost twice as many with higher education than the average population •Average gross household income is around 60,000 € •75% have kids living in the household

How they travel: •Sightseeing, round trips, holiday to experience nature, camping •Norway as the seventh most popular destination •Spend more than average and willing to pay for unique experiences •Use more info sources than average both before and during the trip •Slightly shorter planning horizon than other Dutch travellers, but still more than 50% plan their trip more than 3 months before departure •Less likely to be influenced by partner than other travellers (even though 50% claim to be influenced by partner), and more likely to be influenced by friends (28%) •Overrepresented for both hotel (58%) and camping (40%) •68% will organise the trip themselves, but much more likely to travel on an organised trip than other types of holidays (20%) •76% will travel with partner, and less likely to travel with friends than average (13%) and less likely to travel with kids (26%) •More likely to travel by plane (38%) and caravan/camper van (13%)

The curious explorer - sociodemographics Age

What is your age? 18-24 4.59 25-29 3.59 30-39 18.15 40-49 22.93 50-59 29.91 60-65 20.84

Children How many children do you have living in your household?

0 22.34 1 23.4 2 40.96 3 11.17 4 1.6 5 0.53 6 0

7+ 0

Income What is the total combined gross income of your household?

< 9,999 Euro per year 0.8

10,000 – 19,999 Euro per year 3.99

20,000 – 29,999 Euro per year 7.88

30,000 – 39,999 Euro per year 16.75

40,000 – 49,999 Euro per year 14.56

50,000 – 59,999 Euro per year 10.77

60,000 – 69,999 Euro per year 7.48

70,000 – 79,999 Euro per year 6.58

80,000 – 89,999 Euro per year 3.09

90,000 – 99,999 Euro per year 3.09

100,000 Euro per year or more 6.48

Don’t want to answer 18.54

Gender Are you…?

Male 52.84 Female 47.16

Marital status Are you:

Married with children 47.56

Married without children 15.05 Single with children 3.29

Single without children 15.55

Cohabitant/partner with children 3.49

Cohabitant/partner without children 13.16

Other 1.89

Education level What is your highest completed education?

Incomplete secondary (9 grades of secondary school) 2.39

Secondary (11 grades of secondary school) 12.06

Secondary vocational 24.63 Incomplete higher 3.89 Higher education 40.38

PhD / academic degree 16.65

The curious explorer – How they travel

Where do they travel? France 16,55

Germany 9,67 Italy 6,48 USA 5,28

Austria 4,09 Spain 3,89

Norway 3,19 Belgium 3,09

Scotland 2,59

Info sources before travelling













Info sources while travelling











Guidebooks 21.06 TV or radio 2.3 Travel agent in homeland 2.1 Travel fairs 1 Advice from friends / family 4.89


Organisation of trip

Please choose one of the statements below that best describes how you travelled on this occasion

I/we travelled in a group with an organised tour 19.76

I/we had the trip organised by others and travelled independently

11.88

I/we organised the trip myself/ourselves and travelled independently

68.06

Don’t know 19.76

The curious explorer – How they travel Amount spent

Please indicate the total amount spent on this occasion, for your personal travel group

Less than 250 Euro 1.8

251-500 Euro 5.89 501-1,000 Euro 13.07

1,001-1,500 Euro 13.67 1,501-2,000 Euro 14.67 2,001-2,500 Euro 11.48 2,501-3,000 Euro 6.79 3,001-3,500 Euro 4.79 3,501-4,000 Euro 4.49 4,001-4,500 Euro 1.8 4,501-5,000 Euro 2.99 5,001-5,500 Euro 2.59 5,501-6,000 Euro 2.2 6,001-6,500 Euro 1 6,501-7,000 Euro 0.5 7,001-7,500 Euro 0.5 7,501-8,000 Euro 0.7 8,001-8,500 Euro 0.9 8,501-9,000 Euro 0.1 9,001-9,500 Euro 0.3 9,501-9,999 Euro 0.6

10,000 Euro or more 2.69

Don’t know 6.49

Travel companion with whom

Alone 3.09 Children 0-6 years 10.08

Children 7-14 years 13.07 Children 15 years and

older 9.98

Spouse/partner 76.45 Other family/relatives 11.08

Friends 13.37 Other people 7.98

Don’t know 0.1

Who influenced the decision?

Partner 67.76



Parents/other relatives 9.58

Friends/acquaintances/ colleagues 12.87

Other 1 Nobody except myself 14.97

Don’t know 1

Planning How long before your

departure did you decide on this trip on this

occasion?

Less than one week before departure 4.49

1-3 weeks before departure 7.68

Up to 1 month before departure 9.88





More than one year before departure 2.1

Don’t know 1.3

Accommodation

Hotel (budget) 9.08

Hotel (medium standard) 35.83

Hotel (high standard) 13.57 Guest house /

Bed & Breakfast 8.08

Rented or borrowed cabin / holiday home / flat 12.28

Owned cabin / holiday home / flat 3.69

Hostel 1.8 Tent 18.76

Camping cabin 2.59

Caravan / camper van 19.16

With friends / acquaintances 1.9

With family 1.2 Don’t know 0.1

Travel to destination

Car 53.39

Camper van 3.49 Car w/ caravan 9.78

Bus 12.38 Ferry / boat / cruise 8.28

Charter plane 12.67 Scheduled plane 25.45

Motorbike 0.9 Train 6.49 Other 0.9

Don’t know 0.1

Market strategy for the Netherlands 2012 – Marketing strategy - Consequences/Action points

Action point 1 More powerful communication - Norway is truly different Show what’s unique and different about Norway Norway is very different from other European countries. The difference is the story. The soundtrack is 'unfamiliar', 'extraordinary', 'like nowhere else in the world'. The content of the story is: Unparalleled extreme landscapes of the coast, unmatched natural miracles, distinct heritage and culture from the sea and down-to-earth, nature-loving people that are easy to relate to

Action point 2 More powerful communication - Active engagement with nature and local people A lot of the communication material is too one-dimensional, focusing too much on passive observation of nature. This doesn’t give people the opportunity to visualise the broad repertoire of holiday experiences that Norway can offer

FROM TO

Action point 3 Highlight the easy accessibility – Both to Norway and within Norway To the greatest extent possible, show and demonstrate accessibility in all communications Ideally, communication should credibly be able to claim:

Not far away, not hard to get to, not difficult to plan, not difficult to book, not difficult to ask, easy to see a lot, easy for old, easy for young, easy to interact

Action point 4 A more social experience

A social element is one of the core factors of most holidays. Norway is perceived as being a lonely and isolated country - isolation should therefore only be a choice not a given - Communicate lively coastal culture, towns & villages - Show images where people are experiencing Norway with partner, family members or friends - ‘Populate’ the isolated scenes

Action point 5 Food – Show local food, fresh seafood and coastal specialities Food is an important element of most holidays, but Dutch people have no perception of Norwegian food or what they can expect in Norway when it comes to food and drink - Talk about local food & drink traditions - Building on Norway’s position as a global leader in fishing and ocean harvesting - Show lots and lots of seafood and coastal specialities in natural and social settings

Action point 6 Tone of voice – Fresh and informal

Fresh and informal – with an edge or depth that engages Use copy as an opportunity to communicate the brand personality, don't just describe a subject or the picture – go beyond the obvious

Action point 7 Headlines and copy – Always make the tourist the starting point! Headlines and copy should describe how Norway can satisfy the

explorers' curiosity and hunger for discovering new and interesting places From targeting: Looking to discover new territories and gain new energy. At the same time, broadening their horizons and feeling enriched It should not be functional descriptions of products or geography, but rather how and why Norway is relevant to the explorers. - The tourist and their needs should always be the starting point

Action point 8 Keep on strengthening Norway’s position for active holidays Norway already has a position as an active destination in the Netherlands Focus on activities in nature in communication. However activities should be soft adventure for the curious explorers

Action point 9 The explorers like to plan, search and research

Explorers like to plan and search for information both before and during the trip – particularly important that information is available, suggestions for trips, travel routes etc.

Points in relation to the market plan – Operative measures are not covered in the strategy - What should be the main message in campaigns in the Netherlands based on the results of the survey? - What jobs should the different elements in the campaigns do? - Tone of voice – Sales-generating versus profiling Measures for: - Own media – VisitNorway - Paid media – Campaigns - Deserved media – Public relations/press, social media - Cultivation of the industry

market strategy for the netherlands · contents – market strategy for the netherlands 1. analysis...

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