Part 2

The North American Cultural Tourist

Mary Mahon Jones

mmj@mahonjones.com

Presentation Focus Areas

1. Review of the current opportunity

2. Review the Canadian Tourism Commission’s Explorer Quotient™ model’s use of psychographic marketing segmentation

3. Explore how destinations can set visitors expectations and meet them, using the EQ™ model as an example of a values-based approach

Authentic Experiencer

Cultural Explorer

Free Spirit

Source: Canadian Tourism Commission, Explorer Quotient ™ www.keep-exploring.ca/eq

Link the visitor to the right experience

Setting Expectations Meeting Expectations

Reality versus expectations...

“...The visit DID NOT live up to our expectations... There were far far too many people and we were herded like cattle through each part of the museum...”

“... the gem of my vacation was the pilgrimage we made up the mountains to Nine Mile, the place where a legend was born ... I went there with 5 other people I loved as friends and left with them and many more as parts of my family.”

2 TripAdvisor reviews on Nine Mile, Jamaica

ALIGNING MESSAGING AND IMAGERY TO TRAVELLER VALUES

Setting Expectations

Modern family values

Ethical consumers

Enjoy personal challenge

Want to be on the move

Social Values

Source: Canadian Tourism Commission, Explorer Quotient ™ www.keep-exploring.ca/eq

Experience New Zealand culture

.........Could this be you?

Be Here By Morning

Authentic Experiencer?

Cultural Explorer?

Free Spirit?

Taken from: http://www.newzealand.com/travel/Canada/

?

Messaging

Discover your inner drover, South Australia

Experience life as a drover as you hop in the saddle and get behind 500 head of cattle on an unforgettable outback adventure along the Oodnadatta Track.

Imagery

Authentic Experiencer

Cultural Explorer?

Free Spirit?

.........Could this be you?

Messaging taken from: http://www.australia.com/campaigns/season_05/en/index.html

Screen shot of: http://www.stlucianow.com/romance.aspx

ALIGNING THE PRODUCT TO TRAVELLER VALUES

Meeting Expectations

Rented self-transportation and public transportation

Authentic cuisine

Open to all modes of travel

Tourism Product Values

Active transportation (bikes, kayaks, etc)

Source: Canadian Tourism Commission, Explorer Quotient ™ www.keep-exploring.ca/eq

parks

museums, galleries

viewing wildlife festivals, events

art/craft studios

local cuisine

mixing with the locals (living culture)

markets

Cultural Product Values

Products that facilitate:

- Visiting the ‘hot spots’

- Socializing (love crowds)

Adventure tourism

Products that facilitate:

- lots of nature, no crowds

- Unstructured exploration, learning (about nature) and self-discovery

Products that facilitate:- Closeness to the place’s cultureLearning about the place’s history and culture- Relaxing in beautiful, peaceful environments

Exercise:

1. Choose a destination

2. Choose 1-3 traveller types

Adapted from: Canadian Tourism Commission, Explorer Quotient ™ www.keep-exploring.ca/eq

Oistins, Barbados

CULTURAL EXPLORER

Fish market/Fish Fry Mixing with the locals

Enjoying B’dos cuisine & entertainment

Learning about B’dos lifestyles and culture

The beachRelaxing in a beautiful setting

Rental cars, busesSelf-touring day trips to places where they can learn about the culture: markets, the museum, etc.

FREE SPIRIT

Fish market/Fish Fry Socializing with the locals and other tourists

Enjoying B’dos cuisine & entertainment

Buying souvenirs

The beachHaving fun and showing off in a beautiful setting

Guided tourshit the island hot spots while socializing with other tourists

Exercise:

List attractions/ products that will appeal to your targeted Cultural explorers

parks

museums, galleries

viewing wildlife festivals, events

art/craft studios

local cuisine

mixing with the locals (living culture)

markets

Cultural Product Values

Products that facilitate:

- Visiting the ‘hot spots’

- Socializing (love crowds)

Adventure tourism

Products that facilitate:

- lots of nature, no crowds

- Unstructured exploration, learning (about nature) and self-discovery

Products that facilitate:- Closeness to the place’s culture

Learning about the place’s history and culture

- Relaxing in beautiful, peaceful environments

Exercise:For each attraction/product, list 2-3 qualities that appeal to each of your target cultural traveller types

Source: Canadian Tourism Commission, Explorer Quotient www.keep-exploring.ca/eq

STRATEGIES FOR PRODUCT AMENDMENTS

Meeting Expectations

Strategy #1: Cluster products around themes

Essex County, Massachusetts

Taken from: http://www.escapesnorth.com/

Strategy #2: Use Itineraries

Convict trail

Tasmania's Trails

Taken from: http://www.discovertasmania.com/itineraries/convict_trail

2006 2007 2008 2009

Scheduled Air and Sea Visitors

Convict Trail 298,200 288,600 336,000 319,700

Cradle Country 247,000 243,500 265,600 260,700

East Coast Escape 224,900 215,800 240,800 231,800

Great Nature Trail 194,400 181,000 205,500 193,400

Great Western Tiers 164,000 163,800 164,500 159,400

Heritage Highway 201,300 175,000 181,800 170,500

Huon Trail 160,300 157,100 193,400 175,800

North East Trail 162,000 140,800 158,700 154,200

Rivers Run 189,300 187,100 201,300 197,700

Tamar Valley 123,100 105,500 119,500 110,100

West Coast Wilderness 217,700 223,400 242,100 234,500

Total Visitors 14+ (S1) 427,500 409,500 483,600 466,600

Total Visitors to Tasmania 810,400 824,100 897,100 912,100

Tasmania – Total Touring Route Holiday Visitors

Source: Tasmanian Visitors Survey – Tourism Tasmania

2006 2007 2008 2009

Total Nights 3,781,500 3,625,800 4,173,200 4,079,100

Average length of stay

(nights)9 8.8 8.5 8.8

Tasmania – Total Holiday Nights Spent on Touring Routes by Holiday Visitors

Source: Tasmanian Visitors Survey – Tourism Tasmania

2006 2007 2008 2009

First trip 213, 500 201,000 227,400 219,800

Return trip 208,000 204,100 249,100 238,800

2006 2007 2008 2009

Partners/Couple 220,600 201,400 237,900 233,100

Families with children 53,700 50,400 55,500 52,300

Group of Friends 32,600 39,700 49,100 47,700

Tour groups 10,400 12,900 16,800 15,600

Alone 39,800 30,400 30,500 39,000

Dominant age group: 45-64Slightly more females than males

Tasmania – Who They Travelled With

Source: Tasmanian Visitors Survey – Tourism Tasmania

OTHER TIPS

North American Cultural Travellers

Pay attention to sustainability

Example: Hawaii

• Low resident satisfaction on tourism’s contribution to preserving Hawaiian culture and sustaining its natural resources

• “...they put on leis and sing ‘Tiny Bubbles’”*

* Source: OmniTrak Group, “Resident Sentiment Survey prepared for the Hawaii Tourism Authority”, Feb 2010

Make sure everyone is involved

Gastown, Vancouver Chinatown, Vancouver

In Conclusion

• Cultural tourism can differentiate your destination and draw North Americans

• Set and meet visitor expectations – ying and yang of cultural tourism

• Pay attention to sustainability

• Get everyone involved for a “total” culture experience

The North American Cultural Tourist

Mahon Jones & Associates

mmj@ mahonjones.com

www.mahonjones.com

1588 Look Out Point

North Vancouver BC

604-833-3290