BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure E&N Railway Corridor Study: Analysis of Tourist Train Potential REPORT IBI GROUP REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................... 3 2. VANCOUVER ISLAND TOURIST TRAIN CONTEXT ............................................................. 3 2.1 Objectives of Tourist Train Analysis ................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Existing and Previous Vancouver Island Tourist Trains ................................................................... 5 2.3 Possible Tourist Train Concepts for Corridor .................................................................................... 7 3. ANALYSIS OF VANCOUVER ISLAND TOURISM MARKET ................................................. 9 3.1 Visitor Origins and Trip Purpose ......................................................................................................... 9 3.2 Trip Characteristics ............................................................................................................................. 10 3.3 Demographics of Visitors ................................................................................................................... 12 3.4 Visitor Expenditure Data ..................................................................................................................... 13 3.5 Conclusions Regarding Southern Vancouver Island Tourism Market ........................................... 14 4. REVIEW OF COMPARABLE TOURIST TRAIN EXCURSIONS ........................................... 16 4.1 Tourist Train Day Excursions in BC .................................................................................................. 16 4.2 White Pass and Yukon Railway .......................................................................................................... 18 4.3 Tourist Trains Sustained for Decades in Ontario ............................................................................. 20 5. RESULTS OF INTERVIEWS WITH TOUR OPERATORS / CRUISE LINES ........................ 23 5.1 Assessing Market Potential Among Tour Operators ....................................................................... 23 5.2 Market Potential for Cruise Line Shore Excursions ......................................................................... 27 6. CONSUMER TESTING OF TOURIST TRAIN CONCEPT ..................................................... 30 6.1 Survey Process ................................................................................................................................... 30 6.2 Visitor Origins / Place of Residence .................................................................................................. 31 6.3 Visitor Travel Party Size and Composition ....................................................................................... 31 6.4 Trip Characteristics of Visitors .......................................................................................................... 32 Page i. IBI GROUP REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT’D) 6.5 Previous Tour Train Experience ........................................................................................................ 34 6.6 Likelihood of Purchase and Desired Characteristics of Tourist Train Excursion ......................... 35 6.7 Potential for Nanaimo-Based Tourist Train ...................................................................................... 36 6.8 Tourist Train Fares Consumers are Willing to Pay .......................................................................... 37 6.9 Demographics of Respondents ......................................................................................................... 38 7. POTENTIAL FOR A NEW TOURIST TRAIN EXCURSION .................................................. 40 7.1 Assessment of Market Potential ........................................................................................................ 40 7.2 Tourist Train Product Requirements ................................................................................................. 42 7.3 Revenue Potential ............................................................................................................................... 42 7.4 Potential of Other Alternatives ........................................................................................................... 44 7.5 Tourism Impacts of Discontinuing Passenger Rail Service ............................................................ 47 List of Exhibits Exhibit 1.1 - E & N Railway Corridor, Vancouver Island ..................................................................... 4 List of Tables Table E.1 - Estimated Market Potential for Victoria-Based Excursion Trains ..................................... 2 Table 3.1: Origins of Visitors to Victoria and Vancouver Island .......................................................... 9 Table 3.2: Main Trip Purpose for Visitors to Victoria ........................................................................ 10 Table 3.3: Party Size of Visitors to Vancouver Island ....................................................................... 10 Table 3.4: Length of Stay on Vancouver Island ................................................................................ 11 Table 3.5: Top Attractions/Activities of Visitors to Victoria (excl. shopping) ..................................... 11 Table 3.6: Top Activities of Visitors to Vancouver Island .................................................................. 12 Table 3.7: Age Profile of Visitors to Victoria ...................................................................................... 12 Table 3.8: Age Profile of Visitors to Vancouver Island ...................................................................... 13 Table 3.9: Education Levels of Visitors to Vancouver Island ............................................................ 13 Table 3.10: Per Person Daily Expenditures of Visitors to Victoria .................................................... 14 Table 3.11: Previous Day’s Expenditures per Party of Visitors to Vancouver Island ....................... 14 Table 5.1: Summary of Cruise Ship Activity at Victoria’s Cruise Ship Terminal ............................... 27 Table 6.1: Location of Surveys ........................................................................................................ 30 Table 6.2: Place of Residence of Respondents ............................................................................... 31 Table 6.3: Travel Party Size for Visitors ........................................................................................... 32 Table 6.4: Travel Party Composition for Visitors .............................................................................. 32 Table 6.5: Trip Purpose for Visitors ................................................................................................. 32 Table 6.6: Total Trip Length for Visitors ........................................................................................... 33 Table 6.7: No. of Days Spent on Vancouver Island by Visitors ....................................................... 33 Table 6.8: Top 15 Attractions/Activities Identified by Visitors .......................................................... 34 Table 6.9: % of Visitors and Residents Who Have Been on a Tour Train ....................................... 34 Page ii. IBI GROUP REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONT’D) Table 6.10: Likelihood of Purchasing a Victoria to Duncan/Chemainus Tourist Train Excursion ...................................................................................................................... 35 Table 6.11: % of Visitors and Residents More Likely to Purchase if a Steam Train Excursion ....... 35 Table 6.12: Types of Services/Amenities/Features Desired ............................................................ 36 Table 6.13: Desired Length of Excursion ......................................................................................... 36 Table 6.14: Likelihood of Purchasing a Nanaimo to Courtenay/Comox Tourist Train Excursion ...................................................................................................................... 37 Table 6.15: Amount Willing to Pay for Half-Day Excursion .............................................................. 37 Table 6.16: Amount Willing to Pay for Full-Day Excursion .............................................................. 38 Table 6.17: Highest Level of Education Attained by Respondents .................................................. 38 Table 6.18: Age of Respondents ..................................................................................................... 39 Table 6.19: Employment Status of Respondents............................................................................. 39 Table 6.20: Income Levels of Respondents ..................................................................................... 39 Page iii. IBI GROUP REPORT BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure E&N Railway Corridor Study: Analysis of Tourist Train Potential Executive Summary This Report presents an Assessment of Tourist Train Potential, undertaken as part of the Evaluation