ORKNEY VISITOR SURVEY 2008/2009 Prepared for: Prepared by: HIE, Orkney Islands Council AB Associates Ltd & VisitOrkney Unit 3/4 c/o 14 Queen Street Kirk Business Centre KIRKWALL SCALLOWAY Orkney Shetland KW15 1JE ZE1 0TF Tel: 01856 874638 Tel: 01595 880852 Fax: 01856 872915 Fax: 01595 880853 e.mail: [email protected] e.mail: [email protected] March 2010 Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Section Title Page 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Terms of Reference 1 2 Methodology 2 2.1 General Approach 2 2.2 Desk Based Research & Benchmarking 2 2.3 Survey Design and Implementation 3 2.3.1 Main Exit Survey 3 2.3.2 Self Completion Survey 3 2.3.3 Calibration Exercise 4 2.3.4 Interview Procedure and Schedule 4 2.3.5 Sample Size and Selection 5 2.4 Data Analysis and Reporting 6 2.5 Additional Issues and Lessons Learnt 6 2.6 Thank You 7 2.7 Report Format 7 EXIT SURVEY 3 Total Travel 9 4 Main Purpose of Trip 12 5 Trip Details 17 5.1 Social Group 17 5.2 Party Type 18 5.3 Party Size 19 5.4 Gender 20 5.5 Age 20 5.6 Origin 22 5.7 Previous Visits 24 6 Travel and Nights Away 26 6.1 Arrival and Exit Points 26 6.2 Nights Away 27 6.3 Visits to Orkney Areas 30 6.4 Internal Transport 32 7 Expenditure 33 8 Accommodation 38 9 Sources of Information/Inspiration 48 10 Activities 53 11 Feedback and Satisfaction 56 YACHT SURVEY 12 Yacht Survey 71 12.1 Total Yacht Travel 71 12.2 Yacht Trip Details 71 12.3 Yacht Expenditure 74 12.4 Sources of Information/Inspiration/Feedback & Satisfaction Yachts 74 OVERALL 13 Volume and Value of Tourism 77 Tables Number Title Page 2.1 Interview Statistics 5 2.2 Revised Travel Figures for Orkney Visitor Survey 2004/05 8 2.3 Revised Spend Figures for Orkney Visitor Survey 2004/05 8 3.1 Total Travel Oct 08 – Sep 09 by Transport Route 9 3.2 Breakdown by Transport Route and Interviews Conducted 9 3.3 Visitor Travel Breakdown by Transport Route 10 3.4 Total Travel Oct 08 – Sep 09 by Month 10 3.5 Breakdown of Travel by Month and Interviews Conducted 11 3.6 Total Visitor Numbers Comparison to Other Areas 11 4.1 Main Purpose of Trip Including Day Trips & 2005 Comparison 12 4.2 Main Purpose of Trip by Number & 2005 Comparison 13 4.3 Main Purpose of Trip by Transport Route 09 13 4.4 Main Purpose of Trip by Transport Route 09% 13 4.5 Total Departures by Month Oct 08 – Sep 09 14 4.6 Main Purpose of Trip Comparison to Other Areas 14 4.7 Holiday Visitors Main or Second Holiday & 2005 Comparison 15 5.1 Social Group (chief income earner) Including Retired & 05 Comparison 17 5.2 Social Group Comparison to Other Areas 17 5.3 Party Type by Respondent & 2005 Comparison 18 5.4 Party Type Comparison to Other Areas by Respondent 18 5.5 Party Type by All Visitors 19 5.6 Average Party Size & 2005 Comparison 19 5.7 Average Party Size Comparison to Other Areas 20 5.8 Gender of Respondent 20 5.9 Gender of Visitor 20 5.10 Age of Visitors by Gender 20 5.11 Age of Visitors by Origin 20 5.12 Age of Visitors Comparison to Shetland 21 5.13 Area of Origin All Visitors & 2005 Comparison 22 5.14 Area of Origin All Visitors Comparison to Other Areas 22 5.15 Country of Origin Overall, by Trip Purpose & Season 22 5.16 Country of Origin 2005 Comparison 23 5.17 Previous Visits by Respondent 24 5.18 Previous Visits by Trip Purpose 24 5.19 Previous Visits by Origin 25 6.1 Arrival and Exit Points Within Orkney 26 6.2 Nights Away by Area 27 6.3 Nights Away by Origin 27 6.4 Nights Away by Purpose of Trip 28 6.5 Nights Spent in Islands Comparison to Other Areas 29 6.6 Average Length of Stay in Orkney Sub-Areas (Nights) 30 6.7 Average Length of Stay in Orkney Sub-Areas 2005 Comparison(Nights) 30 6.8 Sub-Areas Visited Overall, by Origin & Trip Purpose 31 6.9 Number of Areas Visited Overall, by Origin & Trip Purpose 31 6.10 Internal Transport Used 32 Number Title Page 6.11 All Internal Transport Used 2005 Comparison 32 7.1 Average Spend Per Person Per Trip (£) 33 7.2 Average Spend on Local Produce 35 7.3 Average Spend by Trip Purpose Per Person Per Trip (£) 36 7.4 Average Spend & Other Key Indicators by Trip Purpose 36 7.5 Average Spend by Visitor Comparison to Other Areas (£) 37 8.1 Types of Accommodation Used 38 8.2 Main Types of Accommodation Used by Origin 39 8.3 Main Types of Accommodation Used by Purpose 39 8.4 Advanced Booking by Type of Visitor % 40 8.5 Length of Advanced Booking % 41 8.6 How Accommodation was Booked % 43 8.7 How Accommodation was Booked 2005 Comparison % 44 8.8 Accommodation First Choice & Ability to Book % 44 8.9 Accommodation First Choice & Ability to Book 2005 Comparison % 45 8.10 Accommodation Grading Choice & Ability to Book % 45 8.11 Accommodation Grading Choice & Ability to Book 2005 Comparison % 46 8.12 Reason for Being Unable to Book First Choice % 46 9.1 Information Sources Used Overall, by Origin & Trip Purpose % 48 9.2 Internet Research and Booking % 49 9.3 Inspiration to Visit All Travellers Top 5 % 50 9.4 Inspiration to Visit Holiday Visitors Top 5 % 51 9.5 Marketing Influences to Visit All Travellers Top 6 % 51 9.6 Marketing Influences to Visit Holiday Visitors Top 6 % 52 10.1 Visitor Attraction Heard of & Visited Top 5 % 53 10.2 Visitor Attraction Heard of & Visited Top 5 2005 Comparison % 53 10.3 Main Activity and Activities Undertaken Top % 54 10.4 Activities Undertaken 2005 Comparison % 55 11.1 Potential Improvements to Visit % 56 11.2 Activity Improvement or Provision% 57 11.3 Meeting Expectations Overall, by Origin & Trip Purpose % 58 11.4 Meeting Expectations 2005 Comparison % 58 11.5 Areas Falling Shortest of Expectations % 59 11.6 Highlight of Visit Top % 60 11.7 Recommend Orkney Overall, by Origin & Trip Purpose % 61 11.8 Likely to Return Within 5 Years Overall, by Origin & Trip Purpose % 61 11.9 Likely to Return Within 5 Years 2005 Compariosn % 62 11.10 Opinions of Tourism Aspects Overall % 62 11.11 Poor Ratings External Transport 65 11.12 Poor Ratings Internal Transport 66 11.13 Poor Ratings Signage 67 11.14 Poor Ratings Eating Out 68 11.15 Poor Ratings Accommodation 68 11.16 Poor Ratings Shops 69 11.17 Poor Ratings Visitor Attractions 69 11.18 Poor Ratings Other 70 Number Title Page 12.1 Total Yacht Numbers 71 12.2 Party Type by Yacht Respondent % 71 12.3 Party Type and Average Party Size by All Yacht Visitors 72 12.4 Gender of Yacht Respondent 72 12.5 Gender of Yacht Visitors 72 12.6 Age of Yacht Visitors 72 12.7 Area of Origin All Yacht Visitors 73 12.8 Main or Second Yacht Holiday % 73 12.9 Importance of Orkney on Trip Itinerary% 73 12.10 Average Nights Away on Yacht 73 12.11 Average Spend Per Yacht (£) 74 12.12 Information Sources Used Prior to Arrival of Yacht% 74 12.13 Opinions of Tourism Aspects Yacht 75 12.14 Highlight of Yacht Visit% 75 12.15 Recommend Orkney Yacht Visitor % 76 12.16 Return Yacht Visit% 76 13.1 Average Spend & Other Key Indicators by Visitor Type 2009 77 13.2 Overall Spend on Local Produce 2009 77 13.3 Volume and Value of Tourism Excluding Inflation 78 13.4 Value of Tourism Growth Including Inflation 79 13.5 Volume and Value of Tourism 2009 Including Cruise Market 80 APPENDICES 1. Questionnaires 2. Full Data Tables Orkney Visitor Survey 2008/2009 ORKNEY VISITOR SURVEY 2009 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AIM AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to provide detailed visitor information with which to guide future tourism policy in Orkney. The main objectives are to:- (a) provide an accurate estimate of volume and expenditure of visitors during 2008/2009; (b) supply information about visitor profiles and their visit in order to guide future tourism policy; (c) highlight principal drivers relating to Orkney as a destination of choice; (d) provide information on the quality of the visitor experience; (e) identify service and product gaps relating to Orkney tourism; (f) provide results which allow comparison of key indices with previous reports. This Executive Summary addresses objectives a-e below, f is interspersed within the other objectives. ESTIMATE OF VOLUME AND EXPENDITURE OF VISITORS The total value and volume of tourism within Orkney has been calculated using estimated numbers of visitors and average spend by purpose of trip as found within the main exit survey i.e. holiday, business and VFR visitors, as well as visiting yachts. The total estimated number of visitors to Orkney in 2009 was 141,974 made up of 141,172 air and sea travellers, and 802 yacht travellers. Overall these figures show an increase of 21,448 visitors or 18% since 2005. The total direct spend of these visitors in Orkney is estimated at £31.8m, made up of £31.6m from air and sea travellers, and £154,786 from yacht travellers. Holiday makers spent most at £23.5m representing 74% of all money spent.