A study of western Canadian market potential to visit the Canadian Badlands: Exploratory qualitative research Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture November 30, 2007 A study of western Canadian market potential to visit the Canadian Badlands: Exploratory qualitative research Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture November 30, 2007 408 Lessard Drive Edmonton Alberta Canada T6M 1A7 Telephone: (780) 487-3682 Fax: (780) 484-9813 [email protected] INFORMATION PLANNING EVALUATION Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 Purpose and objectives............................................................................................................2 Methodology .............................................................................................................................2 Geographic, demographic and psychographic segments ...................................................................................... 2 Sample size and distribution.................................................................................................................................................. 2 Approach to the report........................................................................................................................................................... 3 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS .................................................................................................. 4 Best trip destinations ...............................................................................................................4 Location............................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 What made these trips special?........................................................................................................................................... 5 The term “Canadian Badlands”..............................................................................................8 Awareness ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Associations .................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Knowledge of the full Canadian Badlands region....................................................................................................10 Interest in signature attractions ......................................................................................... 15 Alberta Prairie Railway............................................................................................................................................................16 Cypress Hills Provincial Park................................................................................................................................................16 Tyrrell Museum...........................................................................................................................................................................17 Dinosaur Provincial Park........................................................................................................................................................17 Rosebud Theatre.......................................................................................................................................................................18 Writing on Stone Provincial Park .....................................................................................................................................19 Atlas Coal Mine ..........................................................................................................................................................................19 Blackfoot Crossing.....................................................................................................................................................................19 Is there a critical mass?............................................................................................................................................................20 Touring route guides ............................................................................................................21 Common elements of the guides.....................................................................................................................................22 General appearance and “feel”................................................................................................................................. 22 Design elements............................................................................................................................................................... 23 Images .................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Fonts and text.................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Maps .................................................................................................................................................................................. 28 Information.......................................................................................................................................................................... 31 Format of the guides...................................................................................................................................................... 34 i. Content of individual guides ...............................................................................................................................................36 Homesteads, Bonebeds & Coalbeds Driving Tour (Regional Driving Tour).................................36 Red Coats & Coulees Driving Tour (Regional Driving Tour).................................................................36 Coal Mines and Dinosaur Finds Driving Tour (Local Driving Tour)...................................................37 Mormon Tales and Historic Rails Tour (Local Walking Tour)...............................................................38 Prairie Studios (Specialty Theme Tour)...............................................................................................................39 Familiarity with touring guides and likelihood of use.............................................................................................41 Previous use of touring guides..................................................................................................................................41 Interest in using a touring guide ...............................................................................................................................41 Interest in escorted tours.............................................................................................................................................42 Information sources .............................................................................................................. 42 APPENDIX I: PSYCHOGRAPHIC SEGMENTS APPENDIX II: TOURING ROUTES ii. Introduction Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture (TPRC) has been actively pursuing a vision of developing a major new destination in Alberta to complement what is offered by the Canadian Rockies. Work on the concept started six years ago, spearheaded by the Town of Drumheller, Travel Alberta In-Province and Alberta Economic Development (now TPRC) with a vision for the destination being developed in 2001 as, “A quality, year-round, branded, international, national and local tourism destination for all ages – a new Alberta destination icon.” A considerable amount of work has been done since 2003 relating to identification and delineation of the region, naming and branding of the Canadian Badlands, building partnerships with many of the communities located in it and investigation of opportunities to enhance the tourism experience. In 2004 a Marketing Committee was struck and prepared a marketing strategy. In 2006 this grew into Canadian Badlands Ltd., which has municipal membership. Provincial government support for the Canadian Badlands continues, and the region is included in the Ministry's Business Plan 2007-2010 under the heading Significant Opportunities and Challenges, as follows: Alberta is a world-class tourism destination attracting visitors from across Canada and beyond. Rising demand for tourism experiences including Aboriginal, agri- and eco-tourism creates diverse opportunities for the province. Rural areas in the province, such as the Canadian Badlands, continue to develop as new tourism destinations and are becoming increasingly appealing to visitors from around the world. More specifically, Goal 3, Strategy 3.4 is to, "Support the expansion of the tourism industry through development of new and enhanced destinations and products particularly in rural areas (including the Canadian Badlands, Tracking Alberta Dinosaurs, heritage tourism, experience-based tourism, sport