UPEI's Tourism Research Centre releases study on visitors from Maritime Provinces

The Tourism Research Centre (TRC) at the School of Business of the University of PEI today announced the release of a report profiling visitors from the Maritime Provinces from the summer of 2007.

The report is the second in a series of short reports based on data presented in 'Overall Results of the 2007 Exit Survey' for the main tourism season of June 27 to September 30. The PEI Visitor Exit Survey is being distributed at the Confederation Bridge, Charlottetown Airport, and Wood Islands Ferry (seasonally) for a full year and is being managed by the TRC on behalf of Tourism PEI. The survey gathers information on visitor spending, accommodation use, holiday activities, customer satisfaction, repeat visitation, and more.

This report specifically compares the similarities and differences between Maritime visitors and visitors from further regions. The data analyzed was collected from June 27 to September 30, 2007, from 3,173 completed surveys.

Results show the huge importance of this regional market which encompasses over half of PEI's visitors during the stated time period. Overall, these visitors tend to stay on PEI for shorter periods of time, thus spending less per trip than visitors from further markets, but they are also loyal visitors with a clear majority being repeat visitors.

'The Exit Survey was designed so results could be cross-analyzed to provide a depth of data for further analysis. This report does an extremely good job of profiling our Maritime visitors and creates an excellent standard by which we can profile more visitors based on their origin. The Maritime market is extremely important to PEI, and it is critical that we fully understand these visitors,' stated Dr. Sean Hennessey, Faculty Director of the TRC. 'Some of these results may surprise some of the stakeholders in the industry. In addition, it is important to understand the consequences of the findings and how we can use them to improve our strategy to target these visitors.'

This is the third report to be released from data collected by the Exit Survey. Over the next 15 weeks, a series of reports profiling different segments of PEI visitors based on origin, travel party type, repeat visitation and more, will be released. The full report is available on the TRC's Website at http://trc.upei.ca/exitsurvey. Some highlights of the report include:

• Maritime visitors who visited PEI on overnight pleasure trips accounted for just over one half (50.5 percent) of total visitors to PEI during the study period from June 27 - September 30, 2007. Nova Scotia accounted for 29.5 percent, New Brunswick 21.0 percent.


• Maritime visitors are travelling on relatively short trips. On average, they are away from home just under 4 nights but because PEI is their only destination they spend almost all of their time on the Island (average of 3.7 nights).


• When Maritime visitors stay in cabins or at campgrounds they stay almost twice as long as they would in a hotel, motel, resort, B&B or inn (roughly 4.5 nights versus 2.2 nights).


• The most popular destinations for Maritime visitors are Anne's Land and Charlottetown.


• These visitors take part in almost all activities at lower rates than visitors from outside the Maritimes - especially the activities that could be termed 'touristy.' This includes visiting historic and cultural attractions, attending lobster dinners, visiting Canada's birthplace attractions, and especially visiting anything that has to do with Anne of Green Gables.


• However, these visitors are more likely to visit theme or amusement parks and attend local fairs, festivals and events than visitors from other, more distant markets. These types of activities may be viewed as specific reasons to visit a destination. That is, the Maritime market may specifically visit PEI for these reasons.


• Maritime visitors spend about the same amount of money per day as other visitors ($65.52 per person per day). As their stays are shorter, they spend less per trip than visitors from more distant markets (just under $800 per party per trip versus more that $1,200 for visitors from further away).


• On average, Maritime visitors are younger than visitors from more distant markets. This is because 35 percent are travelling as families with children. By comparison, only 18 percent of US visitors are family travellers.


• The one feature that clearly differentiates Maritime visitors from visitors from outside the region is return visitation. Maritime visitors are return visitors; in fact, more than 90 percent have been to PEI before. Two thirds have been to the Island within the past two years. Over the last five years, these Maritime travellers have visited PEI an average of 8.03 times (Nova Scotia) and 8.94 times (New Brunswick). These Maritime visitors are more than return visitors; two thirds are regular customers.


• One cause of concern which may warrant further research is the lack of new Maritime visitors and why this is the case. If there is a problem it may be a combination of a product, marketing, or competition issue. This situation needs to be understood, and is beyond the scope of the results that are available in the Exit Survey.

'Maritime visitors are very interesting, some of them have almost become unofficial seasonal residents of the Island,' said Dr. Hennessey. 'Maritime visitors are very knowledgeable about the Island and have the potential to be wonderful spokespersons. They have friends and family here, and they are obviously well accepted by Islanders. They promote the Island and its activities to their friends and family, and have really helped PEI keep in touch with the family market.'

Further information about the report can be obtained from the Tourism Research Centre, School of Business, University of PEI, at (902) 566-6096 or trc@upei.ca.