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UPEI's Tourism Research Centre releases profile of visitors based on entry and exit points
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The Tourism Research Centre (TRC) at UPEI's School of Business today announced the release of a report on differences between visitors to PEI based on their entry and exit points - the Confederation Bridge, Wood Islands Ferry or a combination of the two.
"The results of this report were quite surprising," says Dr. Sean Hennessey, Faculty Director of the TRC. "We expected differences in terms of the regions visited on PEI for those using the ferry versus the bridge-or both-but were more surprised by the differences in spending and length of stay."
Some of the results were expected, such as visitors from Nova Scotia being the most frequent users of the ferry, and almost the only visitors who use the ferry to both enter and exit PEI. In addition, 96 per cent of the visitors from New Brunswick travelling to PEI by vehicle use the Confederation Bridge to both enter and exit PEI.
"However, it is surprising that about 21 per cent of the total travel parties use one method to enter PEI and the other to exit," explained Dr. Hennessey. "This is a sign of a large number of touring parties, and they are primarily from Ontario, the western provinces, international countries, and from states outside the New England area. In addition, a surprisingly high 21 per cent of visitors from Nova Scotia use one method to enter PEI, the other to exit. It is also somewhat surprising that visitors using only the bridge to enter and exit PEI stay an average of 5.5 nights on PEI, while those using the ferry only or a mixture only stay an average of about 3.4 nights. This is a very large difference."
Average party size was very similar across the three groups at about three people per travel party; however, average expenditure per person per night differed sharply. Those using the bridge only spent about $62 per person per night, whereas those using the ferry at least one way spent about $82 per person per night. This is not because of the fare differences between the ferry and bridge, as this figure was excluded when visitors reported their spending.
The report is the seventh in a series based on comprehensive data previously released in the report, "Overall Results of the 2007 Exit Survey." The data is for the main tourism season of June 27 to September 30, 2007, and was collected as visitors departed PEI at the Confederation Bridge, Charlottetown Airport, and Wood Islands Ferry (seasonally). For a list of all reports released by the TRC on Exit Survey results, please visit trc.upei.ca/exitsurvey. Three more reports based on main season results will be released over the next six weeks.
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.
"The results of this report were quite surprising," says Dr. Sean Hennessey, Faculty Director of the TRC. "We expected differences in terms of the regions visited on PEI for those using the ferry versus the bridge-or both-but were more surprised by the differences in spending and length of stay."
Some of the results were expected, such as visitors from Nova Scotia being the most frequent users of the ferry, and almost the only visitors who use the ferry to both enter and exit PEI. In addition, 96 per cent of the visitors from New Brunswick travelling to PEI by vehicle use the Confederation Bridge to both enter and exit PEI.
"However, it is surprising that about 21 per cent of the total travel parties use one method to enter PEI and the other to exit," explained Dr. Hennessey. "This is a sign of a large number of touring parties, and they are primarily from Ontario, the western provinces, international countries, and from states outside the New England area. In addition, a surprisingly high 21 per cent of visitors from Nova Scotia use one method to enter PEI, the other to exit. It is also somewhat surprising that visitors using only the bridge to enter and exit PEI stay an average of 5.5 nights on PEI, while those using the ferry only or a mixture only stay an average of about 3.4 nights. This is a very large difference."
Average party size was very similar across the three groups at about three people per travel party; however, average expenditure per person per night differed sharply. Those using the bridge only spent about $62 per person per night, whereas those using the ferry at least one way spent about $82 per person per night. This is not because of the fare differences between the ferry and bridge, as this figure was excluded when visitors reported their spending.
The report is the seventh in a series based on comprehensive data previously released in the report, "Overall Results of the 2007 Exit Survey." The data is for the main tourism season of June 27 to September 30, 2007, and was collected as visitors departed PEI at the Confederation Bridge, Charlottetown Airport, and Wood Islands Ferry (seasonally). For a list of all reports released by the TRC on Exit Survey results, please visit trc.upei.ca/exitsurvey. Three more reports based on main season results will be released over the next six weeks.
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.
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