Survey says PEI’s rural regions are preferred by visitors
A recent survey by the Tourism Research Centre (TRC) at UPEI found that many visitors to PEI prefer to spend time in the rural regions of the province and are satisfied with the amenities and experiences available in these areas.
'The survey found that in general, the respondents prefer to travel to rural destinations but when it comes to choosing a place to stay, they prefer to stay in a rural location in close proximity to an urban centre or vice versa. PEI offers the ideal setting for these travellers. Visitors can stay overnight in Charlottetown, for example, and make day trips to other regions. Or, they have the opportunity to stay overnight in a rural area and still be less than an hour's drive from an urban setting,' says Dr. Sean Hennessey, faculty director of the TRC.
He adds, 'Given PEI's small size it is not surprising that visitors frequently visit the rural regions. Visitors spend less time travelling between various parts of the province and the rural regions are less isolated than those in larger provinces or states. The rural areas of PEI are travel destinations as opposed to being places that visitors drive through on their way to their end destination.'
85 per cent of survey respondents had previously visited PEI and the majority of these travellers had visited at least one of the rural regions (defined as all areas outside of Charlottetown and Summerside). The respondents were attracted to the rural regions by the natural beauty, pastoral settings and scenic vistas, the opportunity to relax and enjoy a change of pace from everyday life, the beaches, the tranquility and peacefulness of the countryside, the fresh, clean country air and the opportunity to enjoy local foods and cuisine.
The majority of respondents felt the rural regions had enough accommodations, restaurants, grocery/convenience stores, service/gas stations and things to do. Those who disagreed were asked to provide details about what they felt was lacking-some respondents wanted more things to see and do, more eating establishments, more accommodations, more grocery stores, more places to buy local products, and more service stations. Many respondents explained that when they travel to PEI's rural regions they are expecting to find fewer amenities and attractions and that is what they enjoy. They prefer to visit less crowded areas and are satisfied with the offerings in PEI's rural regions.
Overall, respondents enjoyed their time in rural PEI. They rated their experience in the rural regions at 6.3 on a scale from 1 (poor) to 7 (excellent). Almost all respondents indicated they plan to return to PEI and 98 percent of those who plan to return agreed that they would visit rural PEI during their next visit.
Data for this report was collected on behalf of Tourism PEI using an online research panel from April 20 to May 10, 2010. The TRC survey was distributed to an online survey group and was completed by 3,176 people. To read the full report, please visit www.trc.upei.ca. For more information, please contact trc@upei.ca or call (902) 566-6096.
