10.00 Test run bus-shuttle Zoo & Medieval Centre - results and lessons learned Andreas Schubert, Frede Danborg

Transcription

1 INTERFACE c/o Hanseatic City of Rostock Dr. Andreas Schubert Neuer Markt 1 D Rostock Phone: Fax: andreas.schubert@rostock.de MINUTES 3rd Port, Public Transport & Ferry Operator Meeting INTERFACE Rostock-Gedser , 9-14 Uhr Rostock Port Authority, Ost-West-Str. 32, Rostock - Conference Centre, room1 Time Topic 9:10 Registration and Coffee 9:20 Welcome and Introduction Mario Lembke, Andreas Schubert 9:30 Passenger Requirement Analysis Interim Results from Interviews in Rostock Port Prof. Dr. Martin Benkenstein, Baltic Institute of Marketing, Transport and Tourism Test run bus-shuttle Zoo & Medieval Centre - results and lessons learned Andreas Schubert, Frede Danborg Improved bus connection Gedser Port- Nykøbing Status - achievements so far on Danish Side Steffen Nielsen, Frede Danborg Implementation Bus Shuttle between Rostock City and Port Interim Results Nico Falke, Günter Gladisch 10:45 Planning of future joint Activities: PART 1 Content - time frame responsibilities organisation -ALL + Cross-border Combination Tickets + Improved Communication between Traffic Operators (e.g. What to do in case of delays?) + Marketing Concept + Joint Events/ Packages ( e.g. 1st of May -Joint event when starting bus shuttle, Hanse Sail 2011 Rostock etc.) + Passenger Information regarding new offers (e.g. bus shuttle) + Completion of Feasibility Study on Bus shuttle between Rostock City & Port + Gedser Port and Nykøbing Lunch Break Planning of future joint Activities: PART 2 - ALL Dating of next meeting 14:00 Farewell 15: 00 Departure of the ferry to Gedser

2 Page 2 List of Participants:

3 Page 3 Points of Discussion: 1. Presentation of interim results of Passenger Requirement Analysis in Port of Rostock by Prof. Dr. Martin Benkenstein, Baltic Institute of Marketing, Transport and Tourism After a short introduction, held by the host Andreas Schubert Prof. Benkenstein presented interim results gained by interviews with passengers on board of the ferries between Rostock and Gedser. From June till August (evaluable) questionnaires have been collected on this ferry passage. Selected results so far: + Origin of the passengers: around 60 % DE, 23 % DK, 8 % SE, 3,4 % PL, 61 % others (in accordance to travel route) + More than 50 % of interviewed persons use public transport rarely (seldom, never), 33 % use it often + Holiday is the main reason for travel (70 %) which can be justified by time of survey, deviations expected in low season (September-February) + With around 44 % a majority stated that they purchased the ticket online, 31 % bought it directly at the ferry terminal- whereas near-term ticket purchase amounts to 50 %. + With 472 most of the interviewed persons came by car to ferry terminal, 63 came by bus (coach) and 38 by long distance bus, 47 arrived by public transport. + Approximately 83 % have not thought about to choose another type of transport, 17 thought about. + Especially persons arrived/ depart by car have not thought about to choose another type of transportation (87%)- main reasons: flexibility, comfortableness, luggage, to many changes/inconvenient. + One third combined ferry passage with short stay in Rostock -shopping, sightseeing, gastronomy were the main reasons. + Satisfaction with Terminal: 2,1- unsatisfied with bus connection to the port, bridging of waiting times. Answers regarding type of transport to/from the port and general attitude towards use of public transport/general type of transport are important indicators to estimate potential for bus shuttle in Rostock. Basing on the interim results first projections for the bus shuttle in Rostock has been made. Projection

4 Page 4 differs between 9,4 % (Realistic projection), 11, 8 % and 18 % (Maximum potential) of the passengers which will probably use bus-shuttle to be established in May Under consideration of the number of passengers using ferry service between Rostock and Gedser in 2009 (1,4 Millions) and utilization of the ferry line on one ferry trip (Max: 904, Min: 25 passengers) the number of passengers using the bus shuttle can be prognosticated as follows: maximum potential optimistic projection realistic projection passengers 2009 maximum capacity June August 2010 minimum capacity June August BUT: Prof. Benkenstein also underlines that to achieve acceptable number of passengers using the shuttle it requires that: + Information on bus shuttle is available, the service provided is known. + Booking condition meet the needs of customers. The bus ticket can be purchased online and preferably together with the ferry ticket (Combination ticket) + flexibility is given. (e.g. delays of the ferry depending on weather conditions) Conclusion: It might not be possible to change the behavior of the people e.g. to leave car at home (87 % choose car to get to port) but their is a potential (see above) which can be attracted with convenient offers to visit neighbours regions. However, it has to be stressed that results gained by the interviews reflect only current status (analysis of the current state)- it does not consider persons, not already using the ferry service. The interviews in Rostock will be continued until 27th of February The presentation will be send to participants of the meeting together with the minutes. (Results of the survey will be provided online as far as final results are available!)

5 Page 5 2. Test run bus-shuttle Zoo & Medieval Centre - results and lessons learned After the presentation of Prof. Benkenstein the test run of the bus shuttle combined with a visit of Rostock Zoo and Nykøbing Medieval Centre respectively carried out on four days in August 2010 have been discussed. After introducing words by Andreas Schubert Frede Danborg presents results of the test run. + The trip from Nykøbing to Rostock Zoo was nearly booked out, 2/3 of the seats were booked from Rostock to Nykøbing Medieval Centre- whereas all passengers booked the Danish offer actually visit the Medieval centre, the majority of Danish visitors stayed in the City and did not visit the Zoogarden. Destination Nyköbing Medieval Rostock Zoo/ City Centre TOTAL Test run pushed by Mayors of Guldborgsund and Hanseatic City of Rostock: To strengthen the cooperation between both neighbours John Brædder (Guldborgsund Municipality) and Roland Methling (Hanseatic City of Rostock) agreed at Concert in Gedser on 1st of August 2010 to initialise a test run. + Partners involved: Guldborgsund, Hanseatic City of Rostock/ Tourism Agency, Rostock Zoo, Medieval Centre Nykøbing, Scandlines, private buscompany Gedser- Nykøbing, Rostocker Straßenbahn AG and private bus company Rostock port were involved as partners. + Promotion: On Danish side the offer has been promoted by local newspapers, at Guldborgsund website, on TV and flyers produced. In Rostock the offer has been promoted via radio, flyers and online at Rostock website, City admin intranet and focused s. + Feedback from Danish tourists: Offer has been recognized as convenient and cheap offer, Rostock nice destination + Feedback from German tourists: Offer has be recognized as convenient and cheap; Medievalcentre is worth to be visited, but not in a iterative way; South DK region is not known enough

6 Page 6 + Costs incurred for bus transfer on both sides, preparation and printing of marketing flyer, announcement in Danish newspaper, staff costs of organisations/ partners involved (appr , excl. staff costs) offers financed by INTERFACE, Zoo Rostock and Medieval Centre Conclusions and lesson learned + Test run great success with regard to booking numbers and the short preparation time results to build upon. + Offers raised attention on the possibility of going to Rostock / Nykøbing, to visit neighbour region. The developed offers are a useful measure to attract more foot passengers and more visitors. For development of future combination tickets and event/ tourism packages the following has to be considered: + Tickets sold below market price, since only ferry costs were covered. Price for future combination ticket and event/ tourism packages have to be adjusted (e.g. use of regular public transport, decrease average costs) + Structural differences to be considered: o Rostock (appr inhabitants and a hinterland with app inhabitants, appr guests/year): There is a need/potential for special event packages/ tourism packages Nyköbing and Gedser as such will probably not have enough power to attract plenty of visitors from Rostock (in comparison to Copenhagen), however there is a potential for niche products as for example school trips are conceivable. Guldborgsund tourist attractions should be bundled. o Guldborgsund (appr inhabitants): Since Rostock as such is attractive as destination for shopping etc. for Danish visitors there is no explicit need for event/ tourism packages. A sound marketing of attractions is needed, e.g. through brochure promoting Rostock as destination for Danes (to be developed in 2011 in connection with Marketing for bus shuttle) + To involve tourist organisations from Guldborgsund and Rostock to create attractive offers including e.g. Fuglsang Art Museum and Chamber Ensemble as destination. + There is a need for better communication and coordination between stakeholders involved

7 Page 7 The presentation will be downloadable at 3. Improved bus connection Gedser Port- Nykøbing Status - achievements so far on Danish Side Since 28th of June the bus service operates from Gedser Ferry terminal. The bus time table is adjusted to all ferry arrivals and departures. The improvement has been announced in local press and in the brochure Willkommen in Dänemark - also developed in context of INTERFACE. The timetable is available online at (Køreplaner). A raising number of people using the improved service can not be observed. However this may change as far the bus shuttle will be established in Rostock. 4. Status Implementation of Bus Shuttle between Rostock City The status of the implementation of bus shuttle has been presented by Günter Gladisch. The following steps have been already fixed in the meantime: + Type of bus (Sprinter, standard bus, long Bus vehicle) + Number and location of stops (Main Station + City, it has to be decided if one additional stop will be established in the east of Rostock to consider port employees and commuters) + Timetable (Adjustment to all ferry arrivals and departures from/ to Denmark) + Start of Bus shuttle: 1 st of May 2011, preferably combined with a public awareness event and involvement of political stakeholders as the Minister for Transport in Mecklenburg Vorpommern, Mayors Roland Methling and John Brædder + Coordination with bus operator RSAG on costs and organization The presentation will be downloadable at Agreements: It has been agreed that: + In accordance with the development of combination ticket and tariff bus shuttle timetable and travel conditions will be forwarded to responsible authority within of Mecklenburg Vorpommern until end of 2010

8 Page 8 5. Planning of future joint Activities Remaining time in 2010/ beginning 2011 will be used to: + Continue work on Cross-border Combination Ticket + Elaborate a Marketing Concept for bus shuttle + Agree on measures Passenger Information regarding new offers (e.g. bus shuttle) + Develop Joint Events/ Packages ( e.g. 1st of May -Joint event when starting bus shuttle, Hanse Sail 2011 Rostock etc.) + Completion of Feasibility Study on Bus shuttle between Rostock City & Port + Gedser Port and Nykøbing Cross-border Combination ticket With regard to Cross-border Combination ticket Günter Gladisch informed that: + Development and systematic for the price of Combination Ticket specials, harmonization + Coordination-meeting with Scandlines 27.Sept Output: Scandlines allows MOVIA and RSAG to use their booking system to book combination tickets. + Law and legal advices from Scandlines and VVW are already fixed. Working group: VVW (Günter Gladisch, Nico Falke), Movia (Steffen Nielsen), Scandlines DE (Karla Banitz, NN), Scandlines DK ( Brian Lindorf Hansen), Port Authority Rostock (Mario Lembke) However there are still open questions which need to be clarified: + Relations and tickets (e.g. single, day, group ticket etc.) + Tariff conditions (children, adult, dogs, cyclists etc.; how to deal with persons with reduced mobility)

9 Page 9 + Tariff prices: composition of price (under consideration of low and main season), discounts + Sales/ distribution of tickets (advance booking, direct sale, access to reservation, how to consider spontaneous travelers etc.) + Ticket inspection (Layout, bar code, responsibility for ticket inspection, measure for compliance) + Further issues to be negotiated and implemented in this context are: o measures of communication between the transport companies o Combination Ticket incl. additional benefit discounts somewhere, )/ Event Packages (special entrances, o o o o o terms of tariff approvals, concession, tariff quota allocation revenues creation of new marketing / distribution channels contracts between the involved partner Agreements: It has been agreed that: + VVW will send the systematic for price of combination ticket and open questions to be clarified (see above) to Movia until 8 th of October Meeting with Movia to discuss price of combination ticket ( in Gedser) + The price of the combination ticket will be decided at joint consultation of VVW, Movia and Scandlines end of October In terms of security port of Rostock will be involved. ( on board of the ferry Rostock-Gedser 9 o clock) + The common rules for the tariff will be prepared and compiled by VVW in cooperation with Movia and Scandlines until November The Decision on start of ticket sale will discussed subsequently. + Tariff will be confirmed until end of December 2010

10 Page 10 Open questions will be clarified by VVW in close operation with Movia (Steffen Nielsen), Scandlines Germany (Karla Banitz), Scandlines Denmark (Brian Lindorf Hansen) and Port Authority Rostock (Mario Lembke). Because Ms. Banitz will leave Scandlines in October she will introduce her substitute to INTERFACE matters. Contact details will be provided to Günter Gladisch (VVW) and Andreas Schubert. Marketing Concept for bus shuttle and passenger information The Marketing Concept should be developed by an external service provider. Günter Gladisch mentioned that VVW will prepare procurement documents in cooperation with RSAG (provider of bus shuttle). Working group: VVW (Günter Gladisch, Nico Falke), RSAG (Dirk Feldhusen) Movia (Steffen Nielsen), Hanseatic City of Rostock (Andreas Schubert), Frede Danborg (Guldborgsund), Scandlines DE (Karla Banitz, NN), Scandlines DK ( Brian Lindorf Hansen), Visit Guldborgsund (Mikkel Wesselhoff), Tourism Agency Rostock (NN) Agreements: It has been agreed that: + The 1 st draft of procurement prepared by VVW in cooperation with RSAG will be provided to PLANCO and partners on axis Rostock Gedser beginning of November + The draft will be discussed during cross-border meeting on 9 th of November 2010, o clock at Gedser Port, Scandlines Ferry Terminal (meeting room will be provided via Brian Lindorf Hansen, Scandlines)- the meeting will be organised by Günter Gladisch + VVW will adjust the procurement according to remarks given by partners and prepare the final procurement documents + The procurement will be provided to selected external service providers end of November, request for submission within two weeks + Beginning of December decision on service contractor, first negotiations on working plan mid December (before Christmas)

11 Page 11 + EU and Programme publicity rules will be considered in all activities related to Marketing Concept - display EU, Programme and INTERFACE logo and EU-Reference Project is part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) Concerted passenger information is essential to raise attention on new developed offers (bus shuttle and combination tickets). It should be considered when preparing Marketing Concept. Please + There should be a common agreement on information to be provided by partners and further institutions on established service (where to buy the ticket, ticket price, tariff, timetable, stops) + The information should be provided at least here: o At the Ferry Terminals in Rostock and Gedser (at check-in desks) o In front of the Terminal (showcase) o On Board of the Ferries Rostock-Gedser (service desks) o Internet: Respective organisations will be responsible to provide information online. VVW will be responsible for monitoring. Please make sure that information are easy to find! Additional Places:

12 Page 12 + within traffic means (Terminal bus Rostock, public transport means in Rostock and Guldborgsund + further (according to Marketing concept) Agreements: It has been agreed that: + 1 st of May 2011 official starting date of bus shuttle service will be used for public awareness event in Rostock and Gedser. Politicians as Mr. Volker Schlotmann, Minister of Transport in Mecklenburg; Roland Methling, Mayor of Rostock and John Braedder, Mayor Guldborgsund should be invited (detailed information will be part of Marketing concept) Joint Packages Subsequently to the development of cross-border combination tickets for the passage Rostock-Gedser Tourism and Event packages will be developed. Key organisations will be Guldborgsund and Hanseatic City of Rostock in cooperation with their tourism agencies. Working group: Hanseatic City of Rostock (Andreas Schubert), Frede Danborg (Guldborgsund), Visit Guldborgsund (Mikkel Wesselhoff), Tourism Agency Rostock (NN), Regional Planning Association West Mecklenburg/ Rostock (Katja Klein), Rostock City Management (Dr. Peter Magdanz), Zoo Rostock (Kerstin Haase), Medieval Centre Nyköbing (Allan Hansen) in cooperation with VVW (Günter Gladisch, Nico Falke), RSAG (Dirk Feldhusen) Movia (Steffen Nielsen), Scandlines DE (Karla Banitz, NN), Scandlines DK ( Brian Lindorf Hansen) Agreements: It has been agreed that: + both Municipalities under Leadership of Andreas Schubert and Frede Danborg will announce further persons/ institutions to be involved for the development of tourism packages + cross-border meetings with relevant organisations will be carried out to develop tourism and event packages in connection with combination tickets, municipalities will be responsible to schedule and organisation these meetings

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14 Page 14 Completion of Feasibility Study on Bus shuttle between Rostock City & Port + Gedser Port and Nykøbing The first draft of the feasibility study has been presented during cross-border workshop in March The adjusted version will consider steps already fixed regarding the implementation of bus shuttle Rostock City- Rostock Port- Gedser- Nyköbing. Due to adjusted bus timetable to ferry arrivals/ departures and improved bus stop location there will be no bus shuttle service necessary from Gedser to Nyköbing. However, possible connections with less stops or non stops to Nyköbing should be discussed within study. Input by Guldborgsund and Movia is needed to complete the study. Agreements: It has been agreed that: + VVW, Guldborgsund and Movia will agree on steps to be done to adjust feasibility study + Guldborgsund and Movia will provide VVW their input to feasibility study according to remarks of VVW (beginning of + 2 nd draft of feasibility study will be provided together with next progress report (15 th January 2011) by VVW Additional Information INTERFACE PLUS - Project approved Building on the results of INTERFACE an upgrade project called INTERFACE PLUS has been developed. The application has been submitted within 5 th Call of South Baltic Cross- Border Programme in May INTERFACE PLUS extends the scope of INTERFACE by: + further upgrading the quality of existing cross-border passenger connections by developing and implementing small scale investments to close missing links and pilot investments to improve cross-border interoperability, + investigating potentials and start implementation measure (investments for missing links) for new SBA cross-border (passenger and car) ferry connections. On 29 th of September this project has been approved by Steering Committee. Partners of 2,3 co-financed Project are Public Transport Association Warnow,

15 Page 15 Rostock Port, Guldborgund Municipality, Nexø Seaport, Municipality of Ustka, Municipality of Darłowo and Movia Traffic Cooperation. Meeting with TT-LINE After the meeting Andreas Schubert and Constanze Benzel the TT-Lines Ferry, branch office Rostock. Mr. Marlies Pfafferot and Mr. Jörn Borowski informed, that TT-Lines already sells vouchers for a pocket: ferry-bus+hotel in Rostock for destination Malmö; they are willing to offer similar vouchers for destination Rostock; they are interested in deeper cooperation with Interface. Both were informed about Trelleborgs project partner activities.