The German Market & the English Coast Summary report November 2017
Overview & objectives The NCTA has recently been awarded funding through Round 2 of VisitEngland s Discover England Fund to deliver a project called England s Coast. As part of the project, the NCTA commissioned research from BDRC to gain a better understanding of the travel attitudes, motivations and behaviour of the German market in relation to England s Coast. This report summarises the results of this research. 2
Survey methodology 12-15 minute online survey completed within 1,536 respondents open to holidaying in England which included: Recent Visitors (508) who have visited England on holiday in the past 5 years Lapsed Visitors (519) who have visited England on holiday more than 5 years ago Non-visitors (509) who have not been to England on holiday All respondents holiday mostly without dependent children 3
Visitor profile Most respondents had no children living at home and were aged between 40-50. Respondents were also slightly more likely to be female, and to make holiday-decisions with someone else. Gender (%) Age (%) 41 35 59 65 45 43 55 57 Mean: 45 yrs 40 yrs 50 yrs 44 yrs 34 35 48 30 31 22 20 40 34 36 40 30 Overall Recent Lapsed Non-visitor Male Female Children (0-16) living at home (%) 5 6 3 5 95 94 97 95 Overall Recent Lapsed Non-visitor 18-34 yr olds 35-54 yr olds 55+ yr olds Holiday decision-maker (%) 39 40 39 39 61 60 61 61 Overall Recent Lapsed Never Overall Recent Lapsed Never Yes No Me Me & someone else S1, S2, S3, S5: All respondents (1,536), recent visitors (508), lapsed visitors (519), non-visitors (509) 4
Place of residence detail (1) Almost a quarter of respondents (23%) were from the North Rhine-Westfalia region the most populous state in Germany containing cities such as Cologne, Dusseldorf, Dortmund and Essen. Lower Saxony 8% Place of residence (%) Hamburg 4% North Rhine-Westphalia 23% Brandenburg 2% Saarland 1% Saxony 5% Baden-Wurttemberg 11% Thuringia 2% S8: All respondents (1,536) 5
Place of residence detail (2) Behind North-Rhine Westfalia, Bavaria was the next most common place of residence, with 14% of respondents hailing from this region in South East Germany. Schleswig-Holstein 5% Place of residence (%) Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 1% Bremen 1% Berlin 9% Hesse 8% Saxony-Anhalt 3% Rhineland-Palatinate 4% Bavaria 14% S8: All respondents (1,536) 6
Relationship & engagement with English coast 7
Barriers to visiting England on holiday The biggest reason for not visiting England on holiday is nothing in particular. This is encouraging, as it demonstrates that most of the German market have no major specific barriers to visiting. However, cost was a perceived issue for some, with 8% saying that England was currently too expensive. Why have you not visited England on holiday? (%) 67 16 10 8 5 4 Have visited England on holiday Nothing in-particular There are so many other countries worth visiting I just haven t had the time It s too expensive I don t like driving in England The weather A1: All respondents (1,536) NOTE: Any codes 2% or less not shown 8
Barriers to visiting the English coast Amongst those who had holidayed in England before (but not the English coast), the amount of other options available was cited as the primary reason for not visiting. Why have you not stayed in and explored any English seaside resorts or other coastal destinations when holidaying in England? (%) 41 23 22 11 26 There s so much else to do in England I haven t had time I am not informed enough about English coastal destinations English cities have more to offer me as a tourist The English countryside has more to offer me as a tourist Another reason Key themes I just wanted to see London I was on an organized tour / school trip I went to visit friends / family A4: All respondents who have visited England on holiday before but not stayed on the English coast (735) 9
Previous visits to England - location 19% of all respondents have previously stayed in an English seaside resort or other coastal location. Where have you stayed previously on a holiday or short break in England? (%) 52 33 19 15 15 14 Have not visited England on holiday London English seaside resorts / other coastal destinations English rural retreats / other countryside destinations English historic towns Other major English cities A2i: All respondents (1,536) 10
Previous visits to England - transport Of those who had previously holidayed in England, the majority had travelled by plane or ferry. Which modes of transport have you used to travel to England? (%) 33 45 31 7 Have not visited England on holiday Plane Ferry Rail (Channel Tunnel) A2ii: All respondents (1,536) 11
Previous visits to the English coast Of those who had previously stayed on the English coast, 56% were deemed promoters -rating the likelihood of recommending to friends and family 9 or 10/10. Just 12% were deemed detractors rating 0-6/10, giving the English coast a Net Promoter Score of +45. Based on your experience how likely are you to recommend the English Coast as somewhere for friends/family in Germany to visit? (%) 2 5 4 12 20 16 40 0 - Definitely not 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 - Definitely would Net Promoter Score: +45 A3: All respondents who have stayed on the English coast (292) 12
Impact of Brexit Despite Brexit leading to a favourable exchange rate for overseas visitors, the process of Britain leaving the EU is seen by most (75%) with indifference. Of the remainder, it is worth noting that 4 times as many respondents thought Brexit would make them less likely to visit England, than those who said it would make them more likely to visit. What impact has Brexit had on your likelihood to holiday in England, beyond London? (%) 21 5 75 More likely to visit No difference Less likely to visit A5: All respondents (1,536) 13
Appeal of English Coastal destinations Respondents were shown collages, representing different coastal themes. Of these, Rural coast was seen as the most appealing type of destination by a notable distance, scoring 4.24/5. Overall, Traditional English seaside town had the lowest level of appeal. To what extent do you find these images of English coastal destinations appealing? (%) Rural coast Small coastal harbour town Mean: Mean: 2 12 40 44 4.24 2 6 30 44 17 3.68 Very low appeal Quite low appeal Mid appeal Quite high appeal Very high appeal Very low appeal Quite low appeal Mid appeal Quite high appeal Very high appeal Active coast Traditional English seaside town 4 12 36 35 14 Mean: 3.43 5 12 42 29 11 Mean: 3.28 Very low appeal Quite low appeal Mid appeal Quite high appeal Very high appeal Very low appeal Quite low appeal Mid appeal Quite high appeal Very high appeal A9: All respondents (1,536) 14
Knowledge of the English Coast Unsurprisingly, the traditional tourist hotspots of the Southwest, Southeast and South Coasts were the most well-known areas. There was a real lack of knowledge about other regions, with over one third of respondents stating they knew nothing about the Northwest, Northeast and East coasts. The North West 15 44 39 Please look at the below map of England and its highlighted coastal areas, how much do you know about these areas? (%) The East The North East 17 44 38 The South West 20 34 27 9 28 44 36 The South The South East 32 10 25 30 5 27 34 38 Nothing Very little A bit A lot A10: All respondents (1,536) 15
Geographical knowledge of specific English coastal regions The majority of respondents were unable to correctly locate any of the coastal regions. Now without checking please place these SIX coastal regions to where you think they are on the highlighted UK map below The Jurassic Coast of Dorset & East Devon 27% correct 73% incorrect The coast of Northumberland 42% correct 58% incorrect The coast of South Devon & Cornwall 40% correct 60% incorrect The coast of Yorkshire 28% correct 72% incorrect The coast of Sussex 27% correct 73% incorrect The coast from Essex to Hull 26% correct 74% incorrect A11: All respondents (1,536) 16
Appeal of fully described English coastal regions Interestingly, after reading a fuller description of all areas, the regions which respondents were generally unaware of were seen as much more appealing - especially the coasts of Yorkshire and Northumberland. Now looking at a fuller description of the six coastal areas how appealing do you find each? (%) Mean: The coast of South Devon & Cornwall 2 5 28 41 25 3.82 The coast of Yorkshire 2 7 37 42 12 3.55 The coast of Northumberland 2 9 37 37 15 3.54 The coast of Sussex 2 7 40 39 12 3.52 The Jurassic Coast of Dorset & East Devon 1 7 41 39 11 3.51 The coast from Essex to Hull 2 9 41 37 11 3.46 Very low appeal Quite low appeal Mid appeal Quite high appeal Very high appeal A12: All respondents (1,536) Note: Fuller descriptions of coastal areas can be found in the appendix 17
Likelihood of visiting specific English coastal regions When asked how likely they were to stay in and explore the specific regions in the near future, the coast of South Devon & Cornwall scored highest, some way ahead of coast of Yorkshire, the Jurassic Coast of South Devon & Cornwall, and the coast of Sussex. How likely are you to consider staying in and exploring each on a short break or main holiday in the next few years? (%) Mean: 3.55 3.26 3.25 3.25 3.20 3.18 2 2 3 2 3 2 10 14 14 13 16 17 37 42 43 45 42 44 26 23 21 23 22 20 19 10 11 9 9 9 The coast of South Devon & Cornwall The coast of Yorkshire The Jurassic Coast of Dorset & East Devon The coast of Sussex The coast of Northumberland The coast from Essex to Hull Definitely not Probably not Possibly Probably Definitely A14: All respondents (1,536) 18
Trip logistics There was a desire amongst respondents to visit not just coastal regions in peak season (55%), but during the shoulder seasons too (58% - May/June, 43% - September/October). In which of the following times of the year would you consider visiting, without dependent children, a coastal region of England? (%) 16-34: 29% 35-54: 61% 16-34: 63% 58 55 16-34: 46% 35-54: 46% 43 3 17 3 January / February March/ April May / June July / August September / October November / December A15: All respondents who are at least possibly likely to consider staying and exploring in a specific English coastal region (1,001) 19
Optimum attributes of an English coastal holiday 20
Accommodation preferences B&B s and hotels (68% and 63% respectively) were by far the most popular choices of accommodation type. The majority of respondents who would look to stay in a hotel would look for a mid-tier (3* or equivalent) option, and are flexible as to whether the hotel is independent, or part of a large chain. In terms of organizing accommodation, most would look to go through a booking intermediary, or organize directly and independently with the provider. If you were to stay in and explore Coastal England on a short-break or main holiday what kind of accommodation would you look to stay in? (%) 68 63 26 26 12 9 7 3 B&Bs Hotels Self-catering accommodation Homestay service Camping / caravanning (owned) Camping / caravanning (hired onsite) Hostels Second home What type of hotel accommodation would you look to stay in? (%) And do you have a preference for (%) How would you likely arrange accommodation? (%) 9 26 11 10 36 46 19 65 79 Premium (4 / 5*) Mid-tier (3*) Budget (1 / 2*) Independent boutiques Don't mind Well-known brands Independently and directly with the accommodation provider Through a booking intermediary Through a tour operator B1a, B2: All respondents (1,536) B1b, B1c: All respondents who would look to stay in a hotel when staying in and exploring coastal England (965) 21
Transport preferences Being able to take a car on holiday to help explore was seen as a major factor in choosing a mode of transport to England, with this metric scoring higher than any other (including price). What is the most important factor when choosing a mode of transport to England? (%) 36 23 13 7 6 6 5 Being able to take my car so I can explore easily Price Being able to take my car so I can take (or bring back) whatever I want Speed to final destination Being able to take my car for convenience Ease of booking Being able to have a quality break mid-journey Generally would you prefer (%) 34 47 To use the same transport routes on both journeys To use different transport routes on both journeys 19 Don't mind B3iii, B4: All respondents (1,536) 22
Important attributes in an English coastal holiday high importance The key attributes that were deemed as most important to an English coastal holiday centered around two key themes: The coast itself (enjoying the coastal scenery, coastal walks), and heritage (visiting castles/stately homes, learning about local history and culture). These make up nearly two-thirds of everything that is important to a coastal holiday. Now think about what you like to see and do on a coastal holiday in England. For each of the attributes shown below please tell us which is the most important and which is the least important in encouraging you to visit the English Coast (%) Combined impact: 62% 23 16 12 11 Enjoying the coastal scenery Visiting castles / stately homes Learning about local history and culture Coastal walks B7: All respondents (1,536) Note: Maximum differential scaling (out of 100) 23
Important attributes in an English coastal holiday secondary importance Attributes judged as having mid-importance centered around the theme of locality be it through food and drink or markets. Now think about what you like to see and do on a coastal holiday in England. For each of the attributes shown below please tell us which is the most important and which is the least important in encouraging you to visit the English Coast (%) Combined impact: 30% 7 7 6 6 4 Opportunities to take it easy Eating and drinking in an attractive location Sampling local food and drink Wildlife experiences Visiting local markets B7: All respondents (1,536) Note: Maximum differential scaling (out of 100) 24
Media consultation for an English coastal holiday 25
Media sources Travel websites (73%) were the media source most commonly used for travel inspiration, although personal recommendations from friends and relatives (59%) are still seen as important. Imagine looking for inspiration for a European holiday next Spring, to take outside of Germany. What do you consult that would help you to decide where to go? (%) 16-34: 83% 16-34: 71% 55+: 56% 55+: 52% 35-54: 51% 55+: 41% 55+: 37% 16-34: 51% 73 59 50 46 38 32 27 10 Travel websites Speak to friends/relatives who have been there Travel articles in newspapers or magazines TV Programmes / adverts on TV Guidebooks Local tour operators Social media E-mail alerts I receive C1a: All respondents (1,536) 26
Travel websites Whilst market-leaders Booking.com were by far the most commonly-used travel website, German sites, such as HolidayCheck, Check 24 and HRS were also regularly consulted. Which travel websites do you tend to use when researching holiday options? (%) 16-34: 67% 16-34: 40% 16-34: 41% 16-34: 34% 16-34: 29% 55+: 22% 27 53 35 33 27 25 18 1 1 1 1 Do not consult travel websites Booking.com Expedia HolidayCheck Check 24 HRS TUI Deutschland Schmetterling Reisen Uniser Travel Edreams Odigeo Seven Travel How often do you consult online review sites when researching and deciding where to go on holiday? (%) How important is it that websites used to research and book holidays to England are in German rather than English? (%) 37 4 21 23 11 33 38 33 Always Most of the time Occasionally Never Very important Not very important Somewhat important Not important at all C1bi: All respondents (1,536) C1bii, C1biii: All respondents who would consult travel websites to help them decide where to go for a European holiday (1,124) 27
Newspapers & magazines ADAC Reisemagazin, GEO Saison and Merian (18%, 15% and 14% respectively) were the three newspapers/magazines most regularly consulted by respondents for holiday planning. Which newspapers/ magazines do you consult when holiday planning? (%) 50 55+: 26% 35-54: 19% 55+: 20% 18 15 14 10 10 Do not consult newspapers / magazines ADAC Reisemagazin GEO Saison Merian National Geographic Traveller Abenteuer und Reisen C1f: All respondents (1,536) NOTE: Codes below 10% not shown 28
Tour operators TUI Deutschland looks to be dominant in terms of tour operators. 23% of respondents stated they consult the company when holiday planning. Which tour operators would you likely consult for holiday planning? 68 18-34: 35% 23 15 12 11 11 8 8 Do not consult tour operators TUI Deutschland Thomas Cook Group DER Touristik Alltours Flugreisen Dertour Schauinsland Reisen FTI Group And which would you say is your preferred tour operator for holiday planning? (%) TUI Deutschland Thomas Cook Group Der Touristik C1di: All respondents (1,536) NOTE: Codes below 8% not shown 29
Social media Facebook dominates the social media landscape - 23% of all respondents would use Facebook, 13% would use Instagram and 9% would use WhatsApp (both owned by Facebook). Which social media channels do you use for holiday inspiration? (%) 73 16-34: 43% 16-34: 30% 16-34: 18% 16-34: 18% 16-34: 6% 16-34: 5% 23 13 9 8 3 2 1 Do not consult social media Facebook Instagram WhatsApp Pinterest Twitter Snapchat LinkedIn C1e:All respondents (1,536) 30
Travelling to England for a coastal holiday 31
Travel options preferred options Amongst all respondents hypothetically planning trips to the different coastal regions, there was a strong preference to fly directly to a local airport and minimize transfer times. This was felt to the strongest extent by respondents planning travel to the coast of Northumberland (53%) and the Jurassic Coast of Dorset & East Devon (49%). Imagine you were to take a holiday to an English coastal region next year Assuming each travel option costs the same, rank your preference with 1 being your most preferred and 4 your least preferred option Most preferred The coast from Essex to Hull: 29% The coast of Northumberland: 53% 22 The coast of South Devon & Cornwall: 25% The Jurassic Coast of Dorset & East Devon: 49% 45 20 13 The coast of Sussex: 16% Drive from your home to the shortest channel crossing point (Calais), and experience a longer final journey in England Drive from your home to the ferry crossing closest to your final destination and experience a shorter final drive in England Fly from your local airport to a London airport (which have the most connecting flights to Germany) and experience a longer final transfer in England Fly from the closest German airport that has direct flights to the local airport and experience a shorter final transfer in England D1a, D1b: All respondents (1,536) 32
Travel options cost perception Equally, most respondents felt as though flying directly to an English airport local to the coastal region in question would be the most expensive option. Imagine you were to take a holiday to an English coastal region next year Now rank how much you think each travel option would actually cost you, relative to the others, with 1 being the most expensive and 4 being the cheapest.. Most expensive The coast of South Devon & Cornwall: 26% 20 The coast of Northumberland: 48% The Jurassic Coast of Dorset & East Devon: 48% The coast of Yorkshire: 46% 43 18 19 The coast of Sussex: 24% Drive from your home to the shortest channel crossing point (Calais), and experience a longer final journey in England Drive from your home to the ferry crossing closest to your final destination and experience a shorter final drive in England Fly from your local airport to a London airport (which have the most connecting flights to Germany) and experience a longer final transfer in England Fly from the closest German airport that has direct flights to the local airport and experience a shorter final transfer in England D1a, D1b: All respondents (1,536) 33
Likely travel arrangements 45% of respondents stated they would look to arrange travel for a holiday to coastal England independently, although the desire amongst some for the help of booking intermediaries and tour operators remains. How would you likely arrange travel for a holiday exploring one of the coastal regions? (%) 32 45 23 Independently and directly with the transport provider Through a booking intermediary Through a tour operator you would use to help organise the trip D2: All respondents (1,536) 34
For further information Please contact Jo Edom jo.edom@coastaltourismacademy.co.uk 35