Are We There Yet? Road Trips Reinvented! Fresh research & insights on marketing to US Road Trips Travelers
Are We There Yet? Road Trips Reinvented! Amir Eylon, President & Partner, Longwoods International Chris Adams, Head of Research & Insights, Miles Partnership Cathy Ritter, State Tourism Director, Colorado Tourism Office Jeremy Harvey, VP Marketing & Communications, Visit Savannah
Topics for Today Road Trips Reinvented! Longwoods Research Summary Marketing Lessons Colorado Case Study Savannah Case Study
Are We There Yet? RESOURCES: Presentation Slides Road Trips Summary & Infographic 140+ Page Research Report http:milespartnership.gallery/usroadtrips
RESEARCH SUMMARY Road Trips Reinvented! Fresh research & insights on marketing to US Road Trips Travelers
Longwoods International o Established in 1978 as consultancy-focused research company o Tourism since 1985 o o Travel USA since 1990 Happy 40 th Birthday!!!
Methodology (short version): Travel USA Largest ongoing study of American travelers Quarterly random samples of U.S. adult population Consumer online panel Profiles of representative sample of 300,000+ overnight and day trips each year Overview survey, then a custom follow-up
After Looking Back 20 Years We Saw Five Key Takeaways:
1. Road Trips are a Hidden Gem!
Total Size of Road Trip Segment in 2017 Adults 108 Million 80% Total Overnight Road Trips = 136 Million Children 28 Million 20%
Total Spending on Road Trips in 2017 by Sector Accommodations 34% Total Spending = $50.1 Billion Eating/Drinking 20% Transportation to/from Destination 17% Transportation at Destination 8% Retail 11% Recreation 10%
2. Road Trips are a Growing Market!
Percent Road Trip Segment 10 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 Base: Overnight Trips 7 7 7 7 7 8 7 7 8 8 9 9 9 5 0 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11 `12 `13 `14 `15 `16 `17
Regional Destination of Trip Base: Overnight Person-Trips South Atlantic Pacific Mountain MidAtlantic East North Central East South Central West South Central New England West North Central 6 6 6 7 22 24 16 15 16 11 9 11 9 12 8 7 8 7 0 10 20 30 Road Trip Percent Leisure Norm
Regional Destination of Trip-1997 v. 2017 Base: Overnight Person-Trips South Atlantic Pacific Mountain MidAtlantic East North Central East South Central West South Central New England West North Central 22 19 16 16 16 15 9 10 9 9 8 7 7 8 7 9 6 7 0 10 20 30 Percent 2017 1997
3. Road Trippers are Valuable!
Dollars Average Per Party Expenditures By Sector 400 300 Road Trip Total Per Party = $ 1,090 Leisure Norm Total Per Party = $ 849 200 $370 100 0 $246 Lodging $218 Restaurant Food & Beverage $171 $180 $164 Transportation to/from Destination $88 $70 Transportation at Destination $125 $99 $110 $98 Retail Purchases Recreation/ Sightseeing/ Entertainment Road Trips Leisure Norm
Past Visitation to Destination Base: Overnight Person-Trips Ever 77 89 Past Year 49 68 0 20 40 60 80 100 Percent Road Trip Leisure Norm
Accommodations Other Hotel Motel Resort hotel Bed & Breakfast Rented Home/Condo/Apartment Home of Friend/Relative Time Share Rented Cottage/Cabin Campground/Trailer Park/RV Park Country Inn/Lodge Own Home/Condo/Apt/2nd Home Boat/Cruise Ship Other 1 Base: Overnight Person-Trips 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 4 4 4 6 6 8 8 0 10 Percent 20 30 Road Trip Leisure Norm 15 19 20 23 26 Any Commercial Lodging Road Trip = 78% Leisure Norm = 54% 28 29
4. Road Trippers are Unique!
Length of Trip Planning Base: Overnight Person-Trips More than 1 year in advance 6-12 months 3-5 months 2 months 1 month or less Did not plan anything in advance 4 4 8 15 14 18 17 18 16 20 32 34 0 20 40 Percent Road Trip Leisure Norm
Trip Planning Information Sources Base: Overnight Person-Trips Destination websites Online travel agencies Hotel or resort Advice from relatives or friends Social Media Travel company websites Travel guide/other books Auto club/aaa Visitors' bureau/gov tourism office Lodging sharing websites 3 4 4 6 8 8 9 9 10 11 12 12 15 15 14 15 0 5 10 15 20 25 Percent Road Trip Leisure Norm 17 19 23 23
Method of Booking Base: Overnight Person-Trips Hotel or resort Online travel agencies Travel company websites Airline/commercial carrier Destination websites Lodging sharing websites Auto club/aaa Travel agent/company 800/888 number Visitors' bureau/gov tourism office Travel/ski show or exhibition 2 1 1 3 4 4 6 4 5 5 5 4 8 8 8 9 10 12 0 10 20 30 Percent Road Trip Leisure Norm 15 18 23 25
Devices Used for Trip Planning Base: Overnight Person-Trips Used Any Device (net) 83 94 Laptop 44 52 Desktop/Home computer 38 46 Smartphone 35 34 Tablet 16 20 0 20 40 60 80 100 Percent Road Trip Leisure Norm
Mobile Devices Used During Trip Base: Overnight Person-Trips Used Any Device (net) 84 90 Smartphone 71 76 Tablet 27 31 Laptop 28 30 Percent 0 20 40 60 80 100 Road Trip Leisure Norm
Activities and Experiences Shopping Landmark/historic site National/state park Fine dining Museum Beach/waterfront Hiking/backpacking Swimming Bar/nightclub Brewery Art gallery Base: Overnight Person-Trips 34 11 11 16 9 16 16 15 10 6 10 5 14 32 27 21 26 22 19 18 Percent 43 39 0 15 30 45 Road Trip Leisure Norm
Activities and Experiences (Cont d) Winery Casino Zoo Theater Fair/exhibition/festival Theme park Boating/sailing Spa Camping Fishing Biking Base: Overnight Person-Trips 10 4 7 10 6 5 6 6 6 5 6 8 6 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 4 3 Percent 0 15 30 45 Road Trip Leisure Norm
Activities of Special Interest Base: Overnight Person-Trips Historic places, sites and landmarks Cultural activities & attraction Exceptional culinary experience Winery tours & wine-tasting Brewery Tours and Beer Tasting Eco-Tourism Traveling with grandchildren Agritourism Marijuana Tourism Religious Travel Wedding Medical Tourism 56 21 34 17 15 10 11 5 10 6 7 4 4 4 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 4 1 0 20 40 60 Percent Road Trip Leisure Norm
Household Income Base: Overnight Person-Trips $150K+ 6 5 $100-$149.9K 14 16 $75-$99.9K 16 17 $50-$74.9K 24 23 <$49.9K 37 42 0 15 30 45 Road Trip Percent Leisure Norm
5. Road Trips are a Partnership Opportunity!
Number of Nights Away on Trip 10 Base: Overnight Road Trips 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 5 4 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 0 `97 `98 `99 `00 `01 `02 `03 `04 `05 `06 `07 `08 `09 `10 `11 `12 `13 `14 `15 `16 `17
Size of Longer Road Trip Segment in 2017 Total Overnight Road Trips = 136 Million 5+ Nights 27% 1-4 Nights 73%
Total Expenditures of Longer Road Trip Segment in 2017 Total Road Trip Spending = $50.1 Billion 1-4 Nights 52% 5+ Nights 48% States Visited = 3+
Dollars Average Per Party Expenditures By Sector Base: Overnight Person-Trips 800 600 5+ Nights Segment Per Party = $2,143 Road Trip Norm Per Party = $ 1,090 400 $738 200 0 $370 Lodging $391 $414 $218 $180 Restaurant Food & Transportation Beverage to/from Destination $186 $207 $207 $88 $125 $110 Transportation at Destination 5+ Nights Road Trip Norm Retail Purchases Recreation/ Sightseeing/ Entertainment
Trip Planning Information Sources Destination websites Online travel agencies Advice from relatives or friends Hotel or resort Travel guide/other books Social Media Travel company websites Airline/commercial carrier Auto club/aaa Visitors' bureau/gov tourism office Lodging sharing websites Base: Overnight Person-Trips 8 8 8 10 12 12 13 12 12 16 15 16 15 17 22 19 20 23 23 23 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Percent 5+ Nights Road Trip Norm 26 31
Activities and Experiences Shopping Landmark/historic site National/state park Museum Fine dining Beach/waterfront Swimming Hiking/backpacking Bar/nightclub Art gallery Brewery Winery 10 10 11 10 Base: Overnight Person-Trips 43 39 22 18 19 19 16 15 13 32 35 26 35 27 34 29 28 Percent 53 51 48 0 20 40 60 5+ Nights Road Trip Norm
Number of States Visited on Trip 2017 Longer Road Trips Base: 5+ Nights Trips Percent of Multi-state (3+) trips That are 5+ Nights Long = 69% One State 78% Three or More States 12% Two States 10%
MARKETING TAKEAWAYS Road Trips Reinvented! Fresh research & insights on marketing to US Road Trips Travelers
Marketing Strategy Best Pratices 1. POLISH THIS HIDDEN GEM 2. TARGET GROWTH. 3. DRIVE VALUE 4. HYPER ACTIVE & INFORMED 5. ESSENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS
Marketing Takeaways Road Trips Reinvented! International Examples US Examples Actionable Marketing Tips
International & US Examples
Marketing Takeaways Road Trips Reinvented! Work Across Borders! Combine Different Types of Transport
Marketing Takeaways Road Trips Reinvented! Drive Dispersal to Lesser Known Spots Use Rich Media Story Telling
Marketing Takeaways Road Trips Reinvented! Theme(s) & Brand The Journey Productize for Travel Partners
Marketing Takeaways Road Trips Reinvented! Coop! Work with Destinations & Industry Focus on What is Unique & Different
Marketing Takeaways Road Trips Reinvented! Work Across Borders! Combine different types of Transport Drive Dispersal to Lesser Known Spots Use Rich Media Story Telling Theme(s) & Brand The Journey Productize for Travel Partners Coop! Work with Destinations & Industry Focus on What is Unique & Different
COLORADO CASE STUDY Road Trips Reinvented! Fresh research & insights on marketing to US Road Trips Travelers
Inspiring Colorado Road Trips
Scenic Drive Motivation 50% Participation 19% Net Motivation 39% Motivation As 2017 Colorado visitors were younger than in 2016, there is less participation in scenic drives and fewer trips are motivated by the activity. In 2016, it was the second-highest trip motivator, but has slipped to third as hiking and backpacking saw growth in both participation and motivation.
Other Trip Activities Visitors who take scenic drives participate in an average of 5.7 activities while on their Colorado trip, compared to 5.0 overall. While boating is the activity that scenic drive visitors do more frequently than other visitors, it has very low participation overall. *activity participation as an index where 100 is average and 110 is 10% higher than average and 90 is 10% lower than average Index of Scenic Drive Visitors Trip Activities against All Colorado Visitor Activities* 2017 Index Boating 169 Visiting historical sites 134 Visiting a state or national park 128 Wildlife watching 127 Hot springs 121 River rafting 115 Visiting museums 114 Attending a live music event 114 Sightseeing tour 112 Canoeing or kayaking 112 Hunting 110 Participating in marijuana-related activities 110 Shopping 107 Winery tours 106 Attending a festival or fair 106
Other Trip Specifics 4.2 days: Average Visitor 4.4 days: Scenic Visitor $1,224: Average Visitor $1,356: Scenic Visitor Not only did scenic drive visitors do more on their trip, they stayed longer. This additional length of trip resulted in slightly higher trip spending.
Visitor Demographics Age 18-34 Age 35-54 Age 55+ Married Kids in HH High School or Some College College Grad or Higher Income Under $50K Income $50K- $100K Income Over $100K Scenic Visitors All 2017 Visitors 35% 35% 30% 55% 23% 27% 74% 34% 38% 30% 42% 30% 28% 54% 25% 30% 70% 29% 37% 34% Visitors who take scenic drives are more often older and better educated. However, with lower incomes than the overall Colorado visitor, it is possibly a reflection of more scenic drive visitors being retired than in the past. There was a significant increase in younger visitors to Colorado in 2017, resulting in fewer visitors motivated by scenic drives.
The Colorado Field Guide Collection of 3- to 7-day itineraries to drive visitors to far-off places, often dispersing them to alternatives to over-loved areas Created in partnership with DMO partners and local businesses Each incorporates an opportunity to give back to the area visited (e.g., trail repair days), with special help from friend of the guide, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado Each day of the itinerary includes: 3 activities 3 places to eat 1 place to stay Insider tips for making the most of the destination (e.g., Visiting on Saturday? There s a farmers market on Main Street) A visitor can sort trips by several parameters: Season Length Region Included cities Activities featured We re up to 84 trips with more in the works. A few of most popular include: Historic Hot Springs Loop Spirit of the Southwest All About Wildflowers San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway Follow the Top Chef Season 15 Food Map
A Peek at the Experience: Day 1 On The Historic Hot Springs Loop
More Storytelling We re creating several videos to bring the itineraries to life for visitors. This one showcases the Steam, Sand, Spaceships & Hot Springs trek through Colorado s San Luis Valley.
Results 245,000 views Apr 1 Aug 1 Get itineraries call to action on digital banners generated a.45% engagement rate; benchmark is.07% Get itineraries had best engagement of all five options offered on the summer campaign landing page. Colorado Field Guide posts on Visit Colorado Facebook page generated a 10.26% engagement rate, compared with 5.15% on average. 7.45% clicked through to an itinerary. 62% of fans are out of state.
Grant From the State Historical Fund The CTO was just awarded a $141,000 grant to develop a Colorado Scenic & Historic Byways microsite to generate greater awareness and drive visitation to the historic and cultural experiences along the state's 26 designated byways. Included elements: Articles Videos Photos Itineraries Interactive maps
SAVANNAH CASE STUDY Road Trips Reinvented! Fresh research & insights on marketing to US Road Trips Travelers
A U G U S T 1 4, 2 0 1 8 Are We There Yet? Road Trips Redifined
Targeting the Drive Market Target a 4-6 hour drive radius around Savannah Target potential visitors interested in a getaway (2-3 night length of stay) Geographic target states are Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida Cities most often targeted: Atlanta, Charleston,, Charlotte, Jacksonville Orlando, Tampa/St Pete 13.9 million visitors total, which includes 7.9 million overnight visitors and 6 million day trip visitors 4 hours 6 hours
Marketing Campaigns Digital marketing campaigns Social media and content marketing Social influencers and bloggers Out of home advertising Print advertising Media relations Content and other partnerships
Digital Marketing Campaigns Create campaigns that target potential visitors to inspire and convert Target geographically and psychographically Example: Quantcast campaign
Social Media and Content Marketing Engage with our social audiences in our target audiences via paid social Target geographically and psychographically Example: Facebook
Social Influencers and Bloggers We work with and host infuencers in these target markets Our goal is for them to feature Savannah on their channels to their community Example: Southern C Group
Out of Home and Print Advertising Our goal is to create awareness for the destination in key geographic markets We run billboards on I-95 South and in select cities in FL targeting car travelers We also run a targeted print advertising campaign in city magazines and newspapers Example: Atlanta Magazine
Media Relations Our goal is to create awareness for the destination in key geographic markets We run media missions in target DMAs such as Atlanta, Charleston and Birmingham We also build relationships with writers, editors to feature Savannah or include us in road trip stories along with other destinations Example: Good Housekeeping article
Partnerships.
Thank you! VisitSavannah.com #VisitSavannah
Are We There Yet? RESOURCES: Presentation Slides Road Trips Summary & Infographic 140+ Page Research Report http:milespartnership.gallery/usroadtrips
QUESTIONS & DISCUSSION Road Trips Reinvented! Fresh research & insights on marketing to US Road Trips Travelers
THANK YOU! Road Trips Reinvented! Fresh research & insights on marketing to US Road Trips Travelers