Tourism Business Monitor 20 Visitor Attractions Report Wave 4 Mid-July until end of the Summer holidays
Background, objectives and research method Tourism Business Monitor designed to measure, monitor and understand tourism business performance and confidence and the factors which influence them. Amalgamation of two previous surveys discontinued at end of 2011: England Attractions Monitor Accommodation Business Confidence Monitor Telephone survey conducted five times per year immediately following key tourism periods among: c. 500 accommodation establishments (c. 250 serviced / c. 250 non-serviced), including mix by region, establishment size and hotels / guest houses / B&B / self-catering / caravan and campsites. c. 300 visitor attractions including mix by region, attraction type, size (measured by annual visitor admissions) and free / paid admission. Questions on hot topics included on a periodic basis. Fieldwork dates: 20: 8-20, reviewing the period from mid-july up until the end of the summer holidays Jul 20: -20 July 20, reviewing the period after the Easter holidays up until mid-july 20: 24 May - 1 20, reviewing the Easter period 20 20: 6-12 uary 20, reviewing the Christmas and New Year period 20 Nov 20: 4-10 Nov 20, reviewing mid-ember until the end of October 20: 9-20, reviewing the period from mid-july up until the end of the summer holidays Jul 20: 11-19 July 20, reviewing the period after the Easter holidays up until mid-july 20: 15-21 il 20, reviewing the period from uary until the end of the Easter holidays 20: 7-20, reviewing Christmas and New Year period 2012 Nov 2012: 5-12 Nov 2012, reviewing mid-ember until the end of the October 2
Attractions sample targets (total 300) Region North (North East, North West, Yorkshire) Midlands (East Midlands, East, Heart of England) South (South East, South West) 84 95 105 London 16 Size (visitors p.a) Over 100k 57 50-100k 35 20-50k 57 Under 20k 151 Type Historic 54 Museum/gallery 78 Other indoor 57 Other outdoor 111 Admission charge Free 129 Paid 171 This is the target sample for each wave, reflecting the profile of attractions in England. There are minor variations wave on wave, which are corrected by weighting the profile if needed. 3
Key Findings A strong performance over summer has resulted in an overall increase in visitors of 5% for the latest period, which has consequently lead to a year-to-date increase in visitors of 3%. Satisfaction levels reflect this positive performance and, buoyed by this, confidence levels for the forthcoming period are higher than this same time last year. Over half of attractions, regardless of size or type, reported an increase in visitors over the Summer period and for the year-to-date. This growth comes from all types of visitors, with local, other domestic and international visitors being up across the board. Outdoor attractions have seen particularly strong numbers of local and domestic visitors for the year-to-date. A sunny earlier summer period followed by a more changeable August has allowed strong growth in visitor numbers for both indoor and outdoor attractions over the summer up by 5% on last year for both. Larger attractions with over 20,000 visitors have seen even bigger changes, with 7% more visitors than in summer 20. Satisfaction levels are typically high post summer, but several types of attractions (free, indoor and seaside attractions and non-vaqas members) have reported the highest levels of satisfaction with business performance since before. Strong business performance over the summer period is reflected in confidence levels for the forthcoming period, which are at their highest levels since before Nov 12. Two thirds of attractions (the highest proportion since pre- ) now expect 20 to be better a better year than 20. 4
Business Dashboards 5
Business Performance Dashboard: Attractions VISITOR NUMBERS Visitor numbers (%) 21 18 15 20 64 62 Versus same period previous year Down Same Up Visitor numbers for period from mid-july until the end of the summer hols 20 compared with same period 20 (%) Up Same Down Under 20k Over 20k Indoors 60 68 64 18 11 22 20 23 Outdoors 64 16 20 20 YTD 20 Mixed 64 16 20 SATISFACTION Satisfaction (%) 41 41 Satisfaction with Performance from mid-july until the end of the summer hols 20 (%) 46 50 Satisfied with business performance Not at all Under 20k Over 20k 47 51 47 46 94 97 Not very Indoors 48 45 93 49 42 20 YTD 20 Quite Very Outdoors Mixed 53 45 45 51 98 96 Q3/4 & Q6, Q7/8, Q10 PERIOD ASKED ABOUT FOR PAST BUSINESS PERFORMANCE 20: Mid-July until end of Summer holidays 6
Business Confidence Dashboard: Attractions 87 89 94 92 91 89 98 93 97 % fairly confident 61 64 62 62 56 63 64 58 54 % very confident 26 25 32 30 36 26 34 35 42 20 20 July 20 20 Nov 20 20 20 Jul 20 20 Period asked about: Until the end of Easter Until late Spring/ early Summer Until end of school summer holidays Until end of October Until end of the year Until the end of Easter Until late Spring/ early Summer Until end of school summer holidays Until end October 97 96 97 96 97 % fairly confident 55 54 52 58 53 % very confident 43 42 44 38 44 20 Less than 20k Over 20k Indoor Outdoor Mixed Q PERIOD ASKED ABOUT FOR FUTURE BUSINESS CONFIDENCE 20: Up until end of October 7
Visitor Profile 8
Changing Visitor Profile (year-to-date vs. previous year): Attractions Up Same Down NET: Up - Down Up Down % Visitors from immediate locality 34 58 8 +26 26 Nov 12 26 12 26 15 28 11 July 37 8 39 5 Nov 27 32 27 5 7 5 Jul 34 8 Up Down Other domestic visitors 43 46 11 +32 31 39 22 22 Nov 12 35 23 26 45 July 12 43 44 11 12 Nov 36 37 43 11 10 11 Jul Up Down Overseas visitors 36 49 15 +21 25 23 Nov 12 28 21 35 17 32 38 43 10 9 July Nov 30 29 35 36 20 9 Jul 15 Q 9
Changing Visitor Profile (year-to-date vs. previous year): Attraction type Visitor numbers are up across all visitor profiles, for all attraction types. Outdoor attractions have seen particularly strong numbers of local and domestic visitors for the year-to-date. Up Same Down NET: Up - Down Visitors from immediate locality Under 20k Over 20k Indoors Outdoors Mixed 34 33 36 42 23 65 57 60 55 55 9 7 9 3 12 25 26 27 39 11 Under 20k 43 46 11 32 Over 20k 43 47 10 33 Indoors 39 50 12 27 Other domestic visitors Outdoors Mixed 46 46 47 42 7 39 33 Under 20k Over 20k 37 35 51 47 12 17 25 18 Indoors 45 38 16 29 Overseas visitors Outdoors Mixed 27 34 59 53 21 Q 10
Changing Visitor Profile (year-to-date vs. previous year): Charging Free attractions have fared slightly better than paid for ones for this year-to-date period compared with last year. Up Same Down NET: Up - Down Paid 30 62 8 22 Visitors from immediate locality Free 39 53 8 31 Paid 40 48 27 Other domestic visitors Free 48 45 8 40 Paid 35 48 17 18 Overseas visitors Free 37 51 12 25 Q 11
Past Performance 12
Visitor numbers: Year-on-year changes Proportions of visitor attractions saying visitor numbers are up for this latest period are on a level with this time last year. As a result of the overall strong increase in visitors this period, the year-to-date figures are also up. % 20 53 11 15 4 18 Up Slightly up Exactly same YTD 20 55 8 20 2 16 Slightly down Down 28 36 40 43 35 49 66 55 41 59 52 64 Up Down -55-51 July 2012 2012-38 -34 Nov 2012 20-47 20-29 July 20-23 -26 20 Nov 20-31 20-18 -21-22 20 Jul 20 20 PERIOD ASKED ABOUT FOR PAST BUSINESS PERFORMANCE 20: Mid-July until end of Summer holidays/ Jul 20: After Easter holidays until mid-july/ 20: the Easter period 20 / 20: Christmas and New Year period 20/ Nov 20: Mid-ember until the end of October/ Q3/4, Q7/8
Visitor numbers: Year-on-year changes by attraction type Over half of attractions, regardless of size or type, said that visitor numbers are up - both for the most recent Summer period and for the year-to-date. Down Slightly down Same Slightly up Up Less than 20k 17 18 5 3 18 26 12 6 48 49 Over 20k 18 15 3 1 11 15 11 10 58 60 20 YTD 20 20 YTD 20 Indoor Outdoor Mixed 19 20 4 1 22 11 4 17 11 1 3 20 16 8 11 16 17 4 4 16 16 15 10 53 54 56 56 49 53 20 YTD 20 20 YTD 20 20 YTD 20 Q3/4, Q7/8 PERIOD ASKED ABOUT FOR PAST BUSINESS PERFORMANCE 20: Mid-July until end of Summer holidays
Changing business performance: By admission charge and VAQAS There has been a strengthening of performance, compared with the previous year, regardless of charging and VAQAS membership. Free attractions and non-vaqas members have reported the highest levels of satisfaction with business performance since before. ADMISSION 44 42 % Visitors up on last year 66 54 57 66 35 53 47 34 63 55 43 53 47 39 65 64 Free Paid 25 24 % Very satisfied 47 37 36 35 26 38 33 30 18 21 45 38 37 33 55 44 July Nov Jul July Nov Jul VAQAS 54 39 % Visitors up on last year 67 62 66 53 54 46 63 46 58 61 48 47 39 30 71 62 Members Nonmembers 24 24 25 22 % Very satisfied 47 45 33 35 36 40 41 35 29 27 36 35 51 41 July Nov Jul July Nov Jul Q3/4, Q6 16
Visitor Numbers: Year-on-year changes (%) A successful Summer period has resulted in an overall increase in visitors of 5%, compared with last year. Consequently, there has also been a 3% increase in visitors for the year-to-date period this year. % 20 3 2 1 2 8 10 26 16 YTD 20 22 20-8 -7-5 -8-3 -2-0.5-1 -0.5-1 Increase Over 50% 31-50% 21-30% 11-20% 5-10% Less than 5% Decrease Less than 5% 5-10% 11-20% 21-30% 31-50% Over 50% Average % change in visitor numbers 5% 3% Q5, Q9 PERIOD ASKED ABOUT FOR PAST BUSINESS PERFORMANCE 20: Mid-July until end of Summer holidays 17
Visitor numbers: Degree of year-on-year changes by attraction type A sunny earlier summer period followed by a more changeable August has allowed both indoor and outdoor attractions to grow visitor numbers for this latest period. Smaller attractions have seen smaller changes in audience numbers, but they are still up over the summer and for the year to date. Less than 20k 20 2 1 7 YTD 20 1 8 22 18 Over 20k 20 2 3 10 30 YTD 20 2 12 25 18 18-9 -7-5 -4-3 -4-1 -1 23 15-7 -7-11 -5-2 -1 Average % change 4% 2% 7% 5% 20 Indoor Outdoor Mixed 1 3 7 24 YTD 20 2 11 17 17 17-8 -6-2 -7-1 -3-1 20 21 9 31 YTD 20 1 9 29 21-6 -5-3 -9-2 -2 20 3 1 10 10 24 YTD 20 21 19 24-11 -11-5 -3-3 -3 5% 3% 5% 4% 6% 3% Q5, Q9 PERIOD ASKED ABOUT FOR PAST BUSINESS PERFORMANCE 20: Mid-July until end of Summer holidays
Positive verbatim comments on business performance We have made improvements within the business which generated more visitors and led to a large increase in repeat visitors. Because we are becoming more well known and public awareness has increased and because of new exhibitions We have changed things that we do, we have kept things fresh and different. Mostly we renovated our building and extended opening hours and it s helped with business. Our income from admissions is better because we have so many foreign visitors coming in. We were highly commended - we won the tourist attraction of the year award for Dorset - so we have used that in our advertising, and the weather has helped in August. 19
Negative verbatim comments on business performance We are already down on 20 and don't expect it to pick up, but the period after November is critical. July was very hot so people were going to the seaside and in August there were lots of wet or mixed days. I believe that people are risking holidays abroad and so we re losing business. Our numbers are down from last year as we ve suffered various issues related to building works. Mostly the general state of the economy - people still don't feel well off. 20
Case Study: The Gardens Gallery Increase in visitor numbers by 5-10% for latest period compared with the same period in 20. The Gardens Gallery is becoming increasingly well known, particularly in the local community, in part due to the constantly changing exhibitions we put on. Every week we have new exhibitors showing in the gallery, who each have their own list of contacts and followers that they reach out to. Furthermore, the local paper is very supportive of the gallery and publishes regular pieces on our new exhibitions. This all helps to promote the gallery among the public, and bring both new and repeat visitors. This gallery keeps its offering fresh, to encourage repeat business and build public awareness Independent art gallery in Cheltenham Free entry Our website is a key factor in bringing in business too, in particular the downloadable exhibitions diary which visitors can use to plan their visits. We also include information on all arts activities in and around Gloucestershire. Over the last 12 months we have also worked on promoting the message of sustainability, and the gallery is lowering it s carbon emissions and working in line with Cheltenham as a whole to become greener. This has also led to greater visibility of the gallery amongst the local community, and further afield. 21
Future Performance 22
Business optimism for 20 The success of this latest period seems to have buoyed business optimism for the year as a whole, with the highest proportion since pre- (67%) saying that 20 will be better than 20. Much worse than 20 Slightly worse than 20 1 1 1 2 2 4 1 5 1 8 8 10 7 7 7 2 6 28 27 33 32 24 30 37 34 33 The same as 20 41 43 45 40 41 48 46 46 48 Slightly better than 20 Much better than 20 12 20 20 Jul 20 23 23 20 Nov 20 20 17 15 20 Jul 20 19 20 Q15 23
Confidence for forthcoming period: Attractions Strong business performance over the summer period is reflected in confidence levels for the forthcoming period, which are at their highest levels since before Nov 12. TYPE % Very satisfied 38 36 38 35 36 42 35 31 31 33 35 32 36 29 33 35 38 32 28 30 23 30 31 26 34 31 33 27 22 28 24 24 26 22 19 17 Nov 12 July Nov Jul 44 Less than 20k Over 20k Indoor Outdoor Mixed LOCATION 44 30 28 27 23 23 17 % Very confident 47 Seaside 41 36 38 36 Large town or city 28 29 37 39 Small town 35 30 31 20 Countryside/ 25 26 village Nov 12 July Nov Jul CAUTION: SMALL BASE SIZES Q PERIOD ASKED ABOUT FOR FUTURE BUSINESS CONFIDENCE 20: Up until end of October 24
Positive verbatim comments on business confidence Very optimistic - we've got a lot of school visits planned because they are doing projects on world war one and we have new exhibitions focused on that. We have lots of activities and events planned and we are reviewing these activities; we have strong support from the council as well. People are willing to spend more money on leisure activities and are not guarding their purse strings so much. We're expanding the number of events we offer to a larger audience. We are heading in the busiest final quarter and very optimistic about it. 25
Negative verbatim comments on business confidence We have a special exhibition gallery which will be refurbished, so there might be a negative impact while that s going on. There doesn't seem to be many people around and with all the other places open to the public in the local area, there are too many choices for visitors. We re not feeling very confident because the last few months have been horrendous due to the world cup, the weather and economy and I don t think we can make up the loss this year. 26
Performance and confidence snapshot: ember 20 Visitor Numbers (ember) Confidence (End of October) Up Same Down Very Very / fairly TOTAL (%) 64 15 21 42 97 Less than 20k 60 18 22 43 97 Visitor numbers per annum (%) 20k or over 68 11 20 42 96 20k-50k 67 9 24 42 97 50k-100k 70 12 18 56 93 Over 100k 69 12 18 33 98 Indoor 64 23 44 97 Type (%) Outdoor 64 16 20 38 96 Mixed 64 16 20 44 97 Charge (%) VAQAS (%) Paid 64 22 35 96 Free 65 15 20 53 98 Yes 71 7 22 44 97 No 62 17 21 42 96 Seaside 63 23 45 100 Location (%) Large town / city 64 19 17 47 99 Small town 65 11 24 43 95 Rural 64 22 39 95 28