2010 dmo website user survey
DESCRIPTION
2010 DMO Website User Survey. Understanding user behaviors, perceptions and attitudes. Participating DMOs. Table of Contents. Project Objectives4 Methodology5 Respondent Profile6 The Role of the DMO Website15 Travel Reviews and Video27 Destination Information Sources34. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
2010 DMO Website User Survey
Understanding user behaviors, perceptions and attitudes
2
Participating DMOs
3
Table of Contents
Project Objectives 4
Methodology 5
Respondent Profile 6
The Role of the DMO Website 15
Travel Reviews and Video 27
Destination Information Sources 34
4
To understand the role of the DMO website in the destination travel planning process.
To research and understand DMO user behaviors, perceptions and attitudes toward destination tourism websites.
To identify DMO website user characteristics and demographics.
To analyze and assess the potential for improved DMO website performance.
Project Objectives
5
SMG selected five DMOs to participate in the survey◦ Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority◦ Pismo Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau◦ Solvang Visitors and Convention Bureau◦ Temecula Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau◦ Ventura Visitors and Convention Bureau
Each DMO agreed to email the SMG survey & cover letter to its own email list
The survey was completed during a two week period in March with over 3,000 completed surveys
Methodology
Respondent Profile
61% - Female 58% - Between 41-60 years 58% - Have a college education % 76% - Caucasian 69% - More likely to use Google as their
search engine Were likely to watch surf the Internet daily,
watch TV, email friends and family and listen to AM/FM radio
Respondent Profile Summary
7
8
Overall 61% of survey respondents were female 49%
61%
Male Female
Gender
9
Survey respondents tended to be older with the highest percentage between 51-60 years, followed by the 41-50 age segment under 25
25-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
60+
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
1%
6%
14%
27%
31%
22%
Age Demographic
10
The highest concentration of survey respondents income levels was between $70,000 & $150,000
Fifteen percent had income levels above 16%
$0-$29,999
$30-$39,999
$40-$49,999
$50-$59,999
$60-$69,999
$70-$99,999
$1000-$149,999
$150-$199,999
$200,000+
0% 10% 20% 30%6%6%8%9%9%
24%24%
9%7%
Income Demographic
11
Overall 58% of survey respondents indicated they completed college, followed by 20% high school and 14% with a masters degree
High
School20%
College58%
Masters14%
PhD3%
Other5%
Education Level
12
White76%
African American2%
Asian/Asian Amer-ican8%
Hispanic/Latino8%
Native American1%
Other3%
N/A2%
Ethnicity
13
Approximately 70% of those surveyed indicated they used Google as their primary search engine
Bing/MSN
Yahoo
Other
8%
18%
69%
5%
Search Engine Use
14
Surf the Internet dailyWatch TV
Email friends/associatesListen to AM/FM radio
Read a daily paperParticipate in a social network
Read a daily paper onlineWatch online videoPost photos online
Listen to satellite radioPost reviews online
Write a comment or blogListen to podcastPost video online
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%83%82%
74%71%
51%41%
32%26%
19%18%
8%7%6%
3%
Note the online activities of survey respondents
Respondent Media Habits
The Role of the DMO Website
16
The Internet was the primary tool used to plan a personal vacation at 93%
Search engines and DMO sites were most useful for researching a destination
Visitors were most likely to visit a DMO website to obtain vacation information
Survey respondents found general information, area maps and attractions most helpful information
Respondents most frequently use a DMO site when learning about a destination
Website Role Summary
17
Magazine/newspaper adTV Commercial
Radio CommercialNewspaper/magazine article
ReferralVisitor bureau
BrochureDirect mail
Online adOnline review
Search enginePromotional email
Other
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0%7.4%
2.1%0.4%
3.5%4.5%
3.0%4.6%
2.6%2.9%
5.1%48.4%
7.3%2.9%
28% of respondentsindicated they found about a DMO site via traditional media
How visitors found out about a DMO website?
18
Sources used to plan a personal vacation trip
Note: This result is expected because the survey consisted of DMO email lists.
The Internet is the single largest planning tool among this group!
Approximately 93% of those surveyed indicated they used the Internet to plan a personal vacation trip.
Only 26% indicated they used magazines or TV.
800 Number
Travel Agent
TV
Magazines
Brochure
Family/Friends
Internet
Other
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
16%
11%
4%
22%
34%
33%
93%
6%
19
Not at All
Useful
2 Neutral 4 Very Useful
Top Box
Airline Site 12% 12% 24% 25% 28% 53%Travel Review Site
10% 12% 29% 28% 31% 59%
Travel Search Engine
7% 10% 27% 33% 24% 57%
Hotel Site 7% 11% 27% 33% 22% 55%Search Engine
2% 4% 16% 32% 45% 77%
Online TA 35% 23% 28% 10% 4% 14%DMO Site 7% 8% 22% 32% 30% 62%
Website usefulness for researching a possible destination
20
Visited DMO website
Requested a visitor guide/brochure
Visited an office for information
Sent email request for information
Called office for information
Other
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
82%
75%
38%
36%
18%
5%
Following ways you have used a DMO to obtain vacation
information
21
General informationArea maps & attractions
Specific attractionsActivity information
Special events Area photos
Package deal informationOnline video
BlogsOther
0% 10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%84%
82%74%74%
67%60%
54%24%
10%3%
Types of information you find helpful on a DMO website
Low % of video shows potential of added video content to DMO websites
22
When learning about a destination
Comparing travel products & prices
When booking my trip
After booking but before traveling
During my trip
After my trip
81%
55%
44%
31%
14%
4% Note how users
primarily used a DMO site in the early stages of trip planning and less so during other parts of the trip planning and post trip behavior.
Place in the travel planning process you typically visit a DMO website
23
No2% May
be13%
Some
what
54%
Def -inite-ly8%
Note the influence a DMO website has on a decision to take a trip to a specific area.
DMO Site Influence
24
Helped learn more about a destination
Helped to make a decision to visit a destination
Prompted me to book a trip to a destination
83%
61%
28%
Impact of the DMO site on last trip
25
Extremely helpful40%
Somewhat helpful56%
Not very helpful3%
Not at all helpful1%
Overall helpfulness of DMO site in your decision to visit an area
26
Not at All
Reliable
2 Neutral 4 Very Reliabl
e
Top BoxTotal
Airline Website
4% 6% 28% 31% 30% 61%
Travel Review Site
4% 9% 36% 38% 13% 51%
Hotel Site 4% 8% 30% 39% 19% 58%Search Engine
1% 4% 23% 45% 27% 72%
Online TA 9% 10% 34% 33% 13% 46%DMO Site 2% 4% 21% 43% 30% 73%
Reliability of Travel Sites
27
Travel Reviews and Video
28
Travel reviews are influential Respondents are more likely to believe
reviews by people like them Many have viewed a travel destination
video online Find destination travel videos helpful Travel videos were much more helpful when
thinking about or planning a trip than for specific activities
Travel Reviews/Video Summary
29
78% of survey respondents indicated that reviews and travel experiences by others did have an influence on their travel plans.
Yes made plans; 78%
No influence; 22%
Influence of your travel plans based on reviews and experiences of others
30
Survey respondents indicated they tended to believe reviews done by people like them as opposed to travel experts.
72%
28%
People Like Me Travel Experts
Whose reviews do you tend to believe?
31
Fifty-four percent of survey respondents indicated that they had viewed a travel destination video online
54%46%
Yes have viewedNo have not
Have you viewed a travel destination video online?
32
Fully 81% of survey respondents indicated online videos were helpful in considering a destination to visit.
81%
19%
Yes helpfulNo Not Helpful
Helpfulness of online video in considering a destination
33
Note the importance of online video when thinking about taking a trip and choosing a destination
Videos were viewed much less frequently when considering activity ideas, lodging decisions and when booking a trip
When thinking about taking a trip
When choosing a destination
When looking for activity ideas
When deciding on lodging
When booking a destination trip
0% 50%
42%
28%
14%
11%
5%
When planning a trip when are you most likely to watch an online video?
34
Destination Information Sources
35
One quarter of survey respondents have “friended” or become fans of a destination
16% have accessed a destination website on a mobile hand held device
Overall respondents tend to use a computer to access a destination website while on a vacation
47% have booked either part of all of a vacation online.
Destination Information Sources Summary
36
Twenty-seven percent of survey respondents indicated they had become a friend of a specific destination on Facebook or MySpace in the past 12 months
27%
73%
Yes No
Friend of a specific destination on MySpace or Facebook
37
Sixteen percent of survey respondents indicated they had accessed a destination website with a handheld phone or device in the past 12 months
16%
84%
Yes No
Accessed a destination website with a handheld phone or device
38
The overwhelming majority of survey respondents indicated they used their computer or laptop to find information online
Website via your phone
Website via laptop or computer
Local information center
Ask a local resident
Other
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
15%
73%
48%
32%
9%
How do you find information when you are already visiting a destination?
39
Forty-seven percent of survey respondents indicated they booked a part or all of a trip online
47%53%
Yes No
Booked all or part of trip on a destination website
40
The DMO website is a key link in the destination choice process
The Role of the DMO Site
Consumer awareness about
site
DMO website links vacation
concept to reality
Vacation Booking
41
• Planning tool
Internet
• Search engine
• Traditional media
Find a DMO Site • Useful
• Influential• Reliable
DMO site
• Decision to visit
Book a trip
The Role of the DMO Site
The DMO website plays an integral role in a visitor’s decision to visit; users view it as useful, influential and reliable in providing information with which to make a vacation destination decision.
42
Finding the DMO website
OnlineSEO
Social
TraditionalMedia
DMO Site
43
SEO strategy Information content strategy
◦ General Information◦ Area maps◦ Specific attractions◦ Activity information (recreation, cultural,
historical)◦ Special events/event calendar◦ Area photos (in the moment, scenic, people)◦ Blog◦ Video◦ Social
DMO Site Relevance
44
DMO websites play a critical role in the destination planning process in educating consumers about a destination
The DMO website is the link between consumers’ interest in taking a vacation and booking a vacation
The highest value of a DMO website is its usefulness, reliability, and influence
Summary