Giant s Causeway. V i s i t o r e x p e r i e n c e s u r v e y

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1 Giant s Causeway V i s i t o r e x p e r i e n c e s u r v e y All research conducted in compliance with the International Standard ISO 20252:2012

2 Aims, Objectives & Methodology

3 Aims & objectives The specific aims of the study were to: Identify the impact of the new visitor centre in influencing out-of-state visitors and domestic tourists to come to the Causeway Coast & Glens area and Northern Ireland. Provide robust and quantitative measures of satisfaction with the visitor experience at the Giant s Causeway and surrounding area. Capture aspects of visitors experiences beyond the visitor centre and determine the influence of the Giant s Causeway on shaping visitors trips. Identify the impact of the Giant s Causeway visitor centre on the wider visitor experience. The research was also designed to provide benchmarks against which the Giant s Causeway Visitor Experience can be measured in future years.

4 Methodology Sampling All adult visitors (aged 16+) Interviewing conducted across a range of times and dates (covering both peak and non-peak times) Random sampling technique every 3 rd person approached for interview and only one person per party (although this ratio was reduced during times of low footfall) All interviews conducted after respondents had completed their visit Data Collection Face-to face Utilised Millward Brown specialist HAPI (Handheld Assisted Personal Interviewing) devices A set of core questions asked of all visitors (approx. 1200) and two sets of variant questions asked alternatively to achieve a half sample (approx. 600) for each variant All fieldwork carried out between the 25 th July and 10 th November 2013 Majority of interviews conducted at the back of visitor centre near tunnel and shuttle bus pick-up / drop-off point All research conducted in compliance with the International Standards, ISO 20252:2012 & ISO 9001:2008 and with the Market Research Society ethical Code of Conduct.

5 Sample profile & demographics

6 Sample profile Base: All visitors (n=1200) Gender Country of Origin Male Female 48% 52% Europe 12% Rest of World 6% NI 26% Age % RoI 12% % 26% GB 19% North America 24% % The Giant s Causeway attracts a wide range of visitor types and profile highlights its role as a demand generator - attracting visitors from all over the world into NI and domestic tourists into the CC&G area

7 Group type & party size Couple / with partner Family group With friends Group type Base: [Var B] All visitors (n=601) 14% 35% 40% Group type & party size Findings highlight the strengths of the Giant s Causeway as a destination for couples and family groupings. On my own With both family and friends 1% Kids % Total average party size 3.13 Base: Var B excluding coach passengers (n=407) Adults 2.59 A quarter (24%) of visitors were part of a wider party containing children, with visitors from NI and RoI most likely to bring children. National Trust should continue to raise awareness and promote the extensive family offering available at the Giant s Causeway.

8 Awareness & influence

9 Awareness and influence of the Giant s Causeway Pre-trip awareness 82% of out-of-state visitors were aware of the Giant s Causeway before planning their trip (awareness highest amongst visitors from RoI at 95%) Influence of the Giant s Causeway in decision to visit Almost half (47%) out-of-state visitors stated that the Giant s Causeway was the main reason or a very important reason for coming to NI Four fifths (80%) of visitors from NI stated that the Giant s Causeway was the main reason or a very important reason for visiting the CC&G area When decided to visit the Giant s Causeway 97% of visitors from RoI and 81% of visitors from GB and overseas decided to visit during the planning of the trip before leaving home demonstrating its status as a demand generator Essentially, the Giant s Causeway is a must see NI visitor attraction and draws out-of-state visitors into the country and into the CC&G area

10 World Heritage Site status Aware of World Heritage Site status before visiting Base: All visitors (n=1200) Importance of World Heritage Site status in decision to visit Base: All aware of WHS status before visit (n=909) No 23% The main reason for coming Very Important 10% 23% Biggest influence on visitors from: France, Spain, Italy, China & New Zealand Quite important 21% Yes 77% Neither Important nor unimportant 16% Awareness of WHS status highest amongst visitors from NI (86%), RoI (78%) and GB (78%) Not very important Not important at all 20% 10%

11 Type of trip, duration & travel

12 First visit to? First visit to NI Base: [VarB] All OOS (n=441) First visit to Causeway Coast & Glens area Base: [VarB] All excluding CC&G residents (n=565) No 27% No 29% Yes 73% Yes 71% Findings clearly demonstrate the ability of the Giant s Causeway to draw visitors into NI and the CC&G area clear demand generator

13 Visitors staying overnight Base: [VarA] All visitors excluding CC&G residents (n=565) Visitors staying overnight anywhere in NI All visitors 57% 43% NI RoI 26% 35% 74% 65% GB & overseas 71% 29% Visitors staying overnight in CC&G area Overnight Daytrip All visitors NI RoI GB & overseas 19% 26% 11% 18% 81% 74% 89% 82% Visitors drawn in to NI/CC&G area Proportion of visitors staying overnight in CC&G area is down from 2006 but may have been impacted by Titanic Belfast & Derry~Londonderry Majority of overnight visitors on a short break (1-3 nights)

14 Awareness of the Causeway Coastal Route Base: [VarB] All who travelled by private car (n=342) Followed the Causeway Coastal Route? Base: [VarB] All aware of the causeway coastal route who travelled by private car (n=298) No 13% Yes 71% No 29% Yes 87% Was the Causeway Coastal route signage useful? Base: [VarB] All who travelled by private car and followed the causeway coastal route (n=213) Yes 96% No 4% Findings also suggest that there is a missed opportunity to promote other areas and attractions along the Causeway Coastal route before visitors leave home

15 Travel to the Giant s Causeway How travelled to Giant s Causeway? Base: [VarB] All visitors (n=601) Private car 57% *North Americans most likely to have travelled to the Giant s Causeway by coach Type of coach used Base: [VarB] All who travelled by coach (n=194) Coach Public transport bus Shuttle bus from Bushmills * 3% 1% 32% Organised coach tour 87% Walked 1% Motorbike 1% Other 5% Shuttle bus figure is not reflective of usage during peak periods when bus operates at capacity National Trust have taken measures to promote shuttle bus and green tickets School group 2% Other tour group 6% Other 2% Tour from cruise ship 3%

16 Giant s Causeway experience

17 Where did you/ your driver park? Base: [VarB] All who travelled by private car (n=342) Main car park adjoining the visitor centre 84% Causeway Hotel car park Beside the Nook In one of the other National Trust car parks at the Giants Causeway site 3% 3% 7% Satisfaction with parking 95% overall satisfaction 64% very satisfied Continue to provide clear signage to alternative parking sites and continued promotion that parking is included as part of the entry fee Other 3% Satisfaction at main car park 97% satisfaction 67% very satisfied

18 Type of ticket purchased Base: All visitors interviewed at main access route (n=846) Ticket/s bought on arrival 53% Ticket / entrance paid as part of tour package Not bought a ticket as I am a member of the National Trust Not bought a ticket and do not intend to Ticket/s bought in advance online Park & Ride ticket at Bushmills 8% 8% 2% 1% 29% Ticket type purchased National Trust have already taken steps to encourage sales of more tickets online they recently introduced a new website for buying tickets on-line Outdoor attraction so weather may also have an effect regarding online sales Non-payers are in the minority but there was a lack of certainty and understanding amongst this group to what is included in the entry fee Positively the majority of non-payers agreed that the maintenance and upkeep of the site, as well as the provision of amenities and services, justified the entry fee Non-payers primarily from NI with smaller proportions from other overseas countries

19 Places visited & average time spent on-site Base: All visitors (n=1200) Places visited on-site* Stones 95% Coastal path 48% Shop in visitor centre 37% Café in visitor centre 28% Average time spent at the Giant s Causeway site Toilets in visitor centre 28% All visitors (n=1200) 1hr 50mins Exibitions/ interpretation in visitor centre 27% Average time on-site TIC in visitor centre 6% Average time spent on-site is similar to 2006 Toilets outside the visitor centre 3% (NITB/TNS survey) Although visitors haven t extended time onsite the visitor experience has been enhanced *Includes all visitors regardless of access to visitor centre

20 Satisfaction regarding Giant s Causeway visitor centre & overall experience Base: [VarA] All visitors (n=599) Fairly satisfied How friendly and welcoming the staff were Overall experience of staff/ volunteers Helpfulness of staff Very satisfied 99% 99% 98% Visitor centre enhances overall experience 86% of visitors (who visited old & new centre) agreed that the new visitor centre enhances the overall visitor experience. 90% of all visitors stated that the design and architecture of the new visitor centre enhanced the overall experience either a lot (59%) or a little (31%). Signage to on-site facilities Ease of buying ticket Value for money 97% 87% 85% Visitors also expressed high levels of interest and satisfaction with all the exhibitions. They were especially satisfied with the stories of how the stones were formed (93%) and the information on geology (87%). Also strong satisfaction with the mythology, wildlife, the local people and stories. Demonstrating the appeal across a wide range of visitor segments.

21 Awareness of audio guide and/or tour guide Base: [VarB] All visitors (n=601) Yes 84% Use of audio guide and/or tour guide Base: All aware of audio guide(n=245) Yes, audio guide only 60% Yes, tour guide only 9% No 16% Yes, both audio guide and tour guide 2% No, not interested 29% Need to ensure that all staff are trained to inform visitors about the audio guides and tour guide included in the ticket price Need to ensure sufficient publication and promotion especially as visitors cited these as greatly enhancing the overall visitor experience Big opportunity to promote and publicise that the tour guide is included in the ticket price

22 The café and shop in the visitor centre Base: [VarB] All with access to the visitor centre (n=573) Overall experience in the café 29% of visitors with access to the visitor centre had something to eat or drink in the café. High satisfaction ratings with all the key ratings for the café. Especially regarding the quality, efficiency, friendliness and helpfulness of staff. In relative terms value for money and the availability of local produce performed less strongly. These metrics could be possibly improved by enhancing the local offering and range of meal deals especially for families. Overall experience in the shop 42% of visitors with access to the visitor centre visited the shop with the intention of browsing or buying. 44% of shop visitors made a purchase. High satisfaction ratings with all the key ratings for the shop. Especially regarding the range, relevance of goods and the ease of moving around. Staff also rated strongly. In relative terms value for money performed less strongly. This could possibly be improved by widening the range of lower price products.

23 Tourist Information Centre within the Visitor Centre Asked for info or advice at TIC Base: [VarA] All who visited TIC (n=91*) Received info likely to encourage longer stay in CC&G area Base: [VarA] All who asked for help or helped themselves to info (n=70*) Maybe 14% No 41% Yes 59% No 37% Yes 49% *small base TIC staff rated very positively 85% stated they were efficient and 84% stated they were able to provide useful information Need to ensure all information provided, leaflets and publications are effective in encouraging visitors to stay longer, act as advocates for the area and encourage return visits Missed opportunity to cluster and promote activities in the area As highlighted earlier, many visitors will already have invested in a lot of pre-trip planning so it is important to influence them before they leave as well as while they are in the CC&G area

24 Alternative attractions Also visiting Titanic Belfast as part of this trip Base: [VarA] All GB & overseas visitors (n=374) Other attractions planned to visit Visitors from North America were much more likely to be visiting Titanic Belfast as part of their current trip. There is a clear opportunity to promote and package Titanic Belfast and the Giant s Causeway together as two world class visitor experiences. No 53% Yes 47% Almost two thirds of visitors planned to visit other attractions in the CC&G area as part of their visit to the Giant s Causeway as part of their current trip. Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge (28%), Bushmills Village (25%) and Bushmills Distillery (23%) were the most frequently cited attractions/ places in the CC&G area that visitors planned to visit as part of their trip to the Giant s Causeway.

25 Overall experience

26 Overall ratings of the Giant s Causeway experience Base: All visitors (n=1200) Overall rating of Giant s Causeway experience Very enjoyable 64% Overall experience ratings Visitors from GB, North America and other overseas countries found their visits to be most enjoyable with 100% of visitors stating that they enjoyed their visit Enjoyable 35% More than 7 in 10 visitors from GB (71%) and North America (74%) stated that their visit was very enjoyable Not particularly enjoyable 1%

27 Overall ratings of the Giant s Causeway experience Base: All visitors (n=1200) Overall the Giant s Causeway experience Exceeded expectations 40% Greatly exceeded expectations 14% Fell below expectations 1% Met expectations 44% Overall experience ratings Visitors from North America (66%) and GB (56%) most likely to state that the Giant s Causeway experience exceeded expectations 96% of visitors satisfied with the on-site facilities (48% very satisfied) The overwhelming majority of visitors cited the stones (55%) or the scenery (23%) as the best part of their visit to the Giant s Causeway. Essentially, the stones and the scenery are the key attractions but the overall experience has clearly been enhanced by the new visitor centre

28 Advocacy & social media Base: All visitors (n=1200) Very unlikely Unlikely Likely Very likely Likelihood of recommending friends & family to visit the Giant s Causeway 1% 39% 59% [98% advocacy] Likelihood of commenting about experience on social media 26% 24% 27% [51% likely to comment] Advocacy ratings very positive with visitors from North America and GB most likely to be the strongest advocates of the Giant s Causeway Younger visitors were much more likely to comment about the Giant s Causeway on social media Big opportunity to harness visitors positive experiences at the Giant s Causeway on social networking sites and further promote the attraction to a global audience NT have already taken steps to harness these positive visitor experiences and are actively engaging with visitors via social media

29 Conclusions & recommendations

30 Conclusions & recommendations The Giant s Causeway attracts visitors from all over the world and the attraction is a demand generator bringing out-of-state visitors into NI and domestic tourists into the CC&G area. Awareness and influence of the Giant s Causeway s World Heritage Site (WHS) status reflects the success of the efforts to build global awareness. Awareness and usage of the Causeway Coastal Route is high amongst those who travelled by car and those who followed the route found the signage useful. Although the Giant s Causeway is very successful at bringing visitors into the CC&G area it is not generating significant overnight visits in the area. Belfast and Derry~Londonderry have benefitted by acting as hubs for many visitors. National Trust have also cited an increased day trip market with many visitors based in Belfast and doing the Giant s Causeway and surrounding area in a day (tick box tourism). One third of visitors had not planned to visit any other attractions in the area so there is an opportunity to cluster attractions, develop packages and offer joint ticketing opportunities. Improving the (premium) accommodation offering in the area may also help retain visitors.

31 Conclusions & recommendations The audio guide and tour guide are included in the entry fee and clearly enhance the visitor experience so it is essential both are clearly publicised and continue to be promoted by staff, on the website and in all promotional materials. Although it is evident that the stones and scenery are the main attractions the new visitor centre is proving to be a real asset by enhancing the visitor experience. The café, shop and TIC were all rated very highly across all the key metrics by visitors who used these facilities. Overall the Giant s Causeway experience met expectations of 99% of visitors, with 54% stating it exceeded or greatly exceeded expectations. In relative terms the value for money and the availability of local produce in the café performed less strongly. Opportunity to improve by highlighting the local offering and better value meal deals, especially for families. Value for money in the shop also performed less strongly relative to other metrics. This could possibly be improved by widening the range of lower price products available and continuing to highlight value for money offers in the shop. Staff at the Giant s Causeway performed very strongly in all aspects and have clearly helped enhance the overall visitor experience.

32 Conclusions & recommendations Despite low utilisation visitors also rated the TIC staff within the visitor centre very positively. However, it should be noted that there is also a TIC outside the visitor centre which may have impacted the utilisation of he TIC staff within the visitor centre. The TIC in its gateway role has an important part to play by continuing to actively promote the CC&G area and encouraging visitors to stay longer and spend more in the area. Findings highlight an opportunity for stakeholders to work together further developing visitor experiences through clustering and promoting other attractions and activities in the CC&G area, as well as working with tour operators and hoteliers to enhance packages encouraging overnight stays. The overwhelming majority of respondents found their visit to the Giant s Causeway enjoyable and almost all visitors left as advocates. A significant proportion of visitors also stated that it was likely they would comment about the Giant s Causeway on social media. National Trust has generated significant growth in social media engagement and continues to harness these positive experiences to promote the attraction to a global audience.

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