Professor Jukka Laitamaki

Transcription

1 Lapland Tourism Parliament 2009 Competitiveness of Finnish Arctic Holidays in the U.S.A. Professor Jukka Laitamaki New York University Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 1

2 Agenda 1. Changing Behavior of U.S. Travelers 2. Competitiveness of Finnish Holiday Products: Focus on Experiential Holidays Finnish Arctic Holidays Finnish Christmas Holidays Finnish Wildlife Holidays 3. Recommendations Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 2

3 1. Changing Behavior of U.S. Travelers Growth segments during recession: Domestic tourism Camping and other low cost vacations Travel to nearby countries The Americas Faith tourism - sabbaticals, pilgrimage, religious Cultural & historical tours: Finnish Christmas, Countryside & Classical Music Holidays Nature trips to National Parks: Finnish Arctic & Wildlife Holidays Eco-friendly vacations: Finnish Wellbeing Holidays Source: Tourism Journalists Association 2009 Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 3

4 Americans value vacations in 2009: 64.8% consider vacations very important for them 77% plan to cut spending in other areas in order to travel 62.2% plan to take same or more leisure trips than in 2008 Implications for Finland: Target consumers who value vacations The Visionaries. Source: TravelMuse 2009 Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 4

5 In 2009 US Travelers plan to: Go to the nature (change from 2008) 75% visit national park (+13%) 53% go hiking (+3%) 47% engage in an adventure activity (+7) 33% go cycling & biking (+5%) 11% participate in extreme sports (+3%) Implications for Finland: Promote Finnish Arctic, Wildlife & Countryside Holidays (e.g. National Geographic Enchanted Forest in Finland) Source: Trip Advisor Survey 2009 Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 5

6 In 2009 US Travelers plan to: Become more green (change from 2008) 34% visit environmentally friendly hotel (+4%) 32% be more environmentally conscious (+6%) Implications for Finland: Promote Finnish Wellbeing Holidays Source: Trip Advisor Survey 2009 Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 6

7 In 2009 US Travelers plan to: Become cultural & educated (change from 2008) 66% go to theater (+8%) 87% visit a historical site (+3%) 36% engage in an educational activity (+2%) Implications for Finland: Promote Finnish Classical Music, Wellbeing and Christmas Holidays Source: Trip Advisor Survey 2009 Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 7

8 When Choosing Vacation Destination in 2009 US Travelers are CONCERN ABOUT: Exchange rates limits travel to Europe (50%) Spending more on vacation than budgeted (51%) Germs, bacteria, and viruses in planes, public transportation and hotels Fuel costs Being able to check s on daily basis Flight frustrations when booking & at the airport Implications for Finland: Promote competitive value, clean environment, high-tech services & efficient airports. Source: Trip Advisor Survey 2009 Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 8

9 US Travelers Will Trim Their Travel Budgets in 2009: 28% plan to cancel their next trip in % plan to cut shopping when traveling 37% plan to cut entertainment when traveling 35% plan to cut meals & snacks when traveling Implications for Finland: Promote competitive value in shopping, entertainment and food services. Source: Forrester Technographics Study Q Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 9

10 Agenda 2. Competitiveness of Finnish Holiday Products: Focus on Experiential Holidays Finnish Arctic Holidays Finnish Christmas Holidays Finnish Wildlife Holidays Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 10

11 Based on UNWTO s s Tourism 2020 Vision Experiential Tourism will grow most rapidly & Finland should focus on: Rural tourism with focus on countryside holiday experiences. Nature tourism with focus on wildlife holiday experiences. Cultural tourism with focus on music holiday experiences. Soft adventure tourism with focus on Arctic holiday experiences. Heritage tourism with focus on Christmas holiday experiences. Wellbeing holidays with focus on Finnish spa- and sauna experiences. Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 11

12 The U.S. Benchmarking Study Design 1. Literature reviews, expert interviews, content analysis (media, websites & travel shows) defining key global growth categories of experiential tourism products for the U.S. outbound markets. 2. Selection of the 6 experiential tourism product categories based on a preliminary assessment of Finland s competitiveness according to the Six-Alpha Competitiveness Criteria. 3. Benchmarking Finland against leading global and Nordic destinations in the 6 product categories from the U.S. tourist point of view: I I am interested in Arctic Holidays in March 14-22, Where should I go based on the Six-Alpha Criteria? Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 12

13 Six-Alpha Competitiveness Criteria Developed by Professor Jukka M. Laitamaki: 6=highest & 1=lowest score Awareness which should be strong among the chosen target markets. Associations which should be authentic & appealing to the target markets. Attractions which should be authentic & appealing to the target markets. Activities which should be authentic & appealing to the target markets. Access which should be based on convenient & fast access to the destination. Affordability which should be based on competitive price, quality and value. Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 13

14 U.S. Competitiveness of Finnish Experiential Holidays Based on Six-Alpha Criteria Arctic ChristmasMusic: Wellbeing Wildlife: Countryside Holidays Classical Bird/Bear Watching Mean score Awareness Associations Attractions Activities Access Affordability Total Alpha (68%) Legend: 1=lowest; 6=highest; 36= total Alpha maximum Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 14

15 U.S. Competitiveness of Finnish Arctic Holidays Based on Six-Alpha Criteria Finland Sweden Norway Greenland Iceland Yukon/ Alaska NWT Awareness Associations Attractions Activities Access Affordability Total Alpha Legend: 1=lowest; 6=highest; 36= total Alpha maximum Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 15

16 Alaskan Arctic Holidays (26) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 16

17 Yukon & NW-Territories Arctic Holidays (21) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 17

18 Icelandic Arctic Holidays (27) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 18

19 Norwegian Arctic Holidays (26) Nord Cape, Svalbard,, Tromso, Finnmarksvidda Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 19

20 Swedish Arctic Holidays (23) Kiiruna Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 20

21 Greenland Arctic Holidays (17) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 21

22 Finnish Arctic Holidays (28) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 22

23 Great Publicity for Finnish Arctic Holidays ABC Good Morning America Big Adventures March 2009 Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 23

24 Great Publicity for Finnish Arctic Holidays in the U.S.A.: ABC Good Morning America Big Adventures March 13, 2009 Going Big Inside the World s Biggest Snow Structure Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 24

25 U.S. Competitiveness of Finnish Christmas Holidays Based on Six-Alpha Criteria Finland Sweden Norway Germany France Holland Russia Awareness Associations Attractions Activities Access Affordability Total Alpha Legend: 1=lowest; 6=highest; 36= total Alpha maximum Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 25

26 European Christmas Holidays: Germany (24), France (22) & Holland (21), Russia (21) Source: PeterGreenberg.com Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 26

27 Nordic Christmas Holidays: Swedish St. Lucia, Norwegian Northern Lights & Finnish Christmas at Arctic Circle Source: PeterGreenberg.com Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 27

28 Swedish Christmas Holidays (23) Santa s Home in Arvidsjur will be open for visitors Saturday December 6, 13 and 20, from until In Santa s barn you can make complementary purchases of Christmas gifts from the local craftsmen. Santa and his family already rejoice in your visit! Booking and information: Hotell Laponia Now, Santaworld is open monday - friday until 15th of September! The theatre is closed for the season and Santa Claus is on vacation. The Trolls house, Santa s house and Santa s big Workshop, the MOOSE and REINDEER park is open for visitors. The grand opening of Santaworld s winterseason 2009 is the 14th of November! Then Santa, the trolls, the Witch, the Winter Nymph and the King and Queen are home. Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 28

29 Norwegian Christmas Holidays (22) Tregaarden's Christmas House: Drøbak is the only all-year Christmas town in Norway, with Tregaarden's Christmas House and the Father Christmas' Post Office. The Christmas House is open throughout the year. Here you can buy Christmas cards and decorations. Get your Christmas cards stamped with Father Christmas' own postmark at Father Christmas' Post Office. Santa's house at Savalen: Come and visit Santa's house at Savalen. Entrance is free and you can eat as much gingerbread as you like. Join in on the story time and feed all the animals. Piglets, cockerels, goats and reindeer are among the animals at Santa's farm. And the shop is full of new ideas for Christmas decorations and presents. There is Christmas porridge and other goodies. At the post office you can send Christmas cards with Santa's own postmark. Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 29

30 Finnish Christmas Holidays (27) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 30

31 Santa s s Workshop North Pole New York Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 31

32 Good Publicity for Finnish Christmas Holidays in the U.S.A. ABC News December 26, 2007 Worldwide Christmas Celebrations India, Finland & Japan Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 32

33 U.S. Competitiveness of Finnish Wildlife Holidays Based on Six-Alpha Criteria Finland Canada Alaska Finland Canada Alaska Bird Bird Bird Bear Bear Bear Watching Watching Watching Watching Watching Watching Awareness Associations Attractions Activities Access Affordability Total Alpha Legend: 1=lowest; 6=highest; 36= total Alpha maximum Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 33

34 Canadian Wildlife Holidays: Bear Watching at Whistler (29) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 34

35 Alaskan Wildlife Holidays: Bear Watching (29) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 35

36 Finnish Wildlife Holidays: Bear Watching (22) KARHU-KUUSAMO Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 36

37 Canadian Wildlife Holidays: Bird Watching at Whistler (26) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 37

38 Alaskan Wildlife Holidays: Bird Watching (26) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 38

39 Finnish Wildlife Holidays: Bird Watching (22) KARHU-KUUSAMO Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 39

40 Great Publicity for Finnish Wildlife Holidays Enchanted Forest in Finland - Oulanka National Geographic June Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 40

41 3. Recommendations 1. Focus on competitive growth products of Arctic-, Christmas-, Music-, Wellbeing, Wildlife & Countryside Holidays. 2. Capture Helsinki Gateway tourists (air & cruise lines) with Arctic & Lapland driven experiential marketing that builds 2.1 Experiential AWARENESS: VisitFinland.com, Yllas Halli, Santa s Summer Cottage, Nuuksio National Park, Sauna Seura, and Seura Saari Experiences 2.2 LOYAL LAPLAND FAMILY & FRIENDS MARKETING FORCE that lives on VisitFinland.com & LaplandFinland.com and spreads positive word-of-mouth. Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 41

42 3. Recommendations 3. Improve ACCESS with Finnavia, Finnair & it s competitors. 4. Improve AFFORDABILITY with Internet (and VisitFinland.com) based dynamic packaging of competitive value especially during shoulder- and off-seasons. 5. Partner with best global Internet driven specialized travel agents & tour operators based on competitive value. 6. Make Arctic & Lapland holiday experiences more competitive and appealing based AUTHENTIC ASSOCIATIONS, ATTRACTIONS & ACTIVITIES that make them once-in-a-life Bucket List Experiences. Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 42

43 Authentic* Finnish Sauna Experiences: 1. Natural: Finnish organic food cold smoked reindeer 2. Original: Finnish sauna 3. Exceptional: Finnish cool hospitality 4. Referential: Finnish sauna rituals 5. Influential: Finnish Every Man s Rights * Authenticity according to Gilmore & Pine (2007) Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 43

44 Final Recommendation Ja Sitten Saunaan! Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 44

45 Lapland Tourism Parliament 2009 Competitiveness of Finnish Arctic Holidays in the U.S.A. Thank You Kiitos Q & A? Professor Jukka Laitamaki New York University JL142@NYU.EDU Professor Jukka Laitamaki NYU 45