Tourism Research
Research in tourism is the basis for developing your tourism strategy. Destination research, target market research and competitor research disclose the potential of your destination and any investments you may have projected for it.
Our consultants combine the results of stand-alone research projects into a master plan. For regional- and national Tourism Boards we provide tourism destination master plans. Both concentrate on strategy implementation involving all major stakeholders.
The process starts with a destination analysis, which compares possible destinations and looks at their overall feasibility in terms of:
- Accessibility for guests, suppliers and construction companies;
- Local, regional, national or international level rules and regulations concerning building, licensing and other aspects;
- Infrastructural possibilities concerning supply of utilities and communication;
- Major stakeholders involved such as government bodies or local communities;
- Presence of accommodation, activities, restaurants/bars and transportation means;
- Environmental impacts that your business will have on the destination (financial, organisational, economical, technical, social, juridical and ecological).
This results in a conclusion and recommendation about the feasibility of the destination and a potential rejuvenation plan if the analysis is applied to an existing destination.
Target market research incorporates the latest tourism statistics and trends, applied to your region. We combine statistics, focus group interviews and online tourism trend questionnaires about the preferences and choices of individual tourists, such as:
- What makes a tourist decide to go to your destination?
- What are their main sources of information?
- Which booking methods do they use?
We specify your target markets in demographic terms such as nationality, age, income, lifestyle and expectations, whilst taking destination features into account. The results can be used for product development and distribution channel management.
A detailed competitor analysis specifies your direct and indirect competitors on local, regional, national or international levels. We compare company size, product offer, pricing and service levels whilst making use of best practice benchmarking.
This analysis determines the Strengths and Weaknesses of your destination and the Opportunities and Threats within the local, national and international environment. The outcome of this analysis forms the basis of your destination positioning and your Unique Selling Proposition (USP), which is a critical aspect of your destination’s strategy.
A strategy based on the above research will specify the best way to position your destination towards your desired target markets, and provide the basis for essential product & service characteristics.
A full scope marketing plan or an encompassing business plan will provide a hands-on document for the management and marketing of your tourism destination.