This Week
1999/2000 Reader Survey including
The Way Forward …and a special article on Destination Management Systems
‘A Snapshot from the Middle of a Revolution’
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
CONTENT This Week; 1999/2000 Reader Survey
1
INTRODUCTION
1
BACKGROUND Sustainable Tourism; Tourism & Transport Tourism Trails
1 2 2
SURVEY METHODOLOGY Secondary research Primary research Questionnaire Distribution Certification Readership Baselines
3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5
OVERALL FINDINGS
5
GENERAL ANALYSIS Origin of readers First visits to Wales Party size Nights stayed Accommodation used Newspaper pickup How helpful Influence on return visits First time readers Would visit have been made this time… Means of travel Influence on use of public transport Likelihood of return visit within 12 months Short breaks/holidays taken each year
6 6 6 7 7 7 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10
READERS’ COMMENTS
10
COMPETITIONS Taste of Wales competition Glan Gwna Holiday Park competition
11 11 11
CONCLUSION
11
The Way Forward
12
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
12
TOURISM TRAVEL CLUSTERS
12
WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK IN THE UK This Week Metro thisweek.co.uk This Week regional publication What’s so special about thisweek.co.uk?
12 13 13 13 13
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
1999/2000 Reader Survey
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
This Week
TABLES & CHARTS/APPENDICIES
This Week 1999/2000 Reader Survey TABLES & CHARTS Distribution pre-visit
4
Distribution during-visit
4
Origin of readers
6
1. First visits to Wales
6
3a. Party size
6
3b Nights stayed
7
4. Accommodation used
7
5. Newspaper pickup; pre-visit
7
5.1 Newspaper pickup; during-visit (where)
8
5.2 Newspaper pickup; during-visit (when)
8
6. How helpful
8
7. Influence on return visits
9
8. First time readers
9
9. Would visit have been made this time...
9
10. Means of travel
10
11. Influence on use of public transport
10
12. Likelihood of return visit within 12 months 10 13. Short breaks/holidays taken each year
11
14. Taste of Wales competition entries; origin 11 15. Glan Gwna Holiday Park competition entries; origin
11
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
APPENDICES 1. 1999 Record of print
14
2. 2000 Publishing programme
15
3. 2001 Publishing programme
16
4. 2002 Publishing programme
17
5a. Reader questionnaire (pre-visit)
18
5b. Reader questionnaire (during-visit)
19
6. Readers comments
20
7. Tabulated data
24
8. Sustainable Tourism Map of Wales
26
CONTENT A Snapshot from the Middle of a Revolution 27 INTRODUCTION Historic patterns of information-gathering by visitors
27 27
DESTINATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (DMSs) 1 Tourism consumers 2 Private sector tourism product suppliers 3 Private sector travel agents 4 Private sector tour operators 5 Public sector Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) 6 Private sector Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) 7 Technology suppliers
30 31
ELECTRONIC TRAVEL INTERMEDIARIES Future scenarios
31 31
THE IRISH EXPERIENCE TO DATE Private sector views of the Gulliver DMS
31 31
CONCLUSION Questions raised
32 32
RESEARCH DOCUMENTS CONSULTED
32
28 28 29 29 30 30
A SNAPSHOT FROM THE MIDDLE OF A REVOLUTION
from the Middle of a Revolution
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
A Snapshot
This Week Media Network Limited Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd LL41 4TS UK Alphatel: 07000 THIS WEEK Tel: +44 (0) 1766 540250 Fax: +44 (0) 1766 540430 email:
[email protected]
www.thisweek.co.uk © This Week Media Network Limited 2000 This publication is fully protected by copyright and no part of it may be reproduced for any purpose without express written permission from This Week Media Network Limited.
1999/2000 Reader Survey
12 Local Knowledge Nationwide™
1988-00
1999/2000 Reader Survey INTRODUCTION This 1999–2000 Reader Survey is the second in an ongoing series to measure the effectiveness of This Week pre-visit and during-visit newspapers in influencing visitors’ choice, and to determine how best the publications can be developed to provide increased levels of consumer satisfaction. The first (1998) report followed on the heels of the 1996 Visitor Information Survey and 1997 UK Visitor Information Research reports published by the Wales Tourist Board to help gain a greater understanding of the pattern of information collection and consumption by visitors. Main findings were that: • visitors’ demand for information peaks on arrival; • leaflets and brochures were considered to be 60% effective by the 77% of respondents that had encountered them; • tourism information newspapers were considered to be 100% effective by the 1% of respondents that had encountered them; • maps have a major part to play in information provision; • 75% of visitors felt they had been able to do more during their visit than expected, and • during-visit information provision has important implications for return visit decisions.
These findings signalled the need for increased marketing investment in the immediate pre-visit and during-visit phases of the purchase cycle and, in 1998, This Week Wales carried out a wide review of academic research on information gathering by visitors prior to submitting proposals for new investment in these areas. The findings contributed to much of the activity described in this 1999/2000 Reader Survey report and helped inform the new media developments described under ‘The Way Forward’ on page 12. The same findings are revisited on page 27 in a report entitled ‘A Snapshot from the Middle of a Revolution’; this time reminding us that the basic rules of marketing and communication should not be overlooked amidst all the hype about the Internet, new media and e-commerce.
BACKGROUND The This Week visitor newspaper was first published in 1989 following research based on the Wales Tourist Board’s 1987 Staying & Day Visitor Survey. It started life in North Wales as a free, during-visit publication delivered to visitors at, or on their way to, their destinations. Its aim was, and still is, to reach visitors as early as possible during their stay to encourage visits to attractions and the use of other facilities. Of equal importance, it aims to influence repeat visits to Wales. Distribution is via holiday accommodation, visitor attractions, Tourist Information Centres and roadside restaurants. In 1994, the trend towards impulse purchase short break holiday-taking encouraged the publishers, in conjunction with public transport operators, to introduce a pre-visit edition of the newspaper. By carrying information on visitor accommodation and additional information on travel by public transport, the new edition aimed
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
This Week
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
‘…further funding was secured to promote more energetically the use of public transport as an integrated part of the total visit experience.’ to influence short break and day visit decisions in favour of Wales, and use of public transport to and at destinations. Door-to-door deliveries were made in English postcode areas known to yield visitors to Wales, and a substantial door-to-door experiment was undertaken in Ireland. During 1994/1995, European structural funding support was used to improve the presentation of the during-visit edition of the newspaper by placing robust acrylic dispensers in 121 TICs and roadside restaurants in Wales. At the same time, a threefold increase in door-to-door distribution of the pre-visit edition took place in England and Ireland as part of a three-year marketing campaign to influence short break and day visits. Output targets of 41,000 new staying visitors (representing £1.08m of expenditure) and 205,000 new day visits (representing £1.87m of expenditure) were set for the campaign. An independent evaluation demonstrated that these outputs were achieved.
Sustainable Tourism; Tourism & Transport
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
In 1995, under the campaign heading ‘Sustainable Tourism; Tourism & Transport’, further funding was secured to promote more energetically the use of public transport as an integrated part of the total visit experience.
2
The enactment of policies leading to a sustainable tourism industry in Wales has positive marketing implications for mainstream tourism operators. Whilst the ultimate aim of public transport operators is to increase revenue from fare-paying passengers, this can only be accomplished if rides are sold as part of a total visit experience. Holistic promotions carried out by transport operators therefore give mainstream tourism operators access to marketing distribution channels that they would otherwise find unaffordable. This principle has underpinned the ‘Sustainable Tourism; Tourism & Transport’ marketing campaign but it is important for public transport operators to know that the promotions are working in their favour too (for further details see 'General Analysis', page 6).
Tourism Trails In 1996 the publishers introduced the concept of ‘Tourism Trails’ to the campaign, using new maps designed for the twelve marketing areas of Wales. £24,000 (50%) of match funding was provided to increase the number of pages in the pre-visit edition from 16–24 pages to incorporate the new ‘Tourism Trails’ sections. 1.15 million copies were printed and distributed in 1997. The total cost of £48,000 (including match funding) for the increased number of pages represented a cost of £0.005 per additional page. Benefits of economies of scale and value for money were thus achieved across both campaigns. The influence that 'Tourism Trails' was likely to have had, and promised to have, on public transport usage was covered in the 1998 survey; the results were encouraging. The North Wales Staying Visitor Data Capture 1996/1997 report covering the same period registered a: • 110% increase in the number of visitors that found out about accommodation by means that would have included newspapers; • 20% increase in the number of visitors that had found out about their accommmodation from a newspaper/magazine, and a • 27% increase in the number of visitors that had used a train to travel to Wales.
Supermarket distribution In Autumn 1998, following research carried out by Stevens & Associates suggesting that supermarkets and out-of-town shopping complexes were competing with tourism attractions, a proportion of the pre-visit distribution of the newspaper was switched from households to supermarket outlets as an experiment in taking the fight to the competition. 100% pick-up occurred throughout the1998 trial, and 43% of all pre-visit distribution in 1999/2000 was directed through supermarkets as a result. 78% of all pre-visit respondents to the 1999/2000 Reader Survey picked up their copy of the newspaper from a supermarket, proving the effectiveness of this distribution. The experience of two complete marketing cycles has led the publishers to settle firmly on Tesco and Asda supermarkets as the preferred outlets and joint marketing initiatives are now planned with these major brands based on Welsh food/drink and Taste of Wales hospitality providers – food and drink accounts for 29% (circa £370m) of staying visitor expenditure in Wales. Targeting will be more finely tuned using postcode data captured by the Wales Tourist Board from holiday brochure requests.
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
‘Visitors’ decisions to come, or to return to Wales are made as a result of a complex set of influences…’
Secondary research, i.e. an examination of Wales Tourist Board figures on the number of visitors to Wales, would have led to the following problems: a). It would not have been possible to demonstrate cause and effect. For example, if the number of visitors to Wales were to fall over the reference period, this would not necessarily indicate that the newspapers were ineffective. The numbers of visitors might have fallen more dramatically in their absence. Conversely, if the numbers were to rise, this alone would not demonstrate that the newspapers were successful – the numbers might have risen for other reasons.
The 1998 survey was undertaken during-visit through printing a self-completion questionnaire in 75,000 copies in total of the 1998 Summer issues of This Week in North Wales and This Week in Mid Wales, covering a three month period. Questions were included to cover aspects of public transport usage. Responses, which were incentivised with a prize of a weekend break in Wales and facilitated by a the provision of a Freepost address, had to be returned within a month of publication. 247 questionnaires were returned, representing a 1% response rate taking into account the time restriction. The 1999/2000 survey was undertaken both during-visit across the whole of Wales and previsit in short break and day visit catchment areas in England and Wales. Questions were included once again to cover aspects of public transport usage. Copies of the questionnaires can be found under Appendices 5a and 5b. Responses were facilitated by the provision of a Freepost address but were not incentivised as they had been for the 1998 survey. This obviated the need for any note of caution about skewed responses but had an inevitable effect on the rate of response. This was not high in percentage terms but nevertheless returned a sample of 316, sufficient to make the findings robust.
North Anglesey Heritage Coast Carmel Head
Amlwch
Caergybi Holyhead
Valley
Ty Croes
Rhosneigr Bodorgan
Rhuddlan
Abergele
Dolgarrog
Dinbych Denbigh
Llanrwst
Dolwyddelan Roman Bridge
Pont-y-Pant
15
9
Beddgelert
Abererch
Pwllheli
Minffordd
Talsarnau
Llandanwg Pensarn
National
Y Waun Chirk Gobowen
Croesoswallt Oswestry
Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant
4
Lake Vyrnwy
Llanaber
Llanfyllin
Abermaw Barmouth
Dolgellau Morfa Mawddach Fairbourne Tal-y-Llyn Lake
Fairbourne and Barmouth Steam Railway
Llwyngwril
Amwythig Shrewsbury
13
Tal-y-Llyn Llangelynnin
Corris ay
Tonfanau n lylly Ta
Tywyn
Llangollen
Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog
Park
Dyffryn Ardudwy
Corwen
Glyn Ceiriog
Tal-y-Bont
Bardsey Island
Rhiwabon Ruabon
Llangollen Railway
Maerdy
Y Bala Bala
Snowdonia
Llanbedr
Crew
Bettws Gwerfil Goch
Llan Ffestiniog Trawsfynydd
Tygwyn
Abersoch
Aberdyfi Aberdovey
m Stea
Llanfair Caereinion
lw Rai
Dyfi Junction
Y Trallwng Welshpool
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway
Machynlleth
6
Montgomery
Penhelig
Church Stretton
Borth
Y Drenewydd Newtown
Clarach
Craven Arms
Llanidloes
Vale of Rheidol Narrow Gauge Steam Railway
Aberystwyth
Broome
Llangurig
Hopton Heath
Knucklas/ Cnwclas
Ceredigion Heritage Coast
Cei Newydd New Quay
Llandrindod Llandrindod Wells
Ty Ddewi St David's Ramsey Island
Skomer Skokholm Island
Llandysul
Llanwrtyd Wells
Cynghordy
Y Gelli Hay-on-Wye
Henffordd Hereford
Pencader Llanymddyfri Llandovery
Aberhonddu Brecon
Llanwrda
Black
Llangadog
Mountains
Llandeilo
Carmarthen Caerfyrddin
Clunderwen
Arberth Narberth
Hwlffordd Haverfordwest
Whitland
Johnston
Aberdaugleddau Milford Haven Doc Penfro Pembroke Dock
South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast Marloes and Dale Heritage Coast Linney Head
20 Cross Hands
Ross-on-Wye
Llandybie
Saundersfoot
Lamphey
Penally
Dinbych-y-Pysgod Tenby
Glynneath
Pontarddulais
Caldey Island St Govan's Head South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast
Burry Port
Llanelli Gower Heritage Coast Worms Head
24
Bynea/ Bynie Gowerton/Tre/Gwyr
Gorseinon
Port Eynon
Abertawe Swansea
South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast
Skewen
Castell Nedd Neath
14
Maesteg (Ewenny Road)
Baglan
Maesteg
Garth
Ystrad Mynach
Pontypridd
Pyle
17
Pencoed
Usk
Blackwood Cwmbran
Nelson
Pontycymer
Tondu Sarn
Blaenavon
3
Roman Legionary 26 Museum
Caerleon
Caerffili Caerphilly
Taff's Well
Dean Forest Railway
Caldicot
Severn Tunnel Junction
Pontyclun
Porthcawl
Penybont-ar-Ogwr Bridgend Y Bont Faen Cowbridge Cardiff
Gower Heritage Coast
International Airport
Llantwit Major Llanilltud Fawr
Museum of Welsh Life St Fagans
19
23
Y Bari Barry
CAERDYDD CARDIFF National Museum & Gallery Cardiff
Penarth
Lydn
Cas-gwent Chepstow
3
Magor
Casnewydd Newport
T F D
Trefynwy Monmouth
Abertillery Pont-y-pwl Pontypool
Abercynon
Briton Ferry
Aberafan Port Talbot Mumbles Head
Ebbw Vale
Rhymney
Aberdar Aberdare Treherbert
Llansamlet
11
Merthyr Tudful Merthyr Tydfil
Y Fenni Abergavenny
Brynmawr
Tredegar
Ystradgynlais
Cydweli Kidwelly
National Park
21
Llangennech Manorbier
Fforest Fawr
Gwaun-CaeGurwen
Pantyffynnon
Ferryside
Kilgetty
25
Crughywel Crickhowell
Brecon Beacons
Ffairfach
Rhydaman Ammanford
Sancler St Clears
Laugharne
10
Neyland
Penfro Pembroke
Leominster
Garth Llangammarch Llanwrtyd
Offa’s Dyke Path
St Brides BayIsland Heritage Coast
18
Museum of the Welsh Woollen Industry Dre-Fach Felindre
5
Clarbeston Road
South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast
Marloes and Dale Heritage Coast
8
Llanandras Presteigne
Llanfair-ym-Muallt Builth Wells
Builth Road Cilmeri
Llanbedr Pont Steffan Lampeter Teifi Valley Railway
Abergwaun Fishguard
St Davids Peninsula Heritage Coast St David's Head
Radnor Forest
Tregaron
Castellnewydd Emlyn Newcastle Emlyn
Trefyclo Knighton
Dolau
Pen-y-Bont
Elan Valley
Aberaeron
Clarach Heritage Coast Gwbert Heritage Coast
Aberteifi Cardigan
Llanbister Road
Rhaeadr Rhayader
28
From Birmingham & London
Ludlow
Bucknell
Llangynllo
Pontarfynach Devil's Bridge Pontrhydfendigaid
Dinas Head St Dogmaels and Molygrove Heritage Coast Strumble Head
Caer Chester
Wrecsam Wrexham
Pentrefoelas
Penmachno
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Llandecwyn
Harlech
Llyn Heritage Coast
Shotton
Ewlo Ewloe
16 Yr Wyddgrug
Rhuthun Ruthin
Ffestiniog Railway
Porthmadog Penrhyndeudraeth Cricieth Criccieth
Y Ferri Isaf Queensferry
Mold
Llanberis Betws-y-coed
a
From Manchester
Y Fflint Flint
Treffynnon Holywell
St Asaph Llanelwy
Llyn Heritage Coast
ul ns n iButlin's P e Pen-y-Chain
27
Glan Conwy
Slate Museum Llanberis 22Welsh
Segontium Roman Rheilffordd Eryri/ Highland Museum Caernarfon Welsh Railway
yˆ n Ll
Liverpool
Prestatyn
Towyn
Bethesda Caernarfon
12 7
Nefyn
Llandudno Junction
Penmaemawr Tal-y-Cafn
Bangor
Llanfair PG
2
Aberffraw Bay Heritage Coast
Llanfairfechan
Y Rhyl Colwyn Rhyl Colwyn Bay
RhosonSea Bae
1
Deganwy
Conwy
Biwmares Beaumaris Porthaethwy Menai Bridge
ath ke P a’s Dy Offa’
Even with primary research, it is not possible to produce precise figures as to the number of visitors generated by any one publication. As stated earlier, the decision-making process is complex. The individuals themselves are unlikely to be aware exactly which factors influence their choice of destination, activities to undertake, accommodation, length of stay etc, and the degree of influence each factor has. For the purpose of evaluation, therefore, an output was regarded as any individual stating that:
Llandudno
Llangefni
Holy Island
Aberdaron
It was preferable to identify, where possible, the effectiveness of the newspapers only in terms of outputs which could be directly attributed to them. To determine, for example, the number of visitors generated by the newspapers, this necessitated undertaking primary research.
Great Orme Heritage Coast Great Ormes Head
Ynys Môn Anglesey
Holyhead Mountain Heritage Coast
yk e
Primary research
Questionnaire
’s D fa Of
b). Whilst tourism marketers are often slow to admit responsibility for decreases in visitor numbers, when numbers increase they are all too ready to claim that their marketing activities contributed. And, to a greater or lesser degree, they might all be right. Visitors’ decisions to come, or to return to Wales are made as a result of a complex set of influences, making it difficult to determine through secondary research what influences decisions most and what influences them least.
It was decided that primary research would be essential for such evaluations, and that reader surveys would provide the best means.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
Secondary research
(b) a further visit was more likely as a result of reading the newspapers.
Offfa’s Dyke O
The methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of the newspaper was introduced by Rachel Papworth, an economic analyst commissioned by North Wales Tourism to carry out evaluations on several European-funded marketing campaigns sponsored by the company. In determining the methodology, primary research found greater favour than secondary research for the following reasons:
(a) their visit to Wales was influenced by the newspapers, or
Bal aL ak eR ailw ay
SURVEY METHODOLOGY
Bristol
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
'78% of all pre-visit respondents to the 1999/2000 Reader Survey picked up their copy of the the newspaper from a supermarket, proving the effectiveness of this distribution.'
Distribution
Filling Stations (4,225 copies)
550,000 copies in total of pre-visit and duringvisit editions of the newspaper are published during a regular calendar year; the basic annual print output (see Appendix 2). The 1999/2000 Reader Survey covered the 20-month period January 1999–August 2000. 861,936 copies were distributed during this period to: Pre-visit Households Supermarkets Manchester Trafford Centre Filling Stations Total England: During-visit Visitor Accommodation Tourist Information Centres Visitor Attractions Supermarkets Households (VFR) Spar Stores Leisure Centres Libraries Cafés/Restaurants Little Chefs Motorway Services Filling Stations Total Wales:
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
Supermarkets (168,041 copies)
Copies 238,500 168,041 13,505 4,225 ––––––– 424,271 –––––––
Households (238,500 copies)
Copies 186,830 96,875 50,809 31,861 23,265 15,325 7,450 7,190 7,065 5,795 4,200 1,000 ––––––– 437,665 –––––––
Distribution audits show a level of takeup which supports suppositions on the number of copies read.
4
Manchester Trafford Centre (13,505 copies)
Distribution; pre-visit
Little Chef (5,795 copies) Café/Restaurant (7,065 copies) Libraries (7,190 copies) Leisure Centres (7,450 copies) Spar Stores (15,325 copies)
Motorway Services (4,200 copies) Filling Stations (1,000 copies)
Visitor Accommodation (186,830 copies)
Households (23,265 copies)
Supermarkets (31,861 copies)
Visitor Attraction (50,809 copies)
TIC’s (96,875 copies)
Distribution; during-visit
Certification Distributions of all pre-visit and during-visit editions of the newspaper have been audited since 1994. The number of audited copies covering the 1999/2000 survey was 861,936.
Readership Readership is estimated by applying only 50% of the basic annual print output to calculations, thus providing a x2 safety factor. The average number in group is then brought into account.
Baselines Visits and expenditure In 1998, UK domestic tourism accounted for 38,100,000 nights spent in Wales and £1,100M expenditure; overseas visitors accounted for 5,500,000 nights spent and £176m of expenditure (Wales Tourist Board figures), and 47,900,000 day visits were made accounting for £776m of expenditure (UK Day Visitor Survey figures).Thus the average expenditure for staying visitors based on 1998 figures was £29.27 per night (£28.87 UK domestic/£32.00 overseas) and for day visits £16.20 per day, producing a total expenditure of £2,052m. Jobs generated/safeguarded According to a DPZ Pieda 1998 report, the tourism industry in Wales accounts for 100,000 full time job equivalents. Marketing campaigns generate jobs and safeguard jobs indirectly through generating additional visitors to Wales and their associated expenditure, which increases the demand for workers in the industry. It has been concluded that based on 1998 figures, £20,520 of visitor expenditure generates/safeguards one full time job in the tourism industry in Wales.
On the basis that if the newspaper is read by 316 people, it encourages 3,958 nights and 261 day visits to be spent in Wales, and by applying the 50% safety factor to the basic annual print output, influence is brought to bear each year on: • 3.4m overnight stays; • 227,000 day visits; • £103.2m of expenditure, and • 5,019 jobs generated/safeguarded (1 job = £20,520 of expenditure; 3.4m nights @ £29.27av expenditure + 227,000 day visits @ £16.20av expenditure = £103.2m total expenditure.)
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
‘99% of respondents stated they had found the newspaper ‘very helpful’ or ‘helpful’ with 62% finding it ‘very helpful’… 66% stated that reading the newspaper had made them more likely to return to Wales.’
This is considered a satisfactory outcome against annual publishing costs of £136,000 (25p per copy) including the cost of distribution. It was rewarding also to see evidence of the effect of supermarket distribution on newspaper pick-up and reader response (see 'Distribution' heading on opposite page and pie chart '5. Newspaper pickup; pre-visit' on page 7.)
The questionnaire was carried in 786,086 copies of the 861,936 newspapers distributed during the 20-month period. 316 questionnaires were returned, represented an average response rate of .04%. Respondents to the survey will have read the newspaper (rather than disposing of it unread) but there is no way of knowing what proportion of newspaper recipients this represented. It was, however, possible to ‘work backwards’ in drawing conclusions from the survey. 99% of the 299 respondents who answered question 6, stated they had found the newspaper ‘very helpful’ or ‘helpful’ with 62% finding it ‘very helpful’. 66% of the respondent to question 7 stated that reading the newspaper had made them more likely to return to Wales. The party sizes of those respondents who stated that reading the newspaper had made them more likely to return accounted for a total of 3,958 nights and 261 day visits spent in Wales on their latest trip. For the purposes of this evaluation, it was assumed that the next trip to Wales by these respondents would have the same number of party members and be for the same number of nights as their last trip.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
OVERALL FINDINGS
5
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
‘…responses to questions about tourism to Wales mirror data from other research’ GENERAL ANALYSIS
Not stated 0% North East 0%
(Full tabulated data can be found in Appendix 7 on pages 24/25.)
Overseas 2% Eastern 2%
Based on 316 respondents, the charts reproduced in the survey present results that are sufficiently robust and a fairly accurate reflection of the profile of Wales visitors shown by other research. The general response questions about tourism to Wales mirror data from other research, which further verifies the overall accuracy of the survey.
Wales 4% Yorkshire/Humberside 4% East Midlands 4% South East 5%
A comparison of the results of the 1999/2000 survey with those of the 1998 survey also reflect the growth trends identified by the Wales Tourist Board in day visits against short breaks and week long holidays: day visits in the survey have increased from 16% to 33%, while the other two categories have stayed roughly the same.
North West 40%
South West 13%
Additionally, the age of readers (indirectly determined by question 1: 'When did you first visit Wales?’) is increasing, reflecting the ageing population, whilst repeat visits of those who first visited Wales during the last 20 years (compared with those who first visited Wales 20+ years ago) has declined by 50%, reflecting the underlying demographic changes.
West Midlands 26%
Origin of readers
22 20% 20 18
Origin of readers
15%
15%
14 12 %
Origin of readers is largely dictated by the regions into which the newspaper is distributed. It is, nevertheless, satisfying to see that the geographic spread of survey responses mirrors the catchment areas targeted.
16% 16
10
9%
8
9%
7% 6%
6 4 2% 2
1% 0%
First visits to Wales (1)
0 1910’s
1920’s
1930’s
1940’s
1950’s
1960’s
1970’s
1980’s
1990’s
2000
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
Year
6
Reponses to question 1 are deceptive. They will relate to the member of the party that filled in the questionnaire but there is no way of knowing whether they are the senior members of the party in terms of age. If taken on face value, there is an indication that the readership is running on par with UK population trends in the 1990s, which show a +11% and +17% for age groups 35–44 and 45–54 respectively.
1. First visits to Wales
Not stated 7%
1 8%
5+ 12%
4 12%
2 48%
3 13%
3a. Party size
Not Stated
Party size (3a)
8+ 12%
The total number of staying visitors represented by the 213 respondents to question 3a was 716, giving an average party size of 3.4. Of these 2.9 were adults and .5 children. Of the total number of parties recorded, only 35% included children.
Day visitors
7 16%
Of the large percentage (42%) of 2 in party recorded, hardly any included children. 60% had first came to Wales 30 years ago or more (based on the information provided by the individual filling out the questionnaire).
6 4% 5 4%
1 4%
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
‘Day visits at 33% were double that shown in the 1998 survey…’
Nights stayed (3b)
4 9%
2 9%
The 716 staying visitors represented by the 213 respondents to question 3b accounted for 3,958 nights stayed. The average stay was therefore 6.5 nights.
3 9%
3b. Nights stayed
Not stated 13%
Day visits at 33% were double that shown in the 1998 survey at the expense mainly of the 1, 2 and 8+ night categories. Likely contributory factors are the overall increase in leisure trips taken and reduced journey times resulting from improved road links.
Farmhouse 3% Guesthouse 9%
Other 7%
Hotel 20%
Camp Site 5%
Accommodation used (4) Responses to question 4 will have been dictated mainly by the accommodation outlets through which the newspapers are distributed and reflect a satisfactory spread across all types.
Caravan Site 21%
Staying with friends/relatives 8%
Self Catering 14%
Other 7%
Not stated 1%
Tourist Information Centre 3%
Delivered to home address 15%
Asda (in England) 39%
Manchester Trafford Centre 5% Asda/Tesco (in Wales) 3%
Safeways (in England) 1% Tesco (in England) 29%
5. Newspaper pickup; pre-visit
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
4. Accommodation used
7
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
‘Early intercept of visitors is a main aim of the during-visit edition of the newspaper’ Newspaper pickup (5)
Before arrival 2%
Pre-visit (5)
Day of arrival 19%
Responses to question 5 reflect the spread of distribution outlets used to attract visits to Wales in the first place, and the preferred supermarket outlets settled on by the publishers.
Some other time 39%
During-visit (5.1/5.2) 61% of the respondents who answered question 5.1 had picked up their copy of the newspaper ‘before arrival’, on ‘day of arrival’ or ‘day after arrival’. Early intercept of visitors is a main aim of the during-visit edition of the newspaper and one of the most important findings of this and the previous survey is that this is being achieved. Responses to question 5.2 show that pickup at visitor accommodation has held steady at 1998 levels but Tourist Information Centre pickup is reduced in favour of pickup at supermarkets in Wales. This aligns with a policy to penetrate the domestic home market for day visits and short break holidays in Wales, and the VFR market in south east Wales.
Day after arrival 40%
5.1 Newspaper pickup: during-visit (when)
Holiday accommodation 16%
Other 24%
How helpful (6) 97% of the 299 respondents who answered question 6, stated they had found the newspaper ‘very helpful’ or ‘helpful’ with 60% finding it ‘very helpful’, a 24% increase on the 1998 survey. This is likely to have occurred as a result of the increased use of detailed colour mapping in the newspapers, following response by the publishers to readers’ comments and research on information gathering by visitors.
Railway station 2%
Supermarket 7% Roadside restaurant 2% Tourist Information Centre 49%
48 it Sands
y
430
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
5.2 Newspaper pickup; during-visit (where)
Influence on return visits (7) Tregaron
64% of the respondents to question 7 stated that reading the newspaper I Tyncornel had made them more Llanbedr Pont Steffan Lampeter likely to return to Wales Bryn Poeth Uchaf I – an 8% increase on Cynghordy the 1998 survey; possibly also Llanymddyfri attributable to the y Llandovery increased use of Llanwrda Llangadog colour mapping.
701 202
288
y
461
202 701
461 463
289
201
stellnewydd Emlyn of the Welsh Woollen HMuseum Newcastle Emlyn 460 Industry Dre-Fach Felindre 462
48
y Woodland dens 333
oth 4
Dinefwr Park 279 280
351
pet Hall an's Bridge sfoot North
333 322 222 227 196
48
222
198
Ferryside
222
x y
280
X31
701
279 701
Ffairfach
Rhydaman104 Ammanford 130 128 129
Cross Hands 129
199 X12
{ Kidwelly Castle
4
103
Llandybie 103 104
46
128 129
103 104
Pantyffynnon
X31 Cydweli 128 196 198 Pontarddulais 198 Kidwelly 199 199 103 111 X31 400 104 X12 130 Llangennech nbych-y-PysgodCefn Sidan 4 701 400 Gorseinon nby x y Burry y Bynea/ 143 r Merchant’s House 4 Port Llanelli 111 103
Bynie Gowerton/Tre/Gwyr 16
8
Gower Heritage Coast
Weobley Castle
{
18A
{Oxwich Castle
Port Port Eynon Eynon
104 701
Abertawe Swansea y
18
Worms Head Port Eynon I
X12 X31 400
Caswell Bay
Also, when viewed alongside the results of questions 12 & 13, it is reasonable to assume that the newspaper is achieving another main aim, which is to increase the frequency of short break decision-making in favour of Wales.
Helpful 36%
I Llanddeusant
Llandeilo
4 129130
Sancler St Clears
4
288 289
279 280
202 701
Carmarthen Caerfyrddin y
Whitland
288
Pencader
460 461 462
Not very helpful 3%
588
550 551
460 461
Not stated 2%
588 585
43
Very helpful 59%
6. How helpful
Not stated 3%
First time readers (8)
It has made me/us less likely to return 1%
83% of respondents to question 8 said that this was the first time they had seen the newspaper compared with 70% in the 1998 survey. This indicates that the supermarket distribution, which commenced in 1999, is helping the newspaper to reach new readers, whilst maintaining its existing readership.
It has made little or no effect on the likelihood of me/us returning 32%
Would visit have been made this time... (9) It has made me/us more likely to return 64%
7. Influence on return visits
Not stated 1% No 16%
On being asked whether they would have visited Wales this time if they had never seen a copy of the newspaper (question 9), 72% of respondents said ‘yes’ as opposed to 81% in the 1998 survey, a 15% gain. The ‘no’ figure was up from 0% to 2%, and the ‘don’t knows’ from 3% to 12%. This suggests that the newspaper has the ability to achieve visits to Wales that would not have otherwise occurred, which is different from its proven ability to make a return visit more likely or sooner.
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
‘…supermarket distribution is helping the newspaper to reach new readers…’
Means of travel (10) Responses to question 10 show a remarkable 44% increase in the use of public transport over the 1998 survey (from 9% to 15%), and a 3.5% drop in car usage (from 84% to 81%). Taken on face value, together with responses to question 8 discussed under the next heading, there is a strong indication that the 'Sustainable Tourism; Tourism & Transport' campaign – a campaign largely conducted in the pages of the newspaper through rail/bus maps and travel features – is beginning to bear fruit.
Yes 83%
8. First time readers
Of the 245 respondents answering question 11: • 52% stated that after reading the newspaper they were more likely to make a scenic rail trip; Not stated 14%
• 14% were more likely to take a ride on a bus, and • 29% were more likely to visit an attraction by bus or train.
Don’t know 12%
Based on an average party size of 3.4 people, and applying the 50% safety factor, a substantial group of .7m visitors is influenced to take part in these activities each year.
No 2%
Yes 72%
9. Would visit have been made this time...
To reinforce this aspect of sustainable tourism development, questionnaire incentives in future issues might include the Freedom of Wales Flexi-Pass/Pas Fflecsi Crwydro Cymru and Explorer Pass for Cadw Historic Monuments, both of which promote public transport access to visitor attractions.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
Influence on use of public transport (11)
9
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
‘...89% (of respondents) were likely to visit Wales in the next twelve months...’ Likelihood of return visit within 12 months (12) Of the respondents to question 12, 89% were ‘likely‘ to visit Wales in the next twelve months, of which 70% were ‘very likely’ to visit. The results of this question, together with the results from questions 7, 9 & 13, underline the dynamics at work in the impulse purchase, short break holiday market and the newspaper’s validity in this market.
Other 5%
Not stated 1%
Public transport 13%
Short breaks/holidays taken each year (13)
Car 81%
The 295 respondents to question 13 accounted for a total of 735 short breaks a year averaging 6.5 days (see question 3), and totalling 4,800 holiday days per annum. By applying the 50% safety factor to the basic annual print output, the readership of the newspaper represents a potential 4.2m holiday days spent each year.
10. Means of travel
Not stated 17%
READERS’ COMMENTS
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
196 (62%) of the 316 respondents provided comments on the changes they would like to see made to the newspaper (Appendix 6). Chief amongst these comments in order of ranking were requests for more, or more information on:
10
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.
Competitions Admission charges Accommodation/Welsh Clusters of things to do/Maps Walks Disabled access/Transport Children’s things to do Events/Food & Drink Fishing History Crafts/Culture/Cycling Beaches/Gardens/Internet/Wildlife
Make a scenic rail trip 43% Hire a bicycle 4%
Visit an attraction by bus or train 24%
Take a ride on a bus 12%
11. Influence on use of public transport
Don’t know 6% Very unlikely 2%
Suggestions also included more information on bus timetables, coach tours, food mail order, parking, real ale pubs, recipes, and Welsh celebrities.
Not stated 1%
Unlikely 2%
Likely 19%
Very likely 70%
12. Likelihood of return visit within 12 months
READER SURVEY 1999/2000
‘12.6% of entrants in the 2000 competition gave email addresses...’ 1 5%
Other 14%
COMPETITIONS Taste of Wales competition 2 26%
Not stated 8%
The prize offered in 1999 was a mid week mini break for two at the 5-star Fairyhill Hotel & Restaurant on the Gower Peninsula, and, in 2000, a similar break for two at the 3-star Penbontbren Farm Hotel on the Ceredigion-Cardigan Bay coast.
5+ 19%
3 15%
4 13%
13. Short breaks/holidays taken each year
North East 0% Eastern 0% Yorksire/Humberside 2% East Midlands 4%
A total of 2,447 entries were received from 1999 and 2000 Taste of Wales wordsearch competitions run in 625,00 copies of the newspaper during the survey period, giving a satisfactory 0.4% response rate and a solid database of entrants.
A significant factor that arose from the entries, which has implications for future marketing and promotion, is that that 12.6% of entrants in the 2000 competition gave email addresses, compared with just 7.3% in 1999; a remarkable 73% increase.
Glan Gwna Holiday Park competition
Overseas 0%
A total of 127 entries were received from 25,000 copies of the newspaper carrying a promotion for caravan holiday homes sponsored by Glan Gwna Holiday Park, giving a satisfactory 0.5% response rate and a solid database of entrants.
Scotland 0%
South East 4% South West 7%
Wales 42%
CONCLUSION
North Anglesey Heritage Coast
6 5
Amlwch
M58
6
Rhuthun Ruthin
A4
A5 6
08
476
B5
2 B
A488
Caerffili 27 Caerphilly 4 28
34
33
S
A4
26 25
24
Magor
S 4
Casnewydd Newport
11 M48
23 Severn Tunnel Junction
A49 0
2 1
Caldicot
M4
S
M5 21
22
M49 17
16 19
18
CAERDYDD CARDIFF
Y Bari Barry
A53
A49 A466
93
4
A485
76 A4
B4 2
A4 06 7
Llantwit Major Llanilltud Fawr
A48
Cardiff International Airport
29
19
M5
A423 1
Y Bont Faen Cowbridge Gower Heritage Coast
30
32 8
Lydne
Cas-gwent Chepstow
S
M
1
Bristol 2 3
M32
20
Penarth
A3
8
A37
M4
Pontyclun
A48
39
38 A4
8
B
A4 83
Ystrad Mynach 47 Caerleon
Penybont-ar-Ogwr Bridgend
Porthcawl
A49
0
B
49 5
3 A48
A483
A483
58
A4 81
B4
B4
A483
35
Cwmbran
A449
A4 86
A484 99 B42
A478
Offfa’s Dyke O
B44 B 40 1
B4
A4 87
87 A4
36
B4 36
B44
B 4501
Bal aL ak eR ailw ay
99
A4
B
9
37
Usk
Blackwood
Brynmenin Llantrisant Pencoed
Offa’s Dyke Path
S
Pyle
Bettws Newydd
A472
Pont-y-pwl Pontypool 46
70
Sarn
24
Maesteg
41 Baglan (Ewenny Road) 4 4 40 Maesteg Pontypridd 8 Garth 39 Pontycymer 4 4 38 Tondu Taff's Well
Dean Forest Railway
A40
42
Abertillery
A4
Aberafan Port Talbot
Mumbles Head
A
B4282
Mumbles
B42
43
8 A4
South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast
Skewen
44
42
Abertawe Swansea Langland
Port Eynon
45
Blaenavon
Ebbw Vale
35 B42
46
Llansamlet
46
3
6 A413
A466
S
Gorseinon
47
47
Bynea/ 4 Bynie Gowerton/Tre/Gwyr
A465
5
4
Ross-on-W
Trefynwy Monmouth
Y Fenni Abergavenny
Brynmawr
59 059 A4
46
9 10
Glynneath
3 06 A4
Reynoldston Worms Head
M4
B 43
Llanelli
48
43
B
32
10 A41
A40
B4361
Burry Port Gower Heritage Coast Llanrhidian
Llangennech
Pontardulais
A4043
Caldey Island
Marloes and Dale Heritage Coast St Govan's Head South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast
Pembrey
49 Pontarddulais
A49
0 A4
1 B452
National Park
Tredegar Rhymney Merthyr Tudful Merthyr Tydfil Aberdar A4 A46 47 05 Aberdare 9 8 Treherbert Castell Nedd Nelson Neath Briton Ferry Abercynon 4107
Ystradgynlais
S
43 48
A4042
Manorbier Penally
Dinbych-y-Pysgod Tenby
B4 30 8
Gwaun-CaeGurwen
46 Pantyffynnon
4
4 4
Rhydaman Ammanford
Cross Hands
Ferryside
Brecon Beacons
Fforest Fawr
A467
A477
9 A4
48
Llandybie
A46
42
Aberhonddu Mountains Brecon Crughywel Crickhowell A40 Llangattock 8
0 A4
4
Cydweli Kidwelly
Henffordd Hereford
5
Black A479
43
Sancler St Clears
A438
8
8
A47
A40
A470
4
Y Gelli Hay-on-Wye B4 35 2
0
Llangadog
A48
Laugharne
112 A4
B 4 34
Llanwrda
2
Whitland 314 B431
0
B4 3 0
310
Ffairfach
Saundersfoot
A44
11 A 41
33
B
A456
Leominster
A48
B4 5 9 4
8
4
A 4117
B4362
B4362
B4
Llanymddyfri Llandovery
A40
A484
B43 4319
Llanfair-ym-Muallt Builth Wells
Cynghordy
7
Llandeilo
Carmarthen Caerfyrddin
Kilgetty
Saundersfoot
Llanandras Presteigne
Builth Road Cilmeri
Garth 43 Llangammarch Llanwrtyd
A470
A48 2
A4113
ath ke P a’s Dy Offa’
B43
Llanwrtyd Wells
36
Ludlow
Pencader
A40
7 A47
Neyland
Penfro Pembroke Lamphey
Radnor
New Forest Radnor A44 Llandrindod Llandrindod Wells
A41
B43 8 9
40 43
B4337
Clunderwen
Arberth Narberth
Johnston
Doc Penfro Pembroke Dock
Linney Head
A485
B45 7 6
Clunderwen
A40
Aberdaugleddau Milford Haven
South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast
3 34
A488
Dolau
Trefyclo Knighton
From Birmingham & London
B4371
B4
Broome Hopton Heath Bucknell
Pen-y-Bont
8
Llanbedr Pont Steffan Lampeter
Llandysul B 4 4 59
Skomer Skokholm Island
Clarbeston Road
A487
Hwlffordd Haverfordwest
Marloes and Dale Heritage Coast St Brides BayIsland Heritage Coast
18 45 B45
3 34
Llangadog
4
South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast
Llanbister Road
Rhaeadr Rhayader
Tregaron
42 B443 B
Teifi Valley Railway
48 B4
Ramsey Island
Knucklas/ Cnwclas Llangynllo
Pontarfynach Devil's Bridge Pontrhydfendigaid
Aberaeron
B443 B 55
A47 0
5
Glan Gwna Holiday Park competition entries; origin
A487
13 B43
Cheshire 27%
8
Craven Arms
B4 36 36 8
B4
7700
Castellnewydd Emlyn Newcastle Emlyn
Newport Abergwaun 29 B 43 Fishguard B43 30
Llanidloes Llangurig
20 Vale of Rheidol B
B433 8
Church Stretton
A489
Y Drenewydd Newtown
A470
A475
32 B443 B
2 B458
Goodwick
St David's
81
4
Narrow Gauge Steam Railway
459 B4
A487
Strumble St Dogmaels and Molygrove Heritage Coast Head
51 8 B4
A41
Ceredigion Heritage Coast
48
St Davids Peninsula Heritage Coast St David's Head Ty Ddewi
A4
8
Montgomery
81
69 45
Llandinam
Aberystwyth
Llangrannog
Aberteifi Cardigan
8
Borth
A48
86 43
81
A4 70
Machynlleth
Penhelig
Clarach
Gwbert Heritage Coast Dinas Head
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway
3
A5
58
Llanfair Caereinion
ay ilw Ra
A5
A4
05
86 4386 B43 B
Y Trallwng Welshpool
A458
A525
Whitchurch
Amwythig Shrewsbury
A458
B4
A490
A458
A493
Aberdyfi Aberdovey
Cei Newydd New Quay
A5
A
m ea n St lylly 8 Dyfi Ta Junction
Tywyn
Greater Manchester 11%
B43 9 7
Llanwddyn
8
Corris B4 4
Gobowen
Croesoswallt Oswestry
0 458
6 39
Llanfyllin
A470
5 A49
A529
Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant
39 1
Lake Vyrnwy
Dolgellau
Tonfanau
The remarkable 73% increase over one year in competition entrants with an email address points to where these new opportunities exist…
Crewe
5 0 69
8
B4
0
Tal-y-Llyn
Llangelynnin
Y Waun Chirk
A5
Llangollen Glyn Ceiriog B4 5
94 A4
Bontddu
Llangollen Railway
Corwen
Park
Morfa Mawddach Fairbourne
B A5 25
A5
94 A4
A52
National
Rhiwabon Ruabon
0 B5
8
Wrecsam Wrexham
105 B510
Bettws A5104 Gwerfil Goch
Maerdy
A5
A470
Llanaber
Abermaw Barmouth
A496
Bardsey Island
Llwyngwril
Other 9%
Snowdonia
Llandanwg
Dyffryn Ardudwy
8
Pentrefoelas
Y Bala Bala
Trawsfynydd
Pensarn
Llanbedr
Tal-y-Bont
Lancashire 37%
Talsarnau
Harlech
Abersoch
Llyn Heritage Coast
1
Ffestiniog Railway
Penrhyndeudraeth
Minffordd Talsarnau Tygwyn
Pen-y-Chain Abererch
3
Pont-y-Pant A5 Dolwyddelan
la su Porthmadog Penrhyndeudraeth 4391 n i nB435354 Cricieth Maentwrog Butlin's Criccieth Pwllheli
3 441
Aberdaron
70
Penmachno Blaenau 07 Ffestiniog Llan Ffestiniog A4212 B
A49
1 B55 B
Pe
A5 1
476 B5476
5
7
yˆ n Ll
A4
Beddgelert A4 87
Nefyn
44 1 B44
Merseyside 9%
Roman Bridge
A498
8
39 3
12
Caer Chester
A534
B4418
Llyn Heritage Coast
Wales 7%
2
A41
1
S
16
B5130
A525
0 45 B45
43 A5
Betws-y-coed
14
Y Ferri Isaf Queensferry
5 Shotton
Ewlo Ewloe
Yr Wyddgrug A55 Mold
Fro Ma
10
11 12
M56
9 10
yk e
A470
B 5 10
A5
Llanberis A40 86
A
Dinbych Denbigh
A548
Trefriw Llanrwst
8
B5
Dolgarrog
Bethesda
54
B5 11 113
B
B53 8 1
Bangor
B44 44 1
9
Llanfair PG
Caernarfon
Rheilffordd Eryri/ Welsh Highland Railway
’s D fa Of
8
A4080
5
Y Fflint A54 0 Flint
Rhuddlan Treffynnon A55 St Asaph Holywell Llanelwy
Abergele
Tal-y-Cafn
55 A55
M62
7
Liverpool
5
Bodorgan
Aberffraw Bay Heritage Coast
Glan Conwy
5
M53
48
A4 83
Conwy
Penmaemawr Llanfairfechan
A5
B51
Rhosneigr
Llandudno Junction
Biwmares Beaumaris Porthaethwy Bridge
2 42 Menai 442
4
5
5
3
Prestatyn
Towyn
Deganwy
Llangefni
Ty Croes
Y Rhyl Rhyl
A494
5
02
A5
A5
Valley
8
4
2
A41
B5 1 09
12
51 1 1 B51
Taste of Wales competition entries; origin
B5 1
5
Holyhead Mountain Heritage Coast
Trearddur Holy Island
02
North West 21%
A5
Ynys Môn Anglesey
Caergybi Holyhead
1
Great Orme Heritage Coast RhosGreat Ormes Head on- Bae Colwyn Llandudno Sea Colwyn Bay
A49
Carmel Head
63
Following the results of this second reader survey, there can be little doubt over the ability of the This Week newspaper to serve up the right information to visitors in the right place at the right time, at key points in the selling cycle; and to do so with little waste. Pre-visit editions are timed to spur impulse purchase short break decisions in favour of Wales, whilst during-visit editions are designed for early intercept of visitors looking for things to. Both are proving effective and there are excellent opportunities to improve their effectiveness.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
West Midlands 20%
A4
THE WAY FORWARD
This Week The Way Forward FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
TOURISM TRAVEL CLUSTERS
In 2000 This Week Wales signalled its commitment to help grow tourism to Wales through festivals and events marketing by staging Cymru'r Milflwydd at the National Eisteddfod of Wales and by signing up to a 3-year, ‘Welsh Event of the Year’ sponsorship package organised by the Wales Tourist Board. This marks a major policy development that associates the dynamics of cultural events with dynamic new means of communicating with local and worldwide markets. The award was made in 2000 to Sesiwn Fawr, a uniquely Welsh experience for visitors in June to the old Meirionnydd town of Dolgellau in North Wales. Sesiwn Fawr is a celebration of Welsh culture at its best and a prime example of how, via tourism, culture can drive economic growth in a community. The festival sits perfectly within the newly-developing strategy for arts and culture in Wales and is set to emerge onto a wider stage, strengthening rather than foregoing its sense of local identity as it progresses.
The importance of packaging has been known to the tourism industry for a long time but use of the tools has not been widespread in Wales. This is changing dramatically, but instead of using the tools themselves, operators are placing them more at the disposal of visitors, enabling them increasingly to take on the role of suppliers in tailoring their own packages.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
Festivals and events, both large and small, give Wales the greatest opportunity possible to differentiate its tourism product from that of other countries in Britain; to sell to visitors on a world stage the promise of a memorable experience that is distinctly Welsh. Festivals and events add value and meaning to destinations in Wales. They bring to life attractions that might otherwise remain static, engage visitors with local people, local products, and with the Welsh language in its many different dialects. Every festival and event in Wales provide the nucleus of a perfect packaging opportunity for tourism providers. Those that occur outside the main season in particular can be key to increasing overall annual bedspace occupation rates.
The tools are simple yet accurate information tools, made available on the internet with traditional media support. Maps are used to present information spatially and in clusters, helping visitors to gain an overview of the range of services and experiences available at any given destination. This is not only convenient but also removes a great deal of risk from decision-making. This Week Wales has developed digital mapping specially for this process (see also Appendix 8, page 26), with 116 layers of different information covering festivals and events, visitors attractions, wildlife sites, holiday accommodation, public transport and much more. Each layer contains fully up-to-date information including, where relevant, opening times and prices to help visitors plan their itineraries before they set out. Information is clustered automatically round any given point selected, or can be called up instantly by category. Tourism Travel Clusters is the simple map-based technology that sits behind This Week and the new thisweek.co.uk website. It provides a universal window on what’s on in Wales for visitors, and a depth of focus covering every Wales town and village. It gives visitors the information tools by which to plan their trips.
WHAT’S ON THIS WEEK IN THE UK This Week pioneered the use of digital technology in newspaper publishing in 1988 when it became one of the world's first tabloid newspapers published by a computer. It was a first for This Week and a first for Wales. It wasn't long before all newspapers were published using the same technology, but This Week as a pioneer and as the first operator in its chosen market, was able to create a unique and competitive commercial advantage, becoming the clear market leader as a brand and publisher of leisure and tourism newspapers. Twelve years on, This Week has extended its distribution to include all Wales through 4 regional editions and 2 Welsh language editions, plus
12 Cymru'r Milflwydd at the National Eisteddfod of Wales 2000
As we enter a new century This Week is set to launch yet another publishing revolution with Wales being the first again to benefit. By using technology that empowered it in 1988, This Week will launch a unique portfolio of products creating the definitive leisure guide to the UK in the form of thisweek.co.uk, and in doing so, empower the UK leisure industry to deliver the most effective, dynamic and personalised guide to leisure activities for UK consumers. This Week's mix of products are designed to create the UK's definitive leisure guide and booking system, comprising three products (two This Week printed newspaper publications and a series of interactive online products under the umbrella of thisweek.co.uk):
• This Week Metro National tabloid newspaper edition targeting the pre-visit market and a comprehensive guide to main events in the UK. Full coverage of all Britain’s main events including a regional focus. Distribution (free) through supermarkets and households (door-to-door). The Wales edition was launched in 2000.
• thisweek.co.uk A suite of Internet products promoting leisure activities throughout the UK and empowering the leisure industry with the tools to promote and sell their leisure product. The Wales product, launched in 2000, is undergoing rapid development.
• This Week regional publication Available at 80% of tourism bedspaces, at filling stations and tourist information centres. The original This Week during-visit tabloid newspaper, regionalised for the different regions of the UK, delivered to consumers on arrival or on route, through hotels, tourist information points and filling stations (85% of tourism in the UK is accessed by car).
What's so special about thisweek.co.uk? thisweek.co.uk represents the alliance between 2 digital strategies. Firstly it's about empowering the leisure industry – thisweek.co.uk provides all members of the leisure industry with an information management and booking service. Any event organiser, attraction manager or accommodation provider (no matter how small) has free access to an online resource to manage their information and booking inventory for distribution. This information then forms the ingredients of the second thisweek.co.uk strategy; the thisweek.co.uk consumer product – the UK-wide leisure website and personalised activity enewsletter that informs consumers each week what is happening in their neighbourhood and at places they intend to visit. Regionalised e-newsletters on events in Wales were mailed to over 15,000 recipients during 2000, giving Wales a firm lead in employing this revolutionary new marketing medium. The end result is a direct, constant and highly personal relationship between the industry and the consumer, creating the UK's definitive 'what's on', local news and information brand. What's on this week in the UK?...thisweek.co.uk
© This Week Media Network Limited 2000 This publication is fully protected by copyright and no part of it may be reproduced for any purpose without express written permission from This Week Media Network Limited.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
editions for North West England, Midlands, South West England and the Republic of Ireland. During the period 1997–99 over 4,300,000 people read This Week newspapers.
THE WAY FORWARD
'This Week is set to launch yet another publishing revolution...’
13
14
20 20 27 27 28 28 28 28 32 32 34 34 34 34 40 40 40 41 41 41 41
TOTALS
Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit
Area
North West England Midlands South West England South West England North Wales Mid Wales South East Wales Wales; Welsh language edition North Wales South West Wales North West England Midlands South West England South West England Mid Wales South West Wales South East Wales North West England Midlands South West England South West England
Copies disallowed, returned or damaged Net bulk distribution Number of distribution points
TOTAL ISSUES:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Issue Week Pre-vist/During-visit
W/E 22/5 W/E 22/5 W/E 17/7 W/E 17/7 W/E 24/7 W/E 24/7 W/E 31/7 W/E 31/7 W/E 28/8 W/E 28/8 W/E 11/9 W/E 11/9 W/E 11/9 W/E 11/9 W/E 23/10 W/E 23/10 W/E 23/10 W/E 30/10 W/E 30/10 W/E 30/10 W/E 30/10
Date of Issue
25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 525,000
Net Press Run Received 500 500 500 500 500 250 500 500 250 500 100 500 500 100 500 500 50 50 500 500 500 8,300
24,500 24,500 24,500 24,500 24,500 24,750 24,500 24,500 24,750 24,500 24,900 24,500 24,500 24,900 24,500 24,500 24,950 24,950 24,500 24,500 24,500 516,700 34,931 487,139 1,939
Voucher Gross Bulk Copies Distribution
PUBLISHER S RECORD OF PRINT AND DISTRIBUT
1999 Record of print
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
APPENDIX 1
15
Wales Wales
Pre-visit (Welsh language) Pre-visit (Welsh language)
Feb 18th Feb 18th Feb 18th
(March)
75,000
25,000 25,000 25,000 75,000
March
Apr 21st
Apr 21st Apr 21st Apr 21st Apr 21st
Apr 21st
(May)
125,000 150,000
25,000
25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000
May
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
2000 Publishing programme
North Wales Mid Wales South West Wales South East Wales
During-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit
Distribution
A55 Expressway Corridor Midlands & Mid Wales M4/M50 Motorway Corridor
Wales Wales
North Wales Mid Wales South West Wales South East Wales
A55 Expressway Corridor Midlands & Mid Wales M4/M50 Motorway Corridor
Distribution
Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit
– Editions –
Copy Dates:
During-visit (Welsh language) During-visit (Welsh language) Total during-visit: Overall total:
Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit Total pre-visit: During-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit
– Editions –
Publication Dates:
Jun 16th
Jun 16th Jun 16th Jun 16th Jun 16th
Jun 16th Jun 16th Jun 16th
(July)
25,000 125,000 200,000
25,000 25,000 25,000 75,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000
July
Jul 21st
(August)
– Issues –
25,000
25,000 25,000
August
– Issues –
-
-
November
Aug 18th Aug 18th Aug 18th
(September) (November)
75,000
25,000 25,000 25,000 75,000
September
Nov 17th
(December)
25,000
25,000 25,000
December
1 1 10 22
3 3 6 12 2 2 2 2
No.
APPENDIX 2
25,000 25,000 250,000 550,000
75,000 75,000 150,000 300,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000
Copies
Totals
16
North Wales Mid Wales South West Wales South East Wales
Wales
During-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit
Pre-visit (Welsh language)
Distribution
A55 Expressway Corridor Midlands & Mid Wales M4/M50 Motorway Corridor
Wales Wales
North Wales Mid Wales South West Wales South East Wales
A55 Expressway Corridor Midlands & Mid Wales M4/M50 Motorway Corridor
Distribution
Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit
– Editions –
Copy Dates:
During-visit (Welsh language) During-visit (Welsh language) Total during-visit: Overall total:
Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit Total pre-visit: During-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit
– Editions –
Publication Dates:
Feb 16th Feb 16th Feb 16th
(March)
450,000
150,000 150,000 150,000 450,000
March
Apr 20th
Apr 20th Apr 20th Apr 20th Apr 20th
Apr 20th
(May)
125,000 275,000
25,000
150,000 150,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000
May
Jun 15th Jun 15th Jun 15th Jun 15th
Jun 15th Jun 15th Jun 15th
(July)
25,000 125,000 425,000
100,000 100,000 100,000 300,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000
July
Jul 20th
(August)
– Issues –
100,000
100,000 100,000
August
– Issues –
225,000
75,000 75,000 75,000 225,000
November
Aug 17th Aug 17th Aug 17th
Oct 19th Oct 19th Oct 19th
(September) (November)
450,000
150,000 150,000 150,000 450,000
September
2001 Publishing programme (provisional)
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
Nov 16th
(December)
75,000
75,000 75,000
December
1 1 10 80
19 19 32 70 2 2 2 2
No.
25,000 25,000 250,000 2,000,000
475,000 475,000 800,000 1,750,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000
Copies
Totals
APPENDIX 3
17
Wales
Pre-visit (Welsh language)
Feb 18th Feb 18th Feb 18th
(March)
300,000
50,000 50,000 50,000 150,000
March
Apr 19th
Apr 19th Apr 19th Apr 19th Apr 19th
Apr 19th
(May)
125,000 225,000
25,000
50,000 50,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000
May
Jun 14th Jun 14th Jun 14th Jun 14th
Jun 14th Jun 14th Jun 14th
(July)
25,000 125,000 425,000
50,000 50,000 50,000 150,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000
July
Jul 19th
(August)
– Issues –
100,000
50,000 50,000
August
– Issues –
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
-
-
November
Aug 16th Aug 16th Aug 16th
(September) (November)
300,000
50,000 50,000 50,000 150,000
September
2002 Publishing programme (provisional)
North Wales Mid Wales South West Wales South East Wales
During-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit
Distribution
A55 Expressway Corridor Midlands & Mid Wales M4/M50 Motorway Corridor
Wales Wales
North Wales Mid Wales South West Wales South East Wales
A55 Expressway Corridor Midlands & Mid Wales M4/M50 Motorway Corridor
Distribution
Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit
– Editions –
Copy Dates:
During-visit (Welsh language) During-visit (Welsh language) Total during-visit: Overall total:
Pre-visit Pre-visit Pre-visit Total pre-visit: During-visit During-visit During-visit During-visit
– Editions –
Publication Dates:
Nov 15th
(December)
50,000
25,000 25,000
December
1 1 10 33
6 6 11 23 2 2 2 2
No.
(
APPENDIX 4
25,000 25,000 250,000 825,000
150,000 150,000 275,000 575,000 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000
Copies
Totals
)
APPENDIX 5A
12 1988-00
1999/2000 Reader Survey Questionnaire; Pre-visit 1. When did you first visit Wales? (If you have never visited, leave blank)
Month..............................Year.............. 2. When did you last visit Wales?
6. How helpful have you found your copy of This Week Metro?
13. How many short breaks/holidays do you take in a year?
❒ ✓ Very helpful ❒ ✓ Helpful ❒ ✓ Not very helpful
..........(No in years)
(If you have never visited Wales leave blank)
Month..............................Year..............
7. Has This Week Metro influenced the likelihood of me/us coming to Wales?
3. During your last visit how many members in your party and how many nights did you stay in Wales?
❒ ✓ It has made me/us more likely to come ❒ ✓ It has made me/us less likely to come ❒ ✓ It has made little or no effect on the likelihood of me/us coming
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
Adults..........Children..........Nights........
18
4. What accommodation did you stay in?
8. Is this the first time you have seen a copy of This Week Metro?
(If you were only here for a day, leave blank)
(If ‘No’ go to Question 10)
❒ ✓ Farmhouse ❒ ✓ Guesthouse ❒ ✓ Hotel ❒ ✓ Staying with friends/relatives ❒ ✓ Self-catering (cottage/cabin/flat) ❒ ✓ Caravan Site ❒ ✓ Camp Site ❒ ✓ Other
❒ ✓ Yes
5a. Where did you pick up your copy of This Week Metro?
❒ ✓ Delivered to home address ❒ ✓ Tescos (in England) ❒ ✓ Tescos (in Wales) ❒ ✓ Asda (in England) ❒ ✓ Asda (in Wales) ❒ ✓ Safeways (in England) ❒ ✓ Safeways (in Wales) ❒ ✓ Manchester Trafford Centre ❒ ✓ Shell filling station ❒ ✓ Little Chef ❒ ✓ Tourist Information Centre ❒ ✓ Railway station ❒ ✓ Other (please say)..........................
❒ ✓ No
9. Would you have visit Wales next time if you had never seen This Week Metro?
❒ ✓ Yes
❒ ✓ No ❒ ✓ Don’t know
10. How would you travel?
❒ ✓ Car ❒ ✓ Public transport ❒ ✓ Other 11. Which of the following are you more likely to do in Wales as a result of reading This Week Metro?
❒ ✓ Make a scenic rail trip ❒ ✓ Take a ride on a bus ❒ ✓ Visit an attraction by bus or train ❒ ✓ Hire a bicycle 12. How likely are you to visit Wales in the next twelve months?
❒ ✓ Very likely ❒ ✓ Likely ❒ ✓ Unlikely ❒ ✓ Very unlikely ❒ ✓ Don’t know
14. What changes (if any) would you like to see made to This Week Metro? .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. 15. Which of the following leisure interests do you participate in on a regular basis?regularly do?
❒ ✓ Visiting attractions ❒ ✓ Walking/Hiking ❒ ✓ Golf ❒ ✓ Cycling ❒ ✓ Water sports ❒ ✓ Angling ❒ ✓ Other (please say).......................... 16. Have you visited the thisweek.co.uk website?
❒ ✓ Yes
❒ ✓ No
BLYNYDDOEDD
1988-00
1999/2000 Wales Reader Questionnaire; During-visit 1. When did you first visit Wales? (If you have never visited, leave blank)
Month..............................Year.............. 2. When did you last visit Wales? (If you have never visited Wales leave blank)
Month..............................Year.............. 3. During this visit how many members in your party and how many nights are you staying in Wales?
7. Has This Week (this issue or a previous issue) influenced the likelihood of me/us returning?
❒ ✓ It has made me/us more likely to return ❒ ✓ It has made me/us less likely to return ❒ ✓ It has made little or no effect on the likelihood of me/us returning 8. Is this the first time you have seen a copy of This Week? (If ‘No’ go to Question 10)
❒ ✓ Yes
❒ ✓ No
Adults..........Children..........Nights........ 4. What accommodation are you staying in? (If you are only here for a day, leave blank)
❒ ✓ Farmhouse ❒ ✓ Guesthouse ❒ ✓ Hotel ❒ ✓ Staying with friends/relatives ❒ ✓ Self-catering (cottage/cabin/flat) ❒ ✓ Caravan Site ❒ ✓ Camp Site ❒ ✓ Other 5. When and where did you pick up your copy of This Week?
❒ ✓ Day of arrival ❒ ✓ Day after arrival ❒ ✓ Some other time ❒ ✓ Place of accommodation ❒ ✓ Tourist Information Centre ❒ ✓ Roadside restaurant ❒ ✓ Other (please say) 6. How helpful did you find your copy of This Week?
❒ ✓ Very helpful ❒ ✓ Helpful ❒ ✓ Not very helpful
9. Would you have visited Wales this time if you had never seen This Week?
❒ ✓ Yes
❒ ✓ No ❒ ✓ Don’t know
14. What changes (if any) would you like to see made to This Week? .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. ..............................................................
10. How are you travelling?
❒ ✓ Car ❒ ✓ Public transport ❒ ✓ Other 11. Which of the following are you more likely to do in Wales as a result of reading This Week?
❒ ✓ Make a scenic rail trip ❒ ✓ Take a ride on a bus ❒ ✓ Visit an attraction by bus or train ❒ ✓ Hire a bicycle 12. How likely are you to visit Wales in the next twelve months?
❒ ✓ Very likely ❒ ✓ Likely ❒ ✓ Unlikely ❒ ✓ Very unlikely ❒ ✓ Don’t know 13. How many short breaks/holidays do you take in a year? ..........(No in years)
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
YR PAPUR NEWYDD GENEDLAETHOL TWRISTIAETH CYMRU
APPENDIX 5B
12
19
APPENDIX 6 Local Knowledge Nationwide™ 20
Readers comments 1. A bit more care with the production i.e. Plas-yn-Rhiw location on maps. Cover Photo (Issue 4, 1999) wrong way round. Consider adding map refs (OS) to locations. Is the new title 'Metro' really necessary? Wales is not a metropolitan city. 2. Approx 4 whole pages are taken up with food and drink related subjects. This is far too much. One page on these would be ample. What's on takes up too much space. This could be condensed into one page. Almost the whole front page taken up with one building again a waste of space. Savings made on space could be used for more articles on Welsh culture, history, architecture, language, geology, archaeology etc. 3. More info on pub food, restaurants local to Llandudno area i.e. cinema theater – is Llandudno excluded for any reason? What about river cruises, boot sales, antique shops/centres etc. 4. More information about hotels that offer special rate weekend breaks. 5. More information in "What's On" We visited 2nd July - 4th Aug and there appeared to be only one event advertised. We found out about; 1. Free concerts and fireworks Tenby Harbour, Sat.2. Local children's???? Wed. 3. Guided walks. 4. Darwin – light show. Please more in listings. 6. More information on disabled access toilets etc. 7. More information on places for day trips. I am involved in arranging outings for children & elderly ladies and need help in these areas. 8. More local adverts for small events. I missed the fair at Bodelwyddan Castle through lack of local events news. 9. More mention of beaches – bathing areas etc. Attractions at beaches. Highlight sporting events. Dates when Glamorgan CCC visit Rhos-on-Sea etc. Bowling club facilities. 10. More news etc, for Abersoch/Pwllheli area. 11. More pages & more locations for the copies 5a. Please send me another copy & do not put the reader survey on the back of the information I have lost part of page 4 through this. 12. More private advertising e.g. Guesthouses. Please avoid placing entry/survey forms on reverse of valuable maps/info which may be needed for future reference. 13. As far as I can see there is no mention anywhere of wildlife in Wales, in spite of the fact that there has been a lot of news about the re-introduction of the Red Kite. 14. More publicity for Midlands people. 15. More shops & supermarkets. 16. More transport information. 17. More written details about places, where one can catch the trains not just on the maps. You mention Greater Manchester but Manchester itself is not shown. We need to know where you can start your journey from. It is also regrettable that this survey form is on the back of a map which means it has been spoiled. 18. My edition on Aug 14th was edition 2 but what dates does this encompass? 19. Next visit Sept-Oct Visit West Wales Regularly. 20. Nil. 21. No. 22. No change – it is very helpful & interesting 23. No changes but additions like features on sea fishing like what area are known to be the best place and the best times during the year to catch a specific fish, i.e. July, Colwyn pier for mackerel etc. 24. As I am a mature 1st year student at Presteigne School learning Welsh. I would like more items. (Simple articles to translate?) Learning Welsh has brought Wales alive for me! So more "Yr Iaith Gymraeg" please. 25. No changes just extra! Maybe local sight seeing walks. 26. None. 27. None. 28. None. 29. None. 30. None. 31. None. 32. None. 33. None. 34. None. 35. As this is my first reading of "Freedom of Wales" I'm not sure if any changes needed. I just love to read of anything to do with Wales. My father was a Welshman born in Wrexham, he died quite a few years ago and I still regret him never teaching us his native language. I always feel I'm "coming home" whenever I visit Wales. 36. None. 37. None. 38. None. (Excellent) but I wrote to the tourist info at The Station, Machynlleth, Ceredigion to advise on what a wonderful short break I had – A) Aberystwyth Very good, B) B&B, Very good, C) Wonderful stay – and am still waiting for a reply. (Not very professional.) 39. None a very good publication 40. None I find it just fine as it is. Thank you very much for it. 41. None I have enjoyed looking at it. Some places to visit have caught my eye and I have noted some of the dates in the 'What's On' section. 42. None I love it I would like one sent to me please. Put an ad on the back of the comp page so we don’t lose the information (or a picture). 43. None it is a good paper. I am visiting Newport next year using Youth Hostels. Could you please send me details of Youth Hostels nearest to Newport. 44. None it is quite a handy size for reference well printed well set out. 45. None particularly. 46. Available in holiday cottage – this copy was seen on day before going home 47. None that comes to mind at the moment. As I said previously my husband and I plus our family have always liked Wales. Plus I have been a member of CADW since 1976. 48. None, it was a very good read. 49. None, very informative.
63. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74. 75.
76. 77. 78. 79. 80. 81. 82.
Better circulation in South Wales. Perhaps a photography competition. Perhaps money off vouchers to attractions. Featured walks etc. Perhaps more on sport, especially rugby. Please ask printers to leave map of Wales intact not on back of survey. Sorry a map is on page 13. Please indicate events & places of interests suitable for wheelchairs. Information on market days & sites. Congratulations on a good guide to permanent & current attractions. Please would you put me on your mailing list. More offers and competitions. Possibly details of camp/caravan sites. Public Transport should be improved with the Cheshire seven day adventure ticket valid to Holywell & Greenfield, It could bring readers to Wales and equally allow Welsh travellers to visit Wales. Negotiations should take place with Cheshire county council. All former rail lines should become paths/cycleways where possible. Quite good. Quite happy with the format and contents. Perhaps an occasional Welsh recipe would be popular. Delighted to find this paper in Asda in Birmingham - hope this continues. Better description of Self Catering accommodation. Have had really good accommodation but have had disappointments mostly with damp property. We always recommend Satisfactory property. Recommended hotels in Wales by **** stars. Regional guide coupons. More pages. Contact addresses. Email addresses. Internet access addresses to all major sites in Wales by region. Representations of OS Maps so that every point is clearly illustrated. Section 0n walking routes, mountain side routes, day trips, historic Wales, children's page. Self catering holiday sites. Short mat bowls tournaments held in Wales. Show the beauty of Wales, stress there are busy places nightlife but also the peace, quiet and slower pace of life. Tell people it isn't always wet don’t believe weather forecasts "Wales will be wet" – it’s a large country what happens in Cardiff isn't the same for Mid & North Wales. Publicise beaches, lakes, mountains, valleys, towns, villages, market towns – Wales has so much. Sir Anthony Who? Oldbury Power Station! Not terribly appropriate advertising seems to dominate. i.e. half page on meat, one third page Stena Line + 2/3 page on that great Welsh honour a caravan site. If I did not know & love Wales so much these would put me off. Some colour, more pictures, photos. Some families have holidays on a shoestring, point out the best deals. B&Bs, Restaurants, Café's, Excursions etc. Better info on theatre and music. Some of the pictures of beauty spots could do with being larger and not blurred. Special offers, discounts. Suggestion: Some money off vouchers for attractions. Delivered on regular basis this is the first copy we have seen.
83. The only way to improve is to make it larger (the newspapers not Wales) after reading it shall definitely return after a long break. Have visited Llyn Peninsula, Barmouth, Newquay, Towyn, Talybont, Llandudno all were great. 84. There is a serious need to pinpoint parking places. We could find nowhere to park in Abersoch and would have gone elsewhere until friends put us on a hotel car park. The flexi-pass tickets seem in the exclusive category. Holidays are now very expensive. Many people do not live in the city (or work there!). 85. There is rather a lot of it. All interesting but time consuming which might lead to it being cast aside. A lot of form filling. 86. This is the first time I have read "THIS WEEK" and I have found it interesting and informative especially the Welsh language column 87. This Week is a very useful paper & interesting 88. This Week is very little different from other tourist publications- what does it offer? It seems very lightweight 89. This Week Metro is very good for a broad view of Wales. But it does not cover specific areas in depth i.e.; Pembrokeshire, Gower. But is still a very informative paper. 90. Bigger with even more info. 91. To have this Magazine on a regular quarterly basis. To be posted for regular readers to their home. Cost would include and cover the postage. 92. To highlight a Taste of Wales restaurant as a feature. 93. To include Walking Specials like A) Glyndwr's Way B) Offa's Dyke, C) Snowdon Rambles D) Other walking specials. All to include attractions B & Bs tea stops and literary points of interest ( I am willing to contribute to walkers' articles). 94. Useful facts as it is. Good introduction to Wales – especially for people who maybe are not familiar. We love Wales anyway. 95. Very good indication of events, shows etc. Possibly include a list of major market days – always make village more interesting etc 96. Very good magazine. Enjoyed looking at it. Events section interesting. Would hope to be able to get copies in future but had never seen one before.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 62.
APPENDIX 6
50. None, very interesting & as I lost my husband very suddenly in 1991 this has brought back happy memories of all the yearly holidays we had in Wales since 1951! Many thanks S M Watson. 51. Not a lot it is very well as it is. 52. Not a lot! Calendar of events very useful. 53. Nothing – It is very readable. 54. Nothing I am quite happy with it thanks. 55. OAP suitable attractions & off peak. 56. Perhaps a list of antiques, fairs, markets and carboot sales would be of general interest. Feature an interview each issue with a tourist picked at random giving impressions, experiences and places visited. Just a short feature each time.
21
APPENDIX 6
Readers comments (continued) 97. Very informative as it is. 98. Very informative. Being an ex commercial traveller I have stopped mainly in West Wales but seen a large amount of Wales on the whole. Now retired I have never had a holiday in Wales but friends & I take great pleasure in Day trips for the scenery – the unique little towns and peacefulness of the roads. More info on the angling please. 99. Visited Botanic Garden of Wales. Very good! 100. We are quite satisfied it is a comprehensive guide for a holidaymaker visiting your lovely Wales. We love the beaches and the surrounding areas. The small restaurants are great at Talybont Harlech + Barmouth. Thanks to all. 101. Cannot really comment but maybe suggestions from visitors to Wales may give more ideas & recommendations than I am qualified to (****) or advice. 102. We would like a section on accommodation available in all the different areas of Wales. Especially that which is suitable for short Breaks of 1, 2 & 3 nights B&Bs priced up to about £25 per night or less. 103. What can you do with children on wet days that doesn’t cost an arm & leg, also places that say welcome children. 104. What's on Walks for the months ahead. 105. When Rover tickets by public transport are featured a map would be welcome. The map on the back pages is difficult to read, South Wales area too confusing. 106. Why is the wordsearch prize (at a Cardigan farm for 2 nights) to be taken in the winter months. Possibly snowed in blown away etc. It’s a long time to wait for a competition to be drawn. 107. Why no mention of Fairbourne & Devil's Bridge Railways? 108. A Children's Page. 109. Children's activities, child friendly pubs. 110. Coach companies could advertise their tours and perhaps special offers. 111. Competitions, enjoyed the Welsh language section. 112. Confusing where are details no 12 page 4. 113. Cost of entry to events. 114. Craft Page, Children's Page. 115. Deliver to house. 116. Details regarding walking, free walks leaflets. 117. Do a better job, Get it right. Represent Wales well. The addresses of your Taste of Wales numbered map (pp 6–7) all wrong. Gareth John is not now at the Red Lion – we stayed there last week (p8). 118. Do any of the cheese & wine makers do mail order. A list of Tourist Information Centres phone Numbers for main areas would be useful. I was brought up by Welsh speaking grandparents and I am interested in Wales Homecoming 2000 but we do not have a computer, email etc. 119. A good useful guide. No changes to what' s already here (that is not to say more material should be added or not added). 120. Earlier distribution 121. Enjoyed the articles especially Good rest Guide - will see this Diary - useful to have before visit. News of Travel Centre mode very useful. Ireland hopping more details please. News of New Botanic Garden Dome Nr Carmarthen pity it wasn’t in the copy I picked up I was unable to take advantage of this years guided tours issue 4. 122. Excellent as it is at present. Very informative. 123. Excellent paper. No changes necessary 124. Feature cycle trails, one edition 125. Full day walks with maps- circular from car park. 126. Get the days/dates/months correct. I tried to make sense of info on page 2 and gave up in frustration. This is just silly. 127. Get the locals to be less insular & more welcoming to spending tourists (Take a lesson from Northumbria or Scotland!)
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
128. Hard to say on the evidence of one issue 129. Have a static caravan at Llysfaen, Colwyn Bay. Welsh origin. Parents Welsh went to school. Llansawel South Wales till 7.
22
130. A little more history. 131. How about an in-depth report of a town or city in each area of Wales Conwy, Gwynedd Llandrindod Wells, Mid Wales etc. Showing the good and bad points of each place out of ten. Availability of this publication is Sketchy to say the least how about a postal service for a subscription fee. 132. I am disabled it would be nice to know about disabled facility's such as entrances & toilets. We always camp. We go to Medieval attractions. We do attend quite a lot of these events. Quite a few are in Wales. I use an electric wheelchair. 133. I am registered disabled and would like some more information on access and general layout. i.e. how easy to push chair round attractions how flat or hilly how accessible hotel, S/C apartments. 134. I cant think of anything in particular, your presentation is good, Where to get bus time tables would be helpful. 135. I found my magazine very useful & interesting. Perhaps some good rustic/rural/countryside/sea/mountain poetry? 136. I like it reminds me of where I used to live. Keep food & drink info going. Why not some tourist inf office addresses & tel no's. Don’t put bits to cutout on top of articles put them over adverts. 137. I spend a lot of time in North Wales (I have a caravan in Prestatyn but I have never seen This Week before. .139. I think it is extremely informative just as it is thankyou. 140. I think that the numbers of items on your maps should be coloured to standout more. (But not of course if it would cost you more to do so). 141. I use a motor home to try & see as much as possible . I never "wild camp" always stay on established sites. I am frustrated by the lack of sites open in the winter. I am infuriated by the large number of places who prevent me from visiting by height barriers on car parks. I usually just move on. 142. A small map next to the events as Welsh names sometimes look the same. It would help to have local events together for example around Dolgellau, Tywyn, Machynlleth. Maybe a local issue as North Wales is so large. A THIS WEEK for each area? 143. I was disappointed to find only one advertiser "Tweedmill" referred to disabled facilities. No other article or advertisement offered information on wheel chair access into grounds buildings or toilets. As a resident of Penrhyn Bay and wheelchair bound person would have thought it an important and necessary point now.
146. I would like to see more colour photographs and also larger prints on road maps i.e. larger prints for A roads etc, etc, etc. 147. I would use number 15 for the following question, instead of using number 14 again. 148. I would like to see a list of campsites for us campers plus a heart to hearts column for singles who like the welsh and more pages on how to learn welsh and also more historical places to visit like castles. 149. Include more information about accommodation (or where to find out). 150. In addition to the small maps of each area a map of the whole of Wales. Also a specific map of Wales highlighting all the train journeys available together with more details of train services and prices. Please could you send future copies of This Week Wales to me. 151. Include some vouchers for attractions e.g., Buy 1 adult ticket get a child free. 152. Inclusion of entrance fees in all listings or advertisements, even if only a guide range. 153. Accuracy in Months (Page 3). List of craft fairs. List of local shows. (When is Berriew show). List of exhibitions. List of gardens open. Market days for each TOW village. Early closing days. Locations of children's play areas. 154. Increased details of attractions – Swallow Falls, Snowdonia Railway, National Trust properties etc. Otherwise an excellent publication. 155. Input of disabled facilities. More colour print. 156. Interesting. 157. Interesting short visits to Central Wales. 158. Interviews with famous Welsh celebrities with insight into their roots and birth places. 159. Introduction to familiar every day phrases from English into Welsh language. Very informative paper. Local maps for various locations - excellent. Taste of Wales restaurants to the first time tourist & especially overseas visitors very welcome.
APPENDIX 6
144. I would like admission charges shown for events and opening times for exhibitions would be helpful. 145. I would like it made bigger. Also I suggest it could be photographed in colour. Also more info for people in Wheelchairs.
169. 170. 171. 172. 173. 174. 175. 176. 177. 178. 179. 180. 181. 182. 183. 184. 185. 186. 187. 188. 189. 190. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195. 196.
Less rain, warmer days. Little maps how to get there would be useful. An idea of mileage from centres. Local recipes, wines, breweries, foods Map and road plan to the new Garden dome. Maybe a children's section. Maybe more pages like pages re. Caernarfon of different place in North Wales and events and places of interest there. However it is a very good and informative tourist paper, which we found very helpful. Although I am English my husband speaks Welsh it would be nice to be able to read Welsh in your paper. Please can we have an article on farming. Thank you for your Freedom of Wales it is most interesting. Maybe some money off vouchers. Money off vouchers. Sites of millshops & shopping centres listed. Money off vouchers. Sites of millshops & shopping centres listed. More about rail services. Your map still shows the Conwy Valley Railway ending at Llan Ffestiniog. It does not. How about a section on real ale pubs. More angling information please. More availability of the paper. Even when in Wales I had never seen a copy before. More colour & better paper. Cycling routes & trails. More colour printing. More competitions. More competitions. Any chance of translating Welsh into English or vice versa. More competitions should be included. More competitions, Prize incentive for returned copies. More competitions. Coupons with cash off places of interest. More competitions. Free prize draws. More competitions. I liked the Taste of Wales wordsearch competition. More competitions. More readily available. First we've seen (Indoor Swimming pools listed). More crosswords. All attractions priced. More descriptions of places of interest. More detailed information on a few of the sites. More info about what's on with opening times cost etc. What about a what's on in winter edition. A list of good places to eat with opening times required.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
160. It appears both well laid out and comprehensive I cannot think of any changes at this time. 161. It would be very acceptable to include discount vouchers for visiting places of interest especially for senior citizens. 162. Its all fine and splendid to me. I've got a Welsh language translation book – a relative in Fairbourne sent it to me as I love your language. 163. It's OK but lacks energy. Needs a younger approach to attract families. Too conservative a view. Ambiguous and not direct in approach. 164. All quite informative. 165. Its okay as it is. More competitions would be nice. 166. Just keep this paper going. I will look for it again when we visit Wales next year. 167. Just more pages with more places to visit. Thank you very much. 168. Just to say 1st time we've had paper, did not know it existed, enjoyed it will keep our eyes open when going to Asda's.
23
APPENDIX 7
Tabulated data Question 1. When did you first visit Wales
2. When did you last visit Wales? 3.1 During this visit, how many members in your party?
3.2 During this visit, how many nights are you staying in Wales?
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
4. During this visit, what accommodation are you staying in?
24
5. Where did you pick up your copy of Freedom of Wales?
Response 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000 Not stated – 1 2 3 4 5+ Not stated 0 (Day visitors) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8+ Caravan site Hotel Self-catering Farmhouse Guesthouse Staying with friends/relatives Camp site Other Not stated Asda (in Engalnd) Tescos (in England) Delivered to home address Manchester Trafford Centre Tourist Information Centre Tescos (in Wales) Asda (in Wales) Safeways (in England) Safeways (in Wales) Shell filling station Little Chef Railway Station Other Not stated
% 0 2 7 15 20 16 15 6 9 1 9 8 48 13 12 12 7 33 4 9 9 9 4 4 16 12 21 20 14 3 9 8 5 7 13 38 27 15 5 3 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 7 1
APPENDIX 7 5.2 Where did you pick up your copy of This Week?
6. How helpful did you find your copy of This Week/Freedom of Wales?
7. Has This Week/Freedom of Wales (this issue or a previous issue) influenced the liklihood of me/us returning? 8. Is this the first time you have seen a copy of This Week/Freedom of Wales? 9. Would you have visited Wales this time if you had never seen This Week/Freedom of Wales? 10. How are you travelling?
11. Which of the following are you more likely to do in Wales as a result of reading This Week/Freedom of Wales?
12. How likely are you to visit Wales in the next twelve months?
13. How many short breaks/holidays do you take in a year?
14. What changes (if any) would you like to see made to This Week/Freedom of Wales?
Response Before arrival Day of arrival Day after arrival Some other time Tourist Information Centre Holiday Accommodation Supermarket Roadside restaurant Railway Station Other Very helpful Helpful Not very helpful Not stated More likely Less likely Little or no effect Not stated Yes No Not stated Yes No Don't know Not stated Car Public transport Other Not stated Make a scenic rail trip Visit an attraction by bus or train Take a ride on a bus Hire a bicycle Not stated Very likely Likely Unlikely Very unlikely Don't know Not stated 1 2 3 4 5+ Not stated Other Comment No comment Total sample
% 2 19 40 39 49 21 7 6 2 15 59 36 3 2 64 1 32 3 83 16 1 72 2 12 14 81 13 5 1 43 24 12 4 17 70 19 2 2 6 1 5 26 15 13 19 8 14 196 120 316
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
Question 5.1 When did you pick up your copy of This Week?
25
APPENDIX 8
Sustainable Tourism Map of Wales North Anglesey Heritage Coast Traeth
6
Traeth Mawr Cemlyn Bach
5
Amlwch
M58
Talacre/Gronant
395
A483
A4 06 7
Gwaun-CaeGurwen 26 220
49
X26
X25 120
43
Ystradfellte
63
A49 4
46
158
109
X5
Glynneath X75
0
465
X75
A5 6
A49 A5 30
A49
B5476
476 B5
2
Ebbw 30 Vale 22 X18
5
A49 B4 36
A466
31Abergavenny Blaenavon 83 40
Blaenafon Ironworks
X4
46
X15,X16
A
20 21
Bettws42 Newydd 63
6 41 3
Trefynwy A Monmouth
5 60
To Gloucester
Dean Forest Railway
83
Raglan Castle
60
A40
34
0 A4
1 B452
Y Fenni
Brynmawr
43
A 24 Tredegar 15 Merthyr TudfulRhymney X4 1 1 2 2 Tydfil 4 X75 Merthyr 3 9 3 15
39 3
B5
54 83 A4
A483 A483
9 05 A4
220
120
X25
Ystradgynlais 146
White Castle
Llanelli
X25
48
M4
400
70
A4
063 A4
8 A4
Head
66 63
34
33
S
22 Penybont-ar-Ogwr 3 Bridgend V1 32
145
International V1 Airport
X91
8
304 144 X5 X91
19 18
CAERDYDD CARDIFF
304 305
45
Llantwit Major Llanilltud Fawr
Cardiff Tour
30 Museum 27of Welsh Life St Fagans Cardiff 15
1
21 Y Bont10 Faen X1 48353 Cowbridge Cardiff X2 A X50 V1
Gower Heritage Coast
20 Miles
122
100,302 V2 701,X14
X1 X2
A423
30 Km
35
701,X1 X14,61 172,X2
Porthcawl
0
22
Bynea/ 4 Bynie Gowerton/Tre/Gwyr
Porthcawl, Rest Bay
0
6
A449
4 Pembrey 34 Burry Port
Pontarddulais
South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast
19
National Museum & Gallery Cardiff
X5 304 305 P4
Y Bari Barry
M5
S
M4 From London
1
Bristol 2 3
M32
20
8
A3
Penarth
A4
© This Week Publications Limited 2000 Base mapping © RH Publications 2000
Key Tygwyn
To the Forest of Dean
A4 8
76
46 X25 146
Pantyffynnon
20
3
Abertillery 63 2 Pontardulais Lydney Aberdar 3 38 65X5 103 158 23 26 5 69 X75 A4 X4 78 104 65 A4 47 5 63 56 30 22 Aberdare 1 A472 701 X25 146 05 8 5 4 X15 130 73 Tintern Pont-y-pwl 21 9 S 122120 X26 X16 22 X5 Treherbert 52 Abbey 172 X18 36 22 47 143 46 45 Skewen Pontypool Usk 22 5 1 Aberdulais Falls 120 143 X59 23,X30 46 Chepstow 132 X6 111 Gorseinon 57103 171 X12 104Llansamlet 44 Castell23Nedd Castle Blackwood 172 120 Cwmbran 701 C16 X31 20,21,22 23 15843 52 151 S 55 Neath 30 21 23,X30 130 Abercynon Cas-gwent 16 400 X59 60 Weobley Castle 7 42 Briton Ferry A4107 36 Gower 16 16 132 20 Nelson Ystrad Mynach Roman Legionary 7473 Chepstow Abertawe 14 63,66,100, 23 B4282 54 5,7,22,X4, 56 Maesteg 12 Caerleon Roman 26 16 Heritage Coast Llanrhidian 122 158,302,701, 18A X6,X38 X7 Museum (Ewenny Road) 47 Swansea 73 2 300302 Fortress 6114,2 X1,X3,X5,X75 41 Baglan 4 Caerphilly Castle 14 X3 M48 302 S Reynoldston 4 16 14 Magor Caerleon 70 Langland 14 74 40 25 Worms 24 8 Maesteg 26 302 Bracelet C16 302 18 1 18A Oxwich 25 302 21 Pontypridd 24 59372 Mumbles Garth M5 74 X7 Caerffili 50 302 27 S 23 151 Bay Aberafan 39100,302,701 Head Castle Caldicot 4 37 66 A 4118 122 73 Pontycymer 36 74 Caerphilly X7428 C19 21 Port 4 38 X1 Tondu 12 Port Eynon X9 4 74 X7 M4 172 22 Taff's Well 26 70 Brynmenin Caswell Bay 21,172 302 X3062 302 Talbot 63 32,100, 71 Limeslade Casnewydd Severn Port Tunnel Sarn 29 30 52 100,302,701 Llantrisant 44 X49 244 Langland Bay 244,400 30 M4 Pencoed X16 Junction M49 100 Castell Coch Newport Pyle 16 Eynon Port Eynon S 36 302701 Pontyclun X30 Mumbles X49 32 6 63 X7 17 37 100,302,701
Dinbych-y-Pysgod Tenby
Caldey Island
S
196 198 198 128 199 199B43 X31 0 111 400 8 X12 130 Llangennech
Tenby North Merchant’s TenbyTudor Castle Tudor Merchant’s Pembrey Country Park, House Tenby, South House Cefn Sidan
Barafundle Bay St Govan's Broadhaven South Marloes and Dale Heritage Coast Head South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast
103 104
103 104
A4
99
B42
A47 8
Freshwater Lydstep East Manorbier
X31
A4
A40
395
128 129
4
National Park
A466
49
Penally
129
Cross Hands 129 Kidwelly Castle
X25 X26
4
Ross-on-Wye
35 B42
B431 9
349
Cydweli Kidwelly
X31
199 X12
Fforest Fawr
Llandybie
A49
416
Offa’s Dyke Path
Lamphey
395
48 198
Ferryside
Carreg Cennen Castle
103
Crughywel Crickhowell Brecon Beacons 21 A40 8 Llangattock21
47
395 396
Amroth Wisemans Bridge Saundersfoot, Coppet Hall Saundersfoot
Ffairfach
Tretower Court & Castle
A4043
361
Bishop's Palace 333,351, Penfro 4 Manorbier361,381 PembrokeLamphey Manorbier 396
4
222
222
4 279
43 48
42
Mountains
Llwyn-y-Celyn
Llanddeusant
Henffordd Hereford
20
A4
Black
109
21
A4042
A477 Pentlepoir
333
Laugharne 351
701
Rhydaman 104 Ammanford 130 128
A48 196
Laugharne Castle
361 394 Saundersfoot
Doc Penfro Pembroke Dock
77
129 130701
Sancler St Clears
21 109
63
7 A46
A4
Kilgetty Saundersfoot
Neyland
Gelliswick
B4314
381 394
Llandeilo
National Botanic Garden of Wales
333 322 222 227
A
280
A40
38
58
83 A4
Aberhonddu Brecon109 Ty'n-y35Caeau
A40
43
Llangadog
65
3
4
70 8 A4
40
20
39
8
B4 29
5 A48
A484
29
39
B 4 34
Capel-y-Ffin
B 43
394
279 280
B4 35 2
B
Lawrenny
4
A43 8
Y Gelli Hay-on-Wye
39
109 47 39
Llanwrda
Llangadog Dinefwr Park
192
9
358
Colby Woodland Gardens
393
Johnston
A40 Whitland
8
A470
Dinas Cross, 393 Haverfordwest
358
349 302
322
47 101
A4 7
Clunderwen
Arberth Narberth 381
B4 5 9 4
47
Llanymddyfri Llandovery
279 280
310
112
101
4 22 B4
B
288 289
Leominster
A44
A4
101
A4
B4
86 A4
B4
Cynghordy
2
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
100 Llanwrtyd Wells
289
B4 3 0
460 461 462
Carmarthen Caerfyrddin
Clunderwen
A40
322 381
100
B4362
0 11 A4
460 462
48
9
G6
A470
8
100
Garth 43 Llangammarch Llanwrtyd
A456 192
B4362
B4361
100 G6
100
Llanfair-ym-Muallt Builth Wells
Builth Road Cilmeri
A 4117
80 A4
Tyncornel
Trefyclo Knighton G5 42 Llanandras Presteigne
11 A 41
B43
G5
New RadnorG4
39 Llandrindod G4 A44 Llandrindod Wells 21 47
21 20
A488
102 G4 19,22
4 192
Ludlow 740
ath ke P a’s Dy Offa’
A485
3 34
588
A4
103 21 19
36
A4113
Radnor Forest 102
435 745
Hopton Heath
G5
Dolau
Pen-y-Bont 102 19
B4
Broome
Bucknell
A4 81
40 43
Marloes, Milford Haven
311
South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast Marloes and Dale Heritage Coast Linney Head
Dolgoch
46 Llanbedr Pont Steffan Lampeter
202
103
8
33
A48
Broad Haven
Aberdaugleddau Milford Haven 358 Dale
Elan Valley
Blaencaron
Llanbister Road
B4
Skokholm Island
461
A484
26
Heritage Coast St Martins Haven
2 43
Clarbeston Road
Haverfordwest
Broadhaven Marloes and Dale Haverfordwest, Little Haven Heritage Coast St Brides Haven Marloes Sands
B4337
B 411
Newgale
701
1
202 701
7 South Pembrokeshire Heritage Coast Nolton Haven Hwlffordd
Skomer St Brides Bay Island
313
34
102
745
Llangynllo
22 102
19
Tregaron
19463 Llandysul 701 2 461 463 201 Museum of the Welsh 7 288 Woollen Industry Dre-Fach Felindre 37 Pencader
17
8 51 B4 19 20
288
Teifi Valley Railway 461
32 B43
B 4 4 59
B4
4 St Davids, Caerfai
70
460 461
B43 30
Penycwm
13 B43
Ramsey Island
Cilgerran Castle
2
202
A475
412
412
B433 8
103
Strata FloridaAbbey 3
Craven Arms
8
Knucklas/ Cnwclas
22 102
103
561
Pontrhydfendigaid
18
745
B4 36
Rhaeadr Rhayader
588 588
B4371
553
B43 55
102
589 516 588
588 585
459 B4
St David's
7
550
Pontarfynach Devil's Bridge
561
516 595
42 B43
550
A48
550
463 550 551
202 701
463 Llangrannog 48 550
5
9 St David's
St Davids,Whitesands St David's Bishop's Palace
Cilborth
Castellnewydd Emlyn Pwllgwaelod Newport Newport Newcastle Emlyn 430 28 Abergwaun 3 B4 Fishguard
St Davids Peninsula Angle Bay,West Trevine Heritage Coast Abereiddy St David's 411 487 Head Ty Ddewi A
550
B4
Newport Sands
Goodwick PwllGoodwick Deri 410 Sands
463 550
550
Penbryn
550 551
Poppit Sands
Dinas Head Aberteifi St Dogmaels and Molygrove Cardigan Heritage Coast Strumble Dinas Cross, Head 2 Poppit Sands B458 Cwm-yr-Eglwys
B45 7 6
Llangrannog Tresaith Aberporth
589 595
Aberaeron 589
New Quay,Traeth y Dolau New Quay,Traeth yr Harbwr Cwmtydu 463
Gwbert Heritage Coast Mwnt
550 701
Llangurig A4 70
9
44
14 Y Drenewydd Llandinam 522X Newtown D75 22
70 A4
8
Church Stretton
A48
8
87 B
Llanrhystud
81
596
561
Aberaeron South, Traeth y De
81
69 45
Llanidloes
596
596
435
Montgomery
9
120
Ceredigion Heritage Coast
Cei Newydd New Quay
104
522X
Ystumtuen
A4
561
4
558
A4
64
A4
501
88
A4
86 43
G1
D75 522X
107
From Birmingham & London
A5 6 B438
Y Trallwng Welshpool
553
104
531
Vale of Rheidol 522X Narrow Gauge 596 Steam Railway
3
A5
A49
104
A4
Clarach 51232 514 701 29
Clarach Heritage Coast
01
51 8 B4
Dyfi Furnace
32 514 701
Aberystwyth
D71
G1
Borth
Clarach Aberystwyth North,Traeth y Gogledd
G1
A45 8
522X D75
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway
8
Borth
512
B4
81
B
Aberdyfi Borth
522
A5
Amwythig Shrewsbury 58 A4
32
Penhelig
D70
A458
Llanfair Caereinion A4 70
5
B43 9 7
5
108
65 41 Machynlleth 701
95 A4
445 D71 D79
D79
Powis House and Gardens
108
30 32 34 701
23
A49
Aberystwyth South,Traeth y De
B 4501
8
B43 8 9
Tywyn
A45
Corris
ay 05 ilw Ra am Ste 29 yn lyll 8 Dyfi Ta 29 3 Junction
B4 4
Croesoswallt Oswestry
455
0 458
445
A
Corris
30
28
449
D71
108
34
Tal-y-Llyn
A5 2
Whitchurch 46
G1
49
A4 87
Llwyngwril Llangelynnin
9
Chirk Castle
Gobowen
G1
12
32 701
8
60 65
0 A49
Fairbourne,Y Friog
Aberdyfi Aberdovey
B4
6 A49
Morfa Mawddach Kings Fairbourne Tal-y-Llyn Lake
46
B506
D79
6 39
Llanfyllin Llanwddyn
Dolgellau
Fairbourne and Barmouth Steam Railway
Tywyn
Lake Vyrnwy
94
0
Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant
39 1
A470
28
Barmouth, Abermawr
Tonfanau
B4
4 Cymer Abbey A
Bontddu 94
B4 5
B
Park 94
8
38 Llanaber 47 Abermaw Barmouth
1
A5 25
Y Waun Chirk D53
64 60 64 65
Glyn Ceiriog
94
La ke Ra ilw ay
A4 99
Tal-y-Bont
Llanenddwyn, Benar, Morfa Dyffryn
Llangollen
Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog
48
2,2A,64
A5
51X 94
Llangollen
Cynwyd B4 40
Ba la
National
Dyffryn Ardudwy
Aberdaron
Bardsey Island
B5 113
B44
B5 1
B4 41
9
B
B
8
20
Rug Chapel and Llangar Corwen Church
94 A4
Y Bala Bala
Snowdonia
Llanbedr
2
C62
56
2 2A 94 Erddig X5
94 X5
From London
9
3
10 12
Rhiwabon Ruabon
Llangollen Railway Valle Crucis Abbey
A5
Crewe
A534
Wrecsam Wrexham
63
Harlech Llandanwg Pensarn
Llanbedr
Abersoch
2 35 701
C56 25
A52
Talsarnau
Tygwyn
Harlech Llandanwg
Abersoch
B4
40
26 40
Bettws A5104 Gwerfil Goch
Maerdy
1
1 A4
Minffordd
Harlech Castle
39
B5
28 A5
18
13
97 4Criccieth
Pwllheli, Marian y De
70
A5
C62
0 B5
3 441
17B
1 38
35 91 Maentwrog 38 Penrhyndeudraeth Llandecwyn Trawsfynydd Talsarnau
3
A Abererch Cricieth Pwllheli Criccieth
17B 17 18
Aberdaron Llyn Heritage Coast
Ffestiniog Railway
B4
1
Maeshafn
76 51X 52
B5105
5
B4354 3 Butlin's Pen-y-Chain
Pentrefoelas
2 A19 2
B5
40
39
3
64 Penmachno Blaenau 07 Ffestiniog 1,35,38 Llan Ffestiniog A421
97
87
A470
17 17B
A4
84
Gwynant
Beddgelert
Criccieth Porthmadog 1,2,701 2 701 Penrhyndeudraeth Castle1 1
12
8
17B 17
A4
97 95 Bryn
8
a sul
39
Caer C56 Chester C62
A19 B4 2,25
Yr Wyddgrug A55 Mold 26
B5
2
12
A1
A5
yˆ n Ll
8 17B
nin
Roman Bridge
Pont-y-PantA 5 Dolwyddelan 64
A1
2,25,F1
76
Betws-y-coed
Lledr Valley
16
Shotton
EwloA19 F1 Ewloe B4
B51
Pe
7 41 B4
12
8 A49
Rhuthun Ruthin
54
19
Dolwyddelan 95 Castle
1
Nefyn
1 2 701
43 A5
1 B5
Llyn Heritage Coast
6
54 95
Pen-yPass
Snowdon Ranger
54 64 84
76
14
S
Y Ferri Isaf Queensferry
5
28
14
M56
9 10
F11
12
A41
19
95
B4418
Capel Curig
Idwal Cottage
39 52
8
B5130
Llanberis
08
5 B4
B26
36
39
Denbigh Castle & Town Walls
5
F11
From Manchester
10
11
Liverpool
F11
Y FflintA5 40 Flint
A1 A19
yk e
A4
49
A50 14
’s D fa Of
Llanberis
M53
14,A50
A
Dinbych Denbigh
39 49
A525
Segontium Roman Rheilffordd Eryri/ Highland Museum Caernarfon Welsh Railway 10
6
10,12 701
39
A470
77 88
5 08 A4
Newborough, Llanddwyn
B 5 10
83 88
331,2,
Segontium Roman Fort
Dolgarrog
4
Holywell
50 49 St Asaph Llanelwy 52
B53 8 1
Bethesda 8 19 A54 39 Trefriw Welsh Slate Museum Llanberis 49 Gwydir Uchaf Llanrwst Chapel 65 19
76 77
42
Caernarfon Castle & Town Walls Caernarfon
Aberffraw Bay Heritage Coast
25 84
65
7
25,84
Rowen
Penrhyn Castle
Bangor 43
5 76 77 701
A5
Traeth Crigyll Bodorgan Porth Tyn Tywyn 42 Porth Nobla A4080 Cable Bay-Porth Trecastell Aberffraw,Traeth Mawr
32 and Town Walls
5 A5
Menai Bridge 4 701 53 PG Llanfair 8
22 44 42
M62
7
A41
1 B51 1
Mawr-Sandy Llanddona Benllech Prestatyn A5 Holyhead Mountain 32 12 60 2561 Beach West Shore 16 58 1211 Kinmel Bay 48 Old 8 Deganwy 53 57Conwy & Llandudno 701 Tour B Heritage Coast 12, 5 50 Beaumaris Deganwy Colwyn Pensarn/ A19 16, Trearddur45 1 09 A1 Rhosneigr,Traeth Llydan-Broad Beach Abergele Conwy84 25 Llandudno Penmon St Davids, Red Wharf Bay 50 12,16 4 Castle 49 5 12 100Towyn 25 Junction A701 B5 5 52 16 Aberconwy House Biwmares Trearddur Bay 109 Valley Rhuddlan Conwy Suspension Bridge Llangefni Llanfairfechan 49 Trearddur Bay, Porth Dafarch 7 K1 K1 Beaumaris Plas Mawr, Conwy A50 59 Llanfairfechan 48 Traeth Llydan-Silver Bay 57 62 5 Penmaemawr 19 Holy Island Glan Conwy 59 Abergele Rhuddlan Castle Treffynnon RhosneigrPorthaethwy Bangor 8 53 Beaumaris 5 Tal-y-Cafn Conwy Castle 49,59 A55 Rhoscolyn, Borth Wen Ty Croes
5
3
A19 101 A1 Rhyl
A49
Rhyl Rhyl
A4 83
Moelfre
Offfa’s Dyke O
62
4
2 Prestatyn Central
B
5 02 A5
Caergybi Holyhead
1
Great Orme Heritage Coast Colwyn Bay, on Sea Great Ormes Rhos RhosY North Head Shore on- Bae Colwyn Llandudno 16 Sea Colwyn Bay
Dulas,Traeth Lligwy
A488
A5 02 5
Ynys Môn Anglesey Porth Tywyn
Porth Swtan-Church Bay Porth Trwyn
39
B511 1
61
A37
Carmel Head
Main Line Railway and Stations (Covered by the Freedom of Wales Flexi-Pass)
Chepstow Main Line Railway and Stations (Not covered by the Freedom of Wales Flexi-Pass)
42
Cycle routes open now (with route number)
46
Cycle routes to be opened (with route number)
National Museums & Galleries of Wales Tourist Information Centre
Traws Cambria route
Other Railway
Brecon Beacons National Park
Motorway
Welsh Border
Primary Road
Major Towns
A Road
Other Towns
B Road
2000 European Blue Flag Award Beach
Bus Routes (four or more journeys, Mon - Sat)
2000 Seaside Award Beach
Bus Routes (up to three journeys only, Mon - Sat)
National Trust Property
97
Operates all year
YHA Hostel
95
Operates summer only
Cadw Property
Guide Friday tours Picture Bus Picture Train RSPB Reserve open to the public Festivals of Wales Site Locations: 1
Spring events
28
Summer events
62
Autumn events (Note: Site 51 is not shown on the map as it covers venues throughout all of Wales during the summer. Site 65 is not holding a festival in the year 2000)
from the Middle of a Revolution The speed of development in the world of new media is breathtaking. With the frequentlyrepeated statement that the internet was made for tourism, it is incumbent on the industry to keep abreast of developments as best it can. But whilst the pressure is on to shift information provision from conventional to new media, research on these issues is hard to come by and theory is neglected when it should form the basis of rational decisions in determining the way forward. Operators at all levels of the tourism industry face daily decisions on how best to deploy their marketing budgets to gain maximum advantage. Many have already committed expenditure to developing their own websites or to installing email as a first step, often led by a seller who delivers less than was promised. Others do nothing for fear of being led in the same direction. Many simply stick their heads in the sand, wanting no part of the digital revolution that’s now well underway. Then there are the much-heralded panaceas known as ‘Destination Management Systems’ (DMSs); fully-integrated information communication technology systems, based in the main on internet technology, that interface between all levels of the tourism industry, from consumer through consolidators and wholesalers to individual tourism businesses. DMSs therefore are promising to be all things to all people. But will they? Two distinct ideas of what DMSs are have emerged over the last year. They are either: 1. authoritative data miners and repositories of accurate, up-to-date information on all aspects of the destination; i.e. infostructure providers and networkers/brokers of digital content to support individual trade operators and other bona fide marketing organisations in worldwide quests for sales, or 2. marketing entities in their own right, using the information they mine and store to interface directly with consumer markets, to effect worldwide sales on behalf of individual trade operators. In the first instance a DMS would be viewed as a utility, much like an electricity or telecommunications provider, managing essential infrastructure, invisible, yet omnipresent. In this instance the description Destination Management System would be correct. In the second instance a DMS would operate as a marketing entity, using the information it mines and stores to interface directly between product suppliers and consumers. In this instance it would be better described as a Destination Marketing System. There are advantage and constraints to both, depending on the uses that different organisations have for DMSs, which are addressed later.
This paper is an attempt to further the discussion, hence the title ‘A Snapshot from the Middle of a Revolution.’ What follows results from a review of a recent piece of exploratory research on DMSs, where the research was conducted in 1999 but published in 2000. Two smaller reviews on associated activity have also been incorporated. In addition, two industry experts, specialising in new media at both a practical and theoretical level, have allowed their comments to be used. Finally, the practical experience of individual tourism operators in Ireland, as they became part of Gulliver, the Irish DMS system, has been examined. In this 1999 example, clearly, while the promise was there, the delivery to date has failed to live up to the considerable expectations that were created. More research will be required now that Gulliver has passed into private sector ownership. First, though, a brief look at the historic patterns of information-gathering by visitors in order to set the scene and make for an improved understanding of the links between old and new methods.
Historic patterns of informationgathering by visitors The needs and perceptions of customers are diverse, uncertain and dynamic. The provision, therefore, of tourism information is a diverse, dynamic, and an inherently human process. Research over the last ten years has revealed the following:
Pre-visit • Holiday information gathering by consumers runs in a repeat ‘pre- during- and post-visit’ cycle. • Information gathering in the pre-visit phase usually leads to the creation of some sort of a private library, be it newspaper/magazine clippings, travel guides, bookmarks or web browser ‘favourites’, or mental notes retained after watching a television programme. • Every consumer has an hierarchical list of possible future activities. The activity that matters is the one that somehow climbs to the top. • Increasingly consumers have little time at their disposal and thus require, and expect, more expeditious information. • Final decisions on holiday destinations are made between members of the travelling group, factoring in a complex set of variables, including lifestyle identification, budget, time of year, individual interests, events, health and safety concerns, and marketing influence, to name but a few.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
INTRODUCTION
A SNAPSHOT FROM THE MIDDLE OF A REVOLUTION
A Snapshot
27
A SNAPSHOT FROM THE MIDDLE OF A REVOLUTION Local Knowledge Nationwide™ 28
'Consumers want a user-friendly and easyto-understand system...' • Children can have a significant say in final decisions made by families. • Information provided at this critical decision time must combine ‘sell’ and hard information, especially concerning travel and accommodation. The private library comes into play here, but increasingly this information is obtained instantly from the internet, backed up by teletext and call centres.
During-visit • During-visit, information requirements shift to things to do at the destination, because by this time the other issues, accommodation, travel, length of stay, and budgets are fixed. • At destination, the visitor is out of control compared with at home. (Even if a destination is very familiar it is still only known from the previous visit.) • Regular information gathering habits slip when people are away from home. UK national newspapers will be read only half as often and domestic newspapers are not taken at all. Television is watched less often and mainly only for national news and soaps. Currently, only a tiny minority of visitors have access to email and the web when on holiday. • Immediate information requirements take over. Information gathering is from materials brought from home (private library), guides, leaflets, and newspapers acquired enroute. But the most credible and important source at destination is word-of-mouth. • Tourist Information Centres are visited by a minority of tourists at any destination, but have been widely studied because they present an ideal opportunity to carry out this work. The experiences of tourists visiting TICs, and the staff who advise them, can reasonably be extrapolated to the totality of the visitor information gathering experience. Research has shown that advisors universally use preprinted maps, which visitors can take away to use. In discussion with visitors, advisors annotate the maps with attractions and places to eat and drink and link various sites into a ‘tour’. This also allows visitors’ interests to evolve into areas that they may not initially consider and provides alternatives when what visitors ask for is unavailable.
all and there is not enough time or budget to do everything, then the destination will stay high on the potential future visit list.
Post-visit • Decisions to return or not to return to the destination will have already been made in the during-visit phase and will have been shared with other groups encountered at the destination. • Post-visit contact is often maintained with other groups encountered during-visit. • Recollections of an enjoyable visit experience are aided by holiday photographs, often the only proof and lasting memory of the product purchase. • Recall is also possible through post-visit purchase of goods having strong links with the destination, unique cultural products and crafts, and often food and drink.
DESTINATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (DMSs) Based on the historic pattern of informationgathering behaviour by visitors, reviewed above, DMSs have varying implications for a range of different users: 1 Tourism consumers 2 Private sector tourism product suppliers 3 Private sector travel agents 4 Private sector tour operators 5 Public sector Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) 6 Private sector Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) 7 Technology suppliers The issues and requirements for these different users are examined as follows:
1 Tourism consumers • The internet is enabling consumers to take on the role of suppliers, gathering information, setting their own itineraries and making their own bookings. DMSs can facilitate this process.
• Information gathering on arrival leads to daily activity decisions based on weather and a balancing of interests within the group. Usually activity decisions are made on the day the activity occurs.
• Consumers want a user-friendly and easy-tounderstand system with comprehensive destination information available before and during their trip.
• The during-visit phase is also the start of the next pre-visit phase. If a good time is had by
• Only a tiny minority of visitors have access currently to the internet during-visit so DMS services are in the main unavailable to visitors
perhaps the key component of a DMS.'
• Customers wanting to find out about places have varied interests, are often unsure of what there is available, uncertain about what they want, and do not have specific places in mind. Their requests vary widely in topic and detail. • Currently the undecided consumer, in the case of the UK, is reached by value led offers in the national press, by hotel chains, and by teletext. ‘Last-minute’ offers distributed through the internet have so far failed to attract sufficient consumers to make businesses offering these products sustainable. • Multiple information distribution channels enable consumers to ‘surf’ significant amounts of information and to add value to their activities by customising products according to their preferences. • Experts have so far failed to identify the opportunity for DMSs to develop relationships with consumers, and to fulfil the historic, albeit limited role provided by advisors at TICs. A facility to build consumer relationships is perhaps the key component of a DMS. Holidays have great personal importance for consumers. Purchases are made after the establishment of trust, which is best achieved through relationship marketing.
2 Private sector tourism product suppliers • Private enterprises develop and manage their offerings within a tourism environment that is often conditioned by the public sector. This is particularly the case where intervention funding is necessary to avoid market failure. • A DMS should not be regarded by private tourism enterprises as their only marketing tool. Rather it should be a facility that empowers them to use other tools more effectively. • Although traditional players are increasingly online, they are still a long way from understanding the new economy. Many actors in the travel business are not very network oriented. • DMSs enable small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) to overcome their dependence on monopolistic operators who currently control the marketing and distribution of smaller tourism organisations. • DMSs enable SMTEs to reach wider markets.
• DMSs aid the reduction of seasonality peaks. • Suppliers want reliability and accuracy of services, a user-friendly and easy-tounderstand system, and distribution of information globally. • Distribution through the Internet can, through information-rich presentations, enable the development of critical promotional tools for tourism suppliers and destinations. Additional information services should be offered in an online marketplace. • ICT enables organisations to collaborate locally and use DMSs to represent their destination to global markets. Few practitioners in the various sectors of the tourism industry understand that their participation in a cooperative network can enable the creation of a value chain that strengthens the performance of all actors in a synergetic manner. Suppliers within the same destination, therefore, should not view each other as competitors, but rather as ‘conglomerate allies’ against competing destinations. • Co-ordination, co-operation and collaboration are essential for the success of DMSs. • Conflicts created by the dissimilar objectives and interests of the various stakeholders often represent obstacles to the development and implementation of DMSs. • Investors in DMSs want operating reliability, public/private sector partnership relevance on the revenue model, and ability to interface with multiple distribution channels in the placements of investment, such as digital TV. • Services are given away free by some actors to accumulate critical mass on the demand side.
3 Private sector travel agents • Functional and efficient DMSs provide comprehensive destination information, including information on SMTEs’ products, which commercial operators wish to obtain but currently find difficult to access. Travel agents want accurate reliable information, quick and reliable responses, and instant online reservations. • The complementary attributes of DMSs and internet-based travel agencies would appear to build a case for co-operation more than for competition. Travel agents’ global survival is highly contingent upon their ability to add value. The reality is that DMSs can assist travel agents to develop their products and offer improved service. • Commission revenue earned on the sale of tourism products is of crucial importance to travel agents’ businesses.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
during this phase. Computer screens in TICs are an exception but are incapable of servicing a mass audience. In the near future, innovation will enable access through television sets and mobile phones.
A SNAPSHOT FROM THE MIDDLE OF A REVOLUTION
'A facility to build consumer relationships is
29
A SNAPSHOT FROM THE MIDDLE OF A REVOLUTION
'A DMS should not be regarded by private tourism enterprises as their only marketing tool.' • It is expected that that independent and specialist travel agents will use and benefit from DMSs more than all other intermediaries. • It is incumbent on the travel agency industry to upskill to take full advantage of the DMS revolution.
4 Private sector tour operators • Tour operators want a user-friendly and easyto-understand system, provision of unbiased service, and access to a range of market information. • Criteria raised by tour operators are consistent with trends for disintermediation as well as the strategic role of DMSs to reduce the dependency on existing distribution channels, and support the bridging of destinations with their markets. • The ability of DMSs to provide tour operators with access to market information is underrated.
5 Public sector Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) • The public sector is involved in DMSs as part of a remit to promote economic development of a region by increasing awareness and visitor levels for a destination.
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
• The public sector is required to assume a leading role as information broker and ‘assurer’, as well as mitigator, partner, brand developer, co-ordinator and regulator.
30
• Without public leadership, DMSs may be steered towards responding to increased market demands, which may conflict with the sustainability of destinations. • The public sector wants reliability and accuracy for overall destination credibility, a promotional tool, and support for SMTEs. • DMSs should be regulated against biased or false information display. • National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) and public sector agencies have traditionally been slow in recognising that their active involvement may be the key in fostering cooperation among the different stakeholders. • NTOs have done little to assume the role of active ICT leaders in guiding and stimulating change that purposefully benefits all stakeholders in the destination region. • Since public sector agencies often lack a commercial background or the know-how to make the right business choices for the
deployment of successful DMSs, commercial viability rests upon the public sector’s determination to establish viable partnerships with the private sector. It is crucial to seek the partnership of private investors in order to safeguard the commercial viability of DMSs. • It is likely that the public sector will be more inclined to proceed with private partners who are perceived to be industry leaders and who have already built strong trade branding through past performance. • If Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) fail to apply the right price structure, they will fail to attract a representative number of supplier members, which in turn jeopardises their comprehensiveness and success in operating a DMS. • Bureaucracy and internal conflicts often burden decision-making. • Internal conflicts might arise as to whether to use financial resources to invest in traditional marketing or develop DMSs. • Co-ordination, co-operation and collaboration are essential for the success of DMSs.
6 Private sector Destination Marketing Organisations (DMOs) • There are an increasing number of privately owned or managed DMSs. • The migration of DMSs from the public to the private sector entails a central change in scope, from serving the competitiveness and economic development of destinations to becoming a business unit seeking to generate direct profit. • Private investors are commercially driven, and thus have the know-how to operate DMSs in a commercial manner. • The participation and investment of the private sector in DMSs appears to play a significant role in contributing essential capital, knowhow, and industry drive, and thus could determine the future profitability and viability of these systems. • Historically, privately owned information technology systems have been developed as commercially viable distribution networks by suppliers (Sabre and other airline reservation and ticketing systems are examples). • If DMSs remain in the public sector, or involve ongoing public-private partnerships, the main issue is how to deal with private resellers, who are generally acknowledged to be better at transacting with the consumer. The issue of dividing up the commission pie so that all
those at the table have sufficient revenues to sustain their operations commercially is one that currently confounds the telecommunication/new media industry. It is likely also to become the case in tourism. • Organisations specialising in worldwide DMS provision are likely to do so because they specialise in the technology rather than the destination. They are not, therefore, ideal contenders for destination sales and marketing.
DMSs should be playing a critical role as infostructures for destinations. Electronic intermediaries can provide DMSs with the distribution mechanisms to reach the emerging cyber marketplaces. DMSs should form strategic partnerships with these intermediaries in order to provide content and quality assurance. The ability of DMSs to satisfy market demand vis-à-vis alternative distribution channels in this way will determine the future of these systems. The formulation of virtual networks will benefit all parties involved.
7 Technology suppliers • Content is expensive to produce; yet if searchers cannot find it, it is worthless. • Technology requirements are online bookings and payment, digitalisation of destination information, multimedia presentation of tourism products, and the servicing of multiple distribution channels and communication technologies. • As the cost of technology is constantly reduced, the ability of small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) to participate in DMSs is greatly increased. • Ultimate success depends on the ability of DMSs to embrace new technology. • Technical limitations are mainly due to the fact that many DMSs have legacy systems.
ELECTRONIC TRAVEL INTERMEDIARIES Future scenarios The internet is very quickly turning into an important distribution channel for the travel industry. The year 1999 marked the breakthrough for its utilisation for tourism purposes, with figures showing a growth rate of 300% over 1998. A recently-published report on the electronic booking attitudes of European travellers indicates that in 1999 9.7% of all outbound trips taken by UK residents were either selected on the web or booked or paid for online. Consumer inexperience, however, along with allegedly unsafe payment procedures, lack of trust towards online brands, and concern regarding after sales service, all contribute to the fact that there are still more lookers than bookers on the internet. The challenge is to become the actor in the chain who is able to attract the attention of an ever-growing number of potential bookers, thereby stimulating a selfperpetuating cycle based on a strong attraction, turned into reputation, brand name, trust and repeat customers.
THE IRISH EXPERIENCE TO DATE Private sector views of the Gulliver DMS • Of the 16 premises that had experienced an increase in occupancy over the previous 12 months, an overwhelming 13 respondents (81%) disagreed that this increase was attributable to their Gulliver membership. • Only two respondents (13%) agreed that Gulliver membership had contributed to their increased occupancy. • Almost 50% of respondents agreed that Gulliver provided them with a means of conducting transactions via the electronic market place. • An overwhelming 80% of respondents disagreed that their membership of Gulliver had reduced their need to participate in other co-operative market ventures and 84% stated that they disagreed that it had reduced the need for other promotional expenditure. • 58% of respondents disagreed that membership of Gulliver enabled them to provide more information to tourists. • Whilst the majority of respondents did not seem to perceive any benefits from Gulliver, 63% stated that they thought Gulliver would become a more important distribution channel in the future. • Since the research was carried out, serious changes have been introduced to Gulliver as a result of privatisation. This will allow important further research, testing the hypothesis advanced by some researchers and practitioners in the field, that DMSs should be developed initially by the public sector and then privatised to operate as sustainable commercial ventures.
A SNAPSHOT FROM THE MIDDLE OF A REVOLUTION
essential for the success of DMSs.'
Local Knowledge Nationwide™
'Co-ordination, co-operation and collaboration are
31
A SNAPSHOT FROM THE MIDDLE OF A REVOLUTION Local Knowledge Nationwide™ 32
'Content is expensive to produce; yet if searchers cannot find it, it is worthless.' CONCLUSION Across the world, National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) and private companies are in the process of creating DMSs. The technology in the main now exists. The grand vision has been clearly delineated. Individual issues that will affect implementation have been identified. The key demand from all sectors is for a system that is reliable, accurate, user-friendly and easy-tounderstand. The key issue emerging across all sectors is whether the various actors will be able to make substantial changes in mind set, to make the DMS vision become a reality.
Questions raised Surprisingly, the question posed at the beginning of this article remains: will DMSs be the panaceas various proponents are promising they will be? Keeping in mind that this article is a snapshot from Autumn 2000, and going on from the Irish example, the indication so far is no, with more questions raised than presently answered: 1. Will consumers, less than 50% of whom are on-line with a large percentage still not webliterate, embrace the new systems? 2. If so, will they do so in sufficient numbers to make DMSs sustainable in the long term, especially in relatively low-demand destinations? 3. Will private sector tourism businesses, used to competing on a daily basis with the business next door or down the street, be able to put their rivalry aside and be confident in partnering to embrace a new future? So far there has been widespread resistance to technological change, particularly amongst smaller operators. Will they persevere through the learning curve whilst they receive little immediate benefit? 4. Will public sector National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) and Destination Management Organisations (DMOs) be able to: 4.1. react quickly enough in ever-changing markets to create effective DMSs, given that their remit inhibits commercial viability and disqualifies competition with the private sector? 4.2. devote adequate resources towards DMS creation while maintaining the product development and other marketing functions that historically have been their first priority? 4.3. flatten their organisational structures sufficient to allow full equal partnerships with complementary private-sector businesses, or will they – with unforeseen consequences – try to develop DMSs as a
branded command and control tool rather than an invisible information networking/brokering utility? 5. How will the travel agent and tour operator cope in a new world where consumers, in the comfort of their own homes, will increasingly become their own suppliers, with 24-hour access to information as good as, or sometimes even better than the travel agent or tour operator? Perhaps the most important question, however, is will the systems created be able to function accurately and up to expectations? The analogy that comes to mind is that of extreme machines – formula one racing cars and fighter aircraft – able to perform superbly when maintained by a highlyskilled team but prone to disaster if not. The DMS vision seems to require just such perfection, not only on the part of the technology, but also from all those individuals and businesses that interface with it, some of whom may not be sufficiently motivated if the commercial rewards are not there. Time, technology, and experience will decide if DMSs will succeed in the way intended by many, or whether, as some suspect, they will simply provide the significant amounts of fuel required to fire greater innovation. Terry Jackson and Jim Embrey; November 2000
RESEARCH DOCUMENTS CONSULTED UK Visitor Information Survey, Wales Tourist Board 1996 Visitor Information Research, Wales Tourist Board 1997 Tourist Information Gathering Behaviour; A Review of Current Academic Research, Jim Embrey, This Week Publications Limited 1998 Destination Management Systems; Criteria for Success – An Exploratory Research, Dimitrios Buhalis and Antonella Spada, Information Technology and Tourism; Applications, Methodologies, Techniques Vol. 3 (1) 2000, Cognizant Communication Corporation; pp 41–58 Putting the Tourist into Tourist Information, J C Bullock, C A Goble, Information and Communication Technology in Tourism 2000, Springer Computer Science; pp 104–113 Virtual Tourist Destinations; Assessing their Communication Effectiveness With and Through Foreign Intermediaries, Robert Govers, Myriam Jansen-Verbeke, Frank M Go, Information and Communication Technology in Tourism 2000, Springer Computer Science; pp 93–103 Destination Management Systems and Small Accommodation Establishments; The Irish Experience, Deborah Blank, Sylvia Sussman, Information and Communication Technology in Tourism 2000, Springer Computer Science; pp 418–429 Special thanks also to Kim Colebrook, Information Services Manager at the Wales Tourist Board, and to Greg Cannon, Strategy Planning Director at Imaginet Limited, whose valuable comments helped shaped the final draft. This Week Media Network Limited is a member of the International Federation for Information Technology and Tourism (IFITT)
