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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12. Vail Summer 2021 Intercept Survey ResultsVAIL SUMMER 2021 ONLINE POST-VISIT SURVEY RESULTS Contents •Introduction •Key Takeaways •Visitor Demographics •Vail Visitation •Experiences and Information •NPS and Ratings •Additional Analyses-Comments •Additional Analyses-Booking Method Introduction to the 2021 Research The Town of Vail (TOV), together with the Vail Local Marketing District (VLMDC), continued a summer research program in 2021. RRC Associates assisted in conducting the research using surveying methods similar to 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic remained a challenge for the Vail community in summer 2021, just as it was in summer 2020, and the research program was impacted by the changing environment. In 2020 the research program shifted from intercept surveys, where an interviewer interacted with a visitor and conducted a verbal survey, to exclusively on-line surveying. Surveys were again collected all online in 2021, with surveying occurring from June through to early October. Key findings observed through the research in summer 2021 included: •Vail’s rebound in visitation was apparent based on Destimetrics data. The occupancy patterns across this past summer more closely resembled summer 2019 than summer 2020 (see following slides). After a very slow start to summer 2020, the result of the pandemic, Vail’s visitation improved July through September, that year and this general pattern of strong visitation continued throughout summer 2021. In fact, total visitor volumes returned to levels comparable to 2019. However, one difference was that data suggest lower weekend volumes and increased visits mid-week in 2021. Longer overnight stays were also noted in 2021. Summer Occupancy vs. 2019 Daily summer occupancy graph based on DestiMetrics data compares in 2021 to 2019. In general, results showed weekends were generally flat to down, week-days were up through summer. Additionally, early season was weak, and fall was strong. Summer Occupancy vs. 2020 As noted above, comparing 2021 occupancy to 2020 showed major improvement across the entire summer with particular strength from early July through the second week of August, when children returned to school. There was some relative weakness in mid-September. Key Takeaways from the 2021 Research •Additional information on visitation is obtained by tracking the volumes of vehicles counted at the Vail parking structures. Similar to the Destimetrics occupancy data, results show strong increases in activity throughout the summer when 2021 is compared to 2020. The one exception was during the fall this year, the exceptional strength in fall visitation that was experienced in summer 2020 was not evident in 2021. •Parking counts typically represent a broader view of overall activity in Vail than occupancy data. The counts capture workers (including construction vehicles), day visitors, and the overnight segment. Parking Counts vs. 2020 Key Takeaways from the 2021 Research •This year for the second time, the Town of Vail WiFi users were the source of summer data. Anyone that signed up to use WiFi received a request to complete a survey five days after their sign up. This method resulted in 730 completed surveys over the summer between late-May and mid-October. 2021 is comparable to the 767 completed surveys in 2020 using similar surveying methods. •Survey reports were provided to TOV staff on a biweekly basis throughout summer 2021 using dashboards to summarize key data. Various metrics were closely tracked over the course of the summer including: •Geographic origins of visitors, •Visitor type (Out-of-State Overnight, Colorado Overnight, Day Visitors, and Seasonal Residents), •Net Promoter Scores (NPS), •First-time/repeat visitor ratios. Key Takeaways from the 2021 Research •Geographic origins of summer visitors. Colorado remains the top state of origin by a large margin (29%), although data suggest Colorado was down from 2020 in percentage terms. The combination of more total visitors in 2021, coupled with more competition for summer travel in Colorado as communities opened more fully from pandemic conditions in 2020, likely accounts for some of percentage decline from Colorado. Data show very strong visitation from Texas (up to 14% in 2021 from 11% in 2020) followed by Florida, California, and Illinois. The rank ordering of these states remained identical over the past several years with only slight changes in percentages. Mexico was also fairly strong, representing 4% of total visits again this summer (a real number increase). The importance of Texas and Florida as sources of out of state visitors remains an important finding from the summer research over time. •Visitor Type. Survey results show the overall profile of respondents changed relatively little in summer 2021 with the following percentages: Overnight visitors (68%), Day visitors (18%), Seasonal/Second Homeowners (9%), and local residents (5%). For purposes of most of the analysis reported in this presentation, local residents have been removed from the calculations Key Takeaways from the 2021 Research •Net Promoter Scores (NPS). This important measure was strong this summer despite the challenges of the continued pandemic. NPS was measured at 74%, compared to 76% in 2020. There was some variation in scores by visitor type with overnight visitors rating NPS at 76%, and day visitors at 73%. As noted in 2020, the new data collection methods provide a more stable method of tracking NPS scores over time. A score of 75 was suggested as a benchmark for evaluations based on summer 2020 results, the score of 74 from summer is comparable and as noted a positive, given the pandemic related challenges in 2021. •Previous Visits in Summer and Winter. Approximately 37% of respondents are on their first summer visit to Vail, identical to summer 2020. About 48% of respondents overall indicated that they have never been to Vail in winter, a figure that is up from 2020 and indicative of the growing strength of Texas as a key market, as well as the wide variety of states of origin that were evident in Vail over summer 2021. VISITOR DEMOGRAPHICS State/Country of Origin •Colorado held the highest percent shares of visitation for both years; however, its share decreased in 2021, •Shares from out-of-state and international visitors increased in 2021. Colorado County of Origin, 2021 •Denver counties accounted for 72% of total in-state visitation, down from 77% in 2020, •Denver and Front Range accounted for 91% of total in-state visitation. Household Income •Income percentages remained relatively stable comparing 2020 to 2021, •About 45% of respondents each year that reported household incomes indicated they fell between $100K and $299,999, •A fifth of respondents each year prefer not to provide an answer about income. Household Status •About 75% of visitors each year are a part of a couple, •Couples with children at home were down to 28% this summer, •About 60% of visitors each year have children, •The share of couples with non-resident children (empty nesters) increased in 2021, this segment was weak in 2020 due to Covid concerns. Age by Gender, 2021 •Nearly two-thirds of visitors are between 35 and 64 years old, •Men and women make up nearly equal shares of survey respondents in 2021, •On average, male visitors (52.5) are older than female visitors (45.7). Traveling Companions •Traveling group composition remained stable between 2021 and 2020, •Nearly three-quarters of visitors come to Vail with their spouse or partner, •Over a quarter of visitors come to Vail with children, unchanged in percentage terms from 2020, •About a fifth of visitors come to Vail with friends. VAIL VISITATION Vail Visitor Type •Shares of visitor type remained relatively stable between 2020 and 2021, •Most visitors stay in Vail overnight (64%, 68%), •Nearly a fifth of visitors left home and returned on the same day. Vail Visitor Type, Continued •The Overnight visitors are further segmented to break out the segment from Colorado apart from the out of state group. Data suggest Colorado overnight visitors were down and out of state was up quite sharply, a distinct change in visitation compared to summer 2020 when Covid impacts on travel were particularly evident. Vail Visitor Type by Epic Pass Ownership, 2021 •Of 730 respondents, only 75 reported owning an Epic Pass of any type during the 2020 winter season. As in past research, Epic Pass owners show some differences from other visitors in terms of demographics, ratings and overall familiarity with Vail. •29% of Epic Pass owners were local seasonal residents (compared to 5% of non-Epic Pass owners). Nights Stayed in Vail Area •For 2020 and 2021, most visitors stayed 2-4 nights in Vail, •However, the share of visitors who stayed 1-3 nights decreased in 2021, •Meanwhile, the share of visitors who stayed 5-6 nights increased in 2021. Nights Stayed in Vail Area by Visitor Type •For 2020 and 2021, most visitors stayed 2-4 nights in Vail, •However, the share of visitors who stayed 1-3 nights decreased in 2021, •Meanwhile, the share of visitors who stayed 5-6 nights increased in 2021, •Overnight visitors stayed an average of 3 nights compared to out-of-state visitors that averaged 5.4 nights this season. Resorts Considered for Trip •The share of visitors who only considered Vail increased by 17 ppts. in 2021. These shifts are in part explained by less Colorado visitors and more o.o.s. (Texans). •Breckenridge was considered much less often (down 14 ppts.) compared to 2020. Other Colorado –Write in Responses •Colorado Springs/Broadmoor •Denver •Estes Park/RMNP Other Outside Colorado –Write in Responses •Lake Tahoe •Beach (Florida/Hawaii) Why did you select Vail over other comparable destinations? Good, safe place to visits and hiking and safe COVID actions Beautiful location with lots of options for eating, hiking and cycling. Also, loved Oktoberfest.Easy to get to from Denver airport and we like the Vail is walkable, no need for a car. The access to the mountain is incredible and the dining options are great. We love VAIL! Air Travel to Vail, 2021 •57% of visitors used an air service as a part of their trip to Vail, •Most (79%) flew into DEN airport, 20% reported flying into Eagle. [If yes] Previous Visitation by Visitor Type, 2021 •63% of visitors had visited Vail on a previous summer trip, •52% of visitors had visited Vail in a previous winter, •Summer 2021 visitors were more likely to have never visited Vail in the winter, compared to the summer. Previous Visitation by Visitor Type •Comparing overnight visits by segment, only 20% of Colorado overnight were on their first trip, unchanged from 2020, •In contrast, 46% of o.o.s. visitors reported the were on their first trip, •About 43% of day visitors were on their first trip, very similar to 2020. Likelihood to Return •Compared to 2020, the proportion of visitors who report extremely likely future visitation decreased (down 12 ppts.), •This drop coincided with an overall reduction in the likelihood average in 2021. How likely are you to return to Vail next summer? Likelihood to Return, 2021 by Visitor Type •Overall, over half of respondents report high (8,9,10) likelihoods to return to Vail, •Overnight visitors report low (< 6) likelihoods more often than day visitors or seasonals. Vail as “Green” Destination •Three quarters of visitors (75%) found Vail to be an environmentally friendly destination, •Perceptions of Vail as a “green” destination were relatively stable between 2020 and 2021. Epic Pass Ownership •In a new question this summer, visitors were asked in they owned any type of Epic pass during the 2020/21 winter season. About 14% reported they owned a pass. *Historic comparison not available due to question change. Epic Pass Ownership •Spending data is collected through the surveys. Findings are summarized below, and more detailed information is available upon request. Not surprisingly, visitor types show differing spend patterns. EXPERIENCES AND INFORMATION Desired Experiences •Exercise, time in nature, and sightseeing are consistently the most desired experiences at Vail, with over half of visitors over both years expressing interest in such experiences, •Adding dining to the 2021 survey revealed that over half of visitors desire dining experiences specifically. Activity Participation •More than half of summer visitors in both 2020 and 2021 report participating in dining/takeout, shopping, and hiking in Vail, •Many more people in 2021 participated in festivals, local events, or concerts (up 26 ppts.), •Specific exercise activities such as mountain biking, road cycling, and water activities remained stable. Days dining, on average: •Breakfast: 2.1 days •Lunch: 3.1 days •Dinner: 3.2 days Other–Write in Responses •Golf (~33%) •Horseback riding (~5%) Information Sources •Nearly three-quarters (74%) of visitors learned about Vail through family and friends, •Over half (55%) learned through general Google searches. Social Media –Write in Responses •Instagram (~66%) •Facebook (~39%) Other –Write in Responses •Prior experience Magazines –Write in Responses •Travel and Leisure (~20%) •5280 (~16%) Newspapers –Write in Responses •Vail Daily / Denver Post Welcome Centers •Fewer people visited only the Vail Welcome Center in 2021 (down 15 ppts.), •More people visited both Welcome Centers (up 11 ppts.), •Overall, people were very satisfied with their Welcome Center experience, with nearly three-quarters (74%) of 2021 visitors reporting “extremely satisfied”, •Average Welcome Center satisfaction stayed the same (4.6) across 2020 and 2021. NPS AND RATINGS NPS Score •In 2021, over 80% of all types of visitors were classified as promotors of Vail, •The distribution of promotors, passives, and detractors were relatively even across non-seasonal residents; however, seasonal residents/continue to have the highest scores (89% promoters), •Overall NPS score (promotors minus detractors) was virtually unchanged from 2020 to 2021 (-2ppts). NPS Score •NPS scores are tracked through the surveys. Promotors decreased by 2 ppts in 2021, passives increased by 4 ppts in 2021. In spite of continued COVID challenges and more visitors, detractors were down 1 ppt. NPS Score by Previous Summer Visitation, 2021 •Not surprisingly, high proportion for Promotors found in repeat visitors, compared to first-time visitors, •First time visitors had the lowest average NPS (69.3%); however, this is still a favorable rating overall. NPS Score by Epic Pass Ownership, 2021 •Epic Pass owners were more likely to be Promotors, compared to non-Epic Pass owners, •Overall NPS for Epic Pass owners was 82%, compared to 75% for non-Epic Pass owners. Satisfaction Ratings, 2021 •Visitors were asked to provide ratings 1 (extremely dissatisfied) to 5 (extremely satisfied), •Overall, visitors had high levels of satisfaction across many types of Vail experiences, •Town cleanliness and ease of public transportation received the highest ratings, •Ease of finding parking and overall value for money received the lowest ratings. Satisfaction Ratings, Average Rating 2021 vs. 2020 •Comparing average satisfaction ratings year to year, “ease of finding parking in Vail” was down this year, with a slight decline in the “overall value” as well. However, in general ratings were similar across all categories. Given continued pandemic challenges, ratings held up well this summer. Satisfaction Ratings, Open-Ended Responses Do you have any comments on your ratings of satisfaction? Business owners were ambivalent about following Covid health guidelines. It was clear that not much would be enforced during peak times. I saved my money and avoided places. Parking signs entering the village led is to a parking garage that cost us $40 for just a few hours of visit. Usurious in my opinion. ADDITIONAL ANALYSES-COMMENTS Do you have any comments on how the pandemic influenced your travel or your overall Vail visit? Made flying less than ideal. Very little effects in the Vail area proper. Liked that where we stayed was enforcing mask wear, cleanliness. Was a bit nervous when out and about with close proximity to the large crowds, but not state enforced. So took care of myself and family the best we could. It appeared that Vail was back to normal, the trails were all busy as was walking around the village ADDITIONAL ANALYSES-BOOKING METHOD Booking Method •Reported booking methods remained stable between 2021 and 2020, •About 40% of guests book directly with a hotel or lodge, •The data show 13% booked directly to a STR (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.). Booking Method by Visitor Type, 2021 •Special attention was given to data describing the method of booking a Vail overnight stay. There is particular interest in guests that book directly to Short Term Rentals (STR’s). As illustrated, overnight visitors from Colorado were less likely to book STR’s compared to out-of-state overnight visitors. Visitor Type by Booking Method, 2021 •The following figures segment key questions by lodging booking method in order to provide additional insights into the STR segment. Top States by Booking Method, 2021 •Data suggest visitors from Texas and Florida were relatively likely to book STR’s, especially compared to residents of Colorado. The length of stay probably influences these results, Coloradans generally stay less nights than visitors from other states suggesting relatively less appeal from STR’s. Prior Summer Visits by Booking Method, 2021 •First time visitors were relatively likely to book through online travel agencies. Overall, first time visitors were not especially likely to be booking by using different methods than other visitors. Household Income by Booking Method, 2021 •Although the sample sizes are small and should be used with caution, data suggest booking of STR’s by visitors with incomes $100,000 to $199,999 and $500,000 and over. Age by Booking Method, 2021 •STR’s were especially likely to be the method of booking for younger visitors (ages 18 to 34) and relatively less likely to be booked by older visitors (65 and over). NPS by Booking Method, 2021 •NPS scores from respondents that booked using STR’s were notably higher than ratings from visitors using other booking methods (average 85 compared to 74 overall). Spending by Booking Method, 2021 •In general, visitors staying in STR’s are spending at levels similar to other visitors.