npws visitor profiling and segmentation research lawrence ... · research purpose objectives –...
TRANSCRIPT
NPWS Visitor Profiling and Segmentation Research Lawrence Franklin – Visitor Research Project Officer
1
Executive summary – Segmentation Research
2
55% of NSW residents have visited a local NSW national Park in the last 12 months and 35% have visited a national park more than two hours
drive from where they live
Intended visiting behaviour mirrors past behaviour although 54% of convenience visitors (those who visit local parks) aspire to visiting
more distant NSW National Parks as do some non visitors (32% locally
and 20% more distant parks)
Of the 36% who did not visit NSW National Parks in the last 12 months
54% have visited previously, at some stage
The key influence on visitation is knowledge. Knowing where to go
and what can be done there!
Heavy users of national parks acknowledge they were introduced
to the experience by someone experienced
Research Purpose
Objectives – Why we did the research
Research Objectives
To uncover a market segmentation that is insight rich, makes sense, assists operationally, in developing customer experiences and in marketing NSW National Parks
Increase knowledge of visitors in areas such as attitudes, behaviours, mindset, demographics (e.g. life stage) and channels of communication likely to be most effective
Identify and understand the key experiences of visitors (positive and negative)
Identify and understand specific emotions that are important to foster during the moments that matter most (based on how emotions play in driving commitment such as loyalty and advocacy).
Identify barriers to visiting
Triggers for those who don’t visit
3
4
Overall approach – How we did the research
Focus groups
•Explored attitudes, behaviours and values towards NSW PWS
•By age group and life-stage; and
•By geography across NSW, ACT, SEQ and VIC
Segmentation survey
•Online survey of 890 people in NSW and the ACT to segment
•Segmentation looked at National Park behaviours, life-stage, wealth, age, gender, emotional connections, social norms and functional needs that people wanted met in National Parks
Depth interviews
•24 depth interviews with people providing and having recently used experience in National Parks
•Lasting an hour
•Across all types of experiences – social, escape, adventurers and explorers
•Design a marketing experiment
New product development
•Online survey of 2542 people
•Workshops with Testing 5 National Parks experiences
•‘Across five types of experiences – social, escape, adventurers, Aboriginal and explorers
•Including a what if ‘tool’
Exploration Validation
Segmentation – What and why? Demographics, behaviours or emotions?
Behavioural
Will/wont stay in a NP
5
Emotions or feelings
NPWS segmentation
solution merges both
Demographics provide us with descriptors but no causal understanding while behaviours are outcomes of other things. While past behaviour can be a powerful predictor of future behaviour the ability to influence future behaviours will depend on how well we can connect with people on an emotional level.
For park management
Great for both For marketing and communications
Segmentation Hypotheses
6
Who?
Level 3 Level 2
Base level
Life stage
4 need states (social, adventure, harmony, discovery)
Convenience vs planned
Level 4 Introduced/known vs inexperienced
Level 5 Attitudes to environment/conservation
7
Relevant human needs for National Parks Covers current and potential visitors
Extroversion
Introversion
Individualism
Freedom Being self indulgent Fun and
excitement
Love and
be loved
Sense of belonging
Sense of wellbeing
Nurturing our world
Being respected
Being in control
Wisdom and knowledge
Harmony and
simplicity
Being attractive to others
Being
a leader
Expressing Myself
Feeling of security
Knowledge of destination/park (and its offer) drives the planning process
Affiliation
Tradition, doing things in a tried and tested way
1. Socialisers: Social driven/
belonging
Need for social interactions – a ‘Socialiser’ In a different environment
“Nature and children. I feel good when I see my children interacting with nature”
Functional Needs • A place and experiences that
encourage learning • Helping to establishing that
nature supports life
• Providing context to modern
life • A place to socialise with
others • To recreate and have fun
Social Values • Optimistic • Relaxed
• Down-to earth • Dedicated to others
Emotive Drivers • Looking for a sense of
belonging
• Supportive • Nurturing
Symbolic • Caring
Need for harmony and simplicity – ‘Escapers’ Balance life’s demands (counter-urbanisation); to feel different/balance
“You just realise that nature lives … it exists … and it’s OK. You wonder why you do the things you do and why you live
the way you do … it’s therapeutic …people pay for this feeling”
Functional Needs… • A place that highlights
slow pace, focus on nature and no pressures
• Provides a contrast with modern life
• Experiences that
emphasise opposite to busy, hectic, pressures
Social Values… • Helpful • Caring
• Approachable • Understanding
Emotive Drivers…. • Thoughtful
• Emotional aware
Symbolic… • Harmony
Need for nature adventure – ‘Adventurers’ Seeking adventure, freedom, fun and excitement
“It’s about that feeling of you can do anything … of freedom and excitement. It focuses you and your time out the world … all the rules you live by are set aside for a moment. Next week
is better because of it”
Functional Needs for national parks • Venues to explore • Venues to spend time with
nature
• Places to visit that provide
stories • Iconic nature • Iconic wildlife
Social Values • Energetic (Fairly)
• First to do things • Alive and living a life with
meaning
Emotive Drivers • Potency
• Independence
• Vibrancy • Experiential
Symbolic • Open/free
• Curious
Need for discovery – ‘Explorers’ A search for what matters in life; for new rules to live by
“National parks are about timelessness. They provoke us to think about the future and the past. To work out what matters . Reminds you how
little we know and how irresponsible we have been. Its about the planet but its also about me. What I do matters because it determines how I will
leave this planet when I’m gone ”
Functional Needs… • Trying new approaches • Being active • Make a big impact on
problems
• Thinking outside the
square • Gaining attention • Prepared to be criticised
Social Values… • Clever
• Wise
Emotive Drivers…. • Driven • Curious
• Ambitious • Critical thinking
Symbolic… • Not prepared to accept
the status quo
Four core segments that seek to “use” NSW National Parks in very different ways
12
24%
25%
19%
23%
9% Socialisers
Escapers
Adventurers
Explorers
Non Actives (share Explorers needsbut not recently active park visitors)
The factor and cluster analysis delivered four clear need states very similar to those first suggested by the qualitative research.
Socialisers
Escapers
Adventurers
Explorers
13
Needs that drive the way the four core segments seek to engage with parks
24% - Socialisers (park to play in) • Where the park is a backdrop • Or where they want to take
children to the natural world • They want low cost venues • Or venues where they can
exercise
25% - Escapers (park for peace and quiet) • Looking for nature to provide a
venue to slow the pace down, to allow them to put life in context
• Where there is no pressure • They want a venue to do arts and
are not looking to walk
32% Explorers (new place to explore) • Don’t want to go to the same place
twice • Like to do the same activity in
different places (fish, surf, etc …) • Entice me with special deals,
events and word of mouth recommendations
19% Adventurers (place for me) • They are looking for parks to
provide venues where they can do their own thing
• Be spontaneous • Be independent • Where they can be with nature • Walking is great
8 sub segments (those open/or not to an overnight stay on park)
14
13%
11%
11%
14%
11%
8%
14%
17%
Socialisers, open to an overnight stay
Socialisers, not open (Daytrippers)
Escapers, open to an overnight stay
Escapers, not open (Daytrippers)
Adventurers, open to an overnight stay
Adventurers, not open (Daytrippers)
Explorers, open to an overnight stay
Explorers, not open (Daytrippers)
Experience Implications - Core segments and sub-segments
15
Adventurers: 19% [Park for me]
Open to overnight Day-trippers
Implications for parks experiences
Socialisers: 24% [Park to play in]
Escapers: 25% [Place for peace]
Nee
ds
do
min
atin
g th
e se
gmen
t -
Explorers: 32% [New place to
explore]
Retired, lower education and lower interest and knowledge of national parks and importantly,
poorer. Need low cost discovery experiences that last a day or less and are easy to take part in -16%
Segments
Seeking balance and wellness activities but are also passionate about NPWS. They want nature based escape experiences that encompass adventure/
outdoor activities that can be done as couples and as young adult singles leveraging varied
accommodation – 11%
Older skew with more entrenched views of parks based on infrequent and uninspiring visits over the years. They need new balance and wellness
style activities they are convenient and non-challenging-14%
Motivated by cultural and educational experiences. Want family friendly activities (especially for under
5 year olds) – 13%
Lack knowledge and awareness of national parks – need to deliver experiences for slightly older
children (11-14 years) that really engage them and encourage parents to take them – 11%
Married/living with partner, working full time and are interested in overnight camping/bushwalks, adventure, guided tours that open up adventure
experiences – 11%
Again past experiences have been uninspiring and they visit national parks for 1-2 hours, taking very short walks mainly socialising with family/friends. Need new soft adventure experiences that inspire
– 8%
Couples and singles and families with older children; well educated and working F/T. Keen desire to visit but need reasons to get parks in the diary. Great accommodation options with associated discovery experiences are needed – 14%
How can we allocate people to segments?
16
Which of the following have you undertaken in the last 12 months for leisure purposes?
Education experiences of some form' Yes
Small group heritage or cultural tours (non aboriginal) No
Aboriginal cultural experience Yes
Experiences that provided you with a sense of balance/time out/ Health/ wellnesspurposes? No
Nature appreciation No
Low cost trip just to get out of home No
Taken visitors to visit a NSW national park No
Visit a natural place just to escape technology No
Family fun experience No
Exercising to get healthy Yes
Engaging with the arts in some way No
Attend an outdoor music/culture event No
Attend an outdoor sporting event No
Staying overnight in a special location Yes
Extended walking trip No
Segment Allocation Explorer
Determine Segment Reset Scores
Our segmentation knowledge underpined the ‘experience’ enhancement research that follows
17
Executive summary - Key points arising from the experience enhancement research
18
Cost is important (especially for the social segment) but many are willing to pay for
experiences that deliver the right experience
Distance willing to travel, from home, is dependent on
whether it’s a day/overnight/2 or more
nights experience
There is strong interest in the boutique
accommodation: heritage houses, lighthouses, luxury
cabins etc. option
Overall, most segments showed an interest in
interacting with NP staff
Travelling with friends is the most desired company when
in a national park
Segments preferences vary for
packaged/independently arranged experiences
19
Experience Enhancement (Choice Modelling) Research approach - How we did it.
5 experiments
•A separate experiment has been undertaken for each parks need state:
•Social,
•Discovery
•Escape
•Adventure and for;
•Aboriginal experience
Tailored solution for each park
•There is not an average national park offer. In fact there are over 800 Reserved areas in NSW. We need to choose a NP to test a hypothetical offer and determine what drives interest
Depending on what we offer demand alters
•The charts provide an estimate of interest for each segment for a real NSW NP with a hypothetical experience. The subsequent chart reveals which attributes drive that level of demand for that real NP and hypothetical experience
New product development tool
•The interactive tool allows any combination to be set and will provide an estimate of demand.
Exploration Validation
Precinct “X”
Infrastructure/Experience Enhancement
Experience Development: Visitor (Socialiser segment) Interest Testing
20
The Base Case - Socialisers
21
Base case reflects the existing fundamentally basic, often overcrowded in peak periods, make your own fun nature of the precinct. It also constitutes a good starting point for assessing impact of changed perceptions based on better infrastructure and higher value experiences for family and friends. 21% of
daytrip socialisers interested
14% of o’nighter socialisers interested
The Impact of Simple Enhancements - Socialisers
22
What did we do? Provided enhanced/serviced campgrounds, ensured top quality facilities, made it a precinct for family and friends, encouraged social/short walks, promoted positive interactions with NP staff, made it a precinct people want to come back to, facilitated sharing food/relaxing, new o’night options camping 101, provided nature appreciation activities, self guided interps, enhanced the natural feel of the precinct.
44% of daytrippers interested
29% of o’nighters interested
Potential for Revenue is Real - Socialisers
23
Visitors are happy to pay for an experience and fixing a reasonable price sends a strong signal about value. To underscore this point interest by day-trippers actually increases at $100. Interest by overnighters only drops by 4% at $250