Travel and Tourism in MaineThe 2003 Visitor Study Southern Maine Coast

Prepared for the:Maine Office of Tourism

June 2004

Size & Structure of the Southern Maine Coast Travel

Market

The Southern Maine Coast is visited on about four-in-ten of all Maine Day and Overnight trips.

It receives 16.0 million Day trips, 2.3 million Overnight trips on which 1+ nights are spent in the region itself, and another 1.1 million Overnight trips to the state on which the traveler spends some time or passes through the Southern Maine Coast.

This means that two-thirds of those who spend time in the region are also prompted to overnight in the region. The balance one-third are not.

Trips to Southern Maine Coast

Total: 19.4 Million Trips

Pass-Through1.1 Million

(6%)

Day Trips16.0 Million

(82%)

Stayed Overnight2.3 Million

(12%)

Key Market Segments

Overnight trips, though smaller in number than day trips, typically generate more traveler revenue for the state because they are longer and often involve spending for commercial accommodation.

Vacation or Marketable trips are worthy of particular attention for similar reasons and because the choice of destination on them is discretionary and open, therefore, to the influence of destination marketing activities.

Purpose of Overnight Trips to Southern Maine Coast

1+ Nights in Region: 2.3 Million

Visit Friends/Relatives 0.9 Million

(38%)

Marketable Pleasure1.3 Million

(55%)

Business0.2 Million

(7%)

Types of Marketable Trips

Marketable Day trips to the Southern Maine Coast are most often for Shopping or Touring reasons. Overnight trips are most often Touring or Beach vacations. A Touring trip is a trip by car, bus, or train through areas of scenic beauty, cultural or general interest.

Two types are under-developed for the Southern Maine Coast versus the state Norm. These are Outdoors trips (to experience the natural environment and engage in outdoor activities such as camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, or rafting) and Special Event trips (to attend an event such as a fair, festival, pageant, race, sports meet, or a professional or college ball game).

Marketable Day Trip Mix

0 20 40 60Percent

Shopping

Touring

Beach

Outdoors

City

Other

33

23

12

12

9

11

30

17

11

21

7

14

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Base: Marketable Day Trips

Overnight Marketable Trip Mix

0 10 20 30 40 50

Percent

Touring Beach

OutdoorsSpecial Event

Business-Pleasure City

Country ResortOther

38

36

12

5

4

3

2

36

12

24

10

4

4

3

8

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Base: Overnight Marketable Trips

<1%

Making the Trip

Two-thirds of the travelers who stay overnight on the Southern Maine Coast come from New England and Massachusetts contributes half of that. Maine residents are far less important to the region than to the state overall.

Sources of Business

0 20 40 60

Percent

Massachusetts

Maine

Other New England

Other U.S.

36

7

23

34

23

21

24

32

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Base: Total Overnight Trips

Making the Trip cont’d

And, as is true for the state overall, most of these trips are taken during the summer.

Season of Trip

0 20 40 60

Percent

January - March

April - June

July - September

October - December

8

23

46

23

13

21

48

18

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Base: Total Overnight Trips

Making the Trip cont’d

Trips on which 1+ night are spent in Southern Maine Coast last an average of 5.1 nights in the state and 4.4 of these are spent in the region itself.

Number of Nights In Maine

Total in Maine: 5.1 Nights

Southern Maine Coast4.4 Nights

Other Regions0.7 Nights

Base: Total Overnight Trips

Making the Trip cont’d

Non-commercial accommodation covers about half of all the nights that the region’s visitors spend in Maine, The leading commercial accommodation type is rented houses & cottages which account for as many nights as hotels and motels combined.

Accommodation Used*

0 20 40 60

Percent

House of friends/relativesRented house/cottage

Own houseHotelMotel

Rented CampgroundBed & Breakfast

Country Inn/Lodge Other

25

21

20

11

10

4

4

1

2

31

13

9

13

11

6

2

2

13

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Base: Total Overnight Trips

* Percent of trip nights spent in each type of accommodation

The Southern Maine Coast Visitor

The Southern Maine Coast travelers are similar in many other respects to those of the state as a whole.

The average travel party size is 3.3, mostly comprised of spouses and partners traveling together and with children if they have them.

About a third are from households with $75,000+ incomes.

Size of Travel Party

Base: Total Overnight Trips

0 1 2 3 4

Average

S. Maine Coast

Maine Norm

2.6

2.6

0.7

0.5

Adults Children

Total: 3.3

Total: 3.1

Travel Party Composition

0 20 40 60 80

Percent

Spouse/Partner

Children

FriendsOther Relatives

Parents

Traveled on own

Business Associates

62

28

22

18

11

9

54

21

22

13

6

15

5

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Base: Total Overnight Trips

<1%

Income

0 20 40 60

Percent

Over $75K

$50K-$74.9K

$25K-$49.9K

Under $25K

30

25

32

14

31

23

31

15

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Base: Total Overnight Trips

The Southern Maine Coast Visitor cont’d

Planning and booking lead times tend to be shorter rather than longer and rely on previous personal experience, the internet and friendly advice for information.

Planning Cycle

Base: Total Overnight Trips

1 month or less 2 months 3-5 months 6 months or more0

20

40

60

80

Per

cent

42

14

2519

44

1620 20

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Booking Cycle

Base: Total Overnight Trips Booked in Advance

1 month or less 2 months 3-5 months 6 months or more0

20

40

60

80

Per

cent

41

1625

18

44

18 20 17

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Note: On 28% of Total Overnight Trips there was no advance booking.

Information Sources Used

0 20 40 60 80

Percent

Personal experienceOnline/Internet

Friends/Relatives' adviceHotel/Resort

BooksAuto club

Airline/commercial carrierVisitors Bureau

Toll-Free Number

56

32

24

13

15

11

6

8

7

51

26

20

11

11

9

4

6

6

Southern Maine Coast Maine Norm

Base: Total Overnight Trips

The Southern Maine Coast Experience

The ocean, and its beaches, clearly represent the key experiential attractions for visitors to the Southern Maine Coast. They also are particularly inclined towards shopping (including LL Bean), eating unique local foods (lobster in particular) and visiting historic areas.

Things Experienced on Trip

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percent

Beaches/OceansWent to an ocean beach Small town and villages

ShoppingAte a Lobster

Unique Local FoodsLakes and Rivers

LL BeanHistoric Areas

84

66

66

66

40

37

34

29

28

46

29

60

53

32

26

41

22

20

Southern Main Coast Maine Norm

Base: Total Overnight Trips

The Southern Maine Coast Experience cont’d

Almost half of all the travelers made a point of visiting each of the communities of Kennebunkport, Ogunquit, Kittery, and Old Orchard Beach.

Regional Destinations Visited

0 20 40 60 80 100Percent

Kennebunkport

Ogunquit

Kittery

Old Orchard Beach

48

46

44

42

Base: Total Overnight Trips

Product Delivery

The image of Maine among the region’s visitors is strong. Ratings are superior to the U.S. Norm on virtually all dimensions, but especially in the following respects:

providing a worry-free adult, as well as family, atmosphere

being a popular, exciting and unique destination

offering excellent sports/recreation and sightseeing experiences.

Product Delivery

0 20 40 60 80 100

Percent who strongly agree

ExcitingAdult Atmosphere

Family AtmosphereUniquePopular

Worry FreeSightseeing

LuxuriousAffordable

Sports & RecreationClimate

Entertainment

62

88

81

61

66

78

61

52

53

68

57

36

46

62

48

39

55

51

45

44

45

36

50

36

Southern Maine Coast U.S. Norm

Base: Total Overnight Trips

The Bottom Line

The Southern Maine Coast is the most important Maine region in terms of trip numbers. There exists, nonetheless, a notable marketing opportunity to strengthen its position by leveraging its superior product imagery within a program that would induce more visitors to stay overnight and longer in the region.

Research Background

This report was prepared for the Maine Office of Tourism by Longwoods International.

Visitor volume and travel profile data come from: Travel USA®, Longwoods' syndicated survey of the U.S.

travel market that contacts a representative sample of 200,000 U.S. households annually,

the follow-up survey of Maine overnight visitors identified through Travel USA® and,

the Maine Day Visitor Study.