the corporate site for scotland's national tourism ......10 interviewing was conducted in all...

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East beach, lossiemouth

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Contents

Introduction

• Objectives &

background

• Methodology

• What’s new

• Sample profile

Post Trip

• Satisfaction

• Recommendation

• Local people

• Customer service

• Suggestions for improvements

Before Trip

• Motivations to visit

• Connections

• Planning & Booking

• Accommodation

Choice

During Trip

• Travel to & around Scotland

• Areas visited & nights

• Accommodation

• Activities

• Food & drink

• Digital connectivity

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Introduction

culzean castle, maybole

4

to understand visitors to Scotland through the analysis

of their behaviour and an understanding of their visitor

experience

Survey objectives

Objectives

To Build Upon Other Research Statistics On Scotland’s Visitors

5

The insights feed into the development of business and marketing strategies for VisitScotland which aims to maximise the number of visitors and spend to Scotland

The survey focuses on expanding the understanding of visitors to Scotland in terms of:

• the visitor journey

• motivations to visit Scotland and expectations of

the quality of experience

• visitor behaviour across many areas of the visitor

experience

• satisfaction with key aspects of a trip in Scotland

• the role of technology at different stages of the

customer journey

Additionally, the study is also expected to deliver the following benefits to the Scottish tourism industry:

• Inform product and marketing development for

tourism businesses

• Enable tourism businesses to identify

opportunities and threats for their marketing and

business planning

• Provide Destination Marketing Organisations and

local authorities with benchmark/comparison

figures for more localised surveys

Objectives

6

• VisitScotland regularly undertake Scotland-wide

visitor surveys. Past surveys have been undertaken in

2004/2005, 2007/2008 and 2011/2012

• Survey content is updated each time it is undertaken

to reflect changes in the consumer and market

environment. The survey can explore different areas of

the visitor experience

• The 2015 & 2016 Scotland Visitor Survey is a 2 year

research programme covering 19 regions of Scotland

• The 2 year programme is required to gain robust sample

sizes for reporting at a regional level

• The Scotland Visitor Survey is a summer only survey,

and due to the scale of the project, it is not carried out for

the full year. As such results reflect the views of the main

holiday season visitors who were in Scotland during May-

September

Methodology: overview

lone piper, edinburgh military tattooSt Michael’s Parish Church by Linlithgow Palace

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The most extensive Scotland visitor survey


Face-to-Face Survey in Scotland

11,743 visitors

Online survey

on return home

STAGE 1 FIELDWORK STAGE 2

May – Sept 2015 & 2016

19 regions

Online Survey

2,999 visitors

8


objectives

Jump Research

on tour

throughout Scotland

9

Stage 1

• Self completion on iPads

• Up to 8 visitors at a time using research van

• Survey offered in 5 languages

• 66 locations across Scotland. Road trip approach

• Sampling plan devised based on GBTS / IPS data

• Ongoing fieldwork across 17 weeks, May-Sept 2015; 19 weeks May-Sept 2016

• 1 day per location; multiple sampling points per region

• Each region visited several times during fieldwork period

• Sample comprises leisure overnight visitors only

Methodology in Detail

Stage 2

• Mailed 2 weeks after stage 1 interview

• Sent in language chosen at stage 1

• Visitors answered questions about Scotland as a

whole and up to 2 individual regions

• Fieldwork ongoing June-Nov 2015; May-Nov 2016

• Reminders sent to those who had not completed after

2 and 4 weeks and in Nov

• Response rate 29%

• Data weighted to match GBTS / IPS stats on two key

measures: Location visited & Domestic vs International

visitors

11,743 visitors2,999

visitors

Face-to-Face survey in Scotland

Online survey

on return home

10

▪ Interviewing was conducted in all regions in

2015 and 2016, including Orkney, Outer

Hebrides, Shetland, Lothians & Greater

Glasgow & Clyde Valley (previously not

included)

▪ The fieldwork was conducted using mobile

van research for the first time

▪ No interviewing took place at VIC locations

• An enhanced focus on the following topics:

• quality of visitor experience

• digital behaviour

• travel review

• WiFi and connectivity

• accessibility needs

What’s New for 2015 & 2016

Jump Research Mobile Interviewing Van

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Using & Interpreting the Scotland Visitor Survey 2015 & 2016

Notes on Survey Interpretation & Use

• The Scotland Visitor Survey should not be viewed in isolation

• The survey collates views on a wide range of topics to understand visitor attitudes and behaviours. This data supplements data on tourism in Scotland which is gathered by the annual statistical surveys undertaken at a national level by;

• The Great Britain Tourism Survey (GBTS) which estimates the volume and value of domestic tourism -from within Scotland and the rest of Great Britain

• The International Passenger Survey (IPS) which provides details of tourism from abroad

• The Scotland Visitor Survey is undertaken during high season only, based on a need to gather visitor views in an efficient manner. This means the results reflect the views of those visiting Scotland between May and September 2015 only.

• The sample comprises leisure overnight visitors only, and as such the following are excluded: visitors on a day trip from home, those on a business trip, cruise ship visitors

• Please note: the names of the following regions were changed after the survey was completed, for reporting purposes• The Highlands of Scotland & the Isle of Skye The Highlands of Scotland• Angus & Dundee Dundee & Angus• The wider Glasgow area Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley• Perth & Perthshire Perthshire• Aberdeen City & Shire Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire

15

Scotland: 34%

England: 37%

Wales: 2%

N. Ireland: 1%

USA: 5%

Canada: 2%

Australia: 2%

Other long

haul: 3%

Domestic – 75%International – 25%

*Note: data weighted to reflect

GBTS/IPS proportions on

international vs domestic visitors

Note: this is the profile of the

survey sample only. For info

on overall profile of visitors to

Scotland use GBTS/IPS and

Tourism in Scotland factsheet

Scotland Visitor Survey 2015 & 2016 Sample Profile

Base: S1 All (11743)

Netherlands: 1%

Spain: 2%

Germany: 4%

France: 2%

Switzerland: 1%

Italy: 1%

Other Europe: 4%

18


4%

18%

10%

14%

21%

56%

5%

Organised group

Friends

Parents / partner's parents

Other family members

Child(ren)

Partner / spouse

Alone

Most visitors were travelling with their partner / spouse or other family members (including children and parents)

• Visitors from the UK (excluding Scotland) were most likely to travel in a couple (61%)

• Scot residents were most likely to have children in their party (26%)

• European (23%) and Long Haul (21%) visitors were most likely to be with friends

• Long Haul visitors were most likely to travel in an organised group (8%) or alone (9%)

• Repeat visitors were more likely to be with their partner (58%), children (24%) and other family members (15%)

Q3 Which of the following best describes who is with you on your trip? Base: S1 All (11743)

19

1st time, 26%

Been once before, 12%

Been several times before,

30%

Take breaks in Scotland regularly,

32%

Just over a quarter were visiting Scotland for the first time, whilst four-fifths have visited on more than one previous occasion

Scot residents 66%

Rest of UK 45%

Europe 65%Long Haul 62%

First Time Visitors – 26%Repeat Visitors – 74%

Q5 Is this the first time you have taken a holiday or short break in Scotland? Base: S1 All (11743)


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Before Trip

Glencoe, the highlands

24

5%9%9%9%10%

14%15%15%15%15%16%

20%23%24%

33%50%

The climate & weather

My Scottish ancestry

To visit a particular attraction

Personal event / celebration

Special event

The range of activities available

I have always wanted to visit

To visit cities

Scotland's reputation for friendly people

Closeness to home

It is easy to get to

To visit family / friends who live in Scotland

To get away from it all

Holidayed before & wanted to return

The history & culture

The scenery & landscape

Scotland’s scenery and landscape remains a key motivation to visit, as does its history and culture. Other drivers vary by market and visitor type.

What Attracts Visitors To Scotland?

Q10 Thinking broadly about your decision to choose Scotland for your holiday or short break, what was it that attractedyou to spend your holiday / short break in Scotland on this occasion? Base: S1 All (11743)

Old man of storr, isle of skye

Although 74% were repeat visitors only 24% cited this as a driver for visiting again

Visitors from Europe 10%

25

What Attracts Visitors To Scotland by Market

Scot ResidentsTop 3 Core Drivers• Scenery & landscape (44%)• Closeness to home (36%)• To get away from it all (29%)Over-Index on:• Holidayed before & wanted to return (26%)• Easy to get to (25%)• Personal event / celebration (10%)

Long Haul VisitorsTop 3 Core Drivers• Scenery & landscape (53%) • History & culture (52%)• A place I’ve always wanted to visit (34%)Over-Index on:• My Scottish ancestry (23%)

European VisitorsTop 3 Core Drivers• Scenery & landscape (71%) • History & culture (51%)• A place I’ve always wanted to visit (41%)Over-Index on:• Visit cities (30%)• Scotland’s reputation for friendly people (25%)

Rest of UK VisitorsTop 3 Core Drivers• Scenery & landscape (46%)• Holidayed before & wanted to return (29%) • History & culture (26%)Over-Index on:• Visit family / friends (25%) • Special event (12%)• Personal celebration (11%)

Top driver consistent for all markets, but other interesting differences also exist

26

First Time Visitors

Top 3 Core Drivers• Scenery & landscape (58%)• History & culture (47%)• A place I’ve always wanted to visit

(42%)

Over-Index on:• Visit cities (25%)

Repeat Visitors

Top 3 Core Drivers• Scenery & landscape (47%)• Holidayed before & wanted to

return (32%)• History & culture (29%)

Over-Index on: • To get away from it all (25%)• Visit family / friends (24%)• Closeness to home (20%)• Easy to get to (19%)• Range of activities (15%)• To visit a particular attraction (9%)

What Attracts Visitors To Scotland by First Time vs Repeat Visitors

28Word of mouth recommendation is an important factor, particularly for European, Long Haul and first time visitors, whilst Scot residents are motivated by a desire to holiday at home

0%

1%

2%

4%

6%

6%

8%

20%

24%

Good exchange rates

Direct advice from travel agent / tour operator

Price of airline tickets

Seeing something on social media about Scotland

Price of hotels / accommodation

Traveller review websites

Found a good deal / special offer

Wanted to holiday at home rather than abroad

Recommended by friends / relatives / colleagues

Scot residents are also motivated by deals and special offers (12%) and

accommodation prices (8%).Travel review sites are influential even at early motivation stage,

particularly for international visitors.

What Persuaded Visitors To Spend Holiday In Scotland?

Q11 Which of the following persuaded you to spend your holiday / short break in Scotland on this occasion? Base: S1 All (11743)

37% 1st time35% European31% Long Haul

291 in 10 visitors were influenced by a travel feature about Scotland, whilst TV, film and books are also important prompts to consideration, especially for international visitors

1%

2%

2%

3%

3%

4%

6%

6%

6%

8%

10%

Watching / attending Ryder Cup 2014

Watching / attending Commonwealth Games 2014

Coverage in news of Scottish referendum in 2014

Inspired by marketing / PR / advert about Scotland

Watching / attending other events hosted in Scotland

Inspired by online video content about Scotland

Watching / reading about Scottish people in media/news

Book about / set in Scotland

Movie / film featuring Scotland

TV programme about Scotland

Travel feature about Scotland

What Prompted Visitors To Consider Scotland?

Q12 Did any of these prompt you to consider Scotland for this holiday / short break? Base: S1 All (11743)

30Travel features, movies, TV programmes and books were particularly influential for European and Long Haul visitors

12%

12%

12%

13%

12%

16%

12%

18%

6%

6%

8%

10%

Book about / set in Scotland

Movie / film featuring Scotland

TV programme about Scotland

Travel feature about ScotlandTotal

Europe

Long Haul

What Prompted Visitors To Consider Scotland?

Q12 Did any of these prompt you to consider Scotland for this holiday / short break? Base: S1 All (11743)

France, Germany & Spain

Australia

USA, Canada

France, Germany

31

8%

9%

9%

Book about / set inScotland (932)

Movie / filmfeaturing Scotland

(1047)

TV programmeabout Scotland

(1096)

Outlander (TV and book) has clearly had a significant impact in inspiring visitors to visit, particularly those from USA

Base: 442

Inspirational Film, TV & Books

Base: 380

Base: 574

32

TV word cloud without Outlander

33

Film word cloud without Braveheart

34

Books word cloud without Outlander

35

Motivators by Region (1)

Aberdeen & Shire

Argyll & the Isles

Ayrshire & Arran

Cairngorm National

Park

Dumfries &

GallowayDundee &

AngusEdinburgh

City FifeGlasgow

City

Gr.Glasgow& Clyde Valley

x is a place I have always wanted to visit 27% 35% 32% 30% 23% 14% 50% 27% 37% 35%I have spent a holiday / short break in x before and wanted to do so again 33% 38% 34% 49% 43% 16% 33% 37% 27% 29%

x’s reputation for friendly people 16% 20% 19% 21% 15% 15% 25% 25% 23% 26%

To visit family/friends who live in x 45% 27% 28% 17% 24% 34% 22% 36% 39% 33%The range of activities available (e.g. walking, mountain biking, golf) 15% 26% 23% 50% 18% 11% 14% 27% 15% 19%

To visit a particular attraction 19% 24% 13% 24% 32% 40% 40% 37% 27% 30%

To get away from it all 25% 48% 36% 41% 41% 24% 20% 33% 19% 27%

To visit cities 19% 7% 3% 2% 6% 20% 33% 23% 33% 25%

The history and culture 36% 45% 27% 31% 35% 25% 65% 41% 53% 48%

The scenery and landscape 50% 84% 68% 71% 63% 40% 61% 59% 39% 71%

The climate and weather 4% 4% 6% 8% 10% 4% 8% 12% 5% 6%

Closeness to home 9% 13% 17% 22% 13% 9% 4% 8% 9% 5%

It is easy to get to 21% 15% 27% 26% 26% 10% 16% 24% 22% 18%

Something else 19% 20% 18% 21% 23% 18% 15% 19% 19% 22%

Unsure - 0% 1% - 2% 3% 0% 2% 2% 3%

BASE 193 177 185 112 141 75 1053 119 389 198

Q7 And what was it that attracted you to come to REGION on this occasion?

36

Motivators by Region (2)

Highlands LLTNP Lothians PerthshireScottish Borders SFFV Orkney

Outer Hebrides Shetland

x is a place I have always wanted to visit 58% 35% 33% 20% 42% 31% 48% 59% 52%I have spent a holiday / short break in x before and wanted to do so again 36% 39% 26% 39% 35% 29% 34% 48% 30%

x’s reputation for friendly people 26% 22% 10% 20% 22% 17% 17% 24% 26%

To visit family/friends who live in x 16% 15% 38% 31% 20% 33% 23% 28% 39%The range of activities available (e.g. walking, mountain biking, golf) 27% 31% 18% 24% 32% 12% 16% 22% 16%

To visit a particular attraction 31% 14% 21% 19% 29% 40% 39% 31% 23%

To get away from it all 37% 48% 29% 38% 34% 28% 29% 49% 33%

To visit cities 22% 12% 30% 11% 17% 33% 4% 2% 2%

The history and culture 55% 35% 53% 34% 47% 48% 74% 54% 57%

The scenery and landscape 87% 78% 60% 74% 67% 68% 75% 87% 75%

The climate and weather 10% 8% 10% 8% 6% 6% 4% 7% 4%

Closeness to home 9% 12% 7% 7% 13% 9% 4% 11% 6%

It is easy to get to 16% 23% 14% 21% 22% 18% 4% 11% 5%

Something else 15% 21% 17% 19% 17% 18% 27% 18% 27%

Unsure 1% 2% 4% 0% - 1% - - -

BASE 975 84 84 149 127 132 209 167 135

Q7 And what was it that attracted you to come to REGION on this occasion?

3866% of visitors had an existing connection to Scotland

1%

4%

4%

6%

14%

14%

17%

23%

38%

Other

Have done business / have businessconnections

Went to university / school in Scotland

Lived in Scotland before / grew up inScotland

Ancestors lived in Scotland

No personal connections but have visitedseveral times

Friends live in Scotland

Family live in Scotland

None of these

• Visitors from Rest of UK more likely to have family (31%) or friends (20%) living in Scotland or to have visited before (20%)

• Long Haul visitors most likely to mention ancestry (29%)

• European visitors least likely to have a connection (66% ‘none’)

• Repeat visitors more likely to have all types of connection than first time visitors

Connections to Scotland

Q8 Before your trip, did you already have a personal connection with Scotland? Base: S1 All except Scot residents (8953)

39

Connection to Scotland by Region Stayed Overnight (1)

Aberdeen & Shire

Argyll & the Isles

Ayrshire & Arran

Cairngorm National

Park

Dumfries &

GallowayDundee &

AngusEdinburgh

City FifeGlasgow

City


Family live in Scotland 30% 23% 35% 23% 25% 27% 18% 32% 25% 23%

Friends live in Scotland 13% 20% 15% 16% 20% 19% 13% 13% 20% 20%

Ancestors lived in Scotland 12% 21% 15% 14% 16% 19% 17% 22% 20% 18%

Have lived in Scotland before/grew up in Scotland

6% 8% 13% 7% 7% 9% 5% 5% 5% 8%

Went to university/school in Scotland

4% 7% 7% 5% 4% 6% 4% 8% 5% 6%

Have done business there/have business connections there

3% 3% 4% 3% 3% 7% 4% 3% 3% 4%

No personal connections but have visited Scotland many times

17% 15% 26% 22% 30% 12% 11% 19% 12% 16%

Other 1% 2% 0% 1% 3% 1% 2% 1% 1% 0%

None of the above 32% 31% 24% 36% 26% 34% 44% 28% 35% 36%

BASE 496 314 142 208 159 166 1340 242 668 328

Q8 Before your trip, did you already have a personal connection with Scotland?

40

Connection to Scotland by Region Stayed Overnight (2)



Family live in Scotland 15% 16% 37% 30% 30% 22% 17% 20% 23%

Friends live in Scotland 11% 13% 24% 17% 16% 12% 12% 15% 16%

Ancestors lived in Scotland 18% 15% 16% 15% 21% 21% 21% 25% 24%

Have lived in Scotland before/grew up in Scotland

5% 5% 9% 10% 9% 5% 5% 6% 10%

Went to university/school in Scotland 4% 5% 4% 4% 5% 2% 3% 2% 6%

Have done business there/have business connections there

2% 1% 4% 4% 8% 6% 3% 1% 3%

No personal connections but have visited Scotland many times

13% 15% 8% 17% 22% 13% 26% 23% 23%

Other 1% 1% - 1% 3% 1% 2% 0% 0%

None of the above 48% 47% 33% 32% 29% 35% 28% 25% 26%

BASE 1231 266 103 351 146 361 234 163 124

Q8 Before your trip, did you already have a personal connection with Scotland?

42Planning behaviour is closely linked to distance travelled with Long Haul visitors keen to plan all aspects in advance, and doing so much earlier than other visitors

5%6% 8% 9% 18% 14% 12% 11% 7% 9%

I like to plan & book all aspects of my holiday before Itravel, rather than leaving it until I get to my

destination

Disagree strongly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Agree strongly

Mean

Planning Behaviour

5.8

Q8 How far in advance did you start thinking about and planning this trip? Q45c To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about holidays in general? Base: S2 All (2999)

5%

23%31%

20%13%

9%

>1 year 6-12mths 3-6mths 1-2mths 2-4wks <2wks

Thinking about & planning this tripAverage # weeks

in advance

• 30% of 16-34 year olds & 35% of Scot residents only started planning within a month of travel• Half of Long Haul visitors started planning >6mths in advance

20.7

45Online and offline sources are important in trip planning, with websites and personal advice used by the majority of visitors. Print still features with different formats appealing to different age groups.

3%

3%

5%

6%

4%

6%

6%

13%

17%

58%

69%

Calls to travel providers (e.g. hotels, airlines)

TV / radio

Apps

Other

Newspapers / magazines

Personal advice from travel professionals / agents

Calls / visits to visitor information offices

Printed brochures

Printed travel guide books

Talking with friends / family

Websites

• Average of 1.9 sources used. Higher for Long Haul (2.4), European (2.3) and First Time (2.3) visitors

• WOM recommendations particularly important for younger age groups 16-44yrs (65%) and Long Haul visitors (66%) where knowledge of Scotland is likely to be lower

• A fifth (22%) of Long Haul visitors and 1 in 10 65+yrs took personal advice from a travel agent

• European (43%), Long Haul visitors (33%) and 16-34yrs (21%) most likely to use printed guide books

• 65+yr olds prefer printed brochures (20%)• Males and Long Haul visitors more likely to use apps (7%)

Information sources used to plan visit

Q9 Which of the following sources of information were helpful when planning your holiday / short break in Scotland? Base: S2 All (2999)

48

4%

4%

5%

5%

8%

9%

10%

18%

20%

45%

46%

86%

Other website

Magazine/newspaper websites

Other search engine

Travel search engine website

Travel guide websites

Social media

Travel agency websites

Individual tourism provider’s website

Transport provider website

Traveller review websites

VisitScotland.com

Google search engine

Types Of Websites Used For Planning

Q10 What types of websites did you use when planning your holiday / short break in Scotland? Base: S2 All who used websites to plan holiday (2210)

Google search was used by almost 9 in 10, whilst visitscotland.com and travel review sites were also important online planning sources.

• Half of all 25-44yrs used visitscotland.com as did 65% Europeans and 57% of Long Haul visitors

• Traveller review sites particularly popular with Long Haul visitors (64%) who are also most likely to use these to post reviews of their experience in Scotland

• Transport provider sites most commonly used by European visitors (39%)

• Social media important for 16-24yrs (20%), in conjunction with other resources

• 55-64 and 65+ age groups most likely to go direct to tourism provider website (24%, 28%)

49

17%

4%

4%

13%

15%

22%

23%

28%

34%

63%

Did not use this type of content

Traveller submitted video content

Professional videos

Company info / promotions on social media

Comments / posts from people on social media

Professional reviews / ratings

Professional photos

Traveller submitted photos

Interactive maps displaying accommodation & attractions

Traveller submitted reviews / ratings

User generated content, particularly reviews & ratings, was important for visitors when planning their trip to Scotland

• Long Haul visitors were most likely to mention each of these types of content, consistent with their higher usage of multiple online sources in planning

• Photos (by travellers and professionals) and videos were particularly sought by 16-24s

• 28% of 65+ did not use this type of content at all

Types Of Online Information Used For Planning

Q11 And what types of online information did you use when planning your holiday / short break in Scotland? Base: S2 All who used websites to plan holiday (2210)

53

Planning & Booking Timeline

9%

25%

17%

12%

8%

3%

14%

27%

18%

14%

11%

2%

28%

31%

20%

13%

9%

0%

>6mths

3-6mths

1-2mths

2-4wks

<2wks

On arrival

Plan Book accommodation Book travel

Much of the planning and booking is done 3-6 months ahead of travel

Average # weeks

in advance

Base: S2 All (2999)

10.8

14.4

20.7

57

Yes, 13%No,

87%

Booked Travel & Accommodation Together

25%

17%

24%

34%

Other

High street travel agent

Tour operator / travelcompany website

Online via travelwebsite

How Booked

Q13b How did you book?Base: S2 All who booked travel & accommodation together (360)

19% of first time visitors booked

together

9 in 10 visitors booked travel and accommodation separately. Those who booked together tended to do so online.

Travel & Accommodation Booking Methods

Q13 Did you book your accommodation and travel together as a single package?Base: S2 All who booked in advance (2622)

60

Accommodation

9%

1%

0%

1%

2%

5%

10%

12%

17%

40%

Didn't book accommodation

Other

Tourist information centre


Tour operator / travel company website

Online via peer-to-peer booking site

Accommodation by email

Accommodation by phone

Online via travel website

Accommodation website

Travel

43%

8%

0%

1%

2%

6%

39%

I didn’t book any travel

Other

At a tourist information centre

Tour operator / travel companywebsite


Online travel agent

Transport provider website

For those who booked separately, most did so directly with accommodation and transport providers

Travel & Accommodation Booking Methods

Q13c How did you book your accommodation for this trip? Base: S2 All who booked travel & accommodation separately (2262)

Q14 How did you book the travel from home to your destination in Scotland for this trip? Base: S2 All booked separately (1831)

63

7%

2%

3%

5%

6%

8%

11%

12%

18%

23%

28%

56%

77%

Other

LGBT friendly

Childcare provisions / facilities

Accessibility provisions

Pet friendly

Restaurant / quality of food

Specific facilities

Specific room arrangements

Previous experience

Quality star grading

Free wifi

Value for money

Location

Location & value are fundamental aspects in choice of accommodation, but availability of free WiFi is next most important factor, particularly for younger visitors

Note: quality star grading was not a specified QA scheme

Choosing Accommodation

Q20 Which of the following aspects, if any, were important in helping you choose your accommodation?Base: S2 All who didn’t only stay in second home or with friends / family (2731)

• Free WiFi most important for international and younger visitors

• Value for money more important for younger age groups (under 45yrs)

• Previous experience particularly important for over 65 year olds (30%) and Scot residents (27%)

• Scot residents looking for specific facilities (16%), restaurant quality (13%), pet friendly (8%) and childcare (5%)

64

Factors Important in Choosing Accommodation by Market and First Time vs Repeat Visitors

Scotland Rest of UK Europe Long Haul First time Repeat

Quality star grading 25% 21% 22% 33% 27% 22%

Availability of free WiFi at the accommodation 23% 23% 37% 46% 38% 24%Availability of specific facilities e.g. swimming pool, leisure facilities, DVD player, parking 16% 11% 7% 7% 8% 12%

Reputation of restaurant / quality of food 13% 7% 6% 8% 6% 9%

Location 74% 78% 72% 80% 72% 78%

Value for money 51% 54% 68% 64% 66% 53%Availability of specific room arrangements (e.g. inter connecting rooms, family rooms) 10% 12% 11% 17% 13% 12%

Accessibility provisions 7% 3% 2% 7% 3% 5%Childcare provisions/child facilities at the accommodation 5% 4% 1% 0% 2% 4%

Pet friendly accommodation 8% 7% 2% 0% 2% 7%

LGBT friendly 2% 2% 1% 1% 2% 1%

Previous experience / have been before 27% 19% 8% 9% 3% 23%

Something else 7% 5% 8% 9% 9% 6%

BASE 409 770 885 667 1060 1671

Location, free WiFi, quality grading and specific room arrangements particularly important to Long Haul visitors, whilst Europeans more focused on value and free WiFi. Scot residents factor in previous experience and are particularly interested in specific facilities and restaurant reputation.

65

Factors Important in Choosing Accommodation by Age

16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+Quality star grading 23% 22% 21% 21% 27% 26%

Availability of free WiFi at the accommodation 43% 35% 22% 25% 26% 23%Availability of specific facilities e.g. swimming pool, leisure facilities, DVD player, parking 10% 12% 15% 14% 8% 7%

Reputation of restaurant / quality of food 6% 10% 6% 8% 9% 11%

Location 66% 77% 80% 78% 79% 73%

Value for money 65% 69% 62% 53% 53% 40%Availability of specific room arrangements (e.g. inter connecting rooms, family rooms) 11% 11% 16% 17% 9% 7%

Accessibility provisions 4% 6% 3% 4% 6% 4%Childcare provisions/child facilities at the accommodation 0% 5% 10% 3% 1% -

Pet friendly accommodation 5% 2% 8% 9% 5% 2%

LGBT friendly 6% 1% 2% 1% 0% 0%

Previous experience / have been before 10% 10% 19% 15% 22% 30%


BASE 266 455 435 645 597 315

Location, quality grading and previous experience more important to 55+ age groups, whilst younger visitors are more concerned with value for money and free WiFi. Specific room arrangements and child and pet provisions most important for 35-54yrs age groups.

71

Before Trip – Key Takeouts

• A complex mix of influences attract visitors to Scotland. There is no

‘one size that fits all’.

• Scotland’s scenery and landscape remain the core drivers for

overnight visits to Scotland followed closely by history & culture.

These are Scotland’s key strengths for all types of visitor and

should not be underestimated in marketing messages.

• Some key differences begin to emerge by market and type of

visitor. ‘Getting away from it all’ is of more significance for

Scotland residents and for repeat visitors. Cities are a greater pull

for first time visitors. First time visitors and European visitors have

a strong desire to travel here because ‘Scotland is a place I have

always wanted to visit’. Therefore, careful consideration of the

target market should be given to marketing messages.

• Visitor type can also influence specific drivers to each region.

Visiting friends and family is an important driver for overnight visits

to Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire. ‘Getting away from it all’ is a strong

influencer for visits to Argyll & the Isles as well as for Dumfries &

Galloway. People want to visit the Cairngorms National Park

because of its range of activities. Each region should consider its

own strengths as well as its target audience alongside the core

drivers of Scotland’s natural assets and history.

• The vast majority of trip planning is done online, primarily via

Google search. Websites are the most popular source of

information used to plan an overnight visit with 69% choosing this

as an option. Importantly, there are some who do not use websites

and these are more likely to be Scotland residents or repeat visitors

who have less need for planning perhaps due to a greater

knowledge of Scotland.

• Whilst websites dominate as a holiday planning tool, wider

resources are also being used. Print is still in the mix and is more

likely to be used by European and long haul visitors as well as 16-

34 year olds (where knowledge of Scotland is possibly lower).

• The impact of personal recommendation is significant as a source

of inspiration and a planning resource, particularly for European,

Long Haul and first time visitors.

• When choosing accommodation, location and value are the key

factors, but free Wi-Fi is also important, especially for international

and younger visitors. Accommodation providers should look to

provide this facility free of charge to potential visitors.

72

Note: all satisfaction ratings use scale 1=extremely dissatisfied -> 10=extremely satisfied

During Trip

Caerlaverock castle, dumfries & galloway

73

80% of people spent their whole visit in Scotland

20% of people visited Scotland as part of a

longer trip 61% long haul visitors, visited

Scotland as part of a longer

holiday

30% of visitors to Edinburgh

were visiting as part of a longer

holiday

Proportion Of Break Spent In Scotland

Q4 Is your holiday/short break in Scotland part of a longer holiday which includes time in other places, or will you spend your whole time in Scotland? Base: S1 All (11743)

74

Proportion of Break Spent in Scotland by Region Stayed Overnight

Aberdeen & Shire

Argyll & the Isles

Ayrshire & Arran

Cairngorm National

ParkDumfries & Galloway

Dundee & Angus

Edinburgh City Fife

Glasgow City


Whole time in Scotland

79% 84% 91% 81% 78% 80% 70% 77% 72% 75%

Part of a longer holiday

21% 16% 9% 19% 22% 20% 30% 23% 28% 25%

BASE 530 363 198 254 176 185 1376 258 693 379



Whole time in Scotland

78% 80% 79% 76% 73% 86% 79% 87% 87%

Part of a longer holiday

22% 20% 21% 24% 27% 14% 21% 13% 13%

BASE 1375 284 111 381 160 280 347 219 155

Q4 Is your holiday/short break in Scotland part of a longer holiday which includes time in other places, or will you spend your whole time in Scotland?

75

0%

0%

0%

1%

3%

3%

3%

4%

5%

7%

11%

13%

29%

37%

Hitch-hiking

Bicycle

Train (outside UK)

Motorcycle / motorbike

Organised coach tour

Public bus / coach

Motorhome / campervan

Friend / family car

Boat / ship / ferry

Hire car

Plane (indirect)

Train (within UK)

Plane (direct)

Own car

The main methods of transport to Scotland were car or plane but differences emerge by market and type of visitor

Mode Of Travel To Scotland

Q9 How did you travel to Scotland? Base: S1 All non Scots (8953)

• European (56%) and 1st time visitors (39%) were most likely to fly directly to Scotland whilst 41% of Long Haul visitors required a connecting flight

• Long Haul visitors also used UK trains (16%) and hire cars (13%) to get to Scotland

• UK visitors tended to arrive in their own car (55%)

76

First Time Visitors 58% arrived by plane • direct (39%) • indirect (19%)• 63% arrived to Edinburgh airport

28% arrived in Scotland by car• own car (17%)• hire car (9%)• friend / family car (2%)

11% travelled by train (within UK)

Rest of UK Visitors

64% travelled by car• own car (55%)• friend / family car (5%)• hire car (4%)


16% arrived by plane (direct)• Edinburgh airport (42%)• Glasgow airport (29%)• Aberdeen airport (16%)

Long Haul Visitors76% arrived by plane• indirect (41%)• direct (35%) • 47% arrived in Edinburgh; 32% Glasgow

airport• 36% connected via Heathrow

17% arrived by car• hire car (13%)• own / friend / family car (4%)


Transport methods differ significantly by market

Repeat Visitors

57% travelled by car• own car (48%)• hire car (5%)• friend / family car (4%)

29% arrived by plane• direct (23%)• indirect (6%)


European Visitors

72% arrived by plane • direct (56%) • indirect (16%)• 71% arrived to Edinburgh airport

A quarter travelled by car (24%)• own / friend / family car (15%)• hire car (9%)

9% used boats, ships or ferries

Mode Of Travel To Scotland

79

24%

56%

For those who arrived in Scotland by plane, over half arrived into Edinburgh airport and a quarter into Glasgow airport. Heathrow and Schiphol were the main airports for connecting flights into Scotland.

8%

3%

1%

Air Travel

Q9b Which Scottish airport did you arrive in to? Base: S1 All who travelled by plane (4655)Q9c At which airport(s) did you stop to catch a connecting flight on your way to Scotland? Base: S1 All who travelled by plane indirect (1481)

18%1%1%1%2%2%2%2%3%3%4%4%4%

6%12%

14%30%

Another airportBirmingham Airport

DohaSingapore

London Luton AirportBelfast Airport

DubaiAbu Dhabi

Manchester AirportParis Charles De Gaulle

London Stansted AirportFrankfurt am Maine

Reykavik, KeflavikLondon Gatwick Airport

Dublin AirportAmsterdam Schipol

London Heathrow Airport

Other Scottish airport 1%Did not arrive into a Scottish airport 6%

Plane Direct into Scotland (29%) Plane Indirect (11%)

80

Mean

Ease of getting around Scotland was rated highly by visitors and attracted the highest mean score for satisfaction across all the areas of the visitor experience measured.

Transport Used In Scotland

8.7

Q26 What types of transport did you use while you were in Scotland? Q28 Overall, how satisfied were you with the ease of getting around? Base: S2 All (2999)Q27 Did you use the new Borders railway during your visit to Scotland? All who visited Edinburgh, Lothians or Scottish Borders from 5th Sept onwards (1182)

0% 0% 0% 0% 2% 3% 10%23% 29% 33%Ease of Getting Around

1 10

Top 2 box

62%

Own Car 49%

Walked33%

Public Bus/ Coach 28%

Train24%

Boat/ Ship/ Ferry 21%

Hire Car16%

Coach Tour8%

Plane5%

Bicycle3%

Motorhome/ Campervan 3%

Motorbike1%

Friend/ Family Car 13%

81

Transport Used In Scotland by First Time vs Repeat Visitors


Own car 76% 58% 15% 6% 21% 58%

Friend / family member’s car 9% 14% 9% 18% 8% 14%

Hire car 2% 9% 36% 49% 32% 12%

Public Bus / coach 15% 24% 46% 49% 43% 24%

Train 11% 21% 30% 51% 34% 21%

Boat / ship / ferry 30% 17% 22% 23% 16% 23%

Walked 21% 32% 38% 51% 39% 31%

Organised coach tour 3% 5% 13% 22% 17% 5%

Plane (e.g. to the islands) 1% 4% 10% 13% 9% 5%

Bicycle 5% 3% 3% 1% 1% 4%

Hitch-hiking 0% 0% 1% 1% 1% 0%

Motorcycle / motorbike 1% 1% 1% 0% 0% 1%

Motorhome / campervan 4% 3% 4% 0% 2% 3%

Other 2% 3% 3% 3% 4% 3%

BASE 459 875 948 717 1121 1878

First time and Long Haul visitors used multiple forms of transport during their visit in Scotland, whilst domestic and repeat visitors largely travelled around in their own car.

82

Transport Used In Scotland by Age

16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+Own car 28% 38% 57% 56% 54% 49%

Friend / family member’s car 18% 15% 12% 10% 10% 16%

Hire car 15% 22% 14% 16% 16% 15%

Public Bus / coach 47% 33% 28% 23% 24% 26%

Train 35% 26% 20% 23% 22% 21%

Boat / ship / ferry 17% 18% 25% 28% 19% 18%

Walked 42% 36% 30% 31% 33% 26%

Organised coach tour 11% 8% 6% 7% 10% 6%

Plane (e.g. to the islands) 10% 7% 3% 4% 4% 7%

Bicycle 2% 1% 5% 5% 3% 2%

Hitch-hiking 2% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Motorcycle / motorbike 0% 0% 0% 1% 1% 1%

Motorhome / campervan 0% 1% 3% 2% 4% 6%

Other 4% 2% 2% 3% 4% 4%

BASE 309 502 482 691 646 348

Those aged 35-64 were most likely to travel in their own car; and to travel by boat or ferry. Visitors in the youngest age group were the highest users of public buses and trains, and were most likely to walk.

85Number of areas visited differs greatly by market – the further visitors have travelled, the more areas they visit. Edinburgh City was the most visited location, by two-fifths of visitors.

Areas Of Scotland Visited On This Trip

2%

3%

5%

9%

9%

9%

10%

11%

13%

13%

15%

16%

17%

20%

21%

22%

23%

26%

43%

Shetland

Outer Hebrides

Orkney

Dundee & Angus

Scottish Borders

Lothians

Cairngorms National Park

Dumfries & Galloway

Fife

Ayrshire & Arran

Argyll & the Isles

Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire

Perthshire

LL&T National Park

Stirling, Falkirk & Forth Valley

Greater Glasgow & Clyde Valley

Highlands

Glasgow City

Edinburgh City

Average of 2.4 different areas visited• Scot residents = 1.5• Rest of UK = 2.1• Europeans = 3.7• Long Haul = 4.1

Q1 Which areas of Scotland did you visit on this trip? Base: S2 All (2999) Inverness city, highlands of scotland

86

10% visited Cairngorms

National Park

20% visited Loch

Lomond & Trossachs

National Park

Visiting The National Parks

Dalwhinnie, Kingussie,

Newtonmore, Aviemore,

Carrbridge, Granton-on-Spey

Balmoral, Braemar,

Ballater,

Aberdeenshire Area

Blair Atholl, Killiecrankie,

Perthshire Area

51% 43% 38%

Helensburgh, Tyndrum,

Crianlarich

Balloch, Luss, Gartocharn,

Balmaha, South Loch

Lomond Area

Aberfoyle, Callander,

Doune, Strathyre,

Killin, Port of Menteith

Area

72% 38% 24%

Q2b Which part(s) of Cairngorms National Park did you visit?Q2c Which part(s) of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park did you visit?Base: S2 All who visited NPs (CNP 503 / LLTNP 780)

89

2%

3%

4%

4%

4%

5%

5%

7%

7%

8%

9%

9%

10%

11%

11%

13%

16%

18%

31%

Shetland

Outer Hebrides

Lothians

Orkney


Dundee & Angus

Scottish Borders

Fife

LL&T National Park

Dumfries & Galloway



Perthshire

Argyll & the Isles

Ayrshire & Arran


Highlands

Glasgow City

Edinburgh City

Top three regions where visitors stayed overnight are consistent with the top three areas visited. Some other areas show differences in visitation vs overnight stays.

Visitors stayed in 1.7 different areas on average• Scot residents = 1.2• Rest of UK = 1.5• Europeans = 2.5• Long Haul = 2.4

Areas Stayed Overnight

Q3 And which of these areas did you stay overnight in? Base: S2 All (2999)

loch awe, argyll & the isles

International visitors more likely than

domestic visitors to stay in more than one

location

90

Gr. Glasgow & Clyde

(347)

Glasgow City

47%

Edinburgh City

44%

SFFV

35%

Highlands

33%

Overnight Base Vs Areas Visited (1)

SFFV

(379)

Glasgow City

32%

Edinburgh City

64%

Gr. Glasgow & Clyde

46%

Highlands

39%

Perthshire

34% Highlands

(1375)

Edinburgh City

55%

Gr. Glasgow &

Clyde

33%

SFFV

34%

Fife

(258)

Edinburgh City

60%

Glasgow City

32%

SFFV

33%*Data shown for areas visited by a third or more of those staying overnight in a particular area.

Some areas were used as an overnight base, from which to visit several other areas.

Centre circles show area visitors stayed overnight. Smaller

outer circles show the areas they visited

91

Overnight Base Vs Areas Visited (2)

Aberdeen & Shire

(530)

Edinburgh City

40%

Highlands

38%

*Data shown for areas visited by a third or more of those staying overnight in a particular area.

Dundee & Angus

(185)

Edinburgh City

40%

Aberdeen & Shire

35%

Edinburgh City

(1376)

Glasgow City

32%

Highlands

34%

Lothians

(111)

Edinburgh City

62%

SFFV

32%

Perthshire

(381)

Edinburgh City

51%

Highlands

43%

Argyll & Isles(363)

Gr. Glasgow & Clyde

35%

Orkney(280)

Highlands51%

Shetland(155)

Orkney34%

Outer Hebrides

(219)

Highlands69%

Scottish Borders

(160)

Edinburgh City48%

Glasgow City

(693)

Edinburgh City

55%

Gr. Glasgow & Clyde

39%

Area stayed overnight = centre

Area visited = outside circles

92

Average # nights

1-3 nights,

31%

4-7 nights,

39%

8+ nights, 30%

Number of nights spent in Scotland varied significantly by distance travelled with international visitors staying twice as long as Scot residents

Average nights by market:Scot residents = 5Rest of UK = 6.6Europe = 10.1Long Haul = 10.3

Scots 51%

Rest of UK 44%

Long Haul 53%Europe 50%

Note: summer survey only (May-Sept)

Total Number Of Nights In Scotland

7.2

Q3 And how many nights did you spend in Scotland in total on this trip? Base: S2 All (2999)

93

Number Of Nights Stayed In Each Region

3.23.43.53.84.04.04.0

4.34.44.44.64.64.74.85.15.1

5.86.5

8.3

LL&T National Park

Glasgow City


Dundee & Angus

Edinburgh City



Dumfries & Galloway

Perthshire


Fife

Highlands

Ayrshire & Arran

Scottish Borders

Lothians

Argyll & the Isles

Orkney

Outer Hebrides

Shetland

No. of nights

Visitors tend to stay longer in the furthest locations, especially the islands

Q3 And which of these areas did you stay overnight in? Base: S2 All (2999)

96

55%1%2%2%2%3%3%3%3%

6%7%

9%10%

13%18%19%

None of these

Apps

Information / advice from visitor attraction

Other search engine

Accommodation room pack info

Other leaflets from accommodation

Personal advice from accommodation provider


Social media

Online review websites


VisitScotland.com

Other websites

VIC

Google

Talking with locals

• Visitors from Europe had highest usage of several different sources: speak with locals (38%), VICs (22%), printed guide books (22%), other websites (21%), visitscotland.com (16%). Perhaps linked to lower knowledge of Scotland (65%) first time visitors.

• Scots residents also used VICs (18%)

Those who didn’t book accommodation in advance, used a mix of online and offline sources to find information whilst in Scotland

Sources Of Information Used By Those Looking For Accommodation During Trip

Q16 During your holiday or short break in Scotland, which of the following sources of information did you use to look for accommodation?Base: S2 All who didn’t book accommodation in advance (377)

99The most popular types of accommodation were hotels, self-catering and B&B/guest houses but key differences emerge by market and type of visitor

• Long Haul and Europeanvisitors more likely to stay in hotels (57%, 48%), B&B/Guest houses (35%, 34%) and hostels (8%, 10%)

• Long Haul also most likely to stay with friends/family (26%)

• Airbnb favoured by Long Haul (13%) and under 35s (10%)

• Rest of UK and Scot residents most likely to self-cater (25%, 23%)

• Scot residents also most likely to camp (9%), motorhome (7%) or static caravan (6%)

Type of Accommodation

Hotel: 41%

B&B/Guest House:

20%

Self Catering: 22%

Family/Friends: 19%

Camping: 6%

Hostel: 5%

Touring Caravan/

Campervan: 5%

Airbnb: 5%

Static Caravan: 3%

Second Home: 2%

Glamping: 1%

Q17 What type of accommodation did you stay in during your trip? Base: S2 All (2999)

100

Type of Accommodation Stayed in by Market


Hotel 30% 40% 48% 57% 49% 39%

B&B / Guest House / Restaurant with Rooms 15% 15% 34% 35% 31% 17%

Self-catering 23% 25% 14% 16% 16% 23%

Airbnb, Couchsurfing, roomorama 2% 3% 8% 13% 9% 3%

Hostel 3% 4% 10% 8% 9% 4%

Camping 9% 6% 7% 1% 6% 6%

Glamping (e.g. Ecopod, Tipi, Yurt) 2% 1% 1% 0% 1% 1%

Static caravan 6% 3% 1% 1% 1% 3%

Touring caravan / motorhome 7% 5% 3% 1% 3% 6%

Second home 1% 2% 2% 1% 1% 2%

Friends / family 15% 19% 19% 26% 14% 20%

Other 3% 2% 4% 6% 3% 3%

BASE 459 875 948 717 1121 1878

Q17 What type of accommodation did you stay in during your trip? Base: S2 All (2999)

Hotels & B&Bs most popular with international visitors whilst domestic visitors more likely to choose self-catering. Hostels and Airbnb also popular with those from further afield, reflecting the proportion of younger travellers from these markets

101

Type of Accommodation Stayed in Each Region (1)

Aberdeen & Shire

Argyll & the Isles

Ayrshire & Arran

Cairngorm National

Park

Dumfries &

GallowayDundee &

AngusEdinburgh

City FifeGlasgow

City


Hotel 49% 29% 28% 26% 25% 48% 52% 39% 60% 46%

B&B / Guest House / Restaurant with Rooms

13% 33% 17% 21% 17% 14% 31% 26% 17% 29%

Self-catering 15% 33% 22% 35% 23% 17% 12% 26% 11% 16%

Air B’n’B, Couchsurfing, roomorama 2% 3% 2% 1% 3% 5% 10% 6% 7% 4%

Hostel 3% 5% 3% 10% 1% 3% 10% 3% 6% 2%

Camping 5% 11% 10% 10% 11% 6% 3% 4% 1% 7%

Glamping (e.g. Ecopod, Tipi, Yurt) - 1% 2% - 2% - 1% - - 1%

Static caravan - 3% 7% 2% 7% 2% 1% 2% 0% 1%

Touring caravan / motorhome 7% 8% 10% 6% 15% 2% 3% 2% 0% 7%

Second home 1% 3% 1% 4% 3% 2% 1% 6% 1% 2%

Friends / family 23% 14% 16% 15% 19% 26% 13% 21% 27% 28%

Other 2% 4% 0% 3% 3% 4% 3% 7% 3% 1%

BASE 193 177 185 112 141 75 1053 119 389 198

Q17 What type of accommodation did you stay in REGION?

102

Type of Accommodation Stayed in Each Region (2)



Hotel 40% 28% 25% 40% 32% 39% 35% 32% 26%

B&B / Guest House / Restaurant with Rooms 40% 23% 24% 20% 27% 27% 34% 32% 21%

Self-catering 20% 29% 23% 31% 23% 27% 26% 25% 33%

Air B’n’B, Couchsurfing, roomorama 8% 4% 7% 2% - 5% 4% 4% 1%

Hostel 9% 4% 2% 3% - 4% 9% 7% 16%

Camping 13% 18% 9% 6% 9% 5% 11% 15% 9%

Glamping (e.g. Ecopod, Tipi, Yurt) 2% 4% 2% - 1% 3% 2% 3% 4%

Static caravan 2% 2% 4% 3% 4% 1% - 1% 0%

Touring caravan / motorhome 9% 11% 6% 6% 18% 6% 3% 14% 9%

Second home 1% 2% 3% 0% - 2% 2% 1% 2%

Friends / family 10% 9% 21% 12% 15% 17% 12% 15% 19%

Other 2% - 5% 2% 0% 4% 3% 2% 1%

BASE 975 84 84 149 127 132 209 167 135

Q17 What type of accommodation did you stay in REGION?

104Whilst the majority of visitors describe their accommodation as mid market, differences are evident by age and type of accommodation

Accommodation Standard

Q21 And how would you describe the accommodation you stayed in? Base: S2 All who didn’t only stay in second home or with friends / family (2731)

• Those who stayed in hostels (86%) and camping (72%)

• 16-34s (44%) • European visitors (37%)

• Those who stayed in B&B / Guest houses (77%)

• 45+ age groups (68%)• International visitors (70%)

• Those who stayed in hotels (22%) and self-catering (24%)

• Over 65s (22%)• Scot residents (21%)

10634% of visitors were aware they were staying in graded accommodation, rising to 44% amongst those staying in hotels

No: 14% Yes: 34%

Don’t Know 9%

15%

55%

36%

3%

0%

Don’t Know: 52%

Glamping: 84%

Static Caravan: 75%

Hostel: 66%

Camping: 65%

Q22 Was your accommodation or campsite part of a quality / star grading scheme? Base: S2 All who stayed in hotel, B&B, self-catering, hostel, camping, static caravan, touring caravan (2609); All who stayed in graded accommodation (909)

Accommodation Grading Schemes

111Standard of accommodation was praised by most visitors, exceeding expectations for two-fifths

42% said the standard of accommodation exceeded their expectations

53% said the standard of accommodation met their expectations

5% said the standard of accommodation was below their expectations

• Glamping (63%)

• Airbnb (53%)

• Camping (51%)

• 16-34s (56%)

Reasons expectations not met Base: 71

Below expected standard given price 17%

Not clean 17%

Facilities needed upgrading 14%

Poor customer service / unfriendly 10%

Food was poor 10%

Not as advertised 8%

Something else 7%

Highest for

• those staying in hotels (8%)

• 55-64s (8%)

Accommodation Expectations vs Experience

Q23 Did the quality of the accommodation you stayed in meet your expectations? Base: S2 All who didn’t only stay in second home or with friends / family (2731)

112

Mean

Half of visitors gave a 9 or 10/10 rating for the service provided by accommodation staff; staff knowledge about the local area was also praised

11% 1% 0% 0% 2% 4% 5% 11% 17% 18%31%

24%0% 0% 1% 1% 5% 5% 9% 13% 15%

27%

Accommodation Ratings (1)

Top 2 box

8.3

Service provided by staff - accommodation

Knowledge of staff about things to do in local area - accommodation

49%

42%

1 10

1 10

8.3

Q25 Thinking about the accommodation you stayed in in Scotland as a whole overall how satisfied were you with:Base: S2 All who didn’t only stay in second home or with friends / family (2731)

N/A

N/A

Long haul visitors give highest top 2 box scores for accommodation staff

(service 54%; knowledge 52%)

113

Mean

Ratings for the value for money of accommodation are reasonably high, however mean scores for free WiFi are lower

2% 1% 1% 1% 3% 6% 7% 16% 22% 14%28%

12% 4% 2% 2% 3% 7% 7% 10% 12% 12%28%


Top 2 box

7.5

Value for money - accommodation

Availability of free WiFi - accommodation

42%

40%

1 10

1 10

8.0

Q25 Thinking about the accommodation you stayed in in Scotland as a whole overall how satisfied were you with:Base: S2 All who didn’t only stay in second home or with friends / family (2731)

N/A

N/A

Scot residents give highest top 2 box scores for value for money (49%)

Long haul visitors give highest top 2 box scores for availability of free WiFi (54%)

114


Service provided by staff (49%)

Static caravan (56%)

B&B/Guest House (55%)

Staff knowledge about things to do in local area (42%)

B&B/Guest House (51%)

Hostel (50%)

Airbnb (49%)

Glamping (49%)

Value for money –accommodation

(42%)

Static caravan (59%)

Glamping (53%)

Availability of free WiFi (40%)

Airbnb (54%)

Ratings were highest for those staying in the following types of accommodation

Base: S2 All who didn’t only stay in second home or with friends / family (2731)

Top 2 Box Scores (9 or 10 out of 10)

118

13%

9%

No, 78%• Long Haul visitors (19%) and over 35s were

most likely to leave reviews on tripadvisor

• Long Haul and European visitors left reviews on other sites (16%, 17%)

• Domestic visitors and 16-24s were least likely to leave any reviews.

A fifth posted reviews about their accommodation - most likely to be those at either end of the satisfaction spectrum

Posting Reviews

Q24 Did you leave any reviews about the accommodation you stayed in in Scotland on TripAdvisor or another review site?Base: S2 All who didn’t only stay in second home or with friends / family (2731);

Those whose expectations were exceeded (27%) or not met (28%) were most likely to leave reviews

120

9%2%3%

8%10%11%

18%18%

20%27%28%

31%33%33%34%

46%

None of these

Other search engine

Apps

Social media



Other websites




VisitScotland.com



VIC

Google

Talking with locals

In person advice the preferred approach for visitors to gain information on what to see and do, with local people playing a crucial role. Younger visitors are more likely to use online sources, but not exclusively.

• Google (47%), travel guide websites (17%) and social media (14%) most popular with under 35s

• Long Haul and European visitors mention multiple sources of information

Information Sources For Things To See And Do

Q29 During your holiday or short break in Scotland, which of the following sources of information did you use to look for things to see and do? Base: S2 All (2999)

123Visitors engaged in a range of activities in Scotland with international visitors being most active

Sightseeing: 74%

Historic House/ Stately Home/ Castle: 60%

Short Walk/ Stroll: 54%

Shopping: 46%

Church/ Abbey Cathedral: 46%

Museum/ Art Gallery: 45%

Centre-based Walking: 45%

Country Park/ Garden: 43%

Cities: 42%

Beach: 38%

Long Walk/ Hike/Ramble: 38%

Visitor/ Heritage Centre: 35%

Woodland/ Forest: 31%

Architecture/ Buildings: 29%

Wildlife/ Bird Watching: 21%

• International (esp. Long Haul) and 1st

time visitors are much more active, especially for sightseeing activities

• Whilst domestic and repeat visitors are more focused on outdoors and sports

Q30 Which, if any, of the following activities did you take part in during your trip to Scotland? Base: S2 All (1608)

Activities Undertaken (1)

Top Activities

125

Activities by Market

Visitors undertook 7.6 activities on average

Scot residents

6.5

Rest of UK

7.0

European

9.1

Long Haul

10.5

• Sightseeing (67%)• Short walk/ stroll

(60%)• Shopping (46%)

• Sightseeing (72%)• Visited castle/ historic

house (58%)• Short walk/ stroll

(51%)

• Sightseeing (78%)• Visited castle/ historic

house (77%)• Visited cathedral/

church (72%)

• Visited castle/ historic house (88%)

• Sightseeing (87%)• Visited cathedral/

church (81%)

Top 3 activities

Over-Index on:

• Visited a beach (46%)• Watched wildlife

(25%)

• Visited visitor / heritage centre (38%)

• Watched wildlife (23%)

• Visited cities (70%)• Centre based walking

(65%)• Visited country park /

garden (64%)

• Visited cities (69%)• Centre based walking

(65%)• Visited country park /

garden (65%)

126

Aberdeen & Shire

Argyll & the Isles

Ayrshire & Arran

Cairngorm National

Park

Dumfries &

GallowayDundee &

AngusEdinburgh

City FifeGlasgow

City


Sightseeing by car/coach/on foot 78% 79% 72% 75% 70% 64% 77% 74% 71% 70%

Visited a historic house, stately home, castle 66% 50% 54% 47% 48% 52% 73% 60% 54% 54%

Short walk/ stroll - up to 2 miles/ 1 hour 55% 61% 53% 57% 61% 53% 50% 56% 45% 50%

Shopping 46% 30% 39% 36% 33% 40% 46% 48% 50% 41%

Visited a country park/garden 45% 34% 40% 36% 24% 31% 42% 44% 40% 36%

Visited cities 45% 18% 14% 17% 20% 41% 54% 44% 52% 42%

Centre based walking (i.e. around town centre) 44% 32% 29% 37% 29% 45% 58% 44% 53% 38%

Visited a beach 40% 57% 62% 29% 44% 26% 21% 53% 16% 26%

Visited a cathedral, church, abbey, religious building

38% 49% 27% 25% 33% 28% 65% 65% 52% 45%

Visited a museum/art gallery 37% 33% 25% 24% 26% 41% 53% 41% 70% 43%

Long walk, hike or ramble (min. 2 miles/ 1 hour) 32% 43% 40% 51% 30% 24% 38% 48% 35% 35%

Visited a woodland/forest area 24% 37% 39% 55% 43% 26% 16% 28% 12% 28%

Viewed architecture & buildings 22% 27% 17% 25% 19% 28% 36% 31% 37% 29%

Visited a visitor/heritage centre 19% 30% 30% 26% 35% 32% 27% 32% 27% 34%

Watched wildlife, bird watching 16% 44% 30% 42% 32% 12% 9% 11% 9% 17%

Went on a guided tour - on foot, bus or other transport

12% 16% 9% 5% 5% 7% 28% 16% 21% 16%

Music/arts festival 5% 6% 5% 3% 10% 4% 24% 19% 15% 7%Visited an aquarium/zoo/safari park/nature reserve

6% 10% 5% 38% 10% 14% 8% 16% 6%6%

BASE 193 177 184 110 141 75 1052 119 389 197

Activities Undertaken in Each Region (1)

Q30 Which, if any, of the following activities did you take part in REGION?

127



Sightseeing by car/coach/on foot 81% 69% 75% 76% 72% 79% 80% 82% 79%

Visited a historic house, stately home, castle 65% 43% 73% 58% 57% 74% 65% 39% 46%

Short walk/ stroll - up to 2 miles/ 1 hour 59% 59% 53% 67% 52% 55% 62% 70% 69%

Shopping 39% 40% 46% 46% 38% 54% 36% 31% 45%

Visited a country park/garden 36% 39% 42% 40% 39% 36% 20% 24% 12%

Visited cities 42% 39% 61% 46% 33% 57% 25% 11% 12%

Centre based walking (i.e. around town centre) 41% 26% 39% 32% 31% 45% 33% 26% 35%

Visited a beach 45% 28% 44% 15% 30% 23% 64% 83% 78%

Visited a cathedral, church, abbey, religious building 50% 33% 44% 45% 53% 56% 75% 38% 41%

Visited a museum/art gallery 35% 30% 42% 29% 28% 30% 50% 42% 70%

Long walk, hike or ramble (min. 2 miles/ 1 hour) 48% 40% 39% 40% 43% 32% 55% 55% 62%

Visited a woodland/forest area 34% 53% 27% 39% 26% 35% 15% 31% 10%

Viewed architecture & buildings 30% 20% 26% 20% 26% 33% 34% 19% 17%

Visited a visitor/heritage centre 37% 35% 41% 36% 26% 41% 71% 59% 63%

Watched wildlife, bird watching 22% 21% 17% 27% 18% 19% 46% 51% 65%

Went on a guided tour - on foot, bus or other transport 18% 5% 14% 8% 10% 17% 27% 8% 19%

Music/arts festival 8% 10% 21% 14% 6% 17% 10% 15% 18%

Visited an aquarium/zoo/safari park/nature reserve 9% 23% 16% 10% 9% 16% 8% 2% 15%

BASE 972 82 84 149 125 132 208 167 134

Activities Undertaken in Each Region (2)

Q30 Which, if any, of the following activities did you take part in REGION?

129

29% viewed architecture & buildings

60% visited a historic house, stately home/castle

46% visited a cathedral, church, abbey

35% visited a heritage centre

Activities Undertaken - clusters

Innovation, Architecture

& Design

History, Heritage &

Archaeology

130

Mean

6%

7%

7%

11%

15%

20%

20%

20%

16%

13%

28%

25%

There was enough to do inthe evenings

There was enough to do in allweather conditions

N/A Disagree strongly 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Agree strongly

Activities were rated highly by visitors, with many saying they exceeded expectations and were good value. Some potential exists to increase options in all weathers.

61% of visitors said the quality of activities exceeded their expectations;

and 39% said expectations were

met

Activity Ratings

Q52 Thinking of your experience in Scotland overall, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Base: S2 All (2999)Q32 Overall did the quality of activities you experienced in Scotland meet your expectations? Base: S2 All who undertook an activity (2984)Q33 Thinking about the activities you undertook whilst in Scotland, overall how satisfied were you with… Base: S2 All who undertook an activity (2984)

8.40% 0% 1% 0% 2% 5% 15% 25% 22% 29%

Top 2 boxValue for money - activities

51%1 10

Mean

7.8

Top 2 box

38%

44% 8.2

133

8% 9% 14% 21% 17% 26%When on holiday I really like to find out

about the local foods & local dishesunique to the destination


8% said the reputation of the restaurant /

quality of food was a factor in choosing their

accommodation

Food and drink is a key component of the visitor experience; international visitors are keen to try local foods and domestic visitors cite food as a key factor in accommodation choice.

Food And Drink

7.9

Q45c To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about holidays in general? Base: S2 All (2999)

MeanTop 2 box

43%

70% of those who gave a 9 or 10 score here went on to try local food

and 55% to try local drinks during their visit to Scotland…is there an opportunity to encourage more?

134A gap exists between expectations and experience of the quality of food in Scotland, particularly for international visitors.

0%

1%

1%

1%

10%

7%

14%

26%

18%

23%

1%

1%

2%

3%

22%

8%

16%

22%

10%

16%

Extremely poor

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Extremely good

Expectation

Experience

Scots

Residents

Rest of UK

ResidentsEuropeans Long Haul

Expectation 7.8 7.4 6.0 6.6

Experience 8.3 7.9 7.3 8.1

Difference 0.5 0.5 1.3 1.5

Mean ScoreExpectation: 7.2Experience: 7.9

Quality Of Food - Expectations vs Experience

Q34 Now thinking about the quality of food in Scotland, please complete the following statements:a) Before my trip I expected the food in Scotland to be…; b) During my trip the food I experienced was generally…. Base: S2 All (2999)

136Almost all visitors dined out whilst in Scotland. International visitors were much more likely to have had all of these food and drink experiences other than picnics/BBQs.

Food & Drink Experiences

Dined out in Restaurant/

Café/ Pub: 92%

Tried Local Food: 55%

Tried Local Drinks: 46%

Night out/Visited Pubs: 35%

Had a Picnic/ BBQ: 29%

Visited a Whisky Distillery: 20%

• The vast majority of Long Haul and European visitors tried local food (81%, 72%); and local drinks (72%, 68%)

• Over half (55%) of Long Haul visitors had a night out / visited pubs

• European visitors (38%) were most likely to visit a distillery, closely followed by Long Haul visitors (35%)

• Scot residents (33%) were most likely to have a picnic or BBQ

Q35 Which of the following did you experience during your holiday / short break in Scotland? Base: S2 All (2999)

Attended a Food/Drink Event: 4%

Went on a Food or Drink Trail: 1%

137


Dined out in a restaurant, café or pub 89% 91% 93% 97% 93% 91%

Had a picnic or BBQ 33% 30% 26% 20% 24% 30%

Tried local food 45% 49% 72% 81% 65% 52%

Tried local drinks (e.g. whisky, craft beer) 36% 37% 68% 72% 59% 41%

Night out / visited pubs 29% 31% 41% 55% 41% 33%

Attended a food & drink event 3% 3% 5% 7% 5% 4%

Visited a whisky distillery 10% 15% 38% 35% 33% 16%

Went on a food or drink trail 1% 0% 2% 3% 2% 1%

None of these 5% 3% 2% 1% 2% 3%

BASE 459 875 948 717 1121 1878

Food & Drink Experiences by Market

Long haul and European visitors were most likely to experience local food and drinks and to visit whisky distilleries whilst in Scotland, as were those visiting Scotland for the first time.

Q35 Which of the following did you experience during your holiday / short break in Scotland? Base: S2 All (2999)

140Three-quarters of visitors sought information about eating out whilst in Scotland, using both offline and online sources, with personal advice playing a prominent role

25%1%

3%3%4%4%5%6%7%8%8%9%10%

13%20%

25%43%

None of these

Other search engine

Apps

Looked for quality star grading



Social media

VisitScotland.com


Other websites

VIC




Google


Talking with locals

• Long Haul visitors most likely to talk with locals (68%) and ask for advice from accommodation provider (40%)

• Younger age groups more likely to use Google, online review sites, social media & travel guide books

• Older age groups relied on personal advice from locals & accommodation; as well as room pack & leaflets

Information Sources Used To Help Choose Places To Eat Out

Q36 During your holiday or short break in Scotland, which of the following sources of information did you use to help choose places to eat out? Base: S2 All who dined out (2807)

1431 in 10 used review sites for information on places to eat out whilst in Scotland, and the same proportion subsequently posted reviews about where they had been, primarily on tripadvisor

9%

Other review site,

1%No, 90%

Eating out

Whilst 13% of 16-44s used online review sites for information on

dining out, only 7% posted reviews

Leaving Reviews For Places Ate Out

Q37 Did you leave any reviews relating to places you ate out in Scotland on TripAdvisor or another review website? Base: S2 All who dined out (2807)

• Long Haul visitors (14%) and those in 45+ age groups were most likely to post reviews (11%)

• Those who gave Top 2 box ratings for food experienced during their trip were also slightly more likely to leave reviews (12%)

145

Mean

Visitors rate availability of local produce and value for money of eating out lower than other aspects of their holiday experience

0% 0% 1% 3% 10% 11% 18% 24% 15% 18%

0% 0% 1% 3% 8% 12% 22% 26%13% 14%

Food & Drink Ratings

Top 2 box

7.5

Availability of local produce

Value for money - eating out

33%

27%

1 10

1 10

7.5

Q38 Overall how satisfied were you with the following aspects of eating out during your holiday / short break in Scotland. Base: S2 All who dined out (2807)

151

7% 7% 11% 9% 18% 10% 12% 10% 5% 10%


But digital connectivity is important. Few are not using some form of communication:

Visitors are conflicted on the desire to remain in constant touch whilst on holiday. But digital connectivity remains important regardless

The Importance Of Connectivity

“I want to be in constant touch with family, friends & current affairs whilst I'm on holiday”

MeanTop 2 box

5.615%

Q45a To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about holidays in general? Base: S2 All (2999)Q41 How satisfied were you with the following whilst in Scotland…? All who said N/A Base: S2 All (2999)

8% 22% 10%

% not using each type of communication in Scotland

Long Haul travellers are most likely to want to stay in touch - 21% score Top 2

box

1529 in 10 visitors seek information whilst in Scotland, on a range of topics. Using smartphones is the most common approach, followed by seeking in person advice

10%

12%

19%

36%

52%

68%

None of these

Telephone

Laptop/desktop

Tablet

Talking face-to-face

Smartphone

Used to find out information Type of information sought

Usage Of Devices To Find Information During Trip

Q39 During your holiday or short break in Scotland, did you use any of the following to find out information relating to your trip while you were in Scotland? Base: S2 All (2999) Q40 What type(s) of information did you look for during your trip? Base: S2 All who looked for information (2781)

Something else 2%

82%Weather reports

75%Maps / directions

62%Things to see & do in local area

55%Places to eat / drink in local area

47%What’s on in local area

12%Accommodation

27%Transport

153

16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

Smartphone (via apps, maps, internet) 83% 91% 79% 67% 56% 35%

Tablet (e.g. iPad) 20% 26% 33% 42% 45% 36%

Laptop or desktop computer 31% 22% 11% 19% 16% 20%

Telephone (to call someone) 13% 12% 11% 14% 10% 11%

Talking with someone face-to-face 56% 51% 53% 50% 55% 48%

None of these 7% 3% 7% 10% 11% 20%

BASE 309 502 482 691 646 348

Weather reports 73% 83% 84% 84% 82% 82%

Maps / travel directions 74% 84% 76% 73% 74% 72%

What’s on in local area 50% 49% 46% 47% 45% 47%

Things to see & do in local area 72% 69% 63% 63% 55% 57%

Places to eat / drink in local area 55% 61% 50% 57% 53% 49%

Accommodation 13% 18% 13% 10% 12% 6%

Transport 36% 35% 27% 24% 23% 21%


BASE 296 488 455 642 586 295

Usage Of Devices To Find Information During Trip by Age

Q39 During your holiday or short break in Scotland, did you use any of the following to find out information relating to your trip while you were in Scotland? Q40 What type(s) of information did you look for during your trip?

Highest usage of smartphones by those in younger age groups, but they do still engage in face-to-face discussions to find out information

156

Mean

8%3% 3% 5% 5% 9% 8%

14% 17%12% 16%

Satisfaction with digital connectivity is lower than all other aspects of trip

10%3% 3% 5% 6%

11% 9% 13% 14% 10%15%

22%4% 4% 5% 7% 9% 8% 11% 13% 8% 10%

Connectivity Ratings

Top 2 box

6.9

6.7

6.3

28%

25%

18%

1 10N/A

1 10N/A

1 10N/AQ41 How satisfied were you with the following whilst in Scotland…? Base: S2 All (2999)

mobile phone signal

availability of free WiFi

availability of 3G/4G

157

Connectivity Ratings by Region Stayed Overnight (1) % SCORES REPRESENT ALL WHO SCORED 9 OR 10 / 10

Aberdeen & Shire

Argyll & the Isles

Ayrshire & Arran

Cairngorm National

ParkDumfries & Galloway

Dundee & Angus

Edinburgh City Fife

Glasgow City


Mobile phone signal

29% 18% 17% 13% 21% 31% 31% 29% 38% 22%

Free WiFi 23% 25% 17% 22% 23% 18% 28% 28% 34% 25%

3G/4G coverage

17% 10% 7% 9% 16% 21% 21% 16% 28% 13%

BASE 530 363 198 254 176 185 1376 258 693 347



Mobile phone signal

16% 16% 31% 25% 12% 24% 15% 11% 14%

Free WiFi 23% 23% 24% 26% 20% 22% 24% 16% 20%

3G/4G coverage

11% 14% 17% 13% 7% 18% 6% 7% 8%

BASE 1375 284 111 381 160 379 280 219 155

Q41 How satisfied were you with the following whilst in Scotland…?

162

Mean

0% 0% 0% 1% 3% 5% 12%24% 23% 33%

VICs were highly endorsed for being welcoming, providing useful information and delivering good customer service

0% 0% 1% 0% 2% 5% 14%27% 22% 30%

0% 0% 0% 1% 3% 6% 15% 26% 19% 30%

VIC Ratings

Being made to feel welcomeTop 2 box

8.5

8.5

8.4

Availability of useful information

VIC customer service

56%

52%

49%

1 10

1 10

1 10Q43 How satisfied were you with the following aspects of the VisitScotland Information Centre? Base: S2 All who visited a VIC in Scotland (1316)

1651 in every 20 visitors had accessibility needs. Accessibility ratings high for accommodation and attractions.

Yes, 5%

No, 93%

Prefer not to

say, 2%

Accessibility needs

5% said accessibility provisions were an important consideration in

choosing their accommodation

Accessibility Ratings

Satisfaction Ratings Top 2 box

Mean

Before your holiday/short break in Scotland, how easy or difficult was it to find accommodation in Scotland that suited your accessibility needs? (Base: 39)

49% 8.2

How satisfied were you with the accessibility of the accommodation you stayed in during your stay in Scotland? (Base: 115)

51% 8.7

And how satisfied were you with the accessibility of attractionsyou visited during your stay in Scotland? (Base: 115) 44% 8.1

How satisfied were you with VisitScotland’s online information provision for accessibility needs on www.visitscotland.com? (Base: 16)

46% 7.8

Note: 1st and Last questions only asked in Yr2

166

Satisfaction with…. Top 2 box

Mean

Ease of getting around 62% 8.7

Being made to feel welcome in VIC 56% 8.5

Availability of useful information in VIC 52% 8.5

Value for money of attractions 51% 8.4

VIC customer service 49% 8.4

Service provided by staff at accommodation 49% 8.3

Knowledge of staff at accommodation about things to do in local area

42% 8.3

Value for money of accommodation 42% 8.0

Availability of free WiFi at accommodation 40% 7.5

Availability of local produce when eating out 33% 7.5

Value for money of eating out 27% 7.5

Mobile phone signal coverage 28% 6.9

Availability of free WiFi 25% 6.7

Availability of 3G / 4G 18% 6.3

Satisfaction Across The Visitor Experience

In general, satisfaction scores over 8 are excellent, between 7-

8 adequate and <7 requires attention.

Top 2 scores (9 and 10 out of a 1-10 scale) are required to

create genuine satisfaction and loyalty, otherwise customers

can be ‘indifferent’.

These results show a positive visitor experience but we should

strive to push the proportion ticking Top 2 boxes higher.

Opportunities to drive advocacy

167

• The main methods of transport to Scotland remain car and

plane but differences emerge by type of visitor and origin.

The ease of travelling around Scotland is praised and is the

area of the visitor experience which attracts the highest

satisfaction

• Popular accommodation types remain as hotels, self-

catering and B&B/guesthouses. But differences emerge

across regions and between markets. Airbnb was more

likely to be favoured by long haul visitors, under 35s and in

Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Highlands. B&Bs/guesthouse

were particularly popular with international and first time

visitors.

• Accommodation is generally praised, particularly customer

service and local knowledge and 42% stated that the

standard of accommodation exceeded their expectation.

The availability of free Wi-Fi at accommodation attracted

lower satisfaction scores. Accommodation providers should

look to provide free Wi-Fi or ensure that this facility is

highlighted to guests.

• Food & drink is an important part of the visitor experience.

A positive gap exists between the expectations and

experience of quality of food in Scotland, particularly for

international visitors, with experience being more positive

than expectation. However, Availability of local produce and

value for money of eating out are 2 areas of the visitor

experience which attract lower satisfaction scores

• A wide range of activities are undertaken in Scotland and

were highly rated by visitors, with many saying the quality

of activities exceeded their expectations and were good

value.

• More and more visitors are using digital devices to access

information during their break in Scotland (only 8% did not

use a mobile phone and only 10% did not use free Wi-Fi

connections when in the country); however, satisfaction of

mobile phone coverage, availability of free Wi-Fi and 3G/4G

are the areas which would improve the overall satisfaction

score.

• Smartphones are now used by the majority to find

information when in Scotland (still highest in the younger

age groups). However, there is still a heavy reliance by all

visitor types on talking face to face with someone to find out

information.

Glasgow city centre

During Trip – Key Takeouts

168


Post Trip

Rest and be Thankful, near Arrochar, Argyll


169Satisfaction with the overall visitor experience is high

0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 2%6%

21% 24%

46%

Note: post holiday reflection usually brings halo effect resulting in positive overall scores. New 1-10 scale helps understand more detail.

Overall Rating Of Holiday Experience

MeanTop 2 box

9.070%

1 10

Q49 Overall, how would you rate your holiday / short break experience in Scotland? Base: S2 All (2999)

81% Long Haul visitors gave

Top 2 box scores

9 or 10 scores (Top 2 Box) show genuine satisfaction and can foster loyalty. The challenge is to enhance the visitor experience for very visitor to encourage more to give the very highest scores on the satisfaction scale.

172The positive experience enjoyed by visitors results in a very strong intention to recommend Scotland as a destination

Likelihood To Recommend Scotland

9.2

Q46 Based on your experiences during this trip, how likely are you to recommend Scotland as a holiday or short break destination to friends and family? Base: S2 All (1608)

1 10

Top 2 box

75%

Mean

0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1%5%

17% 19%

56%

scale 1=extremely unlikely -> 10=extremely likely

84% Long Haul visitors gave

Top 2 box scores

Going back to the early life cycle of holiday planning, remember recommendation from friends and family plays an

important role in persuading visitors to spend a holiday in Scotland and as a source of information for planning their trip

173

Net Promoter® Score: 73

NPS® is calculated using the likelihood to recommend question, to give a headline metric.

NPS is a registered trademark of Satmetrix Systems, Inc., Bain & Company and Fred Reichheld.

*NPS® is calculated by subtracting the percentage of detractors(those giving a score of 1-6) from the percentage of promoters(those giving a score of 9-10). NPS scores range from -100 to +100

High numbers stating intention to recommend Scotland as a holiday destination translates into a very strong Net Promoter® Score

Net Promoter® Score

177

Satisfaction & Recommendation by Market

9

9

8.9

9.3

9

Scotland

Rest of UK

Europe

Rest of world

All

Satisfaction

9.2

9.2

9.1

9.4

9.2

Scotland

Rest of UK

Europe

Rest of world

All

Recommend

High levels of satisfaction and recommendation were recorded amongst all visitor types, particularly those who travelled from furthest afield

1789 in 10 visitors thought Scotland was worth visiting again. Half of Long Haul visitors felt it was one of the best breaks they had ever taken.

7%

10%

11%

12%

10%

21%

14%

6%

20%

18%

13%

11%

12%

18%

19%

23%

60%

This was one of the best holidays / shortbreaks I have ever taken

There is more to Scotland than I hadpreviously thought

Scotland is a country worth visitingmore than once


Mean

Overall Experience Ratings

9.2

7.6

7.5

Q52 Thinking of your experience in Scotland overall, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Base: S2 All (2999)

Top 2 box

78%

35%

30%

179

5%6% 15% 24% 17% 29%Scotland is a country which takes care of

its natural environment


Mean

Scotland is perceived as taking good care of its natural environment; potential to do more to encourage visitors to behave in an environmentally responsible way

Sustainability

8.2

7.5

Q52 Thinking of your experience in Scotland overall, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Base: S2 All (2999)

Top 2 box

46%

36%11% 10% 13% 18% 13% 23%I was encouraged to behave in anenvironmentally responsible way


180

2% 10% 19% 22% 43%I was made to feel really welcome


MeanScotland’s reputation for friendly people

was a motivation to visit for 15% of visitors

Visitors were clearly made to feel very welcome during their time in Scotland, and interactions with locals had a positive impact on the visitor experience

Impact Of Locals On Visitor Experience

8.8

8.2

Q52 Thinking of your experience in Scotland overall, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Base: S2 All (2999)c

Top 2 box

65%

47%6% 15% 20% 16% 31%The local people I met during my visitreally added to the holiday experience


181

11% 15% 10% 9% 7% 14% 10% 7% 6% 4%7%

Finding out more about Gaelic,as a national language of

Scotland was of interest to me/ enhanced my visit


Finding out About Gaelic

Finding out more about Gaelic was primarily of interest to international and first time visitors

Mean

4.7

Top 2 box

11%

• Long haul (21%)• European (18%)• 1st time (17%)

Q52 Thinking of your experience in Scotland overall, to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Base: S2 All (2999)c

187Visitors paint a very positive picture of their interactions with people they met during their visit to Scotland, describing them as friendly, helpful and welcoming

Words To Describe People Met In Scotland

188

Words to describe Scottish people met (excluding ‘friendly’)

189

Top 20 Words Used To Describe People Met In Scotland

Top 10 %

Friendly 51%Helpful 21%Welcoming 11%Nice 5%Warm 4%Kind 3%Open 3%Interesting 3%Happy 2%Funny 2%

11-20 %

Polite 2%Fun 2%Pleasant 2%Proud 2%Knowledgeable 2%Hospitable 2%Cheerful 1%Lovely 1%Interested 1%Chatty 1%

190Half (53%) gave a suggestion of something that would have improved their trip.

The top suggestion was a positive one = to have had more time / a longer holiday in Scotland (30%)

Key areas where improvements could be made include digital connectivity, roads & value for money

Potential Improvements

Better / more free WiFi 19%

Better/ bigger roads / better road signage 17%

Lower costs / better value for money 17%

Better 3G / 4G / mobile phone coverage 14%

Better food (variety / quality / local) 10%

Better public transport 8%

Better accommodation 6%

Longer opening hours 4%

Fewer midgies 4%

More information / maps 4%

Better customer service 4%

More to do / more activities 3%

Better currency exchange rates 3%

Better parking 2%

Less litter 2%

Something else 40%Q54 Apart from the weather, what one improvement would have enhanced your holiday/short break in Scotland? Base: 847

192

• Visitors were extremely positive about their overall

experience in Scotland with almost half giving 10/10

scores. Over half of Long Haul visitors stated that

this was ’one of the best holidays they have ever

had’. As a good experience leads to advocacy, it is

important to focus on continuing to deliver an

excellent visitor experience so that every visitor

becomes an advocate for Scotland.

• The local people that visitors interacted with really

enhanced the positive visitor experience,

particularly for overseas visitors, and were

described as friendly, helpful and welcoming. There

is a requirement to reinforce to the industry and the

wider Scottish population the importance of

personal interaction with visitors. Every resident

should be an ambassador for Scotland.

• 9 out of 10 visitors said they would recommend

Scotland as a holiday destination. However, only a

small proportion of these have actually given a post

trip review. Therefore, harnessing willingness to

recommend Scotland could drive growth, given the

importance of Word of Mouth in prompting

consideration of Scotland.

• Suggested improvements focus on digital

connectivity – phone signal, wi-fi and 3G/4G

coverage as well as roads and signage. It is

important to work with public sector partners to

highlight the importance of improvements to digital

infrastructure and roads.

• Although Scotland is considered to take good care

of its natural environment, more could be done to

encourage environmentally responsible behaviour

from visitors.

blair castle, perthshirePost Trip – Key Takeouts

blair castle, perthshire

193

Conclusions

1. Scotland’s scenery and landscape, history and culture are key motivations for all visitors; domestic visitors are particularly attracted by closeness to home and opportunity to get away from it all

2. Planning is done 3-6mths out, longer for international visitors; travel and accommodation tend to be booked separately

3. The vast majority of trip planning is done online; primarily via Google, but vs.com also features strongly; user generated content is widely used

4. Word of mouth is important – recommendation from friends / family is a key motivator; and their advice is also sought during planning phase

5. Location and value are key factors in accommodation choice, but availability of free WiFi is also important

Recommendations1. Continue to build tailored marketing messages to

specific markets with scenery, landscape, history and culture as core elements

– E.g. highlighting the fact Scotland is close to home and easy to get to, but offers real ability to get away from it all, to domestic markets

2. Need to make sure information is hitting visitors at the right time – up to a year ahead for long haul vs last minute offers for Scot residents

3. SEO is crucial. Visitors already using vs.com but potential to push this further, and to highlight opportunities for sharing via Scotland’s Community and social media channels

4. Opportunity to encourage advocacy – consider how to maximise this potential for recommendation and information.

5. Encourage and help facilitate accommodation providers to offer free WiFi in order to keep up with visitor demands, and enhance satisfaction

Conclusions – Before Trip

194

Conclusions1. Accommodation generally praised – particularly

staff service and local knowledge. Half unsure of whether their accommodation was graded.

2. Visitors undertake multiple activities while in Scotland – especially those from Long Haul destinations. Quality of activities exceed expectations and praised for value.

3. Food and drink is an important part of the visitor experience with visitors keen to try local food and drink. This is an area where satisfaction is lower and improvements could be made, specifically in terms of local produce availability and value for money.

4. In person advice is preferred by visitors seeking information whilst in Scotland. This is true regardless of the topic.

5. Digital connectivity remains an area of lower satisfaction for visitors with mobile phone signal, availability of 3G/4G and free WiFi falling below expectations.

Recommendations1. Accommodation providers should be praised for

positive contribution to visitor satisfaction and encouraged to maintain and further enhance performance.

2. Continue to promote breadth and quality of activities across all regions. Encourage attractions and activity providers to continue to provide good value for money.

3. Work with food & drink industry to improve availability of local produce across Scotland. Communicate lower perceived value for money of eating out and opportunity to enhance visitor satisfaction by improving these aspects.

4. Ensure all those employed in the tourism industry and in VICs understand the vital role they play in giving visitors information and advice.

5. Continue to highlight to government and tourism groups and businesses the importance of developing strong digital infrastructure across the whole of Scotland to meet visitor expectations.

Conclusions – During Trip

195

Conclusions

1. Visitors leave extremely satisfied with their holiday experience, almost half giving 10/10 scores. This translates to high likelihood to recommend Scotland as a destination.

2. Over half of Long Haul visitors say this was one of the best holidays they’ve ever had.

3. Engaging with local Scottish people definitely enhanced the visitor experience, and were described as friendly, helpful and welcoming.

4. Suggested improvements focus on digital connectivity – phone signal, WiFi, 3G/4G coverage; roads and signage; value for money and food.

5. Although Scotland is considered to take good care of its natural environment, more could be done to encourage environmentally responsible behaviour from visitors.

Recommendations1. Build on strength of positive feeling

immediately post trip by encouraging advocacy.

2. Encourage visitors to share their experiences on and offline – through engagement in VisitScotland’s online social channels and community, as well as other social channels such as Tripadvisor.

3. Ensure the public know the important role they play in making the visitor experience memorable, and encourage them to interact with visitors.

4. Communicate the key areas where improvements could be made and ensure relevant industry bodies and local and national government understand that these aspects negatively impact on visitors to Scotland.

5. Encourage all tourism businesses to promote environmental responsibility to visitors.

Conclusions – Post Trip

196

Further information

The Scotland Visitor Survey 2015 & 2016 was conducted for VisitScotland by Jump Research.

Further data and fact sheets are available via:www.visitscotland.org/research_and_statistics/visitor_research/all_markets/scotland_visitor_survey.aspx

For further information please contact:

VisitScotland, Ocean Point One, 94 Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JH [email protected] www.visitscotland.org

Disclaimer: VisitScotland has published this report in good faith to update stakeholders on its activity. VisitScotland has taken all reasonable steps to confirm the information contained in the publication is correct. However, VisitScotland does not warrant or assume any legal liability for the accuracy of any information

http://www.visitscotland.org/research_and_statistics/visitor_research/all_markets/scotland_visitor_survey.aspx

the corporate site for scotland's national tourism ......10 interviewing was conducted in all...

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