the hobbit: an unexpected...

January 2013

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey World Premiere Visitor Research

2 | The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Visitor Research | January 2013

Contents

• Background page 3

• Approach page 4

• Research Results

- Hobbit Market Attendees page 5

- Survey Questions page 6

- Respondent Profile page 19

• Economic Impact page 21

• Conclusions page 23


Background

In the build-up to the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey on 28 November Wellington City Council delivered a number of events: • A five day Hobbit-inspired Artisan Market

- Saturday 24 – Wednesday 28 November - Waitangi Park, 12 – 6pm - 19 stall holders, plus food and beverage

• Outdoor public screening of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

- Sunday 25 – Tuesday 27 November - Waitangi Park, 6 – 9pm

• Red Carpet Film Premiere - Wednesday 28 November - Courtenay Place

Crowd Count

- WCC estimate that 60,000 people were at the Hobbit Market over 5 days - The same number attended the world premiere on 28 November


Research Approach

Angus & Associates’ field staff were located at the Hobbit Market to collect: • Origin information

- Obtained from a sample of all attendees - From Wellington City, Greater Wellington, Another New Zealand Region or Overseas

• Contact details for “visitors” – from Another New Zealand Region or Overseas

- Name and email address - Sent an online survey invitation via email

• Results - 2256 Hobbit Market attendees recorded - 34% visitors to Wellington - Valid contact details provided by 590 visitors - Survey invitations distributed on Friday 30 November

- n=269 complete survey responses (46% response rate)


Where the sample of Hobbit Market attendees were from.

Hobbit Market Attendees

55%

11%

10%

24%

Wellington City

The Greater Wellington Region

Another New Zealand Region

Overseas

34% of the Hobbit Market sample were “visitors” to the Wellington region – either from another New Zealand region (10%) or overseas (24%).


Q1: Was The Hobbit premiere and related events …?

Role In Decision To Visit

19%

23%

19%

10%

29%

The only reason you decided to visit Wellington on this occasion

The main reason you decided to visit on this occasion

One of the reasons you decided to visit Wellington on this occasion

One reason you stayed longer than you might have done otherwise

Just something you decided to do since you were visiting Wellington anyway

For 42% of visitors The Hobbit world premiere was the only or main reason they decided to visit Wellington on this occasion.


Q2: Which of these did you do as part of The Hobbit premiere in Wellington?

Activities Done

99%

43%

71%

11% 5%

23%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120% Visit The Hobbit Artisan Market in Waitangi Park

View an outdoor public screening of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

Watch The Hobbit premiere red carpet event on Courtenay Place

Watch The Hobbit premiere red carpet event at a public screening

Walk The Hobbit premiere red carpet on Courtenay Place (i.e. as crew, cast or media)

Other

In addition to visiting The Hobbit artisan market, 71% of visitors watched the red carpet event on Courtenay Place and 43% viewed an outdoor screening of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.


Q3: How many nights did you stay in Wellington on this occasion?

Nights Stayed

NIGHTS STAYED ALL SURVEY RESPONDENTS (%)

None - I didn't stay overnight 6%

1 night 5%

2 nights 16%

3 nights 17%

4 nights 12%

5 nights 8%

6 nights 3%

7 nights 5%

8 nights 3%

9 nights 2%

10 nights 1%

12 nights 2%

14 nights 1%

21 nights 1%

More than 30 nights 16%

Over half (56%) of all visitors at The Hobbit market stayed in Wellington for 4 nights or less. Visitors for who the world premiere was the only or main reason for visiting Wellington stayed an average of 5.8 nights.


Q5: What was the main type of accommodation used on your recent visit to Wellington?

Accommodation

25%

1%

25%

2% 2%

25%

7%

6%

3%

1%

4%

Backpackers/ Youth Hostel

Campground/Holiday Park (tent, caravan, campervan, cabin or park motel): Hotel

Lodge

Motel

Private home with friends/family

Private rental/holiday home or timeshare

Serviced apartment

Homestay or Farmstay

Free camping (tent, cabin, campervan etc.)

Other

The majority of visitors stayed either in a backpackers/youth hostel (25%), hotel (25%) or at a private home with friends/family (25%).


Q6: Did you leave and/or arrive in Wellington on a Cruise Ship? Cruise ships were in port for four out

of the five days of The Hobbit Market

Cruise Ship Passengers

VESSEL DATE MAX. PASSENGERS

Dawn Princess 24 November 1990

Sun Princess 25 November 1990

Sea Princess 26 November 1950

Oosterdam 28 November 1848

6%

94%

Yes No

Although there were a number of cruise ships in Wellington during the week of the world premiere, only 6% of visitors at The Hobbit market identified themselves as cruise ship passengers.


Travel Group Adults & Children Q7: How many adults were in the group travelling with you on this visit to Wellington? Q8: How many children were in the group travelling with you on this visit to Wellington? An average of 6.73 adults were in survey respondents’ travelling group. Ten respondents identified that they were travelling with 100+ adults – appearing to be part of theonering.net. Removing these outliers the average number of adults per group decreased to 2.47. Only 26 children were travelling with survey respondents in total, resulting in an average of 0.10 children per group.

COMPANIONS AVERAGE NUMBER PER GROUP

Adults 6.73

Adults (removing groups of 100+) 2.47

Children 0.10


Q9: Which of the following people came to Wellington with you on this occasion?

Travel Companions

30%

1% 3% 3%

14%

48%

5%

0%

6%

1%

5% 3%

11%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60% My partner / spouse

My child / children (aged less than 5 years)

My child / children (aged between 5 and 15 years)

My child / children (aged more than 15 years)

Other members of my family (including extended family members)

A friend / friends

Work / business colleagues

Other members of a sports team / sports group

Other members of a tour party / group

Other members of an educational / school group

Other members of a social / community group

Other people

No-one, I attended by myself

Most visitors came to Wellington with their friends (48%), partner (30%) and/or other family members (14%). 11% attended the world premiere by themselves.


Q10: In which of the following ways were you involved with The Hobbit premiere and related events?

Involvement

97%

1% 1% 4%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120% As an audience /crowd member

Worked on The Hobbit as cast, crew or film executive

Provided manual labour

Provided sponsorship or grant

Assisted with ticketing

Assisted with security

Assisted with crowd direction / control

Worked in food / beverage sales

Worked in merchandise sales

Assisted with advertising / promotion

As another exhibitor, retailer or stallholder

Other

The majority of Hobbit market visitors were involved in the world premiere as an audience or crowd member (97%).


Q11: Overall, how satisfied were you with your experience in Wellington for The Hobbit premiere and related events?

Satisfaction

SATISFACTION THE HOBBIT PREMIERE GETSMART BENCHMARK

10 (Extremely Satisfied) 26% 21%

9 33% 30%

8 21% 23%

7 7% 12%

6 4% 6%

5 4% 3%

4 2% 2%

3 1% 2%

2 0% 0%

1 (Extremely Dissatisfied) 1% 1%

OVERALL SATISFACTION 8.3 8.1

Visitors were generally satisfied with their experience in Wellington for The Hobbit world premiere and related events, with 80% rating their satisfaction as 8/10 or above.


Q12: What, if anything, did you enjoy most about The Hobbit premiere and related events?

Most Enjoyed

Visitors mostly enjoyed the red carpet experience and the opportunity to see The Hobbit film stars. They also appreciated the overall atmosphere created in Wellington for the world premiere as well as The Hobbit artisan market, public Lord of the Rings screenings and sculptures/decorations around the city.


Q13: And what, if anything, might have made your experience more enjoyable?

Improvements

While visitors enjoyed the market a number would have liked it to be bigger, more spread out, Hobbit-themed and have more things happening. Film stars were a major attraction and many attendees would have appreciated the opportunity to see celebrities for longer. A lot of visitors said the their experience couldn't be better – although others felt more affordable items at the market, tickets to the movie premiere, shelter from the weather and additional space when viewing the red carpet would have helped.


$90.96

$122.30

$3.28

$111.22

$57.85 $78.11

$463.63

$0.00

$50.00

$100.00

$150.00

$200.00

$250.00

$300.00

$350.00

$400.00

$450.00

$500.00

Tickets / admission fees (including any booking fees)

Transport to / from the event(s)

Parking for the time you spent at the event(s)

Programmes/Souvenirs purchased at the event(s)

Snacks/drinks/meals purchased at the event(s)

Other items / expenses incurred at the event(s)

Total (average per person)

Q15: How much did you spend on…? – only or main reason for visiting

Expenditure at event

Average Expenditure Per Person


$281.44

$49.14

$3.34

$129.47

$32.41 $59.01

$11.01

$565.82

$0.00

$100.00

$200.00

$300.00

$400.00

$500.00

$600.00

Accommodation

Additional transport/fuel

Parking for time not spent at the event

Food/drink

Other attractions/events/activities

Other retail shopping

Other not covered above

Total (average per person)

Q17: How much did you spend on…? – only or main reason for visiting

Expenditure away from event

Average Expenditure Per Person


Gender & Age

69%

31%

Female Male

9%

46%

17%

10% 9% 7%

1%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

19 years or less 20 - 29 years 30 - 39 years 40 - 49 years

50 - 59 years 60 - 69 years 70 years or more

Visitors at The Hobbit market were skewed towards being female (69%) and aged under 30 (55%).


Origin COUNTRY SURVEY RESPONDENTS (%)

Australia 14%

Austria 1%

Canada 4%

China 1%

Denmark 1%

Finland 1%

France 1%

Germany 8%

Indonesia 1%

Ireland 1%

Italy 1%

Malaysia 1%

Netherlands 1%

New Zealand 39%

Norway 1%

Singapore 1%

Sweden 1%

Switzerland 2%

Taiwan 1%

United Kingdom 6%

United States 8%

Vietnam 1%

REGION NZ RESIDENTS (%)

Northland 1%

Auckland 40%

Waikato 8%

Bay Of Plenty 2%

Hawke's Bay 3%

Taranaki 2%

Manawatu-Wanganui 8%

Wellington 12%

Tasman 2%

Nelson 2%

Marlborough 2%

Canterbury 11%

Otago 7%

Southland 1%

A number of overseas visitors were from Australia (14%), Germany (8%), the United States (8%) and the United Kingdom (6%). 76% of all New Zealand visitors were from the North Island – with 40% from Auckland.


Economic Impact (Visitors)

Total visitor expenditure “only or main reason” for visiting – at and away from event

• 60,000 world premiere attendees (34% visitors to Wellington = 20,400 individuals) • For 42% of visitors The Hobbit world premiere was the only or main reason for visiting

AVERAGE EXPENDITURE (ONLY OR MAIN REASON FOR VISITING) PER ATTENDEE

Average expenditure at event $463.63

Average expenditure away from event $565.82

Average total expenditure $1,029.45

ATTENDEES

Total attendees 60,000

Total visitors 20,400

Total visitors “only or main reason” for visiting 8,570

TOTAL EXPENDITURE (only or main reason for visiting) $8,821,889


Economic Impact (Visitors)

Total visitor expenditure not “only or main reason for visiting”– at event

• 60,000 world premiere attendees (34% visitors to Wellington = 20,400 individuals) • For 58% of visitors The Hobbit world premiere was not the only or main reason for visiting

• For visitors not in Wellington specifically for the world premiere expenditure is calculated at

the event only

AVERAGE EXPENDITURE (NOT ONLY OR MAIN REASON FOR VISITING) PER ATTENDEE

Average expenditure at event $174.01

ATTENDEES

Total attendees 60,000

Total visitors 20,400

Total visitors not “only or main reason” for visiting 11,830

TOTAL EXPENDITURE (not only or main reason for visiting) $2,058,663


Conclusions

Economic Impact Overall

• Results indicate that the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey had a

positive impact on the Wellington region - The premiere attracted Wellington residents and visitors – from New Zealand and overseas

- Attendees were very satisfied with their experience overall

- Direct economic contribution of $12 million to the region

ECONOMIC IMPACT

TOTAL EXPENDITURE (only or main reason for visiting) $8,821,889

TOTAL EXPENDITURE (not only or main reason for visiting) $2,058,663

TOTAL MEDIA EXPENDITURE $914,425

TOTAL (DIRECT) ECONOMIC IMPACT $11,794,995


Conclusions

• Visitors particularly enjoyed the chance to see the film’s stars on the red carpet and the general atmosphere created in Wellington during the week. The Lord of the Rings public screenings were also well received.

• Key opportunities for improvement include:

The Hobbit Artisan Market - A bigger, more themed market (stalls & activities) - Stalls to accommodate varied budgets - Work with cruise ships to attract passengers Red Carpet - Seeing celebrities for longer - Shelter from the weather (wind & sun)

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