Visitor Profile Research · • The Gulf Shores & Orange Beach area is a year -round leisure travel...

Visitor Profile ResearchWinter 2018-19

Strategic Marketing & Research Insights LLC

Introduction

• Background• Research

Objectives• Methodology

Detailed Findings

• Travel Planning

• Trip Characteristics

• Travel Party Characteristics

• Views Toward Gulf Shores/ Orange Beach and Trip Satisfaction

Appendix

• Comparing Target Travelers to Other Travelers

• Comparing Non-Target Trips Year-Over-Year

GSOBT Winter 2018-19 Visitor Profile — Strategic Marketing & Research Insights 2

Table of Contents

IntroductionVisitor Profile Research – Winter 2018-19

3

Background

• The Gulf Shores & Orange Beach area is a year-round leisure travel destination featuring 32 miles of white-sand beaches along Alabama’s southern border to the Gulf of Mexico. The destination remains largely condo/vacation rental in terms of paid lodging inventory. But with new hotel properties rapidly coming online, there is a need to understand different audiences and behaviors for hotel users versus the more traditional visitors who stay in vacation rentals.

• Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (GSOBT) is responsible for marketing the Alabama Gulf Coast as a year-round destination, while stewarding a thoughtful, sustainable level of growth. In support of this mission, GSOBT has conducted quarterly visitor profile research for nearly 20 years. To attract and manage additional visitation to the area, it is critical to first have a thorough understanding of the current situation, and visitor profiling is a vital way to gain that understanding.

• GSOBT partners with Strategic Marketing & Research Insights (SMARInsights) to gather information from visitors to better understand the visitor experience, existing image of the area, demography and geographic origins of visitors by season. The research objectives include understanding what visitors think of the area, what drives them to visit, what their experience is in the area, trip satisfaction and characteristics, and travel planning. The methodology is largely online and is outlined in detail in the following section.

• In addition, to overcome a data deficit from 2017, SMARInsights gathered data on trips taken in 2017. The analysis reported here incorporates those trips as well.


Research ObjectivesGather information on winter visitors, determining visitor origins and demographics

Explore the motivations that drive visitation to the area, satisfaction with the experience, and additional opportunities that may exist

Profile target visitors: those who stay between one and 30 nights in paid accommodations in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, or Fort Morgan area

Gather data on other visitors (day trippers and those who stay longer than 30 days in paid or unpaid accommodations)

Compare data gathered from travelers who came to the area in 2017-18 to those who visited in 2018-19

Forward conclusions and recommendations to assist GSOBT in staying current with marketing and strategies


Methodology

• This report presents information collected through online surveys of visitors to Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, or Fort Morgan during winter 2017-18 and winter 2018-19 (December through February).

• Potential respondents were screened to ensure they were travelers to the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area and were at least 25 years of age.

• Travelers were asked about trips taken in 2017-18and 2018-19.

• Data is weighted to match the destination’s actual occupancy rates over the relevant time period.

• Rather than using geofenced travelers, the winter research confirmed visitor origin markets through mobile location data, excluding local residents and workers/commuters.

• Appendices include: 1) a discussion about November trips, as there was interest in whether it was more appropriate to include these with fall or winter; 2) Welcome Center analysis; and 3) tables of results on non-target GS/OB visits.

Number of trips represented in the data Winter 2017-18

Winter 2018-19

Target trips (stayed 1-30 nights in paid accommodations) 554 401

Non-target trips (visited but did not stay overnight, did not use paid accommodations, or stayed more than 30 nights) 363 105


Detailed FindingsVisitor Profile Research – Winter 2018-19

7

Travel Planning• Half of winter trips are planned 3 weeks to 3 months ahead of time. Year-over-year, the winter trip planning

horizon has lengthened. • There is a difference in planning horizon by lodging type, as we will see next.


10%

16%

28%25%

7%

15%

6%10%

22%

36%

17%

11%

Less than 1 week 1-2 weeks 3 weeks-1 month 2-3 months 4-6 months More than 6 months

How far in advance did you begin planning your winter trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach?

2017-18 (a) 2018-19 (b)

2017-18 n= 554 (a); 2018-19 n=401 (b); a / b indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.

Question text: How far in advance did you begin planning your trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options as shown in graph above.

a

a

bb

b

Travel Planning – Hotel vs. Condo Rental

• As we have seen in other seasons, visitors who stay in hotels are more likely to plan and book in the short term.


8%

12%

11%

27%

25%

28%

30%

20%

12%

8%

14%

5%

Condo (c)

Hotel (d)

Winter Trip Planning Horizon by Lodging Type (2018-19 data)


Vacation rental/condo n= 109 (c); Hotel/motel n=292 (d); c / d indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.

Question text: How far in advance did you begin planning your trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options as shown in graph above.

c

Travel Planning

• As with trip planning overall, half of winter lodging bookings take place 3 weeks to 3 months ahead of travel.

• These parallel time frames suggest that planning and booking happen simultaneously for many travelers.


9%

18%

26%

34%

5%9%7%

12%

25%

31%

18%

8%


How far in advance did you book your lodging in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach?

2017-18 (a) 2018-19 (b)


Question text: How far in advance did you book your lodging in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options as shown in graph above.

b a

6%

10%

10%

8%

15%

14%

13%

20%

20%

13%

15%

11%

30%

39%

3%

5%

10%

13%

13%

13%

15%

18%

20%

21%

22%

23%

31%

43%

Magazine and newspaper articles

Advertisements (magazine, online, etc.)

Alabama’s official tourism website (www.alabama.travel)

Travel blogs

Travel advice websites or apps (Expedia,AAA, etc.)

Local vacation rental company sites

Travel/visitor guide

Hotel websites

Booking websites or apps (Orbitz, Expedia,etc.)

GSOBT website

Social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)

Traveler review sites or apps (TripAdvisor,Yelp, etc.)

Family or friends

Vacation home rental booking sites(Airbnb, VRBO, etc.)

Which of the following resources did you use to plan your trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach?

2018-19 (b)

2017-18 (a)Travel Planning

• The top winter visit planning resources remain homesharing sites and family or friends.

• However, unlike what we see in other seasons, winter trips rely more on these booking sites than on family or friends.

• There has been significant growth year over year in winter visitor usage of the GSOBT website.

GSOBT Winter 2018-19 Visitor Profile — Strategic Marketing & Research Insights 112017-18 n= 554 (a); 2018-19 n=401 (b); a / b indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.

Question text: Which of the following resources did you use to plan your trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options as shown in graph. You mentioned you used a travel/visitor guide to plan your Gulf Shores/Orange Beach trip. In what format did you access the guide?

a

a

a

a

b

b

Travel Planning

• Of the 15% of winter visitors who use the visitor guide, most download the digital version.

• In both its print and digital version, the guide serves multiple purposes; 16% used the guide for two or more reasons.

• In terms of how they are using the guide, nearly half of winter visitors reviewed it before deciding to come to GS/OB, while considering places to go.

• Nearly half also reviewed the guide after choosing GS/OB as their destination, and they used it to help plan their trip.

• A fifth of winter visitors use the guide in-market as a resource.

GSOBT Winter 2018-19 Visitor Profile — Strategic Marketing & Research Insights 122017-18 n= 554 (a); 2018-19 n=401 (b); a / b indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.

Question text: Which of the following resources did you use to plan your trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options as shown in graph. You mentioned you used a travel/visitor guide to plan your Gulf Shores/Orange Beach trip. In what format did you access the guide?

Printed guide, 15%

Digital guide downloaded

from the website,

56%

Both, 29%

Visitor Guide format (2018-19 data)

48% 49%

21%

Before deciding to visitGS/OB, while

considering places to go

After deciding to visitGS/OB, to help plan your

trip

Once arrived in GS/OB,as a resource

When did visitors use the travel guide?(2018-19 data)

Travel Planning – Hotel vs. Condo Rental

• Some differences in trip planning resources by lodging type are intuitive – those who stay in vacation rentals use vacation rental sites and apps more, and those who stay in hotels use hotel sites more.

• Hotel users also rely more on booking websites or apps, as well as the visitor guide and ads. As we see in other seasons, hotel users are more likely than vacation rental stayers to visit a GS/OB Welcome Center.

• A higher share of winter visitors than fall use the Welcome Center.


47%

32%

22% 20% 19%14% 14%

10%4%

14%21%

32%27% 31%

40%

22%29%

12%

Vacation homerental booking

sites

Family orfriends

Traveler reviewsites or apps

GSOBTwebsite

Bookingwebsites or

apps

Hotelwebsites

Travel/visitorguide

Travel advicewebsites or

apps

Advertisements

Trip planning resources with biggest difference by lodging type (2018-19 data)

Condo (c) Hotel (d)

30%

47%

Condo (c) Hotel (d)

Visited the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Welcome Center (2018-19 data)


c

Question text: Which of the following resources did you use to plan your trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options as shown in graph above. Question text: Did you visit the Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Welcome Center?

Yes/No

c

c

d

c

c

c

c

Been there before, 8%

No need/already familiar, 41%

No time/not in plans, 8%

No interest/didn't want to, 8%

No reason, 9%

Didn't know/think about it, 17%

Visiting friends/family,

2%Other, 4%

Not sure, 3%

Why didn’t you visit the welcome center? (2018-19 data)

• Of those who did not visit a welcome center, the most common reason is already being familiar with the destination.

Travel Planning

Question text: Why didn’t you visit the welcome center? [coded open ended responses shown]

Trip Characteristics• Most GS/OB trips are repeat visits from those who are familiar with the

destination.

• About one in five winter visits are first-time trips to GS/OB, down from fall.


7%

7%

13%

17%

18%

27%

44%

Yes, I used to live there

Yes, I was attending a planned event(tournament, meeting, wedding, etc.)

Yes, I have family and friends there

Yes, I’ve always wanted to go there

No, I was not familiar with GulfShores/Orange Beach prior to planning

my recent trip

Yes, I go there every year

Yes, I’ve been many times and know it will deliver the vacation I want

Prior to this visit, was Gulf Shores/ Orange Beach familiar to you?

(2018-19 data)

22%

18%

2017 (a) 2018 (b)

Share of trips that are first-time visits to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach

Question text: Prior to your visit, was Gulf Shores/Orange Beach familiar to you? Response options as shown in graph above.

Trip Characteristics• The vast majority of winter target trips are vacations,

with few business or sports visitors.

• 16% of winter trips are to visit family or friends, but do not include lodging with family and friends. These target trips used paid lodging.


Question text: Why were you in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach in [MONTH FROM S1]? Response options as shown in graph above.

For a vacation where I stayed overnight, 78%

Visiting family or friends, 16%

Visiting for sports/

tournament, 2%

For business or a conference, 2%

Reason for visit

45%

27%

19%

15%

11%

7% 6%

33%

27%

15%

25%

21%

5%

13%

Yes, I’ve been many times

and know it will deliver the

vacation I want

Yes, I go thereevery year

No, I was notfamiliar with

GS/OB prior toplanning myrecent trip

Yes, I’ve always wanted to go

there

Yes, I havefamily and

friends there

Yes, I used tolive there

Yes, I wasattending a

planned event(tournament,

meeting,wedding, etc.)

Differences in Reasons for Familiarity (2018-19 data)

Condo (c) Hotel (d)



Hotel visitors are more likely than vacation rental users to be aspirational (always wanted to go there).

Question text: Prior to your visit, was Gulf Shores/Orange Beach familiar to you? Response options as shown in graph above.

c

Trip Characteristics

• The majority of winter visitors drive to GS/OB.

• Of those who flew, most flew into Pensacola. The main source markets of those who flew in winter 2018-19 are Chicago and Nashville.


Pensacola International Airport, 80% Mobile

Regional Airport, 10%

Other, 10%

Into which airport did you fly? (2018-19 data)

75% 78%

3% 0%20% 20%

2017-18 (a) 2018-19 (b)

How did you get to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach?

Airplane

Bus

Automobile

Question text: How did you get to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach for your trip? Select the one mode of transportation that you used to travel the most miles for this trip. Response options as shown in graph above. 2017-18 n= 554 (a); 2018-19 n=401 (b); a / b indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.

Question text: Into which airport did you fly? Response options as shown in graph above.

b


• Hotel stayers are more likely to fly than those who use condo/vacation rentals.


Question text: How did you get to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach for your trip? Select the one mode of transportation that you used to travel the most miles for this trip. Response options as shown in graph above. Vacation rental/condo n= 109 (c); Hotel/motel n=292 (d); c / d indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.

79%66%

0%

2%

19%30%

Condo (c) Hotel (d)

Transportation to GS/OB by lodging type (2018-19 data)

Airplane

Bus

Automobile

d

c


• Two-thirds of winter visits included a beach visit, followed by dining and relaxing.

• As in fall, about half of trips included shopping.


Winter trip participation 2017-18 2018-19Beaches 64% 66%Dining out 52% 61%b

Relaxing 49% 56%b

Shopping 41% 50%b

Sightseeing 40% 41%Swimming 27% 30%The Wharf 14% 27%b

Tanger Outlets 7% 27%b

Gulf State Park 8% 26%b

Shelling 18% 21%Visiting friends/relatives who live in the area 12% 20%b

Hiking on trails 12% 19%b

Exercise/Working out 12% 18%b

Watching wildlife 22% 17%Photography 16% 16%Family/friends reunion 18% 15%Historical sites 12% 15%Alabama’s Coastal Connection Scenic Byway 5% 15%b

Dolphin tour 11% 14%National Naval Aviation Museum 7% 14%b

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo 3% 14%b

Adventure Island 5% 13%b

Concerts and nightlife 14% 13%Bicycle riding 7% 13%b

Battleship USS Alabama 7% 12%b

Fort Morgan Historic Site 9% 12%

Cont’d. 2017-18 2018-19Festivals/special non-sports events 7% 12%Fishing 14% 11%Kayaking/Canoeing/Paddle boarding 13% 11%Dauphin Island 11% 11%Boating or sailing 8% 11%Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge 9% 10%Golfing 5% 9%b

Visiting a spa 8% 9%The Track 3% 6%b

Birdwatching 9% 6%Scuba diving/Snorkeling 7% 6%Waterville 7% 5%OWA Park 5% 5%Parasailing/Jet skiing 5% 4%Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail 3% 3%Bellingrath Gardens 5% 3%Sporting events 1% 3%Tennis 9% 3%

Question text: What attractions and activities did you visit or participate in while in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach on your trip? Response options as shown in tables above.


• As we have seen in other seasons, vacation renters are more likely than hotel stayers to feature beach visits in their winter trips.


38%

67%

54%

67%

Hotel Condo Hotel Condo

2017-18 2018-19

Beach by Lodging Type

Condo/vacation rental 2017-18 n= 100 (a); 2018-19 n=109 (b)Hotel/motel 2017-18 n= 454 (c); 2018-19 n=292 (d)a / b / c / d indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.

d

(a) (c) (b) (d)

Question text: What attractions and activities did you visit or participate in while in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach on your trip? Response chosen: beach

a


• Roughly half of winter GS/OB visits are motivated by the beach, meaning that visitors chose the destination because of this asset.

• About a third of winter visitors said the area was their choice due to the opportunity it provides for relaxation.


Top winter trip motivators 2017-18 2018-19

Beaches 46% 53%

Relaxing 31% 38%

Dining out 24% 18%

Shopping 22% 18%

Sightseeing 20% 18%

Swimming 5% 12%

Visiting friends/relatives who live in the area 5% 12%

Tanger Outlets 5% 9%

Family/friends reunion 15% 9%

Shelling 3% 9%

Question text: Which of these attractions and activities motivated you to choose Gulf Shores/Orange Beach as the destination for your trip? Select up to 5. Response options are those selected as activities/attractions participated in.


• Spending for winter trips is consistent year over year, with vacation rental/condo spending rising to meet hotel spending (versus fall, where hotel spending was higher).

• The per-person efficiency of vacation rentals is one of the appeals for larger groups.


$106 $111

2017-18 (a) 2018-19 (b)

Average Per-Person Per-Night Spending

$105 $110$110 $110

2017-18 2018-19

Per-Person Per-Night Spending by Lodging Type

Condo Hotel

(a) (c) (b) (d)


Question text: To help us better understand the economic impact of tourism, what was the approximate amount of money your travel party spent while in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach on your trip? [Category prompts] Including yourself, how many people were in your travel party? How many nights did you stay in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach during this trip? If you did not stay overnight, please enter '0'. Open-ended numeric responses.


• Visitor spending is up this year, although each spending category represents nearly the same share of spending as in 2017.


2017-18 n= 554 (a); 2018-19 n=401 (b).

Average Travel Party Expenditures per Trip – WINTER

2017-18 (a) 2018-19 (b)

Spending % of total Spending % of total

Lodging $890 45% $944 41%

Meals/food/groceries $389 20% $460 20%

Shopping $280 14% $338 15%

Recreation or entertainment $261 13% $243 11%

Transportation within Gulf Shores $94 5% $271a 12%

Other $58 3% $53 2%

TOTAL $1,972 $2,310

Average Travel Party Expenditures per Trip – WINTER

2017-18 2018-19

Vacation rental (a)

Hotel (b)

Vacation rental (c)

Hotel (d)

Lodging $955b $396 $1,022a $407

Meals/food/groceries $410b $226 $489 $260

Shopping $285 $242 $349 $257

Recreation or entertainment $268 $204 $250 $189

Transportation within Gulf Shores $91 $121 $297 $91

Other $55 $77 $50 $74

TOTAL $2,064b $1,267 $2,458 $1,278


Question text: To help us better understand the economic impact of tourism, what was the approximate amount of money your travel party spent while in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach on your trip? [Category prompts] Open-ended numeric responses.

Travel Party Characteristics

• Travel party size and length of stay are consistent year over year.

• Condo/vacation rental visitors stay longer and visit with larger travel parties than those who stay in hotels.


3.5 3.8

5.3 5.5

2017-18 2018-19

Travel party size Length of stay

3.63.1

5.5

3.63.92.9

5.7

3.8

Condo Hotel Condo Hotel

Travel party Length of stay

Trip Metrics by Lodging Type

2017-18 2018-19

(a) (c) (b) (d) (a) (c) (b) (d)


Question text: Including yourself, how many people were in your travel party? How many nights did you stay in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach during this trip? If you did not stay overnight, please enter '0'. Open-ended numeric responses.


• About 4 in 10 winter travel parties included children. The ages of the visiting children varied evenly across age groups.


58% 56%53%

Under 6 years old 6-11 years old 12-17 years old

Ages of Children (of travel parties with kids) 2018-19 data

Question text: What ages were the children in your travel party? Response options as shown in graph above. 2017-18 travel parties with kids is a small sample size (n=13), so that year is omitted.

1%

1%

36%

41%

81%

Sports team

Business associates

Adult friends/relatives

Children under 18

Spouse/Partner

Who traveled with you on this trip? (2018-19 data)


• The average age of the winter target visitor is 44.

• While many of the demographic features are similar, the most recent winter brought in higher income visitors. The share of winter visitors with household incomes over $100,000 lifted the overall income average. This could be due to economic factors preventing travel among lower income travelers, such that only higher income travelers are visiting.


Year-over-Year Demographic ProfileWINTER VISITORS 2017-18 (a) 2018-19 (b)

GenderMale 35%b 26%

Female 65% 74%a

Age Average 44 44

Marital status

Married 76% 73%

Divorced/Separated 9% 6%

Single/Never married 2% 1%

Widowed 12% 20%a

HH income Average $98,425 $132,941


Question text: Are you…? (Male, Female) What is your age? Are you currently…? (Married, Divorced/Separated, Widowed, Single/Never married) Which of the following categories best represents the total annual income for your household before taxes? (Less than $35,000, $35,000 but less than $50,000, $50,000 but less than $75,000, $75,000 but less than $100,000, $100,000 or more)

Travel Party CharacteristicsWinter demographic profile by lodging type

2017-18 2018-19Vacation

rental/condo (a) Hotel (b) Vacation rental/condo (c) Hotel (d)

GenderMale 33% 54% 24% 44%Female 67%b 46% 76% 56%

Age Average 45b 38 45 42

Marital status

Married 77% 71% 73% 70%Divorced/Separated 9% 8% 6% 8%Single/Never married 2% 3% 1% 2%Widowed 12% 18% 19% 20%

HH income Average $106,918 $97,372 $127,950a $133,320b

Education College grad+ 70% 69% 68% 67%

Occupation

Executive/upper management 10% 27% 17% 24%IT professional 12% 16% 10% 18%Educator 5% 6% 13% 6%Homemaker 7% 6% 11% 10%Student 7% 2% 2% 2%Small business owner 5% 8% 6% 4%Skilled trade/service 12% 6% 6% 12%Other 12% 14% 11% 14%Retired 25% 10% 18% 12%Not currently employed 7% 5% 2% 0%

Ethnicity

Caucasian/White 86% 80% 89%d 77%African-American/Black 7% 9% 2% 8%c

Latino/Hispanic 7% 6% 7% 12%Asian 0% 7%a 8% 8%American Indian 2% 2% 0% 0%Other 2% 1% 0% 0%


• Higher income among recent visitors is true across lodging types. A third of recent visitors have household incomes of over $100,000, compared to roughly one in five from the prior winter.




• Heat map showing source markets of winter visitors (2018-19 data).

• Note that this data is from UberMedia’s 25,000 mobile device data points. Compared to prior seasons, a higher share of winter trips come from Alabama, and beyond that source markets are fragmented.

2018-19Alabama 43%Florida 13%Louisiana 6%Mississippi 6%Georgia 3%Texas 3%Tennessee 3%Michigan 2%Illinois 2%Wisconsin 2%Missouri 2%Indiana 2%Minnesota 1%Ohio 1%Arkansas 1%Iowa 1%Kentucky 1%North Carolina 1%South Carolina 1%Oklahoma 1%

83%

85%

86%

86%

87%

89%

89%

89%

91%

91%

91%

92%

93%

93%

13%

12%

12%

12%

11%

9%

9%

9%

7%

8%

8%

6%

6%

4%

4%

3%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

2%

1%

1%

2%

1%

3%

Has a clean, unspoiled environment

Offers a good vacation value for the money

Provides warm Southern hospitality

Has a variety of dining options at several pricepoints

Is easy to get to by car

Offers plenty to see and do

Has a variety of lodging options at multiple pricepoints

Has nice weather

Has warm weather

Has beautiful beaches

Has beautiful scenery

Is a safe destination

Has a "family-friendly" atmosphere

Offers a relaxing atmosphere

Views Toward Gulf Shores/Orange Beach (2018-19)

Top 2 Box 3 Bottom 2 BoxViews Toward GS/OB & Trip Satisfaction• Ratings of GS/OB by winter visitors are very

positive, with the highest rating for the area’s relaxing and family friendly atmosphere.


Question text: Thinking now about Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, how much do you agree that each of these statements describes the area? Response options: Does not describe at all – 1, 2, 3, 4, Describes extremely well – 5

Views Toward GS/OB & Trip Satisfaction

• Likelihood to recommend GS/OB remains very high – not surprising given the high levels of agreement with the positive image attributes.

• Likelihood to recommend is high across lodging types.


73% 64%

22% 32%

5% 4%0% 0%

2017-18 (a) 2018-19 (b)

Likelihood to Recommend GS/OB

1-2

3

4

Extremely likely

How likely are you to recommend Gulf Shores/Orange Beach to your friends or family as a destination to visit for a leisure trip?Winter visitors

2017-18 Top 2 Box %

2018-19 Top 2 Box %

Vacation rental/condo 95% 96%

Hotel 91% 94%


Question text: How likely are you to recommend Gulf Shores/Orange Beach to your friends or family as a destination to visit for a leisure trip? Response options: Not at all likely– 1, 2, 3, 4, Extremely likely – 5

a

b


• The destination receives positive ratings for its quality of service.

• No winter visitors rated the area “poor,” which is consistent with other seasons.


32%40%

57%52%

11% 7%0% 1%0% 0%

2017-18 (a) 2018-19 (b)

Overall, how would you rate the quality of the service you received at stores, restaurants, attractions, and lodging

establishments in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach?

Poor

Fair

Good

Very good

Excellent

Question text: Overall, how would you rate the quality of the service you received at stores, restaurants, attractions, and lodging establishments in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options: Poor, Fair, Good, Very good, Excellent. 2017-18 n= 554 (a); 2018-19 n=401 (b); a / b indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.


• Service quality is tracked to enable GSOBT to gauge whether seasonal staffing challenges are reflected in the satisfaction metric.

• In fact, although there are no ratings of “poor” through the year, and “good” and “fair” ratings remain largely consistent, spring and summer visitors are more prone to give “excellent” service ratings than fall and winter visitors. So while fall and winter do not generate negative reviews, the experience with service is less positive.


Question text: Overall, how would you rate the quality of the service you received at stores, restaurants, attractions, and lodging establishments in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options: Poor, Fair, Good, Very good, Excellent

b

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

Spring Summer Fall Winter

Overall experience in GS/OB (2018-19 data)

Excellent

Very good

Good

Fair


• As with other measures of satisfaction, likelihood to return to the area remains high.

• Repeat visitors plan to continue visiting. Of those who say they have been many times, half are already planning a return trip. And of those who visit every year, four in ten are already planning their 2019/20 visit. Of winter visitors who have family and friends in the area, more than 10% are already planning to return.


34% 36%

54% 46%

2017 (a) 2018 (b)

Likely to Return to GS/OB in the Next Year

Very likely

Already planning atrip

Of those already planning a return trip to GS/OB (2018-19):

I’ve been many times and know it will deliver the vacation I want 56%

I go there every year 42%

I have family and friends there 11%

Question text: How likely are you to visit Gulf Shores/Orange Beach in the next year? Response options: Not at all likely, Not very likely, Somewhat likely, Very likely, Already planning a trip.2017-18 n= 554 (a); 2018-19 n=401 (b); a / b indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.

b

32% 38%13%

47%

55% 49%

41%

44%

1st timevisitor

Repeatvisitor

1st timevisitor

Repeatvisitor

2017-18 2018-19

Likelihood to visit GS/OB in the next year

Very likely

Alreadyplanning atrip

Destinations Visited

• Most visitors do not include other destinations during their GS/OB trip. More than eight in 10 winter travelers visit only GS/OB.

• Of those who did visit other places, Pensacola is the leading destination.

GSOBT Winter 2018-19 Visitor Profile — Strategic Marketing & Research Insights 35Question text: Was Gulf Shores/Orange Beach the only destination you visited on this trip? Yes/No

82% 85%

2017-18 (a) 2018-19 (b)

GS/OB was only destination visited on this trip

November Trip AnalysisVisitor Profile Research – Winter 2018-19

36

November trips look more like fall

• One of GSOBT’s goals is to track changes in visitor behavior over time. And while such behavior can be impacted by weather, both in the short-term and as weather patterns change, there is currently interest in November trips – do leisure visitors who come to GS/OB in November behave more like fall visitors or winter visitors?

• In terms of length of stay, trip spending, and activities, November trips look more like fall than winter. Based on this analysis, our recommendation would be to continue grouping November trips with fall. The caveat is that some trip behaviors are weather-dependent and as such are subject to the whims of nature.

GSOBT Winter 2018-19 Visitor Profile — Strategic Marketing & Research Insights 37Target trips: November n=136; Fall without November n=644; Winter n=955

TARGET TRIPS Fall w/o November November Winter

Length of stay (nights) 4.6 4.8 5.2

Visit spending $1,898 $1,723 $2,121

Age 47 48 44

Kids on trip 41% 44% 26%

KEY ACTIVITIES Fall w/o November November Winter

Shopping 54% 50% 44%

Tanger Outlets 27% 33% 15%

Visiting friends/relatives who live in the area 9% 7% 15%

Sightseeing 32% 28% 40%

Welcome Center Supplemental AnalysisVisitor Profile Research – Winter 2018-19

38

Welcome Center Impact

• When looking at data to find differences between respondent groups, it’s important that we keep in mind the context of what we are looking for and apply a common-sense test – what is it reasonable to believe the Welcome Center can impact?

• For example, the Welcome Center has less opportunity to impact length of stay than it does to impact what people do and where they go during their trip. Length of leisure travel is often decided ahead of time and no matter how much visitors might like to, extending a stay is not always feasible. So when we see in the data that visitors who went to a GSOBT Welcome Center on their trip stayed about the same amount of time in the destination, this is not a surprise.

• However, Welcome Center visitors participated in more activities. This makes sense, given that activities and attractions are promoted at the centers.

GSOBT Spring 2018 Visitor Profile — Strategic Marketing & Research Insights 39

Winter visitsNo

Welcome Center

Visited Welcome

Center

Length of stay 4.5 4.5

# of activities on trip 5.1 6.9

Impact on Spending

• Welcome Center winter visitors spent 14% more money in the destination, particularly on shopping.

• Again, this makes sense. While lodging decisions and length of stay are typically decided ahead of time, shopping and entertainment are often not pre-planned when visiting a place for leisure. So Welcome Centers have more opportunity to impact these metrics.


Trip spendingNo

Welcome Center

Visited Welcome

Center

Lodging $704 $515

Meals/food/groceries $354 $333

Shopping $177 $426

Recreation or entertainment $170 $280

Transportation within Gulf Shores $139 $134

Other $33 $111

Total $1,578 $1,799

In terms of trip spending, “Other” is a broad category that doesn’t tend to include the same specific items from one trip to another. Examples of spending that visitors tend to include would be medical expenses, beverages if they were purchased independent of a meal, books or magazines, auto repair, etc.

Impact on Image

• Welcome Center visitors have stronger agreement with image statements related to the GS/OB leisure product.

• Winter visitor views of GS/OB family friendliness, value, and variety of lodging options all saw a more than 10-point lift associated with Welcome Center visitation. Agreement that the destination is safe and has a pristine environment also increased with Welcome Center visitation.


46%40% 40% 42%

49% 52%

64%57% 56% 54%

60% 63%

Has a "family-friendly"

atmosphere

Offers a goodvacation value for

the money

Has a variety oflodging options at

multiple price points

Has a clean,unspoiled

environment

Has nice weather Provides warmSouthern hospitality

“Describes extremely well”

No Welcome Center Visited Welcome Center

Demographic Differences

• Some of the image differences between Welcome Center visitors and non-visitors can be explained to an extent by demographic differences.

• Those who visit the centers tend to be younger, and they are slightly more likely to have kids in their travel parties.

• This is also consistent with Welcome Center visitors being newer to GS/OB and having generally more active trips in terms of activity volume.


Demographic differencesNo

Welcome Center

Visited Welcome

Center

Age

25-35 26% 57%

36-50 27% 24%

51-65 32% 13%

66+ 15% 5%

Kids on trip 20% 27%

Impact on Experience and Intent to Return

• Winter visitors who used a Welcome Center are more likely to report an excellent overall experience in the destination. Welcome Center usage is associated with a higher likelihood to return.


32%

50%

No Welcome Center Visited WelcomeCenter

Excellent overall experience in GS/OB

30% 35%

47%52%

16%10%6% 3%

2% 1%

No Welcome Center Visited WelcomeCenter

How likely are you to visit Gulf Shores/Orange Beach in the next year?

Not at all likely

Not very likely

Somewhat likely

Very likely

Already planning atrip

AppendixVisitor Profile Research – Winter 2018-19

44

Comparing Target to Other Travelers


• Non-target trips are divided into three groups: those who visit for the day only, those who stay overnight but do not use paid lodging, and those who stay long-term (more than 30 nights).

• Sample sizes for each of these individual groups are small, since the overall non-target sample is 100. Identifying long-term visitors has been challenging, in part because those who come to the area for a month or more at a time often do not consider the stay a “leisure trip” and do not think of themselves as travelers; rather, this is their lifestyle and they live in the area part of the year. Further, while these visitors do stay long-term for part of the year, most also visit for shorter stays during other times of the year.

• Because long-term stayers are a small sample size, their data is presented as a single unit in this report.

Non-target tripsDay trip No paid lodging 30+ night

stay (e)2017-18 (a)

2018-19 (b)

2017-18 (c)

2018-19 (d)

Length of stay 0 0 4.1 3.6 35

Average # visits/year 3.8 3.6 3.3 5.8 8.9

First time trips 41% 50% 20% 14% 30%

Non-target trip type Day trip No paid lodging

2017-18 231 132

2018-19 6 69

30+ night stay 30

2017-18 target n= 554 (a); 2017-18 day trip n=231 (b); 2017-18 no paid lodging n=132 (c); 2018-19 target n=401 (d); 2018-19 day trip n=6 (e); 2018-19 no paid lodging n=69 (f); 30+ night stay n=30(g)a / b / c / d / e / f / g indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.



Began planning fall trip

2017-18 2018-19Non-target 30+ night stay (g)

Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid lodging

(c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)


(f)< 1 week before trip 10% 29%AD 31%AD 6% 33% 32%AD 10%

1-2 weeks 16% 16% 18% 10% 17% 19% 17%

3 weeks - 1 month 28% 19% 27% 22% 17% 12% 23%

2 - 3 months 24% 19% 15% 35%ABC 17% 25% 10%

4-6 months 7% 7% 3% 17%ABC 0% 12% 10%

6+ months 15%F 10% 5% 10% 17% 1% 30%BCDF

GS/OB is only destination visited on this trip


Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)


(c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)


(f)82% 82% 76% 84% 67% 80% 90%


Question text: How far in advance did you begin planning your trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options as shown in graph above.Question text: Was Gulf Shores/Orange Beach the only destination you visited on this trip? YES/NO



Resources used to plan GS/OB trip

2017-18 2018-19 Non-target 30+ night stay (g)

Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid

lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid

lodging (f)Hotel websites 20%F 19% 20% 18% 0% 4% 17%

Traveler review sites or apps (TripAdvisor, Yelp, etc.) 11% 9% 11% 23%ABCF 17% 9% 23%

Booking websites or apps (Orbitz, Expedia, etc.) 20% 14% 14% 20% 17% 13% 23%

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism website (www.gulfshores.com; www.orangebeach.com) 13% 8% 9% 21%ABC 17% 7% 33%ABCF

Travel advice websites or apps (Expedia, AAA, etc.) 15% 10% 11% 13% 17% 13% 13%

Family or friends 30% 32% 37% 31% 50% 57%ABDG 23%

Social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) 15% 13% 10% 22%C 17% 10% 13%

Vacation home rental booking sites (Airbnb, VRBO, etc.) 39%BCF 6% 12% 43%BCFG 0% 6% 17%

Travel/visitor guide 13% 10% 11% 15% 0% 3% 17%

Travel blogs 8% 7% 5% 13% 17% 7% 20%

Local vacation rental company sites 14% 6% 9% 13% 0% 3% 10%

Alabama’s official tourism website (www.alabama.travel) 10% 4% 12% 10% 0% 3% 20%

Advertisements (magazine, online, etc.) 10% 9% 11% 5% 0% 3% 7%

Magazine and newspaper articles 6% 6% 5% 3% 0% 4% 10%

Question text: Which of the following resources did you use to plan your trip to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach? Response options as shown in table.




Mode of travel to GS/OB


Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid

lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid

lodging (f)

Automobile 75% 71% 75% 77% 83% 74% 70%

Bus 3% 6%D 11%AD 0% 0% 0% 7%D

Airplane 20% 21% 11% 20%C 0% 25% 13%

Other 2%D 2% 3%D 2% 17%D 1% 10%D

Children on trip

2017-18 2018-19 Non-target 30+ night stay (g)

Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid

lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid

lodging (f)

% of trips with children 16%B 5% 7% 41%ABC 0% 34%ABC 17%

Of trips with children: 2017-18 target n=13, day trip n=2; no paid lodging n=1; 2018-19 target n=143, day trip n=4, no paid lodging n=10; 30+ night stay n=46

< 6 years old 29% 70% 43% 58%A 0% 70%A 60%

6-11 years old 45% 40% 14% 56% 0% 40% 40%

12-17 years old 57% 20% 86% 53% 0% 25% 80%

Question text: Who traveled with you on this trip? Select all that apply. Response options: Spouse/Partner, Adult friends/relatives, Children under 18 [shown], Sports team, Business associates, Other, specify.Question text: [IF CHILDREN UNDER 18 SELECTED] What ages were the children in your travel party? Response options as shown in table.

How did you get to Gulf Shores/Orange Beach for your trip? Select the one mode of transportation that you used to travel the most miles for this trip.

2017-18 target n= 554 (a); 2017-18 day trip n=231 (b); 2017-18 no paid lodging n=132 (c); 2018-19 target n=401 (d); 2018-19 day trip n=6 (e); 2018-19 no paid lodging n=69 (f); 30+ night stay n=30 (g)a / b / c / d / e / f / g indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.




Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid

lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid

lodging (f)

Travel party size 3.8 2.9 2.8 3.8 1.8 2.9 2.3

Trip spending

2017-18 2018-19 Non-target 30+ night stay

(g)Target

travelers (a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid

lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid

lodging (f)Lodging $890BCF - - $944BCF - - $1890BCF

Meals/food/groceries $389B $174 $165 $460BC $119 $220 $564

Shopping $280 $170 $124 $338BC $113 $147 $435

Recreation or entertainment $261BCF $124 $80 $243BC $14 $97 $164

Transportation within Gulf Shores $94 $74 $61 $271 $17 $35 $102

Other $58 $9 $145 $53 $4 $24 $52

TOTAL $1972BCF $636 $474 $2301BCF $266 $523 $3207BCF

Per person spending $426 $214 $216 $505 $148 $184 $41

Question text: To help us better understand the economic impact of tourism, what was the approximate amount of money your travel party spent while in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach on your trip? [Category prompts] Including yourself, how many people were in your travel party? How many nights did you stay in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach during this trip? If you did not stay overnight, please enter '0'. Open-ended numeric responses.




Demographics

2017-18 2018-19Non-target

30+ night stay (g)

Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid

lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid

lodging (f)

GenderMale 35% 37% 40%D 26% 33% 25% 47%

Female 65% 63% 60% 74%C 67% 74% 53%

Age Average 44 42 44 44 49 49B 52B

Marital status

Married 76%BC 59% 55% 73%BC 83% 71% 70%

Divorced/Separated 9% 11% 14% 6% 0% 13% 7%

Widowed 2% 3% 8%AD 1% 0% 4% 10%D

Single/Never married 12% 27%A 24% 20%A 17% 12% 13%

HH income Average $98,432 $81,020 $89,557 $132,804ABCF $80,583 $103,382 $113,850

Question text: Are you…? (Male, Female) What is your age? Are you currently…? (Married, Divorced/Separated, Widowed, Single/Never married) Which of the following categories best represents the total annual income for your household before taxes? (Less than $35,000, $35,000 but less than $50,000, $50,000 but less than $75,000, $75,000 but less than $100,000, $100,000 or more)




Top 2 Box

2017-18 2018-19 Non-target 30+ night stay

(g)Target

travelers (a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid

lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid

lodging (f)Offers a relaxing atmosphere 95%BC 75% 78% 93% B C 67% 88% 87%

Is easy to get to by car 88% B 73% 80% 87% B 50% 88% 90%

Has beautiful beaches 98% B C D E F G 75% 78% 91% B C 67% 87% 90%

Has a "family-friendly" atmosphere 92% B C 73% 77% 93% B C 83% 83% 80%

Is a safe destination 94% B C F G 74% 80% 92% B C 67% 83% 80%

Has a clean, unspoiled environment 86% B C 74% 70% 83% C 50% 78% 90%

Offers a good vacation value for the money 88% BC 69% 70% 85% BC 67% 83% 77%

Offers plenty to see and do 94% B C E F G 66% 73% 89% B C 50% 84% 73%

Has nice weather 94% B C G 76% 80% 89% B 67% 87% 77%

Provides warm Southern hospitality 90% B C 77% 72% 86% C 67% 81% 83%

Has a variety of dining options at several price points 90% B C 69% 74% 86% B C 67% 88% B 87%

Has a variety of lodging options at multiple price points 86% B C F 71% 74% 89% B C F 67% 71% 77%

Has beautiful scenery 96% B C D E G 71% 77% 91% B C 67% 88% 83%

Has warm weather 94% B C G 77% 73% 91% B C 83% 86% 73%

Question text: Thinking now about Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, how much do you agree that each of these statements describes the area? Response options: Does not describe at all – 1, 2, 3, 4, Describes extremely well – 5





Overall experience

2017-18 2018-19

Non-target 30+ night stay (g)

Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid lodging (f)

Top 2 Box Rating 94% B 55% 70% 90% B C 83% 88% B 83% B C

5 (Excellent) 42% B 28% 43% 37% 50% 49% B 20%

4 (Very good) 51% B C 27% 27% 53% B C 33% 39% 63% B C

3 (Good) 6% 36% A D F 22% A D 9% 17% 7% 13%

2 (Fair) 0% 7% A D 8% A D 1% 0% 4% A 3%

1 (Poor) 0% 2% A D 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%

Likelihood to recommend


Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid lodging (f)

Top 2 Box Rating 95% B C 70% 81% 96% B C 83% 91% B 90%

5 (Extremely likely) 72% B 44% 62% B 64% B 67% 61% 57%

4 22% 26% 19% 32%A 17% 30% 33%

3 5% 19% A D 14% A D 4% 17% 6% 10%

2 0% 6% A D 4% A D 0% 0% 3% A D 0%

1 (Not at all likely) 0% 4% A D 2% A 0% 0% 0% 0%

Question text: Thinking about your overall experience in Gulf Shores/Orange Beach during your trip, would you say it was…? Response options: Poor, Fair, Good, Very good, ExcellentQuestion text: How likely are you to recommend Gulf Shores/Orange Beach to your friends or family as a destination to visit for a leisure trip? Response options: Not at all likely– 1, 2, 3, 4, Extremely likely – 5

Comparing Target to Other TravelersLikelihood to visit again in the next year


Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)


(c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)


(f)Likely to return (top 2 box) 88% B C 64% 70% 82% B 67% 91% B C 90%

5 (Already planning a trip) 34% B 21% 25% 36% B 17% 42% B 37%

4 (Very likely) 54% 42% 45% 46% 50% 49% 53%

3 (Somewhat likely) 10% 25% A D F 20% A F 12% 33% F 3% 0%

2 (Not very likely) 2% 6% 5% 6% 0% 6% 10%

1 (Not at all likely) 0% 5% A D 5% A D 0% 0% 0% 0%


During which season(s) would you be most likely to visit (of those likely to visit)


Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)


(c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)


(f)Spring 36% 25% 50%B 40%B 67% 52%B 48%

Summer 64%DG 57% 55% 51% 33% 57% 30%

Fall 29% 29% 48%AB 37% 17% 49%A 19%

Winter 28% 20% 30% 38%AB 67% 42%B 37%

Question text: How likely are you to visit Gulf Shores/Orange Beach in the next year? Response options: Not at all likely, Not very likely, Somewhat likely, Very likely, Already planning a tripQuestion text: [IF SOMEWHAT LIKELY OR ABOVE] During which season(s) would you be most likely to visit? Select all that apply. Response options: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter




Top states of origin


Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid

lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid

lodging (f)Alabama 15%B 6% 14% 11% - 25%B D 10%

Florida 17% 26%D 23% 14% 33% 19% 10%

Georgia 5% 10% 10% 10% - 6% 7%

Illinois 3% 2% 5% 15%A B - 7% 10%

Indiana 2% 3% - 4% - 7% 7%

Kentucky 6%D 2%D 1% - - 3%D

Louisiana 7% 6% 4% 11% - 3% 3%

Michigan 5% 1% 2% 7%B - 7% 13%B

Missouri 3% 3% 2% 6% - 1% -

Mississippi 8%D 3% 4% 1% 17%D 4% -

New Jersey - - 1% - - - -

Ohio 3%D 6%D 3%D - - - -

Oklahoma 2% 1% 2% - - - -

Tennessee 6% 6% 7% 7% - - 7%

Texas 12% 16% D 20%D 8% 33% 16% 3%

Wisconsin 4% 3% - 6% - - 10%


Comparing Non-Target Trips Year-Over-Year

55

General activities (non-target trips)


Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)

Non-target No paid

lodging (c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)

Non-target No paid

lodging (f)Beaches 64%BCF 32% 35% 66%BCF 17% 44% 63%Dining out 52%BC 30% 38% 61%BC 33% 49% 53%Relaxing 49%BC 31% 34% 56%BC 50% 42% 53%Shopping 41%B 23% 27% 50%BC 50% 36% 58%B

Sightseeing 40%BCF 18% 15% 41%BCF 17% 19% 26%Swimming 27% 20% 26% 30% 0% 25% 11%Shelling 18%B 6% 11% 21%B 0% 7% 21%Visiting friends/relatives who live in the area 12% 10% 27%AB 20%AB 17% 24% 32%Hiking on trails 12% 11% 8% 19%AC 0% 8% 16%Exercise/Working out 12% 7% 17% 18%B 0% 12% 26%Watching wildlife 22%B 12% 15% 17% 17% 19% 21%Photography 16% 10% 12% 16% 0% 10% 21%Family/friends reunion 18%B 8% 18% 15% 0% 29%B 16%Historical sites 12% 11% 10% 15% 17% 14% 16%Dolphin tour 11% 8% 5% 14%C 0% 5% 11%Concerts and nightlife 9% 0% 3% 13% 0% 3% 8%Bicycle riding 7% 9% 8% 13% 33% 3% 26%F

Festivals or special events (non-sports events) 7% 5% 8% 12%B 0% 12% 21%Fishing 14% 12% 16% 11% 0% 14% 16%Kayaking/Canoeing/Paddle boarding 13%B 4% 8% 11% 0% 14% 5%Boating or sailing 8% 8% 8% 11% 0% 8% 5%Golfing 5% 5% 9% 9% 0% 2% 16%Visiting a spa 8% 5% 9% 9% 0% 8% 11%Birdwatching 9% 4% 9% 6% 0% 8% 11%Scuba diving/Snorkeling 7% 4% 5% 6% 0% 0% 5%Parasailing/Jet skiing 5% 2% 3% 4% 0% 5% 5%Tennis 9%C 4% 8% 3% 0% 2% 0%Sporting events 1% 3% 5% 3% 0% 3% 5%



Comparing Non-Target Trips Year-Over-Year


Specific attractions (non-target trips)


Target travelers

(a)

Non-target Day trip

(b)


(c)

Target travelers

(d)

Non-target Day trip

(e)


(f)The Wharf 14% 6% 11% 27%ABCF 0% 8% 32%B

Tanger Outlets 7% 7% 16% 27%ABCF 17% 10% 26%Gulf State Park 8% 6% 10% 26%ABCF 0% 8% 16%Alabama’s Coastal Connection Scenic Byway 5% 3% 8% 15%AB 0% 8% 21%National Naval Aviation Museum 7% 5% 8% 14%AB 0% 3% 21%Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo 3% 3% 5% 14%ABC 0% 5% 5%Adventure Island 5% 3% 4% 13%ABCG 0% 0% 5%Battleship USS Alabama 7% 3% 6% 12%B 0% 3% 16%Fort Morgan Historic Site 9%B 2% 8% 12%B 0% 5% 21%Dauphin Island 11%C 6% 3% 11% 0% 2% 21%Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge 9% 3% 4% 10%B 0% 2% 0%The Track 3% 2% 5% 6% 0% 3% 5%Waterville 7% 3% 5% 5% 0% 0% 5%OWA Park 5% 2% 2% 5% 0% 3% 11%Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail 3% 0% 3% 3% 0% 3% 5%Bellingrath Gardens 5% 2% 2% 3% 0% 0% 5%


2017-18 target n= 554 (a); 2017-18 day trip n=231 (b); 2017-18 no paid lodging n=132 (c); 2018-19 target n=401 (d); 2018-19-19 day trip n=6 (e); 2018-19 no paid lodging n=69 (f); 30+ night stay n=30(g)a / b / c / d / e / f / g indicate statistically significant differences at the 95% level.

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