Blog: International Visitor Market Research
Establishing better baseline metrics
First China Travel Trade Barometer
By Scott Johnson on 18 May 2011 - 16:33.gif)
If you want to know what is happening on travel to the U.S. from China - it's simple. You ask the key travel trade that sell and promote travel to the United States. They know their customers' needs best.
Travel Market Insights (TMI) teamed up with Ivy Alliance, NTA, and the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries to launch the first China Travel Trade Barometer.
The quarterly report provides U.S. travel industry leaders with clear insight on market shifts, needs, and competitive position for this fast growing emerging travel market.
In April 2011 the first report was released highlighting U.S. and select destination and attraction results:
- Change in bookings for first quarter 2011, compared to 2010
- Projected change in bookings for second and third quarter 2011
- Top travel products in U.S.
- U.S. product awareness levels
- Top actions required to increase bookings for U.S. destinations and attractions
- Top motivators and top deterrents for travel to U.S.
- Importance and frequency for published itineraries
- importance and frequency for custom itineraries
The trade-based survey ranks and qualifies motivators or deterrents by comparing them over time from quarter to quarter to assure industry leaders can foster motivators and address deterrents. The survey will monitor the effect of the economy in China, exchange rate, quality of service, visa processing, natural disasters, price competition, pandemics, the global economy, accommodation rates, travel safety, and etc., on travel to the United States.
The trade-based results allow specific destinations and attractions to measure and monitor the change in product awareness. And also measure and monitor the intent to sell those products.
The trade-based results highlight the level of awareness and change over time for parks, compared to beaches, ski areas, golf, amusement parks, casinos, etc. Or first class accommodations compared tobudget accommodations (over 20 comparisons in all).
The trade also provide insight on the U.S.'s competitive position compared to other top destinations.
BACKGROUD AND SOURCE:
The programs strength is based on the actual change in bookings for top trade selling and promotingtravel to the United States. After all, if you want to know what is happening on travel to the U.S. from China - it's simple. You ask the key travel trade that sell and promote travel to the United States. They know their customers' needs best.
Travel Market Insights (www.travelmi.com) conducts the China, Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom,Japan, and Germany Travel Trade Barometer programs. The U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, is a sponsor and was the initial developer of the barometer program. The Barometer program is conducted with support from the U.S. Commercial Service and various Visit USA Committees and additional sponsors.
The Travel Trade Barometer survey is conducted on a quarterly basis in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and the People's Republic of China and is available through subscription. Discussions with industry partners to add Brazil are in progress. For more information, please contact Scott C. Johnson at Travel Market Insights on 518-668-2559, at scott@travelmi.com; or by visiting www.travel-barometer.com.