Tour Traveler

TOUR TRAVELER INDEX: A PROFILE OF THE GROUP TOUR CONSUMER
Davidson-Peterson Associates, Inc. 1992 - Present NTF Commissioned Research A panel of North American tour takers has been established for this study. This marks the first time research has specifically reached actual travelers known to have taken escorted group tours. The results from this study provide data and analysis that can be employed to enhance domestic tour products for consumers and to provide information that will serve the needs of the group travel industry in general. The Tour Traveler Index is an ongoing study to track trends and patterns among tour travelers.

COST
Benchmark Report (1992) - $90.00 TTI Seasonal Reports (3 per year) - $50.00/report TTI Annual Report (Annual Overview of the 3 Seasonal Reports) - $90.00 TTI Annual Subscription (includes 3 seasonal reports & an annual report) - $190.00

RESEARCH TOPICS

Benchmark (1992)

? The Tour Traveler Profile

? Current Travel Patterns

? Tour Selection & Planning

? A Look at Future Travel Plans

? Tours & Coach Amenities for the Future

Wave 1 -- 1993

? Early Payment Incentives

? Attitudes Toward Travel Today

? Trip Detail Preferences

Wave 2 -- 1993

? Reasons for Group Tour Traveling

? Advance Booking & Payment of Deposit

? Interest in Healthy Tours

? Marketing Channels

Wave 3 -- 1993

? Important Trip Components

? Importance of Group Tours (allocation of ?extra? $5,000)

? Reasons for Not Traveling1993 Annual Overview

? Summary of three seasonal

Wave 4 -- 1994

? Importance of the ?convenience

? factor ? Image of Group Tours

? Importance of Cancellation Insurance

? Effect of the Economy on Travel Plans

? Plans for Travel During 1994

Wave 5 -- 1995

? Cruising

? Gaming

Wave 6 -- 1994

? Tour Travelers

? Preferences

? Hub and Spoke Tours vs. Point-to-Point

? Overnight Group Tours Taken

? Reaction to Negative Media Coverage

1994 Annual Overview

? Summary of three seasonal waves from 1994

Wave 7 -- 1995

? Attitudes Toward Travel/Economy Today

? Membership in Group Tour Travel Organizations

? Independent Group Tours vs. Group Tours with Organizations

? Popular Types of Tours Wave 8 -- 1995 ? Group Tour Preferences

? Current Views of Mexico as a Destination

Wave 9 -- 1995

? Tour Travelers

? Views of Different Tour Features

? Hosted Tours vs. Escorted Tours

? Relationship Between Price & Book Tour Date

? Importance of Different Tour Selection Factors

? Interest in a Rail Tour ? Preference Between Different Dinner Options

? Importance of Different Hotel Amenities

Wave 10 -- 1996 ? Group Tour Travelers

? Attitudes Toward ? Travel and the Economy Today

? Booking Characteristics of Last Group Tour Taken

? Preferred Method of Payment ? Preferred Time of Researching Travel Destination

? Characteristics

Wave 11 -- 1996

? Group Tour Travelers

? Health Concerns

? The Role of Technology Among Group Tour Travelers

Wave 12 -- 1996

? Intergenerational Tours

? Single Supplement Issues

? Importance of New Clothing Purchases When Deciding

? To Book a Cruise 1997 Annual Overview

? Summary of three seasonal waves from 1994

Wave 13 -- 1997

? Travel Expenditures: Past and Future

? Importance of Group Tours

Wave 14 -- 1997

? Group Tour Travelers? Preference for

? Planned Activity Time

? Importance of Group Tours

? Interest in Activities While Visiting

? A National Park

? Group Tours Vs. Packaged Trips

Wave 15 -- 1997

? Cruising

? Mobility and the Tour Traveler

Some of the Findings...  

•  Price and cancellation protection are among the most
•  important factors tour
•  takers consider when selecting a tour.
• 
•  Group tour travelers are becoming increasingly
•  confident in the state of our economy and predict traveling
•  more in the immediate future.
•   
•  Group tour travelers are more interested in seeing or
•  learning about things in which they can put to daily use.
•   
•  Gaming is very popular among tour travelers and most
•  have visited a gaming casino.
•   
•  Tour takers prefer group tours taken with a travel club
•  or organization rather than independent group tours.
• 
•  Group tour travelers view evening activities as
•  important, specifically, dinner cruises, Broadway musicals
•  and group themed dinners.
• 
•  80% of our group travelers read the Sunday travel
•  section of the local newspaper regularly, while three
•  quarters read Modern Maturity.
•   
•  Tour takers are taking longer and higher-priced trips.
•  Overall, they have averaged three vacation trips during the
•  past five years where they traveled 2,000 miles or more one-
•  way from home. They also averaged two vacation trips where
•  they spent more than $2,000 per person during the same
•  period.
•       
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