Report of Findings October 2017. Pete Clearwater...O. VERVIEW & M. ETHODOLOGY. This report presents interim monthly findings of a comprehensive visitor profile development study conducted

Research prepared for Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater by Destination Analysts, Inc.

Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater2017/18 VISITOR PROFILE

Report of FindingsOctober 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview & Methodology

Visitor Trip Details

Travel Planning and Satisfaction Metrics

Demographic Profile

Point of Origin

3

6

19

23

25

Page 3

OVERVIEW & METHODOLOGY

This report presents interim monthly findings of a comprehensive visitor profile

development study conducted by Destination Analysts, Inc. on behalf of Visit St.

Petersburg/Clearwater. The data presented here comes from an in-person intercept

survey of St. Pete/Clearwater area visitors at locations throughout the destination. To be

considered a visitor respondents had to reside outside of Pinellas County.

This preliminary report presents the top-line survey data collected from these surveys in

October 2017, the first month that Destination Analysts facilitated this research. Note

that data presented in this interim report is unweighted. Once more data has been

collected, we will develop appropriate weighting techniques so the final statistics

emerging from the project will accurately reflect the overall population of St.

Pete/Clearwater area visitors.

In total, 457 completed surveys from Pinellas County visitors were collected.

Page 4

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The overarching goal of this survey-based research is to create in-depth profiles of

Pinellas County visitors, including:

• Detailed trip characteristics (i.e. tripographic information like the reason for visiting

the area, length of stay, place of stay, etc.)

• Travel party composition

• Activities & attractions visited in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area

• Evaluation of St. Petersburg/Clearwater brand attributes

• Detailed visitor spending estimates

• Travel planning resources used by St. Petersburg/Clearwater area visitors

• Visitor satisfaction

• Visitor demographics

Destination Analysts’ research staff interviewing visitor at PIE airport

Page 5

VISITOR INTERCEPT OVERVIEW

Destination Analysts’ survey team worked at locations around the St.

Petersburg/Clearwater area to randomly select and interview visitors. The

questionnaire was administered to persons residing outside Pinellas County at the

following locations and events:

Clearwater Beach

Clearwater Jazz Holiday

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

John’s Pass Seafood Festival

John's Pass Village & Boardwalk

Sandpearl Resort

St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport

The Dali Museum

Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach

Destination Analysts’ research staff interviewing visitors at Johns Pass Village

Page 6

VISITOR TRIP DETAILS

Page 7

Chart: Primary Reason for Visit Chart: Type of Lodging

In October 2017, nearly seven-in-ten St. Pete/Clearwater area visitors surveyed came to the destination primarily for leisure purposes (69.1%). More than half of these visitors characterized the purpose of their trip as a “vacation” (53.7%)

Primary Reason for Visit / Lodging Type

Half of visitors surveyed in October 2017 stayed overnight in a St. Pete/ Clearwater area hotel, resort or motel during their trip (51.4%). In total, 15.1 percent reported staying in a condo or vacation home in the area. Less than 1 percent stayed in a home share rental.

0.2%0.2%0.4%

2.0%3.8%4.2%4.5%5.1%

10.5%15.4%

53.7%

0% 20% 40% 60%

On a cruiseGovernment

Attend sports eventConference/tradeshow

BusinessWedding

Attend special event or concertOther personal reasons

Visit friends or familyWeekend getaway

Vacation

16.6%2.2%

0.4%1.1%0.2%1.3%

7.9%0.4%

15.1%0.4%0.7%2.2%

51.4%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Regional Resident Day tripJust passing through

Other lodging outside SPCRV/Trailer park

CampgroundPrivate residence outside SPC

Private residence in SPCCondo/vacation home outside SPC

Condo/vacation home in SPCHome share rental outside SPC

Home share rental in SPCHotel, resort, motel outside SPC

Hotel, resort, motel in SPC

Question: What is your primary reason for visiting the St. Pete/Clearwater Area? (Select one)Base: All Respondents. 449 responses.

Question: Where are you staying overnight on this trip to the St. Pete/Clearwater area? (Select one) Base: All Respondents. 457 responses.

Page 8

Chart: Days in Market Chart: Nights in Market

Question: How many total days and nights did you, or will you, stay in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area on this trip?Base: All Respondents. 405 responses.

Question: How many total days and nights did you, or will you, stay in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area on this trip? Base: All Respondents. 405 responses.

Days & Nights in St. Pete/Clearwater

12.1%

5.9%

15.3%

20.7%

10.6%

6.7%

10.9%

5.2%

0.7%

11.9%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 or more

4.8%6.4%

17.1%20.3%

11.5%9.1%

11.5%6.7%

0.5%2.7%

9.6%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

0123456789

10 or more

Mean Days = 6.0Mean Nights = 5.3

On average, October visitors surveyed stayed 6.0 days and 5.3 nights in the St. Pete/Clearwater area on their trip.

Page 9

0.2%

0.2%

0.7%

2.4%

3.1%

6.6%

10.6%

30.4%

45.8%

0.2%

0.4%

0.7%

2.2%

3.7%

5.9%

29.5%

29.7%

45.5%

0% 20% 40% 60%

RV

Public bus

Tour bus

Other

Taxi or limo

Rideshare (Uber, Lyft, etc.)

Airline

Rental vehicle

Personal vehicle

ArrivalDeparture

Chart: Method of Arrival and Departure Chart: Airport of Arrival

Question: How did you arrive into the St. Pete/Clearwater area and how will you leave? (Select all that apply) Base: All Respondents. 455 responses.

Question: At which airport did you arrive into the area? (Select one)? Base: Respondents who arrived by Airline. 133 responses.

A large majority of visitors surveyed arrived and departed the area by car, using either a personal automobile (45.5%) or rental car (29.7%).

Method of Arrival & Departure / Arrival Airport

A majority of visitors who arrived into the area by airline flew into the Tampa International Airport (60.2%).

0.8%

2.3%

6.8%

30.1%

60.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Ft. Lauderdale Int’l.

Miami Int’l.

Orlando Int’l.

St. Pete-Clearwater Int’l

Tampa Int’l.

Page 10

Chart: Transportation Used In-MarketChart: Rental Vehicle Pick-Up City

Question: Which modes of transportation did you, or will you, use while in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area? (Select all that apply)Base: All Respondents. 422 responses.

Question: In which city did you rent your rental vehicle? (Select one) Base: Respondents who rented a vehicle. 128 responses.

Visitors who arrived into the St. Pete/Clearwater area by rental car primarily rented their car in nearby Tampa.

Rental Vehicle Pick-Up City / Transportation Used In-Market

Driving a personal or rental car was the most utilized form of transportation in the area amongst visitors surveyed.

0.2%1.4%

2.8%3.1%

4.5%5.9%

10.2%16.8%

37.2%46.2%

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

RVTour bus

BoatTaxi or limo

BicyclePublic bus

Free Beach RidesUber, Lyft, etc.Rental vehicle

Personal vehicle

0.8%

0.8%

2.3%

2.3%

4.7%

24.2%

64.8%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Ft. Myers

Jacksonville

Fort Lauderdale

Outside of Florida

Miami

Orlando

Tampa

Page 11

Chart: Travel Party Composition Chart: Travel Party Size

Question: Which best describes your travel group on this trip? Are you…? (Select all that apply)Base: All Respondents. 451 responses.

Question: How many people of each type are in your immediate travel party, including yourself? Base: All Respondents. 458 responses.

Just under half of visitors surveyed in October were traveling with one other person (45.9%) while 31.5 percent were traveling with their immediate family.

Travel Party Composition / Travel Party Size

The typical travel group to the St. Pete/Clearwater area was comprised of 4.9 people. In total, 27.3 percent of travel groups surveyed included children under age 18.

11.1%

3.3%

0.4%

2.7%

6.0%

31.5%

45.9%

7.1%

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

Group of Friends

Group of Couples

Tour Group

Business Associates

Extended Family

Immediate Family

Couple

Solo Mean

Male adults (18 yrs. +) 1.5

Female adults (18 yrs. +) 1.8

Male children (0 to 17 yrs.) 0.8

Female children (0 to 17 yrs.) 0.8

Average Travel Party Size 4.9

Percent with children in party 27.3%

Page 12

Chart: Important to Decision to Visit

Question: Which of the following were IMPORTANT to your decision to take this trip to St. Petersburg/Clearwater area? (Select all that apply) Base: All Respondents. 457 responses.

Important Factors to Destination Decision

0.2%0.4%0.7%1.5%2.0%3.1%3.3%3.3%3.9%3.9%4.6%5.5%

7.4%7.2%7.2%8.3%9.0%

11.8%12.7%13.3%

16.0%16.2%16.0%

20.6%21.0%

24.3%53.6%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Articles, features, reviews, etc.Advertisements for the area

Lifelong desire to visitThe area’s unique culture

GolfBreweries/Distilleries/Craft beer scene

Special event(s) and/or festival(s)The St.Pete/Clearwater area is romantic

Sports or sporting eventsFishing opportunities

Recommendation from people I knowArts & cultural offerings

Good hotel rateOutdoor recreational opportunities

Shopping opportunitiesThe area is family-friendly

Good deal on airfareEasy to get to

Attractions in the areaAppealing hotels/resorts

Friends or family in the areaRestaurants, cuisine, food scene

Scenic beautyA specific attraction

Overall ambiance & atmosphereWeather

Beaches that suit my tastes

Beaches that suit travelers’ tastes was the most common factor motivating

visitors to take a trip to the St. Pete/Clearwater area (53.6%). Beyond beaches,

respondents were also inspired to visit because of the weather (24.3%), overall

ambiance and atmosphere of the destination (21.0%) and/or to visit a specific

attraction in the area (20.6%).

(% of respondents)

Page 13

Chart: Trip Activities

Question: Which of these activities did you, or will you, participate in while in the St. Pete/Clearwater area? (Select all that apply) Base: All Respondents. 457 responses.

Trip Activities

1.3%1.3%1.3%2.2%2.6%2.2%3.1%3.1%3.3%3.5%3.5%3.5%4.4%

7.7%7.7%9.0%9.2%

13.8%17.7%

26.0%37.4%

42.0%63.5%

77.7%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Kayaking/CanoeingPaddle boarding

SailingParasailing

GolfTake a dining cruise

Jet skiingPhotography

Bird watchingAttend or participate in a sporting event

Guided tourBiking

Visit breweries and/or distilleriesShelling

Visit museumsOther boating

FishingVisit friends or family

Attend a festival or special eventBars/Nightlife

SwimmingShopping

Dining in restaurantsVisit the beach

Visitors surveyed in October 2017 most commonly went to the beach, dined in

restaurants and shopped while in the St. Pete/Clearwater area. Survey

respondents were presented with a list of activities and asked which they had

participated in during their time in the area. Of the activities tested, going to the

beach (77.7%) was the top activity visitors participated in while in the destination.

In addition, 63.5 percent of visitors surveyed reported that they dined in

restaurants and 42.0 percent shopped.

(% of respondents)

Page 14

Chart: First Time Visitors to Florida Chart: Previous Visitation to the St. Pete/Clearwater Area

Question: Is this your first visit to Florida?Base: All Respondents. 444 responses.

Question: Prior to this visit, how many times have you been to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area? Base: All Respondents. 434 responses.

Most St. Pete/Clearwater visitors surveyed had visited Florida before; just 5.2 percent were on their first visit to the state.

First-Time Visit to Florida / Previous Visitation to St. Pete/Clearwater

In total, 21.0 percent of visitors surveyed in October were first-time visitors to the St. Pete/Clearwater area.

Yes, 5.2%

No, 94.8%

First time visitors, 21.0%

1 - 10 previous visits, 47.9%

More than 10 visits, 31.1%

Page 15

Attractions Visited / Communities Visited

59.5%0.0%0.0%0.4%0.9%1.1%1.1%1.5%2.2%2.2%2.6%3.1%4.6%6.3%7.9%9.2%

20.6%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

NONE OF THESEBrooker Creek Preserve

Weedon Island PreserveHeritage Village

Tampa Bay Rays game/Tropicana FieldAdventure Island

Florida Botanical GardensCaladesi Island

Florida Aquarium in TampaKennedy Space Center

Ft. Desoto ParkOther

Tarpon SpringsBusch Gardens

Dali Art MuseumOrlando area Theme Parks

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

0.2%0.7%1.1%2.0%2.0%2.6%2.8%3.5%4.4%5.0%5.0%5.3%6.6%

15.8%16.6%

19.0%26.7%26.9%

70.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

OldsmarTierra Verde

Safety HarborPalm HarborPinellas Park

GulfportNorth Redington Beach/Redington Shores

SeminoleLargo

DunedinPass-A-Grille Beach

Tarpon SpringsIndian Shores & Indian Rocks Beach

St. PetersburgSt. Pete Beach

Treasure IslandMadeira Beach

ClearwaterClearwater Beach

Question: Which of these attractions did you (or will you) visit while on this trip? (Select all that apply) Base: All Respondents. 457 responses.

Question: Which of the following communities in the St. Pete/Clearwater area did you visit? (Show list. Select all that apply) Base: All Respondents. 457 responses.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium and Orlando area Theme Parks are the top attractions visited as part of their St. Pete/Clearwater area trip amongst respondents surveyed in October.

Of the 19 communities tested, 70.2 percent of visitors surveyed went to Clearwater

Beach. In addition, approximately a quarter of respondents also visited Clearwater

(26.9%) and/or Madeira Beach (26.7%) on their trip.

Chart: Communities VisitedChart: Attractions Visited

Page 16

Chart: Other Destinations Visited on St. Pete/Clearwater Trip

Question: Which of these other destinations did you visit while on this trip? (Show list. Select all that apply) Base: All Respondents. 457 responses.

Other Destinations Visited / Daily Spending In-Market

58.0%0.0%0.0%0.7%0.7%0.9%0.9%1.3%1.3%1.3%1.3%1.8%1.8%2.6%3.3%

6.1%13.6%

16.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

NONESebring

TallahasseeDaytona

PanhandleEverglades

Ocala/GainesvilleCrystal River

Jax/St. AugustineKennedy/Space Coast/Cocoa/Melbourne

Lakeland/Winter HavenFlorida Keys

Ft. Lauderdale/Palm BeachMiami

Ft. Myers/SW FloridaSarasota Area

Orlando/DisneyTampa

Chart: Per Day Travel Party Spending

Question: Approximately how much will you spend on each of the following while in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area? Base: All Respondents. 420 responses.

$11.53

$7.44

$13.08

$25.06

$47.86

$103.11

$132.65

$0 $50 $100 $150 $200

Other:

Car rental (in area only):

Gas, parking and local transit:

Other Entertainment & sightseeing:

Retail store purchases:

Restaurants:

Hotel/motel/inn/lodging:

Mean Party Spending = $340.74

Average people covered = 2.7Mean Spending Per Person

= $127.15

Tampa and Orlando were the top Florida destinations respondents visited as part of their St. Pete/Clearwater trip.

Visiting travel parties spent an average of $340.74 in the St. Pete/Clearwater area per trip day.

Page 17

Chart: Most Liked Aspects of St. Pete/Clearwater (Unaided) Chart: Feelings in St. Pete/Clearwater Area (Unaided)

Question: What do you like most about the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area?Base: All Respondents. 407 responses.

Question: What one word or phrase best describes how you feel in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area? Base: Respondents. 405 responses.

Most Liked Aspect / Feelings in St. Pete-Clearwater

0.2%1.0%1.2%1.5%2.0%2.2%2.5%2.7%3.4%3.9%5.2%

7.9%17.0%

49.4%

0% 20% 40% 60%

ShoppingLocation

Restaurants and BarsTourist Attractions

Family FriendlyEverything

Scenic BeautyClean

Variety of Fun ActivitiesFriendly People

Accessible & ConvenientRelaxed Yet Modern Atmosphere

Tropical ClimateThe Beaches & Ocean

0.2%0.5%0.7%0.7%1.0%2.2%3.7%

9.1%9.4%

17.0%55.3%

0% 20% 40% 60%

SafeWelcomed

Negative feelingsEntertained

RefreshedEnergized/Excited

Fine/GoodAmazing

ComfortableHappy

Calm/Relaxed

The St. Pete/Clearwater area’s beaches and tropical climate were the most liked aspects of the destination amongst visitors surveyed.

Visitors most often felt calm/relaxed and happy while they were in the destination.

Page 18

Chart: Additional Attractions or Services (Unaided)

Question: In your opinion, what services or additional attractions would most enhance your experience in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater Area?Base: All Respondents. 349 responses.

Attractions or Services that Would Enhance the Destination Experience

1.1%1.1%1.1%1.4%1.4%1.4%2.6%2.9%3.2%3.7%4.9%

7.7%64.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Better road signageMore shopping

More shaded areasMore affordable lodging options

Finish/update the pierMore beach & boardwalk rentals

Restaurant diversityLess congestion

Bars and food options on the beachMore public transportation options

Better nightlifeCheaper & more parking

It needs no improvement

A majority of visitors surveyed feel the St. Pete/Clearwater area does not need any additional attractions or services to enhance the visitor experience.

Page 19

TRAVEL PLANNINGAND SATISFACTION METRICS

Page 20

Chart: Average Time Between Decision to Visit and Arrival Chart: Resources Used before Arrival and While In Market

Question: Approximately how many days before you arrived did you make the decision to visit the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area for this trip? Base: All Respondents. 433 responses.

Question: Which of the following resources did you use to plan your trip to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area BEFORE you arrived and which did you (or do you plan to) use while IN the area for this trip? (Select all that apply.) Base: All Respondents. 457 responses.

On average, respondents made the decision to visit the St. Pete/Clearwater area 115.8 days (3.9 months) in advance of their trip.

When Decision to Visit was Made / Travel Planning Resources Used

The most utilized trip planning resource amongst visitors surveyed (both prior to arrival and in-market) was user-generated content/reviews websites.

115.8 DaysIn advance

Used Before Arrival

Used InMarket

User-generated content/Review websites, such as Yelp and TripAdvisor 32.2% 18.2%Online travel agencies (Expedia, Travelocity, etc.) 36.8% 1.8%Social Media content 8.1% 11.2%Travel guides, brochures 3.1% 11.4%Official St. Petersburg/Clearwater area tourism website, www.VisitStPeteClearwater.com 12.0% 2.2%Opinions of friends or relatives 9.6% 4.6%Official Visit St. Pete/Clearwater Destination Magazine 1.8% 2.0%Lifestyle or travel magazines 1.5% 0.7%YouTube or other online videos 1.5% 0.7%Travel agency (traditional, offline) 1.3% 0.2%Newspaper travel section 0.2% 0.9%Radio programming 0.2% 0.4%Television programming 0.2% 0.2%

Page 21

Chart: Overall Satisfaction Chart: Media Recall

Question: How satisfied are you with your experience in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area on this trip? (Select one) Base: All Respondents. 445 responses.

Question: In the last six months, have you seen, read, or heard any travel stories, advertising, or promotions for the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area? Base: All Respondents. 437 responses.

The St. Pete/Clearwater area appears to provide a highly satisfactory experience. Nearly all visitors surveyed (98.2%) said they were “satisfied” (13.0%) or “very satisfied” (85.2%) with their experience in the destination.

Experience Satisfaction / Earned & Paid Media Recall

In total, 24.5 percent of October visitors surveyed recalled reading, seeing or hearing paid or earned media for the St. Pete/Clearwater area in the past six months.

0.0%

0.2%

1.6%

13.0%

85.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Very unsatisfied

Unsatisfied

Neutral—neither satisfied nor unsatisfied

Satisfied

Very satisfiedYes, 24.5%

No, 71.6%

Maybe/Not sure, 3.9%

Page 22

Chart: Likelihood to Recommend St. Pete/Clearwater Area out of 10 Chart: Likelihood to Return

Question: How likely are you to recommend the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area as a place to visit to other travelers? Please use a 10-point scale where 1 represents “Definitely will NOT recommend” and 10 represents “Certain to recommend.” Base: All Respondents. 446 responses.

Question: How likely are you to return to the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area? Please use a 10-point scale where 1 represents “Definitely will NOT return” and 10 represents “Certain to return.”Base: All Respondents. 447 responses.

Likelihood to Recommend / Likelihood to Return

9.6/10 9.2/10

Indicative of an exceptionally satisfactory visitor experience, visitors rated their likelihood to recommend the St. Pete/Clearwater area to other travelers a 9.6 on a 10-point scale.

Further illustrating strong satisfaction with the visitor experience in the St. Pete/Clearwater area, visitors also reported a high likelihood to return to the area in the future—rating their likelihood to take another trip to the destination a 9.2 on a 10-point scale.

Page 23

DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

Page 24

The following presents the demographic profile for all respondents surveyed in October 2017.

Female – 53.9%Male – 42.8%

Mean age – 50.3

Mean household income – $90,270

EthnicityCaucasian – 80.3%

Black/African-American – 6.0%Latino/Hispanic – 5.5%

Asian/Pacific Islander – 2.4%

Married/partnered – 70.9%Has children under 18 – 19.6%

Demographic Profile

Heterosexual - 86.7%LGBTQ - 2.2%

Page 25

Chart: Country of Origin Chart: State of Origin

Question: In what country do you reside? Base: All Respondents. 458 responses.

Question: What is your zip/postal code? Base: Domestic respondents. 391 responses.

3.9%

0.2%

0.2%

0.7%

3.7%

5.9%

85.4%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Other

Mexico

France

Germany

Canada

United Kingdom

United States

Point Of Origin

2.3%2.3%2.6%2.8%2.8%3.3%4.3%5.1%5.9%6.1%7.4%

32.0%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

GeorgiaWisconsin

MissouriMichigan

TennesseeKentuckyNew York

IndianaPennsylvania

IllinoisOhio

Florida

1.8%1.8%1.8%2.1%2.4%2.7%2.7%3.3%3.3%

5.0%6.8%

16.6%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20%

Fort Myers-Cape Coral, FLNew York, NY-NJ

St. Louis, MO-ILDetroit, MI

Cincinnati, OH-KY-INColumbus, OH

Sarasota-Bradenton, FLLakeland-Winter Haven, FL

Philadelphia, PA-NJChicago, ILOrlando,FLTampa, FL

Question: What is your zip/postal code? Base: Domestic respondents. 391 responses.

Chart: MSA of Origin

In total, 14.6 percent of survey respondents were international residents with top visitation from the United Kingdom.

In total, 68.0 percent of all domestic survey respondents were out-of-state residents.

The top domestic visitor markets represented in the sample

are Tampa (16.6%), Orlando (6.8%) and Chicago (5.0%).