PDA proposal tourism 2007

Funding Request to PDA

Project: Tourism Market Analysis for North Olympic Peninsula

Date: June, 2007
Lead on project: Hattie Dixon, Olympic Joint Marketing and Tourism Contractor for City of Port Townsend. 360.582.9595

Project Phase: Implementation

Funding Request: $30,000


The last research done specifically for the North Olympic Peninsula was done in February, 1995 by Dean Runyan Associates, 12 years ago. In December, 1999, the City of Port Angeles did a Visitor Conversion Study by The Gilmore Research Group. In fall of 2002, the state of Washington did a “black box” survey for Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas Visitor Profile.

A lot has changed in the last 10 years in particular Internet usage, cell phones and expendable income; how visitors get their information, how they determine where to stay and what activities to participate, and what they are spending.

The Olympic Joint Marketing Committee is requesting consideration for funding a current visitor market analysis though a professional research organization. To capture information that may be compared to the February, 1995 research for direct comparisons in travel behavior. Also to add questions that impact today’s decisions to travel and how travel information is gathered for trips to the Olympic Peninsula.

The goal is to do an exit survey during 2007 in order for the information to be shared with marketing partners and businesses for 2008 planning. The intent is to add in-kind time for actual survey taking whether it is at exit points, tourism activities and/or festivals. Questions have been developed; we are ready to hire professional service.