The provision and distribution of visitor information Presented by - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The provision and distribution of visitor information Presented by Sandwalk Partners July 2015 Ideas | Strategy | Growth SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

Sandwalk is a boutique consultancy that improves and grows businesses. ABOUT SANDWALK PARTNERS The Partners have successfully managed large and medium scale businesses as CEO, § COO and CFO, delivered major transactions and been advisors to boards and management on executing improvement and growth strategies that create valiue. We work with clients to: § Identify problems and their causes - Find solutions and new opportunities - Execute and manage agreed strategies and transactions - Our experience covers a broad range of industries: § - Arts, Culture & Heritage - Entertainment - Energy - Tourism - Loyalty Marketing & Rewards - Freight - Retail - Hotels - Private Equity - Food & Beverage - Technology - Infrastructure - Brand Licensing - Call Centre - Building Materials 2 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

Each of the partners have extensive careers in successfully managing and growing businesses, executing major transactions and consistently unlocking value. THE PARTNERS David Antaw § Experienced COO, CFO and consultant with a career of proven commercial successes (Pioneer § International, Energy Australia, Sydney Opera House) CPA & Fellow of CPA Australia, has a Bachelor of Business degree and a Master of Commerce § Focus is on creating value-adding strategies and developing sustainable increases in cash flow § Andy Lown § Former Chief Executive at Tower Records, UK and consultant to a number of UK technology & § entertainment start-ups, securing funding and identifying expansion strategies Conceived & executed key commercial development strategies for major visitor/tourist precincts, § generating new and incremental revenue streams Innovative, change catalyst in commercial environments, particularly retail and e-commerce § Simon Spellicy § Significant international experience gained as MD, Senior VP and GM in roles in Asia, Europe, § Middle East and the Pacific Primary focus has been in tourism, hospitality and service industries, including 6 years as GM- § Tourism at Sydney Opera House Proven business turnaround, performance improvement and change management success in § private and public sector 3 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

Sandwalk have significant experience working in cultural, arts, tourism & commercial organisations. OUR EXPERIENCE 4 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

CONTENTS 1. Visitor information centre trend 2. Case studies 3. Learnings 4. Visitor information network model 5. Curating web content for easy engagement 5 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

NATIONAL TREND IN VIC VISITATION * *Source: Graph from “Blue Skies for Visitor Information Centres” Southern Queensland Tourism Industry Conference (2012). 6 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

WHO IS VISITING? People who attend VICs tend to be older holiday makers, § travelling as couples or families with children; 30% of holiday makers and 20% of VFR will go to a VIC § during their visit; 44% of VIC visitors are from within the state; § VIC visitors tend to be older couples or families (around 65% § are 30+; 35% 55 or older); The primary reason for visit is general information (70%) or to § collect a map (63%); Around 23% are looking for accommodation options. § *Sources: VIC research published by Destination NSW, Tourism & Events Queensland and TRA. Detailed sources are listed in the Appendix. 7 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

HOW DO THEY ENGAGE? Top three features sought: Knowledgeable, professional staff, customer service; § Unbiased and authoritative information; and § Regional displays and stories. § Use of Technology: Around 20% prefer a web or computer interface to a mobile § tablet or app; Around 20% find mobile applications too difficult to use; § Less than 10% used touch screen portals; § 97% prefer to speak to a person rather than use a portal. § Source: ”The Future of Visitor Centres in WA (2014) ”; “Blue Skies for Visitor Information Centres” (2012). 8 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

HOW DO VIC’S INFLUENCE VISITORS? 83% of those surveyed had participated in additional § activities as a result of their visit to a VIC; 72% had increased the duration of their stay; § 22% spent additional nights in the local area; § 27% stayed overnight elsewhere in the state; § Average extended overnight stays were for an additional § 2.9 nights locally and 6.1 nights overall in the state; 59% stated that additional activity resulted in additional § expenditure they hadn’t planned; Unplanned spend averaged an additional $181 per adult, § an 89% increase. 9 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

CONTENTS 1. Visitor information centre trend 2. Case studies 3. Learnings 4. Visitor information network model 5. Curating web content for easy engagement 10 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

RESEARCH Canberra and Region Visitor Centre, Canberra ACT. § Dorrigo Rainforest Centre, Dorrigo NSW; § Hunter Valley Visitor Centre; § Sea Acres Rainforest Centre, Port Macquarie NSW; § Southern Gateway Centre, Bulli Tops § Snowy Region Visitor Centre, Jindabyne NSW; § Wollongong iHub § Melbourne Visitor Centre, Federation Square; § Manchester Visitor Information Centre, Manchester; § NYCGO, New York; § Sydney Visitor Centre, The Rocks; § Tourist Information Network, Cape Town; § IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

CASE STUDY 1 – NYCGO, NEW YORK CITY “The centre is a futuristic attraction in itself and a great way to discover the nooks & crannies of NY” nycgo.com § Multiple high profile locations, flagship on 7 th Ave: - Times Square, China Town, City Hall, Macy’s Herald Square. § State- of-the-art facilities providing real time information. § Integrated, design consistent, brochure wall featuring maps, pamphlets and discount coupons. § Customised itineraries, selling tickets, tours, Broadway shows. § Multilingual Information Specialists - 11 languages. § NYC Official Visitor Guide and NYC Official Visitor Map. § Internet access for users to browse nycgo.com, member websites with exclusive visitor centre only offers. 12 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

“Choose your category, and matching destinations will be highlighted on the touch-screen tables. Save your selections to disc to create your own itinerary, print it, email it or send it to your mobile device for your own portable, personalized tour route.” Searchable, downloadable and mobile ready content at NYCGO

Multiple high profile locations, partnered and free-standing

CASE STUDY 2 - MANCHESTER “Generally visitors want to talk to a member of the team despite all the technology.” Jane Randal, Head of Visitor Economy, Visit Manchester. Key Objectives: § To truly reflect the original modern essence of Manchester; § Increased opportunity to showcase the tourism product of Manchester; § Increase the products and location spread that can be accessed by visitors… to increase economic impact; § Increase the relevance of information to that day creating interest… in what’s going on that day/evening; § Increase the ways that visitors can gain information; § Services and products relevant to locals and visitors. 15 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

Combining clean design, accessible technology and expert staff

Merchandise is fully integrated, on message and design driven

MANCHESTER continued Impact of technology: § Better visitor dispersal and less queuing; § 58% of visitors discovered new places to visit through technology; § 66% cited technology at VIC as a reason to visit again; § 70% accessed information through a member of the team; § 46% used the Surface Tables (32% independently, 14% assisted); § 27% used a computer (18%, 9%); § 13% Media Walls (10%, 3%). 18 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

CASE STUDY 3 - MELBOURNE “…Worlds best example of a centre that has invested in its staff and facilities to create an interactive and engaging delivery of information…” TTF maximising Sydney Visitor Economy Report 2013 § Location is key - central presence in Federation Square supported by prominent signage - 40% uplift in visitation. § Extensive multilingual services. § Focus is personal face-face service - no digital devices: - Their research suggests visitors use digital (web) to research pre- travel but want information face-to-face in market. § Brochure take-up increasing - brochure selection carefully curated and presented. § Developing partnerships with local businesses. 19 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM

Service is centred on expert staff, with technology adding content

CONTENTS 1. Visitor information centre trend 2. Case studies 3. Learnings 4. Visitor information network model 5. Curating web content for easy engagement 21 IDEAS. STRATEGY. GROWTH | SANDWALKPARTNERS.COM