NPWS Visitor Profiling and Segmentation Research Lawrence Franklin – Visitor Research Project Officer

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Executive summary – Segmentation Research

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55% of NSW residents have visited a local NSW national Park in the last 12 months and 35% have visited a national park more than two hours

drive from where they live

Intended visiting behaviour mirrors past behaviour although 54% of convenience visitors (those who visit local parks) aspire to visiting

more distant NSW National Parks as do some non visitors (32% locally

and 20% more distant parks)

Of the 36% who did not visit NSW National Parks in the last 12 months

54% have visited previously, at some stage

The key influence on visitation is knowledge. Knowing where to go

and what can be done there!

Heavy users of national parks acknowledge they were introduced

to the experience by someone experienced

Research Purpose

Objectives – Why we did the research

Research Objectives

To uncover a market segmentation that is insight rich, makes sense, assists operationally, in developing customer experiences and in marketing NSW National Parks

Increase knowledge of visitors in areas such as attitudes, behaviours, mindset, demographics (e.g. life stage) and channels of communication likely to be most effective

Identify and understand the key experiences of visitors (positive and negative)

Identify and understand specific emotions that are important to foster during the moments that matter most (based on how emotions play in driving commitment such as loyalty and advocacy).

Identify barriers to visiting

Triggers for those who don’t visit

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Overall approach – How we did the research

Focus groups

•Explored attitudes, behaviours and values towards NSW PWS

•By age group and life-stage; and

•By geography across NSW, ACT, SEQ and VIC

Segmentation survey

•Online survey of 890 people in NSW and the ACT to segment

•Segmentation looked at National Park behaviours, life-stage, wealth, age, gender, emotional connections, social norms and functional needs that people wanted met in National Parks

Depth interviews

•24 depth interviews with people providing and having recently used experience in National Parks

•Lasting an hour

•Across all types of experiences – social, escape, adventurers and explorers

•Design a marketing experiment

New product development

•Online survey of 2542 people

•Workshops with Testing 5 National Parks experiences

•‘Across five types of experiences – social, escape, adventurers, Aboriginal and explorers

•Including a what if ‘tool’

Exploration Validation

Segmentation – What and why? Demographics, behaviours or emotions?

Behavioural

Will/wont stay in a NP

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Emotions or feelings

NPWS segmentation

solution merges both

Demographics provide us with descriptors but no causal understanding while behaviours are outcomes of other things. While past behaviour can be a powerful predictor of future behaviour the ability to influence future behaviours will depend on how well we can connect with people on an emotional level.

For park management

Great for both For marketing and communications

Segmentation Hypotheses

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Who?

Level 3 Level 2

Base level

Life stage

4 need states (social, adventure, harmony, discovery)

Convenience vs planned

Level 4 Introduced/known vs inexperienced

Level 5 Attitudes to environment/conservation

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Relevant human needs for National Parks Covers current and potential visitors

Extroversion

Introversion

Individualism

Freedom Being self indulgent Fun and

excitement

Love and

be loved

Sense of belonging

Sense of wellbeing

Nurturing our world

Being respected

Being in control

Wisdom and knowledge

Harmony and

simplicity

Being attractive to others

Being

a leader

Expressing Myself

Feeling of security

Knowledge of destination/park (and its offer) drives the planning process

Affiliation

Tradition, doing things in a tried and tested way

1. Socialisers: Social driven/

belonging

Need for social interactions – a ‘Socialiser’ In a different environment

“Nature and children. I feel good when I see my children interacting with nature”

Functional Needs • A place and experiences that

encourage learning • Helping to establishing that

nature supports life

• Providing context to modern

life • A place to socialise with

others • To recreate and have fun

Social Values • Optimistic • Relaxed

• Down-to earth • Dedicated to others

Emotive Drivers • Looking for a sense of

belonging

• Supportive • Nurturing

Symbolic • Caring

Need for harmony and simplicity – ‘Escapers’ Balance life’s demands (counter-urbanisation); to feel different/balance

“You just realise that nature lives … it exists … and it’s OK. You wonder why you do the things you do and why you live

the way you do … it’s therapeutic …people pay for this feeling”

Functional Needs… • A place that highlights

slow pace, focus on nature and no pressures

• Provides a contrast with modern life

• Experiences that

emphasise opposite to busy, hectic, pressures

Social Values… • Helpful • Caring

• Approachable • Understanding

Emotive Drivers…. • Thoughtful

• Emotional aware

Symbolic… • Harmony

Need for nature adventure – ‘Adventurers’ Seeking adventure, freedom, fun and excitement

“It’s about that feeling of you can do anything … of freedom and excitement. It focuses you and your time out the world … all the rules you live by are set aside for a moment. Next week

is better because of it”

Functional Needs for national parks • Venues to explore • Venues to spend time with

nature

• Places to visit that provide

stories • Iconic nature • Iconic wildlife

Social Values • Energetic (Fairly)

• First to do things • Alive and living a life with

meaning

Emotive Drivers • Potency

• Independence

• Vibrancy • Experiential

Symbolic • Open/free

• Curious

Need for discovery – ‘Explorers’ A search for what matters in life; for new rules to live by

“National parks are about timelessness. They provoke us to think about the future and the past. To work out what matters . Reminds you how

little we know and how irresponsible we have been. Its about the planet but its also about me. What I do matters because it determines how I will

leave this planet when I’m gone ”

Functional Needs… • Trying new approaches • Being active • Make a big impact on

problems

• Thinking outside the

square • Gaining attention • Prepared to be criticised

Social Values… • Clever

• Wise

Emotive Drivers…. • Driven • Curious

• Ambitious • Critical thinking

Symbolic… • Not prepared to accept

the status quo

Four core segments that seek to “use” NSW National Parks in very different ways

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24%

25%

19%

23%

9% Socialisers

Escapers

Adventurers

Explorers

Non Actives (share Explorers needsbut not recently active park visitors)

The factor and cluster analysis delivered four clear need states very similar to those first suggested by the qualitative research.

Socialisers

Escapers

Adventurers

Explorers

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Needs that drive the way the four core segments seek to engage with parks

24% - Socialisers (park to play in) • Where the park is a backdrop • Or where they want to take

children to the natural world • They want low cost venues • Or venues where they can

exercise

25% - Escapers (park for peace and quiet) • Looking for nature to provide a

venue to slow the pace down, to allow them to put life in context

• Where there is no pressure • They want a venue to do arts and

are not looking to walk

32% Explorers (new place to explore) • Don’t want to go to the same place

twice • Like to do the same activity in

different places (fish, surf, etc …) • Entice me with special deals,

events and word of mouth recommendations

19% Adventurers (place for me) • They are looking for parks to

provide venues where they can do their own thing

• Be spontaneous • Be independent • Where they can be with nature • Walking is great

8 sub segments (those open/or not to an overnight stay on park)

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13%

11%

11%

14%

11%

8%

14%

17%

Socialisers, open to an overnight stay

Socialisers, not open (Daytrippers)

Escapers, open to an overnight stay

Escapers, not open (Daytrippers)

Adventurers, open to an overnight stay

Adventurers, not open (Daytrippers)

Explorers, open to an overnight stay

Explorers, not open (Daytrippers)

Experience Implications - Core segments and sub-segments

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Adventurers: 19% [Park for me]

Open to overnight Day-trippers

Implications for parks experiences

Socialisers: 24% [Park to play in]

Escapers: 25% [Place for peace]

Nee

ds

do

min

atin

g th

e se

gmen

t -

Explorers: 32% [New place to

explore]

Retired, lower education and lower interest and knowledge of national parks and importantly,

poorer. Need low cost discovery experiences that last a day or less and are easy to take part in -16%

Segments

Seeking balance and wellness activities but are also passionate about NPWS. They want nature based escape experiences that encompass adventure/

outdoor activities that can be done as couples and as young adult singles leveraging varied

accommodation – 11%

Older skew with more entrenched views of parks based on infrequent and uninspiring visits over the years. They need new balance and wellness

style activities they are convenient and non-challenging-14%

Motivated by cultural and educational experiences. Want family friendly activities (especially for under

5 year olds) – 13%

Lack knowledge and awareness of national parks – need to deliver experiences for slightly older

children (11-14 years) that really engage them and encourage parents to take them – 11%

Married/living with partner, working full time and are interested in overnight camping/bushwalks, adventure, guided tours that open up adventure

experiences – 11%

Again past experiences have been uninspiring and they visit national parks for 1-2 hours, taking very short walks mainly socialising with family/friends. Need new soft adventure experiences that inspire

– 8%

Couples and singles and families with older children; well educated and working F/T. Keen desire to visit but need reasons to get parks in the diary. Great accommodation options with associated discovery experiences are needed – 14%

How can we allocate people to segments?

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Which of the following have you undertaken in the last 12 months for leisure purposes?

Education experiences of some form' Yes

Small group heritage or cultural tours (non aboriginal) No

Aboriginal cultural experience Yes

Experiences that provided you with a sense of balance/time out/ Health/ wellnesspurposes? No

Nature appreciation No

Low cost trip just to get out of home No

Taken visitors to visit a NSW national park No

Visit a natural place just to escape technology No

Family fun experience No

Exercising to get healthy Yes

Engaging with the arts in some way No

Attend an outdoor music/culture event No

Attend an outdoor sporting event No

Staying overnight in a special location Yes

Extended walking trip No

Segment Allocation Explorer

Determine Segment Reset Scores

Our segmentation knowledge underpined the ‘experience’ enhancement research that follows

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Executive summary - Key points arising from the experience enhancement research

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Cost is important (especially for the social segment) but many are willing to pay for

experiences that deliver the right experience

Distance willing to travel, from home, is dependent on

whether it’s a day/overnight/2 or more

nights experience

There is strong interest in the boutique

accommodation: heritage houses, lighthouses, luxury

cabins etc. option

Overall, most segments showed an interest in

interacting with NP staff

Travelling with friends is the most desired company when

in a national park

Segments preferences vary for

packaged/independently arranged experiences

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Experience Enhancement (Choice Modelling) Research approach - How we did it.

5 experiments

•A separate experiment has been undertaken for each parks need state:

•Social,

•Discovery

•Escape

•Adventure and for;

•Aboriginal experience

Tailored solution for each park

•There is not an average national park offer. In fact there are over 800 Reserved areas in NSW. We need to choose a NP to test a hypothetical offer and determine what drives interest

Depending on what we offer demand alters

•The charts provide an estimate of interest for each segment for a real NSW NP with a hypothetical experience. The subsequent chart reveals which attributes drive that level of demand for that real NP and hypothetical experience

New product development tool

•The interactive tool allows any combination to be set and will provide an estimate of demand.

Exploration Validation

Precinct “X”

Infrastructure/Experience Enhancement

Experience Development: Visitor (Socialiser segment) Interest Testing

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The Base Case - Socialisers

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Base case reflects the existing fundamentally basic, often overcrowded in peak periods, make your own fun nature of the precinct. It also constitutes a good starting point for assessing impact of changed perceptions based on better infrastructure and higher value experiences for family and friends. 21% of

daytrip socialisers interested

14% of o’nighter socialisers interested

The Impact of Simple Enhancements - Socialisers

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What did we do? Provided enhanced/serviced campgrounds, ensured top quality facilities, made it a precinct for family and friends, encouraged social/short walks, promoted positive interactions with NP staff, made it a precinct people want to come back to, facilitated sharing food/relaxing, new o’night options camping 101, provided nature appreciation activities, self guided interps, enhanced the natural feel of the precinct.

44% of daytrippers interested

29% of o’nighters interested

Potential for Revenue is Real - Socialisers

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Visitors are happy to pay for an experience and fixing a reasonable price sends a strong signal about value. To underscore this point interest by day-trippers actually increases at $100. Interest by overnighters only drops by 4% at $250