Managing Parks for People
Objectives
• Describe resource protection vs. public use dilemma in Canada’s National Parks system
• Describe National Park system visitor use trends and implications
• Describe emerging park system product-market matching research
Parks Protection and Public Use Dilemma
• Canadian National Parks “Roots’ – Natural resource protection and tourism mandate
• Embedded ecological integrity > visitor orientation – legislation, staff, management plans, etc.
• Increasing political influence – accountability, awareness and use
• Emerging program diversity – optimum protection - public use balance
Parks Public Use Challenges
• Growing (1980s), slowing (1990s), declining (2000s) of public visitation
• Visitation constrained by shifting socio-demographic, urbanization and competitive product experience forces
• Diminished awareness and connection with publics leading to diminished budgets to protect resource integrity (National Parks)
Travel Markets and Parks Management
Globalization and Visitor Demand Competition Globalization and Visitor Demand Competition
Diversification of Visitor Types Diversification
of Visitor Types Niche/Specialty Market
Demand Niche/Specialty Market
Demand
Socio-Cultural and
Environmental Pressures
Socio-Cultural and
Environmental Pressures
Segment-based Visitor Development Segment-based Visitor Development
Policy Development
Policy Development
Communication Communication Impact Management
Impact Management
Park Implications
Product Development
Product Development
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING ON PRODUCT DIMENSIONS
Market Outdoors Nature Luxury / Pampering Culture
France UNCHALLENGED LEADER UNCHALLENGED LEADER UNDISTINGUISHED UNDISTINGUISHED
Japan UNCHALLENGED LEADER UNCHALLENGED LEADER UNDISTINGUISHED LAGGARD
Germany UNCHALLENGED LEADER CHALLENGED LEADER UNDISTINGUISHED UNDISTINGUISHED
Australia CHALLENGED LEADER UNCHALLENGED LEADER UNDISTINGUISHED LAGGARD
Mexico LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY UNCHALLENGED LEADER UNDISTINGUISHED UNDISTINGUISHED
US UNCHALLENGED LEADERLEADERSHIP
OPPORTUNITYUNDISTINGUISHED LAGGARD
UK CHALLENGED LEADERLEADERSHIP
OPPORTUNITYUNDISTINGUISHED LAGGARD
Korea LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITYLEADERSHIP
OPPORTUNITYUNDISTINGUISHED LAGGARD
Parks Based Travel Market
Characteristics
International Market Case Study
• What are the travel characteristics of overseas visitors interested in experiencing Canada’s National Parks?
- Parks Oriented Travellers -
An Example: U.K. vs South Korea Travelers
“Interested in visiting National Parks /Forests while on trip to Canada in the next three years”
-United Kingdom: 54%
-South Korea: 59%
Travel Philosophy
• How people think about travel in an overall sense
• How people prefer to travel
Travel Philosophies of Park-Oriented Travelers
UNITED KINGDOM– Travel money priority
– Value for money
– Pre-arranged travel
– Touring
– Short trips
SOUTH KOREA– Inexpensive travel
– New destinations
– Pre-arranged travel
– Reduced air fares
– Touring
Travel Benefits
• Reasons people might want to go on vacation
• The kind of experiences they might be looking for
Most Important Travel Benefits: Park-Oriented Travellers
UNITED KINGDOM– Foreign places
– Different lifestyles
– Seeing as much as possible
– Learning new things
– Acting how I feel
SOUTH KOREA– Learning new things
– Different lifestyles
– Seeing as much as possible
– Foreign places
– Historical places
Least Important Travel Benefits: Park-Oriented Travellers
UNITED KINGDOM– Roughing it
– Sports participation
– Different places than friends
– Doing nothing
– Sports spectating
SOUTH KOREA– Indulging in luxury
– Sports participation
– Family places
– Trip “bragging”
– Sports spectating
Product Attributes
• Preferred activities, features and amenities that influence destination selection
Most Important Travel Product Attributes: Park-Oriented Travelers
UNITED KINGDOM– Outstanding scenery
– Interesting/friendly locals
– Warm/sunny climate
– Reliable weather
– Personal safety
SOUTH KOREA– Personal safety
– Increased knowledge
– Outstanding scenery
– Reliable weather
– Hygiene/cleanliness
Travel Patterns
• Trip Type
• Party Composition
• Activities Pursued
• Length of Trip
Most Frequent Activities Pursued: Nature-Oriented Travellers
UNITED KINGDOM– Photography
– Shopping
– Dining out
– City sightseeing
– Sampling local food
SOUTH KOREA– City sightseeing
– Sampling local food
– Shopping
– Dining out
– Photography
Least Frequent Activities Pursued: Park-Oriented Travellers
UNITED KINGDOM– Hunting
– Snow-skiing
– Horse-riding
– Overnight cruising
– Visiting health spas
SOUTH KOREA– Hunting
– Horse-riding
– Snow-skiing
– Overnight cruising
– Visiting health spas
The Visitor Explorer Approach to Park Experiences
• Individualized “values” based segments– Parks product-market matching strategies
– http://www.georgewright.org/272jager.pdf
• Parks “Explorer” experiences – Who are you?
– http://quiz.canada.travel/
• What Parks Canada experience can we offer? – http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/gulf/visit/eq.aspx
Thank You!