Tourism Information Centre audit report 2013

May 2013

Tourist Information Centre Performance Audit

Executive Summary

Executive Summary

Enquiry Levels

• In 2012, there were an estimated 33million visits to England’s TICs.

• TICs handled an estimated 20.5 million enquiries in 2012 – 86% of these were face to face, 10% by email and 4% were telephone.

• Nearly three quarters of TICs were handling up to 50k face-to-face enquiries. There were a number of key differences in TIC operations relating to size (see below).

• The main user group for TICs was UK day visitors and short breaks / holidaymakers. They accounted for 46% of visits.

• Locals (i.e. residents of the immediate area) accounted for two fifths of TICs users.

TIC Performance Audit

TIC Profiles

• Half of England’s TICs are located in three regions - the South West (22%), the South East (15%) and the North West (14%).

• Overwhelmingly TICs were year round operations, with only a small proportion (5%) operating on a seasonal basis.

• Local Authorities were key – nearly 90% of TICs were funded and three quarters were managed by Local Authorities.

• Other models of operation existed - a quarter of TICs were operated by a range of other organisations. These were distinctive from Local Authority TICs in a number of ways (see below).

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Executive Summary

ICT and data management

• The majority of TICs had specific ICT systems and were collecting data in their operations but this was not consistent – e.g.:

– 55% had a Destination Management system.

– 59% updated destination product data

– 44% were collecting customer data – typically address and email

– 63% were using some form of social media for promotion and communication with consumers

– 58% of TICs had some form of digital media for delivering information services with their centre

– 31% provided mobile technology services.


Staffing and training

• On average, TICs had 1.4 full time permanent members of staff and 3.1 permanent part time staff. There was also some use of seasonal / casual staff and volunteers.

• A significant proportion, an average of 45%, of TICs had staff with foreign language skills.

• The majority of TICs (58%) used or promoted Blue Badge and / or other guides. About one in ten (12%) also operated a greeter service.

• Over 80% of TICs had some form of training budget. Common training areas were Welcome Host and ICT.

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Executive Summary

• About a quarter (23%) of TICs generated over 50% of their turnover from commercial activity with a small proportion self sufficient. Typically TICs commercially generated 10-30% of their turnover (39% of TICs).

Variations in TIC operations

• TIC operations did vary by management organisation and size.

• In terms of management organisation, non Local Authority operated TICs were distinctive. For example, they

• More likely to use volunteers More likely to be innovative in a number of areas - e.g. their higher use of social media, and higher proportions of commercial income


Destination marketing

• The majority of TICs (57%) highlighted they were playing a role in destination marketing. A further were planning similar activity in the future.

• The majority (87%) were also prepared to support VisitEngland across a range of activities to support national marketing activity. Commonest was displaying VE marketing collateral within TICs.

• There were however some inconsistencies across TICs in terms of destination marketing and potential support to VE.

Retail and income

• The vast majority of TICs (94%) had a retail offer.

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Executive Summary

Trends

• TICs have faced significant challenges over the last decade. The internet has provided an alternative to their role in terms of accommodation bookings and providing pre-visit information (both telephone and email enquiries but also walk in services for, e.g. brochures). Mobile services are increasingly providing an alternative channel for in-destination enquiries.

• Within this context trends over the last five years have been mixed. On balance TICs have reported an increase in email enquiries and static levels of overseas visits, and retail and other commercial income.


• However they were less likely to have a training budget.

• In terms of size there were also differences. Larger TICs (50k+ face-to-face enquiries) were more likely to be located in urban areas and resorts (smaller TICs tended to be rural).

• Larger TICs typically attracted a higher proportion of overseas visitors, had more staff (especially permanent staff) and staff with foreign languages, were more likely to have a DMS and generated a higher proportion of turnover from commercial income.

• Smaller TICs were more likely to be rural. They used a higher proportion of volunteers and typically attracted a higher proportion of local users.

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Executive Summary

Potential opportunities

• TICs face major challenges at present with the increase of information provision through digital sources, allied to budgetary pressures and questions over their future role.

• There are however opportunities. TICs need to consider focusing more on the qualitative and not the necessarily the quantitative in their operations and their performance management information. The ethos should be on adding value.

• There are also opportunities for the service to be more pro-active in terms of destination marketing, their use of social and e-newsletter to communicate with customers, and taking services to the consumer (through mobile technology, mobile TICs, greeters etc).


• Accommodation bookings were significantly down, and TICs also reported downward trends in telephone enquiries, face to face enquiries and visitor numbers.

Future Services

• There was an inconsistency of customer facing service delivery across TICs with mixed levels in a number of areas – e.g. Blue Badge guides, Greeters service,

mobile services, and social media services.

• TICs were planning the introduction of services – particularly in areas of social media, and mobile technology. However, this was not universal

• .

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Executive Summary


• Moving to a more consistent set of services will also be important if the TIC network is to retain a brand promise for consumers.

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Introduction

Introduction TIC Performance Audit

• This report provides the results from an audit of Tourist Information Centres (TICs) / Visitor Information Centres undertaken by VisitEngland and RJS Associates Ltd.

• The audit was undertaken through an online questionnaire. Data collection took place between late March and early May 2013.

• In total, there were 272 responses to the audit. This represented 65% of TICs in England.

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TIC profiles

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Regional distribution TIC Performance Audit

% All TICs (n=410)

% Audit

Sample (n=271)

South West 22 24

South East 15 16

London 1 1

East of England 12 11

East Midlands 7 7

West Midlands 10 10

North West 14 11

Yorkshire 12 11

North East 7 10

• In terms of regional distribution the sample closely echoed the overall supply of TICs across England.

• Over half of England’s TICs are located in three regions - the South West (22%), the South East (15%) and the North West (14%).

Destination types TIC Performance Audit

TICs were categorised into the following types of destination

• Rural/Countryside Destinations that are rural in nature but may have coastline. Districts tend to have relatively low population densities and may contain small market towns.

• Coastal - Coastal resorts of all sizes with a significant stretch of urban and/or rural coastline and possibly a rural hinterland. Will comprise a main seaside town or several small resorts which generate the majority of tourism activity and economic wealth.

• Cultural City - Renaissance post-industrial cities that are developing and using their cultural offer (museums, galleries, theatres, events etc) for regeneration and to attract visitors.

• Heritage City - Small historic cities with a strong emphasis on their heritage offer - typically with populations of 80,000 - 150,000. Majoring on historic, rural and industrial attractions. Very active in tourism.

• Other urban area - Large towns and cities with a regional (as opposed to national) visitor appeal. Their leisure appeal is based on a combination of shopping, restaurants, sports, and attractions.

• Other destinations.

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Destination types

• Rural and countryside destinations accounted for the largest proportion of TICs – over a third.


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Seasonality

• Overwhelmingly TICs were year round operations, with only a small proportion (5%) operating on a seasonal basis.


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TIC Funding and Management

• Nearly 90% of TICs were funded by Local Authorities and three quarters were managed by Local Authorities.

• Other models of funding and management existed. The quarter of TICs that were not managed by Local Authorities were operated by a range of different organisation types including

– private sector organisations and partnerships

– Community / voluntary groups

– LEPs, DMOs, National Parks, Town and Parish Councils.

• These TICs were more likely to be located in rural destinations (56% compared to 30% of LA managed TICs) and in the South West and North West.


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TIC Premises

• Half TICs are standalone and the other half operate within shared premised.

• TICs in shared premises tended to be either co-located with either

– other tourism functions – e.g. galleries, museums, attractions and theatre /arts venues (29% of TICs).

– Or Local Authority functions – one stop, shops, Town Hall, library etc (18% of TICs).

• TICs in shared premises were more likely to be operated by Local Authorities (83%) than standalone TICs (where 68% were LA managed).


Enquiry Levels

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Enquiry Levels - 2012 TIC Performance Audit

Average number of*..

TIC visitors (n=211)

Face to face

enquiries (n=178)

Telephone enquiries (n=205)

Email enquiries (n=199)

All TICs 79500 42100 2100 4800

Urban / other TICS 97000 51900 2600 6300

Coastal TICs 96800 59000 2500 5400

Rural /countryside TICs

49700 21800 1300 3400

Estimated England total (k)

33,139,000 17,565,000 896,000 2,013,000

* Rounded to nearest 100.

• TICs received an estimated 33m visits in 2012 - an average of 79,500 per TIC.

• They handled an estimated 20.5 million enquiries in 2012 – 86% of these were face to face, 10% by email and 4% were telephone.

• On average there were an average of face-to-face enquiries 42,100 per TIC.

• This represented an average of 1.9 visits per enquiry.

• Email enquiries, at 4800 per TIC, were over twice the level of telephone enquiries (2100).

• Typically rural TICs had lower enquiry levels than urban and coastal ones.

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TIC Size Categories - based on number of face-to-face enquiries 2012

• The majority of TICs managed less than 50,000 face-to-face enquiries in 2012 (72%). This was more pronounced among rural TICs.

• Coastal and urban TICs were more likely to have handled over 100k face-to-face enquires.


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Market Groups – by location % of TIC visitors 2012 TIC Performance Audit


• The main user group for TICs was UK day visitors and short breaks / holidaymakers. They accounted for 46% of visits. They were more important to rural and coastal TICs.

• Locals (i.e. residents of the immediate area) accounted for two fifths of TICs visitors – they were more significant in urban TICs.

• Overseas users were also more significant to urban TICs.

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Market Groups – by size category % of TIC visitors 2012 TIC Performance Audit


• Larger TICs had a higher proportion of overseas users.

• Smaller TICs had a higher proportion of local users.

Staffing

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Staffing levels 2012 - by location

• On average, TICs had 1.4 full time permanent members of staff and 3.1 permanent part time staff.

• There was also some use of seasonal / casual staff (an average of 1.3 per TIC) and volunteers (1.6 per TIC).

• Urban TICs had higher staffing levels and were likely to have more permanent full time and part time staff. They were less reliant on volunteers.

• Rural TICs had the lowest staffing levels (a reflection of visitor levels). On average they had less than one (0.6) permanent full time staff member and tended to have more volunteers.


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Staffing levels 2012 - by size

• Larger TICs have more staff – particularly permanent full time and part time staff.


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Staffing levels 2012 - by management organisation

• Local Authority managed TICs are more likely than Tics managed by other organisations to use permanent part time staff and seasonal / casual staff.

• However, they are much less likely to use volunteers.


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Foreign languages - % TICs with Staff with foreign languages

• A significant proportion, an average of 45%, of TICs had staff with foreign language skills.

• This was higher among urban TICs and larger TICs (both of which had higher proportions of overseas users).


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Blue Badge Guides

• The majority of TICs used or promoted Blue Badge or other guides. This was higher among larger TICs.

• In 50% of cases guides started from TICs.

• 12% of TICs had a greeter service. (Greeters are a free service usually lasting for 2-4


hours catering for individuals or small groups. Greeters are not professional guides but are knowledgeable about the destination they live in).

• 7% of TICs used Blue Badge Guides in their centre to supplement their staff levels.

ICT and social media

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Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and marketing data

• Just under half of TICs (44%) collected CRM or marketing related data.


• This was typically postal address and email address.

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Destination Management System - % TICs with a DMS


• The majority of TICs had a Destination Management System (DMS)

• The presence of a DMS in a TICs was closely linked to its size.

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Product data updating TIC Performance Audit

• The majority of TICs did update product data – this higher among TICs with a DMS.

• About a quarter (27%) updated a website.

• 13% updated a variety of other systems – e.g. management information, 3rd party sites, kiosks and boards.

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Use of Digital Media - % TICs using digital media for marketing /

communication


• Two thirds of TICs were using some form of social media for promotion and communication with consumers with Twitter (49%) and Facebook (42%) the most commonly used.

• Non Local Authority operated TICs were more likely to use social media – 75% did (compared to 61% of Local Authority operated TICs).

Digital media in TICs

• Three fifths of TICs had some form of digital media for delivering information services with their centre.

• The commonest form (about half of TICs) was a PC with internet access.

• Non-Local Authority managed TICs were more likely to provide free wi-fi (33% compared to 15% of Local Authority operated TICs).


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Retail

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Retail Offer


• The vast majority of TICs (94%) had a retail offer.

• This was slightly lower among TICs in shared premises – probably a reflection of space constraints or other management considerations (e.g. avoiding competitive retail operations).

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Retail Management TIC Performance Audit

• The vast majority of TIC’s retail operation was managed by the TIC manager or a member of staff (94%).

• Small proportions of TICs used retail experts and / or other arrangements.

• Other arrangements were much likely in TICs in shared premises (8%) than standalone (1%) probably reflecting shared management functions.

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Income from commercial activity - % of turnover


• About a quarter (23%) of TICs generated over 50% of their turnover from commercial activity with a small proportion self sufficient.

• Half of TICs were generating up to 30% of their turnover from commercial activity – typically it was 10-30% (39% of TICs).

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Income from commercial activity - % generating over 50% of turnover from commercial activity


• There were variations in the levels of income generated by TICs.

• Larger TICs were tending to generate a higher proportion of their turnover from commercial activity – a reflection of higher footfall, space etc.

• TICs managed by non Local Authority organisations also generated a higher proportion for their turnover from commercial activity – 41% generated over half their turnover, compared to 16% of Local Authority operated TICs. Possibly a function of need and entrepreneurship?

Trends

Trends over the last five years - net % of TICs up or down

• TICs have faced significant challenges over the last decade. The internet has provided an alternative to their role in terms of accommodation bookings and providing pre-visit information (both telephone and email enquiries but also walk in services for, e.g. brochures). Mobile services are increasingly providing an alternative channel for in-destination enquiries.

• Within this context recent trends have been mixed. The chart shows the net percent of TICs that, over the last five years, were either up or down against a series of performance measures.

• Overall email enquiries were up (probably reflecting some displacement from telephone enquiries).


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Trends over the last five years

• Overseas visits, and retail and other commercial income were broadly static.

• Accommodation bookings were significantly down.

• Overall, TICs were also reporting downward trends in telephone enquiries, face to face enquiries and visitor numbers.


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Trends over the last five years - overall responses

• The audit highlights a general downward trend in enquiries across England’s TICs. While email enquiries have grown, this probably reflects a shift in channel from telephone enquiries. Allowing of this shift there has probably been an overall decrease in the level of telephone and email enquiries over the last five years.

• There were generally no significant differences to this pattern by different types and sizes of TIC. There were exceptions. Small TICs (up to 25k enquiries), were more likely to be down in terms of overseas visits and income generation.


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Current and future TIC services

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Current services - % TICs currently delivering a particular

service


• Virtually all TICs promoted their own services, and the majority were also involved in destination marketing in some capacity.

• There were no significant differences for different types of TIC.

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Future services - % TICs currently planning to deliver a

particular service in the future (NB excludes TIC

currently offering that service).


• Just over a quarter TICs were planning to introduce social media information services and mobile technology services in the future.

• Other common proposed new services included an e-newsletter and a greeter / ambassador service.

Future services

Digital

• Wi-fi (3)

• Online / web maintenance (2)

• Apps development (2)

• Large screens with live information (1)

• Self service booking facilities in car parking machines (1)

• Promotional video for web (1)

Product Development

• Currently group agent for walking company – would like to expand that (1)

• Introduce new markets and festivals (1)

• Local audio tours (1)

• Packaging the offer (1)


TICs highlighted a number of services they planned to introduce. These can be broken into a number of categories –for example (number of respondents are provided in brackets): Commercial

• Tickets for local events, theatre etc (7)

• Improve retail (2)

• Selling advertising space – digital / joint package with Park and Ride (2)

• Showcase and sell local artists (1) Taking information to visitors

• A meet and greet service (3)

• Info boards / points in gateways, cafes and places of high footfall (3)

• On-street ambassadors (1)

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Future services (continued) TIC Performance Audit

Traditional information services

• Visitor guide (2)

• Information sheets (1)

Community

• Smart cards for local transport (2)

• Paypoint for utilities (1)

• Wheelchair hire (1)

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Training

TIC Annual budget - % with an annual budget

• Over 80% of TICs had some form of training budget.

• Local Authority operated TICs were more likely to have a budget – 85% did compared to 71% of non-Local Authority operated TICs.


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Partnership work with VisitEngland

CRM Data - % willing to include an ‘opt-in’ to share with VisitEngland

• About a quarter of TICs were willing to include an opt-on in their CRM data collection to allow for data sharing with VisitEngland (VE).

• The majority were not sure.


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Potential partnership activities with VE


• The majority of TICs (87%) were prepared to support VisitEngland across a range of activities to support national marketing activity.

• Commonest was displaying VE marketing collateral within TICs (71%).

Travel

Tourism Information Centre audit report 2013