About

Summary

Visit Lincoln, the destination management organisation for the historic city of Lincoln and surrounding areas, required primary research to better understand visitors and the spread of demand over the year.  Consequently the study’s overall objects were two-fold.

The first phase was aimed at collecting data on the profile of visitors to the area - in particular this covered demographics (gender, age, life stage), place of residence, and interests (hobbies, media read, activities engaged in).  The second phase of the study was aimed at understanding the seasonality of tourism by measuring monthly accommodation occupancy and the collecting qualitative data from hotels and guest houses in the area.

Our Approach

The visitor survey was undertaken through face-to-face interviews with a sample size of 600 visitors over a period of seven days.  Interviews were undertaken at visitor attractions and prominent places in the city centre.  Interviews were conducted using iPads to capture data electronically at source.  We consulted closely with Visit Lincoln over the content of the visitor questionnaire.

For the accommodation survey, 300 establishments (serviced and self-catering) were contacted by email, which linked through to an online survey that captured operational details of their business over the previous 12 months.  Follow up calls to establishments were made to boost the sample.  The survey included a few “barometer” questions that asked the respondents about their confidence in future business.  These questions were used to assist with the forecasting of future demand for accommodation in the area.

Outcome

The average expenditure per person per night in Lincolnshire, for visitors staying in serviced accommodation, was £98.  Of this, £70 was spent on accommodation, and a further £28 on other items.  With an average length of stay of 3.7 nights, the expenditure per trip in Lincolnshire was calculated at £363.

For day visitors, the average length of stay in Lincolnshire was 8 hours, with an average spend per visitor of £22.  The length of stay of these day visitors is significant and indicates a period of time that included at least one major meal.  With the visitor survey showing restaurants and pubs/bars as significant attractions, the food and beverage sector is a primary beneficiary of day visitors to the area.

Accommodation occupancy in the area was good, and above the national average.  However, there were some strong seasonal variations in the rural areas (less so in Lincoln City which benefited more from business tourism).  The Christmas market was clearly significant although seemed to be on the decline in popularity.