Tourism Research Roundup - June 2022
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association is actively monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry through our partnerships with the BC Regional Tourism Secretariat and the British Columbia Hotel Association.
We are sharing information with our stakeholders through a series called Research Roundup, which includes custom reports created by Symphony Tourism Services of highlights from a variety of courses including:
Destination Canada
Destination BC
Travel and Tourism Research Association
Destination Analysts
UNWTO
BCHA/STR/BCRTS
Destination Think
Environics Analytics
Learn more about the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Resiliency Program at TOTABC.org/Resiliency
For more information on research or fees for service contact:
Symphony Tourism Services, a subsidiary of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
778-721-5448
BCRTS Research Roundup - August 20, 2021
The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association is actively monitoring the impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry through our partnerships with the BC Regional Tourism Secretariat and the British Columbia Hotel Association.
We are sharing information with our stakeholders through a series called Research Roundup, which includes custom reports from our research program and highlights from a variety of courses including:
Destination Canada
Destination BC
Travel and Tourism Research Association
Destination Analysts
UNWTO
BCHA/STR/BCRTS
Destination Think
Environics Analytics
Learn more about the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Resiliency Program: https://www.totabc.org/resiliency
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON RESEARCH OR FEES FOR SERVICE CONTACT:
Kelly Galaski, Managing Director for Symphony Tourism Services, a subsidiary of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
778-721-5448
Measuring Canadian Travel Patterns - Thompson Okanagan Region
Domestic Overnight Visitors - Year over Year Variation 2019 - 2020
Review the Thompson Okanagan Visitor Insight Report here (For week ending August 16, 2020): Thompson Okanagan Measuring Regional Travel Patterns
The Measuring Canadian Travel Patterns research data created by Environics Analytics helps the Canadian travel and tourism industry understand the impact of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic as it relates to Domestic Overnight Visitors within Canada, its provinces, territories, and tourism regions.
Note: British Columbia declared a provincial state of emergency on Wednesday, March 18, 2020.
BC Key Findings for the period of February 4 - August 16, 2020
While Overnight travel is significantly down compared to 2019, an upward trend in movement and overnight stays on a week over week bases was apparent during Weeks 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28.
The Kootenay Rockies, Northern BC and Vancouver Coast and Mountains saw an increase in visitation from Week 27 (August 3-9) to Week 28 (August 10-16). The Thompson Okanagan, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast and Vancouver Island saw a decrease.
Thompson Okanagan Findings for the period of February 4 - August 16, 2020:
The Thompson Okanagan saw a 2% decrease in visitation compared to British Columbia during Week 28 (August 10-16).
Visitation to the Thompson Okanagan decreased by 4% and British Columbia increased by 0.3% when comparing Week 27 (August 3-9) to Week 28 (August 10-16).
Methodology
Environics Analytics uses privacy compliant, anonymized mobile movement data to identify devices whose Daily Common Evening Location is 60 km or more away from their Yearly Common Evening Location.
Data is aggregated and compared on a weekly basis versus the previous year and week.
Data is limited to devices that we can reliably infer their Daily and Yearly Common Evening Locations.
Data has been standardized and normalized leveraging demographic data and PRIZM, their neighbourhood classification system.
For more Information on Research or Fees for Services Contact:
Simone Carlysle-Smith, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, Managing Director for Symphony Tourism Services
sts@totabc.com
778-721-5448
Visitor View Provincial and Regional Highlights - Thompson Okanagan Region
Click here to Read the Full Report: Visitor View - Thompson Okanagan Highlights
Research Overview
Visitor View Canada provides the insights the tourism industry needs to understand, market to and grow their business with Canadian travelers.
Visitor View produces neighborhood-level estimates of overnight Canadian visitors to Canada, the provinces and territories, or one of Canada’s 85 tourism regions as defined by Destination Canada.
Estimates are provided for the total number of visitors, the number of trips and the number of nights spent in each province or tourism region.
Visitor View is based on anonymized, consent-based location data
Quarterly and annual estimate data is available starting with January 2017 to allow for analysis of historical trends
Thompson Okanagan Highlights
To date (Jan-June 2020) 512,533 BC residents have travelled to the Thompson Okanagan and stayed 2,235,139 nights
The average number of night stays year to date 2020 is 4.4, compared to 5.7 in 2018 and 5.6 in 2019
August was the peak month of travel for BC Travellers to the Thompson Okanagan in 2018 and 2019. To date, June has been the most popular month of 2020, with BC Travel to the Thompson Okanagan down over 130,000 or 39% compared to June 2019
Vancouver, Surrey and Kamloops were the top origins of BC travellers travelling to/within the Thompson Okanagan in 2018, 2019 and 2020 to date, although visitor counts have dropped dramatically in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The top PRIZM Segments of Households travelling to the Thompson Okanagan Country and Western, Backcountry Boomers and Scenic Retirement. The Top 10 PRIZM Segments represent 67% of the households in BC who have travelled to the Thompson Okanagan Region year to date
British Columbia Highlights
To date (Jan-June 2020) 1,509,300 BC residents have travelled within BC and stayed 9,668,500 nights
The average number of night stays per month is between 2.2 - 2.8 nights
August was the peak month of travel for BC Travellers in 2018 and 2019. To date, June has been the most popular month of 2020, with BC Travel down over 400,000 or 41% compared to June 2019
Vancouver Coast and Mountains was the most visited BC Region frequented by BC Travellers in 2018, 2019 and 2020 year to date, followed by the Thompson Okanagan
Vancouver, Surrey and Burnaby were the top visitor origin locations of BC travellers in 2018 and 2019. To date in 2020, Vancouver, Surrey and Kelowna have been the most popular, although visitor counts have dropped dramatically due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
The top PRIZM Segments of Households travelling in BC are Suburban Sports, Country and Western and Scenic Retirement. The Top 10 PRIZM Segments represent 44% of the households in BC who have travelled within BC year to date
For More Information:
Contact: Simone Carlysle-Smith, Managing Director Symphony Tourism Services
778-721-5448 sts@totabc.com
2019 Thompson Okanagan Year in Review
Read the Summary Report Here: 2018-2019 Thompson Okanagan Visitation Summary
Read the full report here: Thompson Okanagan - 2019 Year in Review
Spring Visitor Highlights
Throughout Spring 2018 the Thompson Okanagan saw an average of 424,600 Domestic Unique Visitation per month. During the same time period in 2019 the Region saw an average of 349,700 Domestic Unique Visitation per month, a decrease of 18% season over season, year over year.
The decrease is consistent across all Provinces, with the exception of the Northwest Territories, up 22% and Prince Edward Island, up 3% when comparing average monthly visitation in Spring 2018 and 2019.
Note: there was no ranking average seasonal visitation from Nunavut in Spring 2018 or Spring 2019.
Throughout Spring 2018 the Thompson Okanagan saw an average of 61,400 International Unique Visitation per month. During the same time period in 2019 the Region saw an average of 80,600 International Unique Visitation per month, an increase of 31% season over season, year over year.
The increase is consistent across the top countries, with the exception of Australia, down 3% when comparing average monthly visitation in Spring 2018 and 2019.
Summer Visitor Highlights
Throughout Summer 2018 the Thompson Okanagan saw an average of 543,700 Domestic Unique Visitation per month. During the same time period in 2019 the Region saw an average of 730,300 Domestic Unique Visitation per month, an increase of 34% season over season, year over year.
The increase is consistent across all Provinces when comparing average monthly visitation in Summer 2018 and 2019.
Note: there was no ranking average seasonal visitation from Nunavut in Summer 2018 or Summer 2019.
Throughout Summer 2018 the Thompson Okanagan saw an average of 162,300 International Unique Visitation per month. During the same time period in 2019 the Region saw an average of 174,500 International Unique Visitation per month, an increase of 8% season over season, year over year.
The increase is consistent in the United States and the United Kingdom. Australia and Mexico both decreased by 18% and China decreased by 10% comparing average monthly visitation in Summer 2018 and 2019.
Fall Visitor Highlights
Throughout Fall 2018 the Thompson Okanagan saw an average of 272,600 Domestic Unique Visitation per month. During the same time period in 2019 the Region saw an average of 418,500 Domestic Unique Visitation per month, an increase of 54% season over season, year over year.
The increase is consistent across all Provinces, with the exception of Manitoba, down 35% and Prince Edward Island, down 6% when comparing average monthly visitation in Fall 2018 and 2019.
Note: there was no ranking average seasonal visitation from Nunavut in Fall 2018, resulting in a total increase for Fall 2019.
Throughout Fall 2018 the Thompson Okanagan saw an average of 89,300 International Unique Visitation per month. During the same time period in 2019 the Region saw an average of 97,700 International Unique Visitation per month, an increase of 9% season over season, year over year.
The increase is consistent for the United States and the United Kingdom. Australia and Mexico decreased by 12% and 7% respectively. China decreased by 24% comparing average monthly visitation in Fall 2018 and 2019.
Winter Visitor Highlights
Throughout Winter 2018 the Thompson Okanagan saw an average of 263,300 Domestic Unique Visitation per month. During the same time period in 2019 the Region saw an average of 251,700 Domestic Unique Visitation per month, a decrease of 4% season over season, year over year.
The decrease is consistent for the following provinces: Newfoundland, down 9%, Alberta, down 7%, BC, down 5%, the Yukon, down 4% and Ontario, down 0.2% when comparing average monthly visitation in Winter 2018 and 2019.
Note: there was no ranking average seasonal visitation from Nunavut in Winter 2018 or Winter 2019.
Throughout Winter 2018 the Thompson Okanagan saw an average of 53,500 International Unique Visitation per month. During the same time period in 2019 the Region saw an average of 64,300 International Unique Visitation per month, an increase of 20% season over season, year over year.
The increase is consistent across the top 5 countries when comparing average monthly visitation in Winter 2018 and 2019.
Note: ALL counts exclude residents of the Thompson Okanagan Region.
Learn more about the TOTA Research Program
Sources: TELUS Insights, Environics Analytics
TELUS Insights
Data and Privacy
TELUS recognizes that Big Data comes with big responsibility to protect the privacy of individuals. They have implemented industry leading standards to protect privacy every step of the way through:
De-Identification of data meaning it cannot be traced back to an individual.
Aggregation of data into large data pools ensuring privacy is fully protected at all times.
Data extrapolation to be representative of the total Canadian Population.
By de-identifying and aggregating the data, it is possible to preform geographic and movement analysis, while respecting privacy.
TELUS has implemented industry-leading Privacy and Design standards to ensure that privacy is not compromised.
All the data analyzed by TELUS Insights is de-identified, meaning it cannot be traced back to an individual.
It is also aggregated into large data pools to reveal mass-movement patterns and trends, and extrapolated to be representative of the total Canadian population as a further means of ensuring their privacy is protected at all times.
For further information, please visit:
• telus.com/insights
• Or Email: telusinsights@telus.com
For more Information on Research or Fees for Services Contact:
Simone Carlysle-Smith, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, Managing Director for Symphony Tourism Services
sts@totabc.com
778-721-5448
2018 Thompson Okanagan Year in Review
Read the Full Report Here: Thompson Okanagan - 2018 Visitor Highlights Summary
Thompson Okanagan 2018 Seasonal Year in Review – British Columbia
Domestic Average Monthly Visitation
The Peak season for average monthly BC visitation in 2018 is Summer, followed by Spring, Winter and Fall.
Vancouver dominates in visitor origin across all four seasons.
Although Free Spirits are dominant in the Vancouver Market, other Explorer Types (EQ) must be considered by areas in Vancouver.
Personal History Explorers from Surrey represent the second largest market across all seasons, followed by No Hassle Travellers from Prince George (Spring and Winter), Authentic Experiencers from Abbotsford (Summer) and No Hassle Travellers from Abbotsford (Fall).
Thompson Okanagan 2018 Seasonal Year in Review – Alberta
Domestic Average Monthly Visitation
The Peak season for average monthly Alberta visitation in 2018 is Summer, followed by Spring, Fall and Winter.
Calgary dominates in visitor origin across all four seasons.
Free Spirits in Calgary are the top EQ Type across all seasons.
Gentle Explorers from Edmonton represent the second largest market across all seasons, followed by No Hassle Travellers from the La Crete Area.
Note: ALL counts exclude residents of the Thompson Okanagan Region.
Learn more about the TOTA Research Program
Sources: TELUS Insights, Environics Analytics
TELUS Insights
Data and Privacy
TELUS recognizes that Big Data comes with big responsibility to protect the privacy of individuals. They have implemented industry leading standards to protect privacy every step of the way through:
De-Identification of data meaning it cannot be traced back to an individual.
Aggregation of data into large data pools ensuring privacy is fully protected at all times.
Data extrapolation to be representative of the total Canadian Population.
By de-identifying and aggregating the data, it is possible to preform geographic and movement analysis, while respecting privacy.
TELUS has implemented industry-leading Privacy and Design standards to ensure that privacy is not compromised.
All the data analyzed by TELUS Insights is de-identified, meaning it cannot be traced back to an individual.
It is also aggregated into large data pools to reveal mass-movement patterns and trends, and extrapolated to be representative of the total Canadian population as a further means of ensuring their privacy is protected at all times.
For further information, please visit:
• telus.com/insights
• Or Email: telusinsights@telus.com
For more Information on Research or Fees for Services Contact:
Simone Carlysle-Smith, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, Managing Director for Symphony Tourism Services
sts@totabc.com
778-721-5448