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!