WELCOME AND THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Transcription

1 WELCOME AND THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE Updated July 2009 VisitBritain s Research and Forecasting team would like to welcome you to its first Topic Profile on the subject of! Here, you ll find a summary of VisitBritain s research and research from secondary sources into how welcoming Britain is seen to be, how welcome actual visitors feel, and the importance of Britain s welcome. ConTEnTs 1. Executive summary 2. The importance of delivering a first-class welcome Does the welcome we give to visitors have any impact on their likelihood to come back to Britain or recommend it to friends and family? How welcoming is Britain for its visitors? The importance of an exceptional welcome in a competitive world Differences by journey purpose Perceptions of welcome before visiting, at the end of the trip, and after the trip 3. Pre-trip perceptions and experiences How welcoming is Britain perceived to be compared to other countries? How important is it that Britain is seen as more welcoming? Importance of improving Britain s welcome relative to other factors Perceptions of Britons How welcoming is Britain seen to be by different countries? What s behind these differences? Word associations A modern view of a British Welcome The role of language and ethnicity Perceptions of Customer Service Perceptions of Safety Opportunities & Risks Pre-trip contact with British Officials Visas Perceptions of expense and value for money 4. Experience of entry and exit Welcome at airports Immigration / Passport Control / Customs Information Provision Arrival Hall Facilities / Terminal Design Transport Integration Customer Service Comparison of products/services to High Street Paralympic World Cup Research (Manchester) 5. In-country experience Relative importance of different touch-points How welcome London visitors felt at different touch-points Britain s people Accommodation Transport Outside London Attractions (eg museums, theme parks, guided tours) Shops and Markets Restaurants, pubs, and bars Tourist Information Centres Cleanliness Safety Paralympic World Cup Research (Manchester) Conclusions

2 1) Executive Summary Executive summary Perceptions of Britain s welcome Britain is perceived to be a fairly welcoming destination, but many of Britain s competitors are seen to be more welcoming. Britain ranks 14th equal in the Nation Brands Index 2008 in terms of the welcome potential visitors would expect to receive. Reality of Britain s welcome Responding to a question on the CAA s Passenger Survey (2008), 62% of departing visitors strongly agreed they felt welcome in Britain, and a further 33% agreed (but not strongly). 78% of those visitors who strongly agreed they felt welcome in Britain also strongly agreed they would recommend it to friends and family, meaning that consistently delivering a first-class welcome will lead to more emphatic recommendations of the destination. Perceptions vs. Reality VisitBritain s qualitative and quantitative research indicates that first-time visitors feel more welcome in Britain than they expect to the reality of Britain s welcome is better than the perceptions of it. Language & Ethnicity Britain is often perceived to be more welcoming by people that speak English and are of Caucasian ethnicity. This partly explains why countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand see Britain as quite welcoming. Britain s multi-cultural diversity comes as a pleasant surprise to many visitors and fuels a sense of inclusion, so presents an opportunity to change perceptions of Britain. Visas For those countries that need a visa to visit, the perceived difficulty and expense of getting a visa to visit Britain may mean that visitors choose to holiday elsewhere. Additionally, reliance on travel agents in these markets means that they can be key influencers on destination choice and from their point of view the expense and the need for a separate British visa (on top of the Schengen visa) seriously undermines the destination s attractiveness. Airports Airports are currently viewed as the least welcoming touch-point by visitors. Terminals have a sameness about them, offering no real sense of place the loss of a considerable marketing opportunity. Positive Britain imagery could be gainfully employed to make visitors feel more welcome. Immigration The politeness of customs and immigration staff has a relatively high level of impact on how welcome visitors feel in Britain this shows it is an important aspect of the visit to focus on maintaining and improving. Some airports currently perform better than others for this. Attractions Attractions offer a real opportunity to make an impression on visitors and make them feel welcome. They are usually the highlight of visitors trips, and are seen as the most welcoming touch-point, giving a real reason to recommend Britain. Hidden Opportunities Research has highlighted a number of hidden opportunities activities which have a high impact on visitors likelihood to recommend Britain, but are not necessarily reasons to visit in the first place. Encouraging more visitors to try Britain s theatres/performing arts, pubs, festivals, cultural and live music events, and markets can really make a difference to visitors feeling welcome and spark that all-important emotional connection with Britain. Restaurants Restaurants are one of the stronger drivers of how welcome visitors felt in Britain, so it is important to ensure that they provide a warm, welcoming experience. Currently, experiences are positive but inconsistent some restaurants offer fantastic service whereas at others service is simply ok, so there is room for improvement. Visitors experiences may be broadly determined by their budget and the quality of information they have about where to eat. Accommodation How welcome visitors feel at accommodation has some influence over how welcome they feel in Britain overall and how likely they are to recommend it to friends and family. Experiences are often budgetdependent, with premium hotels consistently offering high quality service and facilities, but far more mixed experiences at budget accommodation, although B&Bs have shown that it is possible for budget to be welcoming. Outside London Getting outside London offers a more relaxed pace of life for visitors and lets them get to know another side of real Britain. Encouraging more visitors to explore outside London may offer them a different kind of experience which some visitors may appreciate. Providing clear information about transport and highlighting cheaper advance fares may facilitate this.

3 2) The importance of delivering a first-class welcome The eyes of the world will focus on the UK in the lead-up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in So how we deliver a best British welcome to our visitors will be a crucial measure of the success of the Games in London and Britain. It is widely accepted that 2012 offers an unparalleled opportunity to act as a catalyst for accelerating improvements in the quality, services and welcome in Britain. Therefore to secure its future as one of the world s top visitor destinations Britain urgently needs to improve its welcome and visitor experience as soon as possible - here and now and continue beyond The Welcome to Britain Group was brought together in 2007 under the leadership of VisitBritain. It works with partners drawn from a wide range of organisations across travel, transport, hospitality, border processes and public diplomacy, whose activities have an impact on the quality of visitors first impressions of Britain (and critically the important ports of entry into the UK). These partners include BAA, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, UK Border Agency, British Council, Regional Development Agencies, VisitEngland, Visit Scotland, Visit Wales, Tourism Alliance and the British Hospitality Association, among others. Does the welcome we give to visitors have any impact on their likelihood to come back to Britain or recommend it to friends and family? In 2007 VisitBritain commissioned TNS to carry out some online Visitor Satisfaction research amongst frequent holiday makers (from France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Italy, and Britain itself) that had visited Britain for a holiday or short break in the last three years. Analysis of the results highlighted different aspects of the visitor experience which respondents felt were important factors when choosing a holiday destination and which were related to visitors likelihood to come back to Britain and recommend it to their friends and family. Aspects which were rated highest can be viewed as Britain s strengths, including its: Interesting cities and towns Famous buildings and monuments Museums, galleries, and contemporary arts Castles, stately homes, and gardens Interesting villages The steering group of Welcome to Britain is chaired by Christopher Rodrigues of VisitBritain, and meets once a quarter. If you would like more information on VisitBritain's role in the WTB group, and its work on Welcome, please contact Kim Winter (kim.winter@visitbritain.org) Other aspects were not rated as highly, indicating that there may be potential to improve experiences concerning: Welcoming and friendly people High levels of customer service Feeling of safety Good quality accommodation Availability of good restaurants and fine dining Good range of local food and produce Wide choice of food from different cultures Clearly for visitors, Britain s strengths revolve around its heritage and culture (traditional and contemporary), whilst these results indicate that there is scope to improve the softer side of visitors experiences through the welcome, customer service, and hospitality we extend to our visitors.

4 2) The importance of delivering a first-class welcome How welcoming is Britain for its visitors? Following on from this finding, VisitBritain sponsored questions on the Civil Aviation Authority s (CAA) Passenger Survey in 2008 to understand more about how welcome visitors from overseas felt in Britain. The survey took place at major airports around the UK, including Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Stansted, Luton, Manchester, Bristol, Cardiff, and Exeter and more than 7000 respondents from over 100 nationalities responded. Interviews were conducted when visitors were leaving the UK, regardless of whether visitors came for holidays, business, or to visit friends and relatives. Visitors were asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed with a number of statements about Britain. Overall responses to the statements are shown below. 62% of visitors strongly agreed that they felt welcome in Britain and a further 33% agreed, but not strongly. This clearly demonstrates that most visitors do feel welcome in Britain, but the implications of this finding only manifest themselves when we look at the relationship between how welcome visitors felt and how likely they are to recommend Britain to friends and family. The importance of an exceptional welcome in a competitive world Research has consistently shown that word of mouth is the most important influencer when choosing a holiday destination, so it is essential to ensure that visitors go home as strong advocates for Britain as a holiday destination. The chart opposite from the CAA Passenger Survey shows how likely visitors are to recommend Britain as a holiday destination to friends and family based on how welcome they felt in Britain. 78% of the visitors who strongly agreed they felt welcome in Britain also strongly agreed they would recommend it to friends and family, effectively providing free marketing for Brand Britain. When we look at visitors who agreed (but not strongly) that they felt welcome in Britain, then just 20% strongly agreed that they would recommend Britain, so there is less chance of an emphatic endorsement from these visitors, which could prove crucial in the super-competitive tourism industry. These findings highlight the importance of giving a first-class welcome to visitors that they will remember and rave about rather than a lukewarm reception.

5 2) The importance of delivering a first-class welcome How welcome visitors felt was also related to their likelihood to come back to Britain, but to a slightly lesser extent; this could be for two main reasons: 1) A mercenary attitude to travelling with so many destinations to visit, visitors may be likely to try a number of destinations before making repeat visits. 2) some visitors may come back to Britain regardless of how welcome they felt a good example of this would be a visitor who comes to see family and has an obligation to come back. Differences by journey purpose questionnaire three weeks after their trip had ended to record their lasting impressions. They were asked to rate how welcoming they thought Britain was a week before their trip, at the end of their trip, and 3 weeks after their trip had ended. The following chart shows how their perceptions of how welcoming Britain was changed: The following chart shows how Holiday, VFR (Visiting Friends and Relatives), and Business visitors responded to the questions on the CAA questionnaire regarding their visit to Britain. VFR (66%) and Holiday (64%) visitors are much more likely to agree strongly that they felt welcome in Britain than Business visitors (51%). They are also much more likely to agree strongly that they would recommend Britain to friends and family (VFR 61%, Holiday 59%) than Business visitors (39%). VFR visitors were most likely to strongly agree that they would come back to Britain (74%), possibly due to the incentive of free accommodation, or due to the need to see family. Perceptions of welcome before visiting, at the end of the trip, and after the trip It is often asked how perceptions of how welcoming Britain is compare to the reality of actually visiting Britain. VisitBritain s international qualitative research has often supported the idea that Britain is not seen as being particularly welcoming, but the experience is better than the reality. Firefish conducted some ethnographic research on VisitBritain s behalf in early 2007 to explore the interplay between visitors pre-trip expectations of Britain and the reality. The research was carried out among 14 participants from the USA, Spain, Italy, India, China, Germany, and Russia (2 per country) sample sizes were small as this research had a qualitative focus. The participants were sent an e-questionnaire a week before their trip, some recorded video-diaries on their trip and all gave an interview at the end of their trip, and all completed another e- This chart is based on just 14 respondents so can not be regarded in any way representative of all visitors to Britain, but it seems to indicate that visitors pre-trip perceptions are that Britain is not a very welcoming destination (5 out of 10). At the end of their trip, visitors perceptions are at a high point (9 out of 10), but perceptions of welcome drop down towards 8 out of 10 a few weeks after their trip when respondents have had time to reflect and perhaps mentally compare their trip to other holidays they have had. These results suggest that it is therefore important to bear in mind the point in time (relative to visitors trips) that research took place to understand its context. For example, the CAA research referred to earlier in this chapter showed that 62% of visitors strongly agreed that they felt welcome in Britain at the end of their trip, but this figure may well have been lower if the question had been asked weeks, or months later. This point aside, the good news from Britain s point of view though is that these results suggest that the reality of the welcome received when visiting Britain is more positive than the pre-trip perceptions (if we put aside our strong reservations about sample sizes). Recent research seems to back this up. GfK-NOP found that European Youths that had visited Britain rated Britain s friendly people higher than non-visitors (2008). RDSI found that one of the biggest gaps between Swiss and Austrians who have visited Britain before and those who have not is the perception of Britain as welcoming and friendly. Almost half of previous visitors (45%) associated Britain with being welcoming and friendly as opposed to a quarter of non-visitors (24%) (2009). These findings are also echoed by analysis of Nation Brands Index data, but one note of caution is that these surveys do not record both pre-and-post visit perceptions so it can not be firmly concluded that visiting improved perceptions of welcome rather than having a more positive view in the first place. The implications are that the perceptions of Britain as a welcoming destination may be in need of a fix more than the reality of Britain s welcome, but the importance of actually delivering a first-class welcome has already been demonstrated through the TNS and CAA research, and its impact on recommendations may be a valuable mechanism to change perceptions of Brand Britain as a welcoming destination amongst nonvisitors. General perceptions of how welcoming Britain is seen to be by the world are explored further in the next section

6 3) Pre-trip Perceptions and Experiences In the previous section we have already considered how welcoming Britain is overall for actual visitors, but we have only touched upon the idea of how welcoming it is perceived to be by the general public of various countries around the world. Before delving deeper, this section explores previous research to understand how welcoming Britain is generally perceived to be, and how important it is for Britain to be seen as a welcoming destination. It is also concerned with all the factors experienced when forming and acting on the aspiration to visit Britain, such as pre-trip perceptions, contact with British officials before visiting, the ease of obtaining a visa if necessary, and the expense of visiting. How welcoming is Britain perceived to be compared to other countries? The Anholt-GfK Nation Brands Index (NBI) is a syndicated survey of 20,000 online consumers across the globe. It measures the power and appeal of a nation s brand image, and tells us how consumers around the world see the character and personality of 50 countries. Many respondents in the survey have never been to Britain before, so these opinions are often based on perceptions and imagined visits rather than experience. They are not classic Britain best prospects but general online representatives of their countries. As part of the survey, respondents were asked to state how far they agreed with the following sentence: If I visited this country, they would make me feel very welcome. The above chart shows that perceptions of Britain s people are generally more positive than negative, but looking at the table below we can see that the British are not seen to be as welcoming as people from other nations. According to the NBI, the UK ranks 14th equal for its welcome. Also worthy of note is Scotland s position (8th equal), showing that the Scottish are perceived to be more welcoming than the typical Briton (VisitBritain s qualitative Project Lion research showed Scotland is clearly perceived in opposition to England warm in character and dramatic in natural beauty). Similar data does not exist to see how welcoming English people in particular are seen to be, but there is some data showing how welcoming the Welsh are seen to be. In 2007 (wave 2), Welsh people were rated as being similarly welcoming compared to Brits (Welsh ranked 18th out of 35 countries compared to Brits 16th out of 35). GfK-NOP s recent research amongst European Youths (in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Portugal, Greece and Russia, 2008) also highlighted that Britain is not perceived to be as welcoming or friendly as other nations, particularly amongst the Portuguese and Greek. The Italians and Spanish were seen to stand out on these softer aspects. How important is it that Britain is seen as more welcoming? The following analysis is based on the 2008 GfK Nation Brands Index. The table below shows the top ranked aspirational countries to visit, and their overall ranking for welcome. Many of the countries rated highest for welcome feature in the top 10 aspirational countries to visit, implying that some sort of relationship may exist between perceptions of welcome and the lure of a destination. The UK (which typically receives around 30 million overnight visits per year), France (80 million overnight visits per year), Germany (25 million overnight visits per year), and the USA (58 million overnight visits per year) show that a high rating for welcome is not a prerequisite to being

7 3) Pre-trip Perceptions and Experiences viewed as an attractive destination to visit, but improving perceptions of welcome in these countries may help them in climbing the likelihood to visit leaderboard. This could be especially important for the UK, given that its key competitors Italy and France are currently ahead of the UK in terms of likelihood to visit. Improved perceptions of welcome could help to give the UK an edge when visitors are choosing between going to Italy, France, and the UK. Importance of improving Britain s welcome relative to other factors On the y-axis, the following chart shows how various aspects of Britain s image are ranked by potential visitors, relative to 49 other countries according to the Nation Brands Index (2008). It can be seen that Britain is ranked as the 14th most welcoming country, and 23rd in terms of being rich in natural beauty. The x-axis shows how strong the relationship is between these aspects of Britain s image and how likely respondents say they would be to visit Britain if money were no object. It is clear that out of the lowest ranked image aspects, natural beauty currently has the strongest relationship with potential visitors aspiration to visit Britain, followed by welcome. Looking towards the top-right of the chart, we can see that Britain is ranked highly as a country that respondents would like to have a close friend from and this works in Britain s favour when attracting visitors. This makes it clear that attitudes towards Britain s people do have an impact on visitors likelihood to visit, and although other countries are seen as more welcoming, Britons are seen as a hard (but rewarding) nut to crack!

8 3) Pre-trip Perceptions and Experiences Perceptions of Britons Research by Firefish (2007) showed that pre-trip expectations of the stereotypical British person are not overly welcoming, with Brits seen to be quite cold and distant. Brits are often seen as sophisticated (well dressed, polite, and proper), private (reserved, business-like, stiff-lipped, need-to-know basis), and humorous (insider jokes, based on shared knowledge, sarcasm/irony). VisitBritain s recent research in Latin America (executed by RDSI 2009) showed that British people are seen to be very different to them (organised, serious, individualistic, aloof, distant, a bit boring, and closed). They are seen as cold fish they don t feel a connection. Qualitative research commissioned by VisitBritain and undertaken in 2006 showed that Indians have little desire to meet local Brits as part of the British experience - it is more about seeing Britain than meeting locals. VisitBritain & BAA s 2005 research into the Chinese market showed that outdated perceptions of Britain still exist and these are rooted in outdated sources from school (e.g. Dickens, Shakespeare), old films (e.g. The 39 Steps, Death on the Nile ) and that usual culprit Sherlock Holmes (as a result foggy London persists). Some more contemporary films feature in perceptions ( Harry Potter, Mr. Bean ) but otherwise limited updates on Britain seemed to be getting through, with the exception of news stories. The English gentleman is a popular perception and of Britain having precise and polite people (who are possibly dull rather than romantic or passionate). Clearly, perceptions in many non-familiar markets are in need of an update. How welcoming is Britain seen to be by different countries? Further analysis from the 2007 GMI Nation Brands Index (the predecessor to the GfK Nation Brands Index) gives interesting insights into which countries see Britain as more or less welcoming relative to other countries. The size of the bubble for each country represents the number of visits to the UK per year from residents of that country

9 3) Pre-trip Perceptions and Experiences The above chart presents results for the standard welcome question for each country (wave ), split into 4 action areas: Opportunity to improve perceptions: Large European inbound markets such as France, Germany, and Ireland view the UK as fairly welcoming but not overwhelming so they view other countries welcomes much more positively, so there is huge potential to improve perceptions of our welcome here. Need to improve perceptions: Spaniards view the UK as being relatively unwelcoming and view other countries as being much more welcoming. Perceptions within other Latin countries such as Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina are also in need of a boost. Perceptions in the Middle East are also poor with Turkey and Egypt represented here. to see how these associations are consistent with the image of British people being stiff-lipped and somewhat arrogant. A modern view of a British Welcome Although the UK is ranked just 14th out of 50 countries in terms of how welcoming it is perceived it would make visitors feel, it does rank rather better on another people aspect in the NBI. The UK was ranked 5th equal out of the 50 countries when respondents were asked whether they would like to have a person from each country as a close friend. This finding adds credibility to Firefish s proposal for a positive modern take on the British people (2007) - when approached, British people are friendly, polite, helpful, and welcoming. They can be seen as respecting personal space and accommodating where appropriate. Hard to improve perceptions: Although the Japanese and South Koreans do not see the UK as being particularly welcoming, they are not very generous in their ratings for any country s welcome, so it would be difficult to improve perceptions to any great extent here. Maintain perceptions and promote: The USA, New Zealand, Australia, and the Czech Republic see the UK as a welcoming nation, and it would be difficult to improve their perceptions much more. The Nordic countries (apart from Norway) also see the UK as welcoming, along with some countries from further afield such as Canada, Malaysia, Singapore, and Poland. Although a number of countries see the UK as reasonably welcoming, there is the potential to improve the perception of our welcome further in a number of important markets analysis of the NBI data suggests the priorities should be in Spain, France, Italy, Ireland, and Germany, whilst smaller Latin American and Middle Eastern markets could also be boosted. What s behind these differences? Qualitative research by Firefish (2007) concluded that stereotypical views of Britons were fairly consistent in each country, but with some cultural nuances. For example, in the USA, Britons sophistication is seen as more traditional and quaint, although some animosity towards US citizens is expected. In India, there is an aspiration towards the sophistication of traditional Britain, and more tolerance of the reserved nature. However, in Europe, the reserved nature can be seen as more rude and arrogant. Also, perceptions of yobbish beer boys can colour the expectation. Word associations The Nation Brands Index (2008) asks respondents from 20 countries around the world which adjective (from a list) most accurately describes the people of 50 countries. The results below show that British people are often described using positive words, but usually these words are more business-like than welcoming. 16% described British people as skilful, 13% as rich, 11% as honest, and 11% as hard-working. Just 5% saw British people as being fun. It is easy

10 3) Pre-trip Perceptions and Experiences The role of language and ethnicity As we saw earlier in the chapter, some countries see the UK as more welcoming than others with many English speaking countries seeing Britain as more welcoming. Further analysis of the Nation Brands Index (2007) confirms that respondents from English speaking countries are slightly more likely than respondents from non-english speaking countries to believe that the British are welcoming (Mean for English speaking countries = 4.84 vs. non-english speaking = 4.47). The finding that respondents from English-speaking countries perceive Britain to be more welcoming than respondents from non-english speaking countries leads to another question; does a shared language or a shared ethnicity contribute more to the perception that another country will be welcoming? It can be seen from the chart below that Caucasians from English speaking countries are more likely to see the UK as welcoming than non-caucasians from English speaking countries. This implies that ethnicity plays a part in determining how welcome respondents perceive they would feel. However, language can also be seen to be important. Caucasians from English speaking countries perceive the UK to be more welcoming than Caucasians from non- English speaking countries. Perceptions of Customer service In the Nation Brands Index survey 2007 (2007 wave 2), 43% of respondents agreed that the customer service in Britain is good more positive than negative (13% disagreed), but also implying customer service is not seen as a key strength for Britain. TNS Visitor satisfaction research showed that customer service is regarded as a reasonably important factor when choosing a holiday destination (2007). Perceptions of safety So, respondents feel much more welcome if visiting a nation where a) they speak the language AND b) they share similar ethnic characteristics to the population of the destination. These findings help to explain why countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden find the UK (and other English speaking countries) quite welcoming (with a good level of English and similar ethnic profiles). RDSI s recent research in Latin America amongst longhaul travellers (commissioned by VisitBritain 2009) showed that speaking English is seen as a plus, making it easy to communicate with people, ask directions, find your way around etc some Argentinian participants were even looking forward to speaking English, and hearing the British version more authentic, more class. These findings imply that Britain should have an advantage with English so widely spoken around the world and a mix of different ethnicities. The key learnings are that marketing materials that reflect Britain s diverse multi-cultural population could help to make Britain appear more welcoming to certain audiences, and the importance of languages that potential visitors understand well should not be underestimated. In research conducted by Firefish (2007), actual visitors often spontaneously commented on the extent of urban Britain s ethnic and cultural diversity something they were not expecting. It is felt to be a real positive, fuelling a sense of inclusion and adding to the other cultural pursuits on offer. In the Northern Quarter [Manchester] it is very multicultural. I liked it. In Milan we are just adjusting to people coming to the country. TNS visitor satisfaction research (2007) also showed safety to be another important factor when choosing a holiday destination. Data from the Nation Brands Index (2007 wave 2) shows that Britain is generally seen as a safe place to visit (60% agree), although 16% disagreed. opportunities & Risks British people tend to be seen more positively than negatively, but often this appears more due to positive business-like qualities than due to being seen as overly fun, sociable, and welcoming. Although it is difficult to shift world-wide perceptions quickly, there are a number of opportunities that can be taken advantage of. Opportunities Promoting Britain s multi-cultural society gives an opportunity to make potential visitors feel at ease, knowing that the destination accepts people from different cultures and has many of the characteristics they feel familiar with.

11 3) Pre-trip Perceptions and Experiences The fact that English is so widely-spoken can greatly facilitate the welcome that Britain can offer visitors. However, the importance of language means that non-english speakers may need to be re-assured that they will be able to communicate and get information in their own language easily. Clearly, there are implications for all points of contact before visitors come to Britain such as marketing materials, information from British Officials, travel agents, and information on websites. Although Britain is ranked 14th (out of 50 countries) in terms of its welcoming people, British people are seen as good to have as close friends (ranked 5th out of 50). This presents a credible opportunity to portray Britons as friendly and helpful when approached, rather than stiff-lipped and aloof. Another great opportunity to spread positive messages about Britain s welcome is through our visitors. Exceptional experiences will mean that more visitors emphatically recommend Britain to their friends and family and challenge some of the stereotypical views in the process. Risks Whilst positive experiences of Britain should help to change perceptions through word of mouth, negative experiences of Brits abroad could have a negative impact. Making visitors feel safe is an important part of them feeling comfortable in a destination. Managing communications related to health and safety issues such as terrorist attacks and outbreaks of disease is crucial to maintaining perceptions of Britain as a safe place to visit.

12 3) Pre-trip Perceptions and Experiences So far this chapter has dealt with perceptions of Britain s welcome, focusing mainly on views of its people and culture. Whilst these factors may influence visitors likelihood to want to come to Britain, we must also consider other pre-trip practical issues such as access to information, visas, and the expense of visiting. Pre-trip contact with British officials As well as getting information through websites and travel agents, some potential visitors may need to speak to a British Official before making arrangements to come to Britain. This may involve speaking to Embassy staff, Visa staff, VisitBritain s overseas offices, or the British Council. VisitBritain sponsored a question on the CAA s Passenger Survey in 2008 to understand how helpful these staff were. 54% of respondents strongly agreed that the staff they spoke to were helpful, and a further 40% agreed (but not strongly). 2% disagreed. As the survey is conducted when visitors leave Britain, obviously all of the visitors that responded had actually come to Britain, so the results are not representative of all visitors speaking to British Officials only those that eventually followed through and came to Britain. Visas Six of VisitBritain s overseas markets currently require a visa to enter the UK for a visit of under 6 months duration: China, India, UAE, Thailand, Russia and most recently South Africa (since March 2009). note: UK visa figures used relate to visas issued in these countries, they include visas issued to nationals and non-nationals of each respective country applying to visit the UK from that country. UKvisas statistics show total applications down 9% to 2.51 million in 2007/8, with figures for 2008/9 due for publication in April Visa Costs The cost of a UK visitor visa increased on 1st April 2009 from 65 to 67. This particularly affects key markets in China, India, Russia, Thailand, South Africa and UAE, and is poor in comparison to the Schengen visa at 45 for a short-stay visa. Perceived difficulty and expense of getting a visa to visit the UK VisitBritain has included questions about visas on the NBI survey (2008) to understand perceptions of the difficulty and expense of obtaining a visa for the UK. It has also included a question to understand whether the perceived cost means that potential visitors would look to alternative destinations instead. It should be noted that respondents had not necessarily looked into getting a visa to visit Britain the views shown below in the chart represent perceptions of difficulty and expense rather than actual experience. 39% of online respondents from China, Russia, and India perceive some difficulty in getting a visa to visit Britain. They are also far more likely to agree (49%) than disagree (16%) that getting a visa to visit Britain is expensive. 42% agreed that the cost and trouble of getting a British visa means that they are more likely to holiday elsewhere. As South Africa has only recently been added to the list of countries that require a visa, NBI perceptions data regarding visas is expected in September Anecdotal evidence suggests that the reaction in South Africa has been far from positive, so it will be of great interest to get this data and see how visit numbers are affected in 2009 compared to other destinations.

13 3) Pre-trip Perceptions and Experiences Qualitative Visa Insights VisitBritain and BAA s Research in China (2005) concluded that Chinese consumers are aware of the relative ease/difficulty of acquiring visas for overseas travel. SE Asia and Australia are seen as easy, fast and inexpensive. USA is considered the most difficult visa of all. There is awareness that Europe has opened up but remains complicated/difficult. The Schengen visa is quite well known and most were aware that it doesn t cover Britain and that a separate visa is required the French visa is valid for all countries except Britain. The biggest issue for consumers is not the cost of visas but the risk of being rejected. A black mark / rejection stamp in a passport is a worse situation than never having applied for the visa in the first place and is a key reasoning behind the progression through leisure destinations as described above. Successful overseas travel (and subsequent return to China) is a stepping-stone to new and more difficult destinations. From the agents perspective, the need for a separate British visa seriously undermines the destination s attractiveness. The UK visa policy is too strict and the cost of traveling to the UK is too high (1.5 times that of France). These two factors make travel agents unwilling to put much effort into promoting the UK. All that VisitBritain can realistically do about this is to make it easier for Chinese consumers and the trade to plan for the visa application process by providing the information needed for things to go smoothly, and reassuring people that if they do it in the right way then it need not be more difficult to get than any other visa. Feedback from actual visitors who received a visa VisitBritain included a question on the CAA s Passenger Survey (2008) to understand more about visitors experiences when they applied for a visa. As the survey is conducted when visitors leave Britain, obviously all of the visitors that responded had been successful in obtaining a visa, so the results are not representative of all visitors who applied for a visa only successful applicants! 44% of respondents (who had traveled with a visa) agreed strongly that the procedures for obtaining a visa were straightforward. 43% agreed (but not strongly). 8% disagreed that it was straightforward. It is unclear from this research how unsuccessful applicants, or applicants that had decided not to follow through with a full application viewed the process. Perceptions of expense and value for money Another barrier that may deter visitors from coming to Britain is the expense. TNS Visitor Satisfaction Research (2007) showed that value for money is a key consideration when choosing a destination for a holiday or short break. Britain is often seen as an expensive destination. According to the Nation Brands Index (2007 Wave 2), 63% of respondents agree that Britain is an expensive destination for a holiday, whereas only 13% disagree. In terms of value for money, results are more mixed. 32% agreed that Britain offers good value for money as a holiday destination (2008), compared to 27% that did not. Taking these results together indicates that the expense of visiting can be justified somewhat in terms of the value the trip offers, but one can not go as far as to say that Britain is seen to offer great value either. With the depreciation of the pound against the Euro and the Dollar in late 2008, it will be of great interest to see whether perceptions have shifted when the 2009 NBI perceptions of value data is available in late 2009.

14 4) Experiences of entry and exit Entering and exiting Britain gives visitors their first and last impressions of the nation. It is important not to consider just how welcome visitors feel at the ports of entry/exit, but also the process of getting to their accommodation from the moment they leave the plane, and the process of getting to their plane from the moment they check out of their accommodation. Welcome at airports VisitBritain sponsored an open question on the CAA s Passenger Survey (2008) to understand where visitors felt least welcome in Britain. Many respondents (59%) said there was nowhere they felt least welcome, but of the others, the airport was mentioned more frequently than any other location (by 5% of respondents), and a further 2% mentioned immigration specifically. This implies that there is potential to make a number of improvements to visitors experiences here. Lynn Jones London Visitor Research also highlighted the scope to improve the welcome given to visitors at airports. On a scale from 1-10, 16% of visitors rated their welcome between 1 and 5 meaning that visitors felt far less welcome at airports than at attractions, tourist information centres, accommodation, on public transport, or at restaurants/cafes (these touch-points are discussed in Chapter 5). Research conducted by TNS (2007) showed that visitors believe that a high quality welcome at airports/ports/railway stations is quite important when choosing a holiday destination so it is important for Britain s ports of entry to be seen as inviting for guests. For families, the experience can impact on how likely they are to recommend Britain to others, so it is necessary to ensure that airports are family-friendly. Immigration / Passport Control / Customs The CAA Passenger Survey (2008) included a question, sponsored by VisitBritain, to understand whether the customs and immigration staff had been polite to visitors. 49% of visitors strongly agreed that these staff had been polite, and a further 41% agreed, but not strongly. This means that around 1 in 10 visitors did not agree they had been polite, although 8% neither agreed nor disagreed. 2% disagreed. Some caution is required when examining differences by airport as passengers may have departed from a different airport to the one they arrived at (passengers were interviewed when departing Britain). However, the majority of visitors do depart from the same airport they originally arrived in. Visitors departing from Manchester airport often strongly agreed that customs and immigration staff were polite (72%). Approximately half strongly agreed at Heathrow, Stansted, Bristol, and Cardiff. At Luton, London City, and Gatwick just over a third strongly agreed. London City had the highest proportion of visitors disagreeing that customs and immigration staff were polite (4%). This shows that there is some variation in the politeness of customs and immigration staff at different airports, and therefore potential to improve it. *Sample sizes at Exeter are too low to be reliable. Further analysis of the data shows that the politeness of customs and immigration staff has a slightly higher level of impact than how welcome visitors felt at their accommodation does on how welcome visitors felt in Britain overall. This shows it is an important aspect of the visit to focus on maintaining and improving. The chart below shows to what extent visitors at different airports agreed or disagreed that customs and immigration staff had been polite.

15 4) Experiences of entry and exit Information Provision The Reception of Overseas Visitors Enquiry (ROVE) report (2000), a survey of the services and facilities at Britain s main ports-of-entry concluded that the quality of information at air/ports had improved considerably, with signage systems generally well-placed, and understandable. However, it did highlight a risk that the need to generate revenue at air/ports means that information signage is increasing competing with advertising signage. It recommended that air/port operators develop signage plans that either spatially or stylistically separate information and advertising signage so as not to cause signage blight. It also recommended that where it is not in place already, air/port information desks should be located near the landside Arrival Hall exit, providing basic tourist information. Additionally, information on onward transport options including routes, timetables, and costs is centralised and displayed in a coherent manner. VisitBritain s analysis of comments made by visitors to London (Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey, ) highlighted the importance to them of ensuring that visitors have clear information about low-cost options. Arrival Hall Facilities / Terminal Design The ROVE report (2000) noted that terminal design was becoming increasingly sophisticated, combining open, spacious designs with intuitive layouts to provide a welcoming and relaxing environment for passengers. Efficient passenger and luggage processing systems have resulted in streamlined immigration and baggage reclaim procedures, and there has been considerable work on making more efficient use of dead time by locating services such as money changing and onward ticketing in baggage reclaim halls. However, there are further improvements that can be made and opportunities that can be taken advantage of. Firstly, terminals have a sameness about them, with no real sense of place the loss of a considerable marketing opportunity. Arriving is a time of excitement, providing the key first impression of a destination, so positive Britain imagery could be gainfully employed (perhaps with regional/national distinctiveness), making visitors feel more welcome, and increasing their awareness of aspects of Britain s tourism offering. maintenance of railway stations and the trains serving them could also be improved to provide a seamless experience for passengers. Another complaint highlighted in VisitBritain s analysis of the Lynn Jones Visitor Survey ( ) showed that accessibility was sometimes an issue transporting luggage from baggage halls to onward transport (and ultimately their accommodation) was often difficult. For families and the disabled, this could be even more of an issue. Customer service The ROVE report (2000) found a high level of investment in staff at many ports of entry with the focus on providing high quality customer service. Many airports were found to have training programmes that include basic language skills and how best to assist disabled passengers. Customer care staff were also found to have been given increased autonomy and responsibility, resulting in improved service. One area that was highlighted as being in need of attention was the use of contractors for customer care roles such as immigration queue management and the supply of wheelchairs for disabled passengers; these staff were seldom found to be included in air/port training programmes. The report had several recommendations in regard to customer service. All air/ports should have management systems in place to ensure that customers views and comments can be incorporated into development plans. All staff operating in public areas should be given training in how to help overseas customers. Air/ports should maintain a database of all staff skills and all staff with language and disability skills should be provided with badges to identify those skills. Comparison of products/services to High street One positive finding from the ROVE report (2000) was that, for many services, there was a high degree of consistency with the high street. Prices at most air/port retail and food outlets now compare favourably with the same goods in high street shops. This has been driven by a large number of national chains now operating at air/ports and many air/port operators have price related conditions in their concession agreements. However, there are still examples of inconsistency. Bureaux de Change rates are often not as favourable as on the high street. More investment could also be made in Arrival Hall facilities, to ensure they meet the same standards as Departure Hall facilities. Shopping-onarrival outlets could also be introduced to provide passengers with the opportunity to purchase items before clearing customs. Although these recommendations were originally made in 2000, there is still considerable potential to make improvements here, and there is also an indication that the increased busyness of airports means that other issues have emerged more prominently. In ethnographic research by Firefish (2007), visitors commented on the generic/dated appearance of airports, long queues at times, lots of walking, and little forthright welcome. Did not really give you a feel of Britain. Maybe the design needs to be done up a bit inside. I was expecting a more modern space, but the airport is quite old. It doesn t look like a high modern airport but it s ok. Transport Integration The provision of onward transport links has increased significantly since the privatisation of the railways and the deregulation of bus/coach services (ROVE 2000). At almost all ports of entry there is now a range of competitively priced transport options to take passengers on to their final destination, with improvements in through-ticketing. However, improvements could be made by turning air/ports into true transport hubs by integrating onward transport services into the terminal structure rather than relying on transfer services. The design and

16 4) Experiences of entry and exit Paralympic World Cup Research (Manchester) VisitBritain/BAA joint research (2008) found that athletes were generally very positive about Britain and its provision of accessible facilities. However, there were some genuine issues around arrivals. It was concluded that Manchester Airport was considerably better than Heathrow and many other airports, but there were some specific issues which will need attention for both the 2012 Olympic Games, which carries high expectations, and the day-to-day management of accessibility at airports: After we landed the whole team waited for well over an hour for assistance to get off the plane. The aisle chairs in the UK must be the most uncomfortable in Europe. They brought our racing chairs to the doors instead of our day chairs. The baggage exit was too small for bike boxes. It took two people to hold the doors open let alone the people needed to carry the bike box a real team effort! Detail on athlete s concerns about the food and facilities in accommodation can be found in chapter 5 together with athletes perceptions of travelling around and the general welcome and customer service received.

17 5) In-country experiences The bulk of the visit is spent in the country itself, so this period provides many opportunities to impress visitors with exceptional welcoming experiences, which (as we saw in Chapter 2) is very likely to lead to recommendations for friends and family to visit Britain. This chapter explores the influence of different touch-points in making visitors feel welcome and then goes on to summarise existing insights into how improvements can be made to each. Relative importance of different touch-points One of the challenges here is in understanding which touch-points have most impact on how welcome visitors feel. It is important to remember that how welcome visitors feel is influenced by both positive and negative experiences, so it is essential to consider both sides of the coin. VisitBritain sponsored questions on the Civil Aviation Authority s (CAA) Passenger Survey to gain insights into the relative importance of different touch-points on how welcome visitors felt in Britain. The findings showed that how welcoming Britain s people were in general had the most impact, but specific touch-points also play an important role. The table below shows the proportion of respondents strongly agreeing with statements about various touch-points together with the strength of the relationship each statement has with how welcome visitors felt. Over 50% of visitors strongly agreed with each of the above statements, showing that there are already many examples of positive experiences. This is very encouraging, however, as the analysis in Chapter 2 showed, in order to get an even higher number of resounding endorsements from our visitors, it is important to ensure that as many visitors as possible strongly agree that they felt welcome in Britain. The table above shows that a number of touch-points hold a reasonably strong relationship with how welcome visitors felt. Restaurants/pubs/bars and attractions are important influencers on how welcome visitors felt, as are Tourist Information Centres (for visitors that go) and accommodation (although to a slightly lesser extent). The key point is that a first-class welcome at any of these touch-points can make a difference, and it s often the attitude of the people that can make it happen. The next section explores these and other touch-points in more detail.

18 5) In-country experiences How welcome London visitors felt at different touchpoints The chart below shows responses to a set of questions on the Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey (2008). Respondents who had visited London in the last year were asked how welcome they felt at different touch-points. In terms of mean scores, visitors felt most welcome at attractions and tourist information centres, and least welcome at airports. Looking at the negative end of the scale, airports, accommodation, public transport, and restaurants brought out the most negative responses (scores 1-5), so there may be scope to make visitors feel more welcome here. One might naturally expect experiences at restaurants/cafes to be more welcoming than public transport, so it could be argued that visitors should be made to feel more welcome here, given their importance in contributing to the how welcome visitors feel in Britain overall. Britain s people As was discussed in Chapter 3, stereotypical views of British people are often reserved and stiff-lipped, although there is a high aspiration to have a Briton as a close friend and they are seen as good employees too. So what experiences have visitors had when actually interacting with Brits in the UK? How welcoming are British people? VisitBritain s sponsored question on the CAA s Passenger Survey (2008) showed that most visitors felt that British people were welcoming. 60% strongly agreed that British people were welcoming, and a further 36% agreed, but not strongly. Just 1% disagreed. Firefish (2007) found that visitors felt that British people were not very forthcoming in their interaction, but when approached they were usually found to be friendly, polite, helpful, and welcoming. As discussed in Chapter 3, the multicultural nature of Britain s people was also usually a pleasant surprise, and helped visitors feel included an implied welcome. of respondents spontaneously mentioned the kindness, helpfulness, politeness, and friendliness of London s people as a positive aspect, and 5% mentioned it as an aspect of their trip that could be improved. Complaints were most often specific to particular touch-points where a professional welcome is expected. Public transport staff got the highest number of mentions (0.9%), followed by hotel staff (0.7%), airport/immigration staff (0.7%), and then attractions staff (0.6%). Training staff Research commissioned by People 1st (2008) found that purely training front-line staff in customer service will have minimal impact on service levels if other factors are not in place (such as support from managers and supervisors, a customer-focused culture, customer-focused processes, reward and recognition for staff and mechanisms for obtaining customer feedback). Empowering front-line staff is believed by many best practice employers to be vital in achieving the delivery of excellent customer service, enabling them to adapt to different situations and to respond effectively to customers needs. Complaints at different touch-points Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey asked respondents open questions about both the most enjoyable aspect of their trip and which aspect, if any, could have been improved to make their trip more enjoyable. 12%

19 5) In-country experiences Accommodation Visitor experiences with accommodation have an influence on whether overseas visitors will return to or recommend Britain (TNS 2007). Britain is seen to have a wide range of accommodation for visitors, but question marks have been raised over the quality of accommodation that visitors experience at times. Qualitative Insights Qualitative research amongst visitors by Firefish (2007) indicated that experiences can be very budget dependent. At the high end, rooms are comfortable, and visitors needs are attended to by friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable staff. The concierge is seen as a particular positive. Budget accommodation was found to be more inconsistent, but can impress. Complaints highlighted in this research centred around the size of rooms, cleanliness, unfriendly and unhelpful staff, bad food, and ultimately poor value. Mid-range accommodation can also disappoint at times. Often, the small touches can make a big difference to how guests feel: Not a big room, but not too expensive. I had tea and coffee which was really nice, really welcoming. I have not seen that before. The research concluded that good accommodation facilitates an enjoyable trip, whilst poor accommodation has the potential to ruin it. Staff behaviour and training can help minimise the risk of this. How welcome did visitors feel at their accommodation? VisitBritain sponsored a question on the CAA s Passenger Survey (2008) to understand how welcome visitors felt at their accommodation. 56% strongly agreed that they felt welcome and a further 37% agreed (but not strongly). 6% neither agreed nor disagreed and 2% disagreed they felt welcome. This paints a picture that experiences are generally positive, but with some room for improvement. Welcome at hotels was budget-dependent, although B&Bs showed that it is possible to make guests feel more welcome without them needing to invest heavily. A significant number of guests did feel welcome, even at standard or budget hotels, however the number of guests who did not feel very welcome was also fairly high, pointing to very variable standards of welcome and showing there is room for improvement. When asked what, if anything, could be improved about their visit to London, 3% of respondents mentioned poor accommodation and 2% mentioned that accommodation was expensive. My hotel was a huge disappointment. It was too expensive for the quality (it was very tired), and the desk people and manager were not at all helpful when I had a problem. Accommodation is too expensive if good. Budget accommodation is usually not clean and not so 'budget'!!!! In other European cities excellent hotels aren't so expensive. This idea is supported by findings from Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey (2008), which shows 47% of respondents rating their welcome in London accommodation as 9 or 10 out of ten. A further 37% rated their experience as 7 or 8 out of ten. 9% rated their welcome between 1 and 5 out of ten (see chart on previous page). The Firefish research mentioned above indicated that experiences at accommodation were often budget-dependent, and this finding is supported by evidence from the Lynn Jones research (see chart below):

20 5) In-country experiences Transport Transport is more often seen as a positive than a negative by visitors, but there are some ways it could be improved. When asked an open question about the most enjoyable aspect of their stay in London, 17% of respondents in the Lynn Jones London Visitor research mentioned transport. This compares to 5% mentioning transport when asked what aspect of their trip could have been improved. Positive mentions often related to the ease/speed of getting around using the tube, and negative mentions often related to a better service (eg tubes to run at night/no strikes), and better tube accessibility for buggies/luggage/disabled often mentioned. Frustration caused by line closures/engineering works sometimes complicated visitors stays. In short, when the system works it is viewed very positively, but when there are complications these can frustrate visitors. There were also a number of mentions regarding the expense of public transport. strongly), but 5% disagreed. Again, this shows that transport is often a success story, but minimising disruption to visitors journeys is key. How welcome visitors felt According to Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey, 43% of respondents rated their feeling of welcome on London s public transport as 9 or 10 out of ten. A further 41% rated their feeling of welcome as 7 or 8 out of ten. 8% rated their welcome between 1 and 5 out of ten (see chart entitled How welcome London visitors felt at different touch-points ). 5% of respondents in the CAA s Passenger Survey spontaneously mentioned public transport when asked where they felt least welcome in Britain, second only to airports (7%). Visitors are time-limited so it s important that transport works Research by Firefish (2007) highlighted that transport is a vital part of any trip, but it can also be an activity in its own right. Most visitors use the trains and tube, and some use London buses and taxis. Time tends to be limited for many visitors so the primary objective of efficiency must be met. It is vital to address system shortcomings; poor transport is often passed off as one of those things. However, it does frustrate, annoy, and waste limited time resources. Pros and Cons of Tube, Train, and Bus Staff on the tube were praised as being available and helpful although the tube was seen to be unreliable, hot and crowded, expensive, and had issues with stairs/access (Firefish 2007). The trains were seen to be more accommodating for long distances, but were also seen as unreliable, expensive, and visitors also highlighted a lack of information and assistance. These issues can clearly act as a barrier for visitors who are interested in exploring Britain. The buses offer a 24/7 service, and are more cost effective, but experiences were also unreliable, unclear (on board), and difficult for visitors at night. Buses and their routes / signage are a mystery. By contrast, the Tube is intuitive and easy to navigate. But the underground is very, very crowded at peak times, which was discouraging to us weary visitors. (Lynn Jones Visitor Research) Travelling on the Tube was fun - sooo convenient - you people don't know how lucky you are to have such a first rate public transport system! Information It is important to highlight the help that is available (eg website, literature) and direct visitors to find the most cost effective solutions. Lynn Jones London Visitor research showed that respondents are hungry for information to help them get around (eg better signage, bus guides/maps, better/clearer maps. The research also showed that the walkability of London is seen as a positive aspect by many visitors, so there may be scope to help visitors plan their own walking tours as an alternative to using public transport. outside London Visitors to towns and cities outside London experience a slower pace of life, with more time for personal interaction. They are found to be smaller and less daunting, with a greater sense of community. Visitors noted local pride and identity from hosts. In Stratford there was a slower pace and it was more relaxed, more time to talk. A true difference. Rural / coastal Britain Visitors again experienced a slower pace, more personal interaction, and a sense of community. Britain s inspiring beauty and B&Bs were seen as very positive. However, it is possible for some visitors to feel isolated at times and it can be hard to integrate, so good information is necessary. In Kent the people are more friendly and they have more time; they are in less of a hurry. In London people are very busy and don t have that much time to help you with everything you might need. Not having been to London before I couldn't believe how close so many sights were to each other, things I'd heard about all my life. Public transport staff can play a part in giving information and helping visitors maintaining and improving staff training is important here. Ease of Use TNS visitor satisfaction research (2007) showed that easily accessible transport is regarded as important by visitors. 55% of respondents interviewed in the CAA Passenger Survey strongly agreed that it was easy to use public transport in Britain. A further 34% agreed (but not

21 5) In-country experiences Attractions (eg museums, theme parks, guided tours) Attractions offer a real opportunity to make an impression on visitors and make them feel welcome. In the Lynn Jones London Visitor Research, when asked what the best or most enjoyable aspect of their trip was, by far the most common response involved attractions. 32% of visitors mentioned specific attractions as the highlight and 15% mentioned attractions in general so it is clear that visitors really enjoy and remember their experiences here. Indeed, the main complaint related to attractions from the London Visitor Research was that they were not open for long enough, with some visitors disappointed that they did not open early enough in the day, or close late enough in the evening (3% of responding visitors). Other than that, some visitors specifically mentioned attractions as being expensive (2%). How welcome did visitors feel at attractions? A question VisitBritain sponsored on the CAA Passenger Survey (2008) asked how welcome visitors felt at attractions they visited. Attractions were seen as more welcoming than any of the other touch-points we asked about and the welcome given at attractions was more strongly related to how welcome visitors felt on their whole trip overall than any other specific touch-point. 61% strongly agreed they felt welcome at the attractions they visited and 36% agreed (but not strongly). This finding was supported by evidence from the Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey (2008), with 53% of respondents rating their feeling of welcome at London s attractions as 9 or 10 out of ten. A further 40% rated their experience as 7 or 8 out of ten. Just 3% rated their welcome between 1 and 5 out of ten (see chart entitled How welcome London visitors felt at different touch-points ). Qualitative Insights Firefish s Qualitative Research (2007) also found that attractions are performing very well and are a major driver for a visit. They were found to be efficient, professional, and help and assistance was available. They were generally well promoted and free access to museums and galleries was seen as a plus. It was the personal touches that really stand out and make people feel welcome. Queuing is part of the experience and provides an opportunity to impress. At the Underworld centre they were very polite. They could see we had children and we get a price less. No waiting in the line too, because of our youngest crying. Hidden Opportunities TNS Visitor Satisfaction Research (2007) made the distinction between Motivators and Hidden Opportunities. Motivators are reasons to visit Britain in the first place and visitors positive experiences show that these are real strengths for Britain examples include Britain s interesting cities/towns, famous buildings, castles, stately homes, gardens, museums, galleries, and villages. Hidden Opportunities do not have as much power in attracting visitors to Britain, but they do enhance visitors experiences once there. Encouraging more visitors to go to Britain s cathedrals/churches, theatre/performing arts, and cultural events/music/festivals once they have actually decided to come to Britain/are in Britain could come as a pleasant surprise to many and improve their stay further. shops and Markets Data from the International Passenger Survey shows that over 4 in 10 visitors go shopping when they come to Britain. It is a common secondary driver of a visit. Research conducted by Firefish (2007) concluded that larger stores offer a strong professional welcome, but there is potential to offer a more personal welcome. Larger stores were seen to be accessible and efficient, and visitors were not hassled into making purchases. Smaller shops were seen to offer positive personal interactions with staff. The Firefish research also found markets to be a great opportunity to make visitors feel welcome. Markets were on the agenda for some visitors and were widely enjoyed and praised, often exceeding expectations. They provided positive personal interaction and made visitors feel included, so are worth promoting further.

22 5) In-country experiences Restaurants, pubs, and bars Restaurants provide another common and important touch-point for visitors. VisitBritain s sponsored question on the CAA s Passenger Survey showed that visitors usually felt welcome at restaurants, pubs, and bars. 56% strongly agreed they felt welcome and a further 39% agreed (but not strongly). The welcome visitors received here was quite strongly correlated with how welcome visitors felt overall in Britain, which supports the idea that the long-transaction period makes this a real opportunity to impress visitors with a warm welcome. In particular, it may provide an excellent opportunity to make business visitors feel welcome, who may miss out on other touch-points such as attractions. 5% of respondents to Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey spontaneously mentioned food when asked what the most enjoyable aspect of their visit was. 1% mentioned poor food or expensive food when asked what could have been improved and 1% mentioned expensive restaurants. Firefish (2007) found that visitors found English food to be better than its reputation, and a prominent food culture was apparent. They noticed plenty of variety, with lots of multicultural influences. Service was generally found to be ok, but variable. Indian and Italian restaurants were felt to be more welcoming than English ones. There was also some negative feedback about rigid eating times (which could be a particular issue for some cultures such as Spanish who tend to eat late), and restaurants attitudes to children. According to the Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey (2008), 36% of respondents rated their feeling of welcome at London s restaurants/cafes as 9 or 10 out of ten. A further 60% rated their experience as 7 or 8 out of ten. 7% rated their welcome between 1 and 5 out of ten (see chart entitled How welcome London visitors felt at different touch-points ). These findings contrast with visitors welcome at attractions (where 53% rated 9 or 10), implying that there is plenty of scope to improve the welcome at restaurants/cafes. Firefish s qualitative visitor research concluded that pubs offer a real welcome moment, where visitors can experience the real and authentic Britain, and feel part of British life. In London in particular they are able to offer a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of life. There are great opportunities for personal interaction staff and landlords were praised. The pub seems to be a very local and community oriented place. We notice that English people like drinking beer. It looks like it s a second home for most visitors. According to the International Passenger Survey (2007), 4 in 10 visitors find themselves in a pub when they come to Britain. Encouraging more visitors to experience pubs could lead to a more welcoming experience. Live music venues offered a welcome that felt personal and visitors felt included. Bars and clubs on the other hand offered a less personal welcome, but still had the capacity to make visitors feel included. The expense of visiting bars and clubs was an issue for some, and doormen could prove an issue on occasion too many males!. Visitors did say it can sometimes be hard to find out about things, so ensuring they have access to information could help with feeling included. Food NBI data from respondents that may not have visited Britain shows that respondents were slightly more likely to disagree than agree that British food is very bad so British food is not seen as being too bad but it is not seen as being exceptional either. Qualitatively this still comes up as an issue in overseas markets; it s almost a hardened stereotype, but also a very subjective one and one which will vary by market (e.g. many French people may never admit to liking British food, and the Chinese/other Asian markets predominantly prefer to eat Asian food anyway). Low expectations of the UK food experience are a common pre trip negative, but are not generally borne out in reality. Mixed experiences However, eating out was highlighted as an area for improvement in TNS Visitor Satisfaction Research (2007) as visitors have had mixed experiences of eating out in Britain. There are a number of factors that may be contributing towards this. Qualitative research shows that information (a good guidebook versus wandering around Leicester Square) and budget may play a part. Ensuring that visitors are aware of where they can get inexpensive, good quality food is important. Cost - London is very expensive. How about information on cheaper eating places eg Pubs which offer 2 meals for one deals. The only thing that would have made this trip better would have been if eating out could have been less expensive.

23 5) In-country experiences Tourist Information Centres Tourist Information Centres are used occasionally by visitors, they are not seen as a necessity to use, but it s good that they are there (Firefish). 59% of respondents to the CAA s Passenger Survey that had visited Tourist Information Centres strongly agreed that they were friendly. A further 32% agreed (but not strongly). Care should be taken though when charging for information: We entered hoping that we will get some tourist information and maybe a map. We have to say it wasn t very helpful it was more like a business than a public service. Cleanliness Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey showed some mixed reactions to the cleanliness of London, although results were far more positive than negative. When asked to evaluate London s cleanliness, 29% rated it as 9 or 10 out of 10, 53% rated it as 7 or 8 out of 10, but 18% rated it between 1 and 6 out of 10. When asked an open-ended question about what could have been improved to make their visit more enjoyable, 4% mentioned aspects related to cleanliness most of these complaints related to there being too much rubbish on the streets/in the Thames/near attractions (2%), or there not being sufficient (empty) bins to discard waste (1%). safety Feeling safe is an important consideration for visitors to Britain and will impact on whether visitors return or recommend Britain to their friends (TNS, 2007). Ensuring that families and older adults feel safe is especially important as they will clearly feel most vulnerable in certain situations. The Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey (2008) showed that most visitors did feel safe when in London. 39% agreed strongly that London was a safe place to visit, and a further 57% agreed (but not strongly). Only a tiny proportion disagreed strongly that London was a safe place. 1% expressed a concern about a safety-related issue when asked an openended question about what could have been improved to make their visit more enjoyable. A level of safety is accepted, and often praised providing a reassuring infrastructure for most. However, security is important but balance is essential - too much security could fuel an unnecessary sense of threat. Attitudes towards security in Britain may vary significantly depending on visitors country of residence. Britain s CCTV culture was noticed by some participants in Firefish s 2007 research (especially Germans), and there was some concern from Asia regarding suspicion. Paralympic World Cup Research (Manchester) VisitBritain/BAA joint research (2008) found that athletes were generally very positive about Britain and its provision of accessible facilities. However, there were some specific concerns about food and facilities in the accommodation. The official hotels were praised as being very good, but the research indicated that the food needs to be better tailored to athletes needs and cultures, and there were some issues with the layouts of hotels: The hotel has clearly made a huge effort to make us all comfortable. The food is better than last year s but there needs to be more variety. Some people- for example the Chinese don t like it at all. The bathrooms are far too small for wheelchairs. Detail on the concerns about arrivals can be found in chapter 4. Athletes were also asked about travelling around and how welcome they were made to feel in general. Only the hardened travellers ventured out of their hotels and no-one made it outside Manchester. The official event buses are fantastic really easy to get on and off. Your black cabs are the best in the world. Manchester is really easy to get around the trams are great and very easy to navigate. We d like to have a look at what s out there but we re not really sure where to go or how to get there. British people were seen as very friendly, although occasionally a little formal and inflexible. The event organisers are fantastic and have really gone out of their way to make us feel welcome. Strangers in the street all seem rather brash, as if they wouldn t give you the time of day. The lady refused to give us an extra cookie instead of crisps because it wasn t in the meal deal.

24 5) In-country experiences Conclusions Britain offers a positive welcoming experience, but competition among destinations is tough so improvements are necessary to ensure Britain remains a world-class destination to visit, especially with the PR opportunities offered by the forthcoming 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games. Visitors Experiences of Welcome are driven much more often by positive than negative experiences the challenge is to enhance positive experiences to ensure they are unforgettable, and make sure visitors go home raving about the unexpected and personal welcome they received. There is not one particular touch-point to focus on maintaining and improving the whole experience impacts on how welcome visitors felt, and different visitors itineraries may vary hugely. However some touch-points present real opportunities to impress and it is important to make the most of them. Attractions, accommodation and restaurants are common touch-points for visitors so impressing here with personal touches, strong customer service skills, and knowledge to aid visitors will make them feel more welcome. Visitors generally feel welcome at these touch-points but there is potential to make them feel more welcome. Other touch-points represent Hidden Opportunities. Encouraging more visits to pubs, festivals, cultural and live music events, theatre/performing arts, and markets can really make a difference to visitors feeling welcome and spark that all-important emotional connection with Britain. It should be noted these are not usually reasons to visit in themselves, so marketing should be focussed on participation for those visiting, rather than as a reason to come in the first place. Expense is the biggest issue for many visitors highlighting the need to aggressively market good-value deals and favourable exchange rates (when appropriate). Packages and bundles offering discounted attractions/accommodation/travel would help many, as would practical information and advice on cheaper ways to do things (travelling in the UK, good/inexpensive places to eat, and offers such as 2 for 1s ).

25 Further Information sources TNS Visitor Satisfaction research 2007* CAA Passenger Survey 2008** Firefish Welcome Research 2007* RDSI Austria & Switzerland Research 2009* Anholt-GfK Nation Brands Index 2008** Anholt-GMI Nation Brands Index 2007** GfK-NOP European Youth Research 2008* NFO World Group: Project Lion Research 2002* RDSI Latin America Research 2009* RDSI India Research 2006* Asian Strategies China Research 2005* UKvisas Lynn Jones London Visitor Survey ** BTA ROVE (Reception of Overseas Visitors Enquiry) 2000* People 1st - Gold Standard Customer Service...for 2012 and beyond VisitBritain/BAA Paralympic World Cup Research 2008* * Research projects partly/entirely commissioned by VisitBritain (or previously the British Tourist Authority). **Syndicated surveys where VisitBritain has sponsored questions. Contact us For further information regarding VisitBritain s Welcome to Britain project, please contact: Kim.Winter Welcome to Britain (Head of Project) kim.winter@visitbritain.org