Analysis of international Travel to the united States UNITED STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE United States Travel Service HwwsJ? $%&&■■ Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/regionalanalysisOOunit £y7, ^: /?«20» A Regional Analysis of international Travel to the united States Results of series of national sampling surveys conducted among residents of major tourist generating countries to the United States, presenting a demographic analysis and trip profile of international travel to the 9 U.S. regions. UNITED STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE United States Travel Service (fit o U a o Q FOREWORD The United States Travel Service recently completed a series of studies investigating international travelers' habits and patterns from eleven principal tourist generating countries abroad. This report is based on these studies and analyzes the survey data by destination regions in the continental United States. Specifically, estimates on the volume of foreign tourists, their economic impact and foreign traveler and trip characteristics are provided for each of the eight tourist regions. This report is intended to represent the first in a series of such reports. As USTS conducts expanded traveler surveys abroad, an increasing amount of data will become available for use by States and cities, as well as by regions. It is hoped that this information will provide local tourism officials with both an identification and also a description of the area's key tourist markets abroad for the purpose of developing increased foreign travel to the region. 11 For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 Stock Number 003-01 2-00043-3 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION ONE: A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO NEW ENGLAND INTRODUCTION 2 I. OVERVIEW 3 II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO NEW ENGLAND FROM MAJOR TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 3 1 . British Travel to New England 3 2. West German Travel to New England 6 3. French Travel to New England 7 III. SUMMARY TABLES: British, West German, and French Travel to New England 10 SECTION TWO: A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE EASTERN GATEWAY INTRODUCTION 16 I. OVERVIEW 17 II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE EASTERN GATEWAY FROM MAJOR FOREIGN TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 17 1 . Japanese Travel to the Eastern Gateway 17 2. Mexican Travel to the Eastern Gateway 20 3. British Travel to the Eastern Gateway 21 4. West German Travel to the Eastern Gateway 23 5. French Travel to the Eastern Gateway 24 6. Italian Travel to the Eastern Gateway 26 7. Dutch Travel to the Eastern Gateway 27 8. Australian Travel to the Eastern Gateway 29 9. Venezuelan Travel to the Eastern Gateway 30 III. SUMMARY TABLES: Japanese, Mexican, British, West German, French, Italian, Dutch, Australian, and Venezuelan Travel to the Eastern Gateway 32 SECTION THREE: A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO GEORGE WASHINGTON COUNTRY INTRODUCTION 40 I. OVERVIEW 41 II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO GEORGE WASHINGTON COUNTRY FROM MAJOR TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 41 1. British Travel to George Washington Country 41 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued 2. West German Travel to George Washington Country 44 3. French Travel to George Washington Country 45 4. Italian Travel to George Washington Country 47 5. Australian Travel to George Washington Country 48 III. SUMMARY TABLES: British, West German, French, Italian, and Australian Travel to George Washington Country 51 SECTION FOUR: A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE SOUTH INTRODUCTION 58 I. OVERVIEW 59 II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE SOUTH FROM MAJOR TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 59 1 . Mexican Travel to the South 59 2. British Travel to the South 62 3. West German Travel to the South 63 4. French Travel to the South 65 5. Venezuelan Travel to the South 66 III. SUMMARY TABLES: Mexican, British, West German, French, and Venezuelan Travel to the South 69 SECTION FIVE: A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE GREAT LAKES COUNTRY INTRODUCTION 76 I. OVERVIEW 77 II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE GREAT LAKES COUNTRY FROM MAJOR TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 77 1. British Travel to the Great Lakes Country 77 2. West German Travel to the Great Lakes Country 80 3. French Travel to the Great Lakes Country 81 4. Dutch Travel to the Great Lakes Country 83 III. SUMMARY TABLES: British, West German, French, and Dutch Travel to the Great Lakes Country 85 SECTION SIX: A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST INTRODUCTION 92 I. OVERVIEW 93 II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST FROM SELECTED MAJOR FOREIGN TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 93 1 . West German Travel to the Mountain West 93 2. British Travel to the Mountain West 95 3. French Travel to the Mountain West 95 iv TABLE OF CONTENTS— Continued SECTION SEVEN: A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE FRONTIER WEST INTRODUCTION 98 I. OVERVIEW 99 II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE FRONTIER WEST FROM MAJOR TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 99 1 . Mexican Travel to the Frontier West 99 2. Japanese Travel to the Frontier West 1 02 3. West German Travel to the Frontier West 103 4. French Travel to the Frontier West 1 05 5. Australian Travel to the Frontier West 1 06 III. SUMMARY TABLES: Mexican, Japanese, West German, French, and Australian Travel to the Frontier West 1 09 SECTION EIGHT: A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE FAR WEST INTRODUCTION 116 I. OVERVIEW 117 II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE FAR WEST FROM MAJOR TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 117 1 . Mexican Travel to the Far West 117 Japanese Travel to the Far West 120 British Travel to the Far West 121 West German Travel to the Far West 123 French Travel to the Far West 124 Italian Travel to the Far West 126 Dutch Travel to the Far West 127 Australian Travel to the Far West 128 III. SUMMARY TABLES: Mexican, Japanese, British, West German, French, Italian, Dutch, and Australian Travel to the Far West 131 SECTION NINE: A SUMMARY ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE ISLANDS I. OVERVIEW 141 SECTION ONE RHODE ISLAND A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO NEW ENGLAND INTRODUCTION Purpose and Scope The United States Travel Service recently com- pleted a series of 1 1 marketing studies on principal countries contributing tourists to the United States. This report is based on these studies, and this first section presents an in-depth analysis of international travel to New England from major tourist generating countries to this region. Specifically, it provides a demographic analysis and trip profile of foreign travel to New England from the United Kingdom, West Germany, and France. Methodology The universe of this study for survey purposes was comprised of adult ( 1 8 years of age or older) British, German, and French residents from major urban areas within their respective countries. Respondents consisted of adult international travelers who had visited New England during their trips to the United States in 1976. Respondent screening was accomplished through door to door interviews. Complete interviews were conducted either at the time of the screening or at an appointed time convenient for the respondent. A disproportionate sampling methodology (designed to locate an adequate number of travelers to the United States) utilizing second-level referrals was used to locate qualified respondents. Limitations This survey of international travel to the New Eng- land region is confined to those country markets from which a sufficiently large sample population was ob- tained to permit a statistically valid analysis. I. OVERVIEW Some 3.2 million foreigners visited New England in 1977, representing 17 percent of total international arrivals to the United States during that year (18.6 million). The majority (78 percent) of these visitors came from Canada; 20 percent came from overseas countries; and 2 percent came from Mexico. They spent an estimated $435 million in this region in 1977, accounting for about 6 percent of total foreign travel spending in the United States during that year. International travelers to New England are gener- ally in the 25 to 44 age bracket, well educated, with a large proportion having college or university level educations, and are usually employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They most commonly travel to the United States during the third quarter of the year and generally come for vacational purposes. They usually contact travel agencies when making their travel arrangements, though many go directly to transportation carriers for these services. These travelers most frequently purchase regular economy/coach fares, though many also book char- ter passages or buy discount excursion fares. The typical international travel party to New England is comprised of one or two individuals who normally spend from 3 to 5 days in this region. They generally allocate the greatest share of their travel expenditures for food and lodging, followed by expenditures in- curred for secondary transportation and the purchase of gifts and souvenirs. The most commonly engaged in activities by inter- national travelers to New England during their visits to the United States in 1976 included: meeting inter- esting new people; seeing beautiful scenery; experi- encing a new culture and way of life; learning things useful in their business and social lives; and visiting places of significant historical interest. Relatively few international travelers to New Eng- land encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States in 1976. Among those who did, however, the most commonly cited complaints related to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, and poor weather. Table A presents a regional breakdown of foreign visitor arrivals in the United States from major for- eign tourist generating countries in 1976. The following section of this report presents a detailed analysis of foreign travel to New England from major tourist generating countries to this region. II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO NEW ENGLAND FROM MAJOR TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 1. British Travel to New England The United Kingdom was by far the most impor- tant of the overseas travel markets to New England, in 1976. During that year, some 107,000 British travelers visited this region, representing about 20 percent of the total British travel market to the United States (538,000). Massachusetts and Con- necticut were the most frequently visited States in this region, receiving 56,000 and 36,000 British visitors, respectively. These travelers spent an esti- mated $24 million in New England, representing nearly 8 percent of total British travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 106,000 British travelers visited New England in 1977, spending slightly over $26 million in this region during that year. Note: All data in this report pertaining to the demo- graphics and trip characteristics of foreign travelers to the various regions throughout the United States is based on the 1976 country marketing studies. British Traveler /Trip Profiles British travelers to New England are generally in the 25 to 44 age bracket, well educated, with the majority having college or university level educations, and most frequently employed in professional, execu- tive, or managerial occupations. They generally tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $15,540 in 1976) and are members of three-person households, usually containing no children under 18 years of age. However, in 1976, a substantial minority (32 percent) of these travelers reported annual house- hold earnings in excess of $21,093. (See table 3 for more details on annual household incomes.) Sixty percent of British travelers visiting New Eng- land in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approxi- mately 20 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (64 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to their departure. Over half (52 percent) came to New England during the third quarter; 27 percent came c u 2. NO 60 o rt On o ^r p- > ON NO NO m -t O C"! o oo OO •n oo r~ O IT) C") ^r in rl ■>* O o r\ oo in r^ 00 rl CN X~~ m no - — NO wo on r- IT) m n ' — — NO ON o r- r i in * g CL> — ^ 60 A- C C O od o c c c n O — O vO o <> -J o o •— o ^ r^ r i rs; o ■— o o O ~ 2. ^ o c- o — ° fcS> o e? m* °° o — 2 sS o "~" o — 2 ^ O §n ^'2 o — 8^ SO 2 N© r- 2 on xs a *>* "= ■j-, la S -w e .2f "3 la e U. <*• c c .2 3 •c .a s o "si 35 < e g£ to oo i; i- c c ° "? 3 u 2£ 3 03 o o — o — o — O ^o O *?• 8^ 8^ vo" ri oo' rl o*> xf 1 — c<~< o — O vo O S 5 - m" rJ >-, o <— C ,—, O '-- 1> 'J c o £> 3 ^ O vo o c> - 3 O U ri n -t io §'g o £ c/5 o (U T3 C o o H 03 ro >c o ^ O vo O <3^ r\ . o — --. — o — O kQ o <^ C c o <^ r : ^ c rj on !2 iri ' ^— •-^ w-, c — O — c c ^ O c ^ -t- sC o -- c — 8^ o o ^ d2 ON 3 rj ir, o ^ O vo ri — ^ ^5 Cj On O — o &^ in O ^ o •— 8^ 8^ " ro »' nD u. 00 -3 p; ^ c« r~ , , Uh 00 rj o — o <^ S J2 O '- O vO o £^ ^'2 c E o T3 60 c -a '2 c £ a o ^ O vC, O C"- ^' r - - c o — O N o O <> o — - ~ — o — o — o — 2 ^$ o e- 5£ o e? 8^ 8^ _' C~i , in ^' ^ oo' ^ ^'S \o ^ -1- - * 5 Ci NO ~~ un rl o — o — o «-> c ^ o t?- O K o o t? oo m oo* rj r-' ri o — O ^ o ~ O — O wO O vO o £>- 8^ O c ^ 00 '^ NC On u c u [in 4 c c o r-" r I O c q On O — o e- o o q in ^ o — O — o o ^ o o $ oo fi r i ro On oo j^ m *c5 3 < O ~ O y o O G- 3 — C^ — c c ^ c c ^ sC r l X in c c q m o *-. o ^c, O 5^ On' ^ o — O K o O o^ ri r" o — 8^ rl CI o --. ° kS> O o^ r ;oo o /-- O K o o e^ NO - o q -t o --> O K o o ^ 8^ O sQ O a 5 - O ^ 8^ 2fS o — O jc, O o^ oo' r " O '- O o^ o >— 8^ o — • O yC, o t> 12 ^ 3^ o — c , — , O ^-. O K o c c ^ O o ^ ?;s 00 c^ ir, O^ O '- o —■ o — o v> O tp o o t° <-r ^ ' NO •" Tt ^^ S J2 in m M3 m o ^ O >Q 8 1 o ^ 8^ o — 8^ 92 O '- 8^ 13 -a c 1) J5 > a c u T3 o o — O vQ o t^ no" 2 o .— O K o rsf °° O ~ O K o o — 8^ o — O >-> o — o — . O — o — o o ^ c o L" 8^ 8^ ON rl in" 2 r~ oc -'B o , — , o — o --> o o t° 8^ ON en Tf - oo 5^ ?■;? o ■— • O vp 4) during the second quarter; and 1 3 percent came in the fourth quarter of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful in planning their trips were information about: transportation schedules, travel arrangements, scenic places to visit, and lodging. The most frequently used sources of information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (69 percent), followed by information sup- plied by travel agencies (37 percent); print and visual media (33 percent); and airline company offices (28 percent). The majority (57 percent) of the British travelers visiting the New England region came to the United States for vacations. Forty-one percent came on busi- ness or to attend conventions; 33 percent came to visit relatives; 21 percent came to visit friends; and 6 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. They most frequently (41 percent) purchased reg- ular economy/coach fares. Twenty-five percent booked charter passages; 19 percent bought discount excursion fares; 10 percent purchased first-class fares; and 6 percent bought tour packages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among British travelers to New Eng- land was 22 days, of which 20 were actually spent in this country, and 4 were spent in the New England region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these travelers while visiting the United States were: personal cars of friends and relatives (58 percent); air transportation (55 percent); buses (31 percent for inter/intra-city transportation) ; taxis (25 percent) ; rental cars (23 percent) ; and rail (18 percent). The primary types of accommodation which they used during their visits to this country were: private homes of friends and relatives (68 percent); me- dium- (37 percent) and budget- (12 percent) priced hotels and motels; and first-class hotels (33 percent) . During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures among adult British travelers to New England amounted to an estimated $1,325, of which $760 were actually spent in the United States. Forty-six percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 21 percent went for secondary transportation; 12 percent for entertainment; 11 per- cent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips; and 10 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States included: meeting interesting new people (87 per- cent); seeing beautiful scenery (87 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (66 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (63 per- cent); and learning things useful in their business and social lives (61 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to New England Twenty percent of British travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited New England. Four percent of all British international travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional prefer- ences were aggregated, 12 percent of all British inter- national travelers listed New England among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. British Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among British travelers to New England: The great majority of British travelers like to mix with the local people and experience the local cus- toms and different cultures and lifestyles. Most British travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. When vacationing, they generally like to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. The majority prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones, and they do not consider it especially important that they stay in the best accommoda- tions during their trips. They generally prefer to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. Many prefer to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. Relatively few British travelers spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases during their vaca- tions. The majority do not especially favor vacations that entail a lot of nightlife. Many British travelers like to plan out their entire trip in advance. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by British Travelers to New England Relatively few British travelers to New England encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. However, among those who did, the most frequently cited complaints related to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, poor weather, and entry difficulty. (See table 1 for more details on the problems encountered by British trav- elers to New England during their visits to the United States.) 2. West German Travel to New England West Germany was the second most important overseas travel market to New England in 1976. Dur- ing that year, some 41,000 German travelers visited this region, representing 1 1 percent of the total German travel market to the United States (366,- 000). Massachusetts and Connecticut were the most frequently visited States in this region, receiving 32,000 and 7,000 German travelers, respectively. These travelers spent an estimated $7 million in this region, accounting for slightly under 4 percent of total German travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 42,000 German travelers visited New England in 1977, and spent slightly in excess of $9 million in this region during that year. German Traveler/Trip Profiles German travelers to New England are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket. The majority have high school or higher educations and are most frequently employed in either professional, executive, or clerical occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated me- dian of $16,320 in 1976) and are usually members of three-person households generally containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, nearly 40 percent of German travelers to New England reported annual household incomes in excess of $18,652. (See table 3 for a more detailed breakdown of annual household incomes.) Fifty-three percent of these travelers contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 31 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (67 percent) began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to this region during the third (50 percent), first (20 percent), and second (17 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful were information about: trans- portation schedules, scenic places to visit, lodging and accommodations, exchange rates, travel arrange- ments, and customs. The most frequently used sources of information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" information from friends and rela- tives (63 percent), followed by information supplied by print and visual media (52 percent); travel agen- cies (44 percent); and airline company offices (35 percent). During 1976, the largest proportion (44 percent) of German travelers to New England came to the United States for vacations. Forty-one percent came to visit relatives; 28 percent came to visit friends; 24 percent came to study or attend formal schooling; and 17 percent came on business or to attend con- ventions. They most frequently (48 percent) purchased regular economy/coach fares. Thirty-five percent purchased charter passages; 17 percent bought tour packages; 7 percent bought discount excursion fares; and 2 percent purchased first-class fares. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among German travelers to New Eng- land in 1976 was 23 days, of which 21 were actually spent in the United States, and 4 were spent in the New England region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: buses (41 percent for inter/ intra-city transportation) ; personal cars of friends and relatives (39 percent); air transportation (37 percent); rental cars (26 percent); and taxis (15 percent). Relatively few traveled by rail (7 percent) or boat (4 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: private homes of friends and relatives (67 percent); medium- (33 percent) and budget- (22 percent) priced hotels and motels; and first-class hotels (18 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures for adult German travelers to New England amounted to an estimated $1,175, of which $550 were actually spent in this country. Thirty-six per- cent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 26 percent went for transportation; 18 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 10 percent for entertainment; and an additional 10 percent were used for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: meeting interesting new people (83 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (80 percent); experiencing a new culture and lifestyle (78 percent); learning things use- ful in their business and social lives (63 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (63 percent); and experiencing an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and entertainment (57 per- cent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to New England Eleven percent of the German travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited New England. Two percent of all German international travelers selected it as their first regional destination choice for a future visit or revisit to this country. Addition- ally, when their first, second, and third regional pref- erences were aggregated, 6 percent of all German international travelers listed New England among their top three destination preferences for a future U.S. visit. German Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among German travelers to New England: The great majority of German travelers like to mix with the local people and experience the local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. Most German travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. The majority prefer to take longer vacations with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. Relatively few German travelers consider it im- portant that they stay in the best accommodations when vacationing. Most German travelers arc active, and relatively few feel that the best vacations are those where they can just relax and do nothing. Many prefer to visit a new country on each trip they take. When vacationing, most Germans prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. The majority prefer to plan out their whole trip in advance. Most German travelers prefer to visit places that have old monuments and historic buildings. When traveling, many Germans spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by German Travelers to New England Relatively few German travelers to New England encountered problems or difficulties during their vis- its to the United States. Among those who did, how- ever, the most frequently cited complaints related to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, poor weather, and entry difficulty. (See table 1 for more details on the problems encountered by German travelers to New England during their visits to the United States.) 3. French Travel to New England During 1976, slightly over 38,000 French travelers visited New England, accounting for approximately 18 percent of the total French travel market to the United States (217,000) and representing nearly 6 percent of total overseas arrivals to this region (655,- 000). Massachusetts and Connecticut were the most frequently visited States in New England, receiving 28,000 and 9,000 French travelers, respectively. These visitors spent an estimated $13 million in this region, accounting for about 10 percent of total French expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 38,000 French travelers visited New England in 1977, spending nearly $17 million in this region during that year. French Traveler /Trip Profiles French travelers to New England are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with a large majority having college or university level educa- tions, and most commonly employed in up-scale pro- fessional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $13,390 in 1976) and are most commonly members of two- person households containing no children under 18 years of age. However, it is noteworthy that a sub- stantial minority (41 percent) of these travelers reported annual household earnings in excess of $16,458. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income.) Forty-three percent of French travelers visiting New England in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 3 1 percent went directly to trans- portation carriers for these services. Thirty percent of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure, and an additional 20 percent began planning their trips at least 1 month in advance. On the other hand, 30 percent made their trip plans less than 2 weeks in advance. Half these visitors came to New England during the third quarter; 24 percent came during the second quarter; and 16 percent came during the first quarter of the year. The types of travel information which they consid- ered most helpful were information about: travel arrangements, lodging and accommodations, scenic places to visit, restaurants and prices, and transporta- tion schedules. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (67 percent), followed by information supplied by print and the broadcast media (56 percent); travel agencies (40 percent) ; embassies (35 percent) ; USTS field offices (35 percent); tour operators (35 percent); and air- line company offices (33 percent). The majority (56 percent) of French travelers visiting New England came to the United States for vacations; 27 percent came to visit friends; 23 per- cent came to visit relatives; 18 percent came on business or to attend conventions; and 11 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. They generally either purchased regular economy/ coach (42 percent) or charter fares (35 percent). Eighteen percent bought discount excursion fares; 16 percent purchased tour packages; and 3 percent bought first-class fares. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among French travelers to New Eng- land in 1976 was 30 days, of which 28 were actually spent in this country, and 5 were spent in the New England region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these travelers while visiting the United States were: air transportation (41 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (37 percent) ; buses (35 percent for inter/intra-city transportation) ; rental cars (27 percent); rail (14 percent); and taxis (13 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these visitors were: private homes of friends and relatives (60 percent); first-class hotels (21 per- cent); and medium- (18 percent) and budget- (7 percent) priced hotels and motels. During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures per adult French traveler amounted to $1,645, of which $965 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-four percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 21 percent went for additional transportation; 19 percent for enter- tainment; 14 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; and 12 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these French travelers while visiting the United States included: meeting interesting new people (93 per- cent) ; experiencing a new culture and way of life (82 percent) ; seeing beautiful scenery (82 percent) ; and learning things helpful in their business and social lives (78 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to New England Eighteen percent of French travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited New England. Two percent of all French international travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third preferences were aggregated, 7 percent of all French international travelers listed New England among their top three regional destination choices for a future U.S. visit. French Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among French travelers to New England: The great majority of French travelers like to mix with local people and experience local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. French travelers generally prefer to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. When vacationing, the majority prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Most French travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. They generally prefer taking longer vacations with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones, and they do not consider it especially important that they stay in the best accommoda- tions during their trips. Many prefer to visit a new country on each trip. The majority like to visit countries that have old monuments and other historic buildings. When vacationing, relatively few French travelers spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by French Travelers to New England Relatively few French travelers to New England encountered problems or difficulties during their trips to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently cited complaints related to: ex- pensiveness, concern for personal safety, poor weather, and entry difficulty. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by French travelers to New England during their visits to the United States.) III. SUMMARY TABLES British West German French Travel to New England 10 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to New England from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 International Travel to New England Traveler/Trip Characteristics British (Base) (83) Sex 1 Male 57% Female 43 Age 1 Median number of years 38 Marital Status '-' Married 69% Unattached 31 Education 3 Elementary/Primary 5% High school/ Secondary 31 Technical/Vocational 9 College/ University 56 Occupation 3 Professional 32% Executive/ Management 29 Clerical 10 Student 5 Sales/ Merchant 2 Self-employed 5 Retired/ Unemployed 5 Other 9 Size of Household 2 Average number of persons 3.6 Children in Household 2 Average number under 1 8 years of age 1.1 No children in household 53% Language Capability 2 Speak or read English 1 00% Prior Planning Time Less than 2 weeks 16% 2 weeks to less than 1 month 13 1 month to less than 2 months 7 2 months to less than 4 months 31 4 months or more 33 Planning Organization Contacted Transportation carrier 20% Travel agency 60 Other/None/No answer 27 Sources of Information about the United States a Friends/Relatives 69% Travel agency 37 Airline company offices 28 Print/Visual media 33 Tour operator 12 Paid advertising 6 Embassies 16 USTS 15 West German French (46) 54% 46 26 44% 56 17% 34 9 30 17% 17 24 20 9 7 4 2 3.3 0.76 65% 85% 11% 7 15 35 33 31% 53 16 63% 44 35 52 22 17 9 22 (72) 53% 47 27 40% 60 3% 8 4 85 3.0 0.71 61% 89% 30% 21 20 27 3 31% 43 29 67% 40 33 56 35 31 35 35 11 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to New England from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) International Travel to New England Traveler/Trip Characteristics British (Base) Types of Fare Purchased 2 First class Regular economy/Coach Discount/ Excursion Charter Tour package Seasonality First quarter Second quarter 27 Third quarter 52 Fourth quarter 13 Length of Round-Trip Median number of days 22 Length of Stay in the United States Median number of days 20 Purpose of Trip a Vacation 57% Visit relatives 33 Visit friends 21 Business 36 Attend conventions 5 Study/ Formal schooling 6 Other 4 Inclusive Tour Travel Yes 10% No 90 Size of Traveling Party 1 person 34% 2 persons 35 3 persons 12 4 or more persons 19 Activities Engaged In a Met interesting people 87% Saw beautiful scenery 87 Learned new things helpful in business/social life 61 Experienced a new culture and way of life 63 Visited places of significant historical interest 66 Bought interesting gifts and souvenirs 50 Enjoyed an exciting nightlife, good restaurants, and entertainment 49 Participated in warm weather sports/Lay in the sunshine 44 Experienced a bargain priced vacation 39 Attended a bicentennial event/site 40 Went snow-skiing 1 Participated in other winter sports and activities 2 Went camping 6 Lodging Used a First-class hotel 33% Other hotel/motel 49 West German French (83) 10% 41 19 25 6 8% (46) 2% 48 7 35 17 20% 17 50 13 23 21 44% 41 28 15 2 24 9 17% 83 37% 37 9 17 83% 80 63 78 63 52 57 37 41 17 2 2 7 18% 55 (72) 3% 42 18 35 16 16% 24 50 10 30 28 56% 23 27 17 1 11 15% 85 51% 25 9 16 93% 82 78 82 53 46 50 36 25 22 7 3 11 21% 25 12 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/ Trips to New England from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) International Travel to New England Traveler/Trip Characteristics British (Base) (83) Private home 68 Other 19 Secondary Transportation n Air 55% Boat 7 Rail 18 Personal car 58 Bus/Tour bus 31 Taxi 25 Rental car 23 Other 6 Total Round Trip Expenditures - Average (per adult respondent) $1,325 Total Trip Expenditures in the United States 2 Average (per adult respondent) $760 Allocation of Expenditures in the United States 2 Secondary transportation 21 % Lodging and food 46 Gifts, souvenirs, and other purchases 10 Entertainment 12 Miscellaneous expenses (sightseeing, tips, etc.) 11 Problems Encountered a Expensiveness 35% Concern for personal safety 29 Overcrowding 10 Entry difficulty 17 Unfriendliness 5 Poor weather 19 Mobility problems 6 Inadequate information/facilities 7 Language problems na Other 2 German Frenc (46) (72) 67 60 20 43 37% 41% 4 4 7 14 39 37 41 35 15 13 26 27 1 1 10 $1,175 $550 26% 36 IS 10 10 33% 22 9 11 7 11 4 11 na 2 $1,645 $965 21% 34 14 19 12 57% 39 22 25 6 24 17 17 na a Includes multiple responses; percentages may add to more than 100%. 1 Reflects data concerning all travel party members. 2 Reflects data concerning the respondent only. :; Reflects data concerning the primary decision-maker for the trip. 13 TABLE 2. Regional Destinations Actually Visited by U.S. -Bound Markets of Selected Major Tourist Countries vs. U.S. Regional Preferences Among All International Travelers from These Countries — 1976 British Travelers West German Travelers French Travelers U.S. Regional First Top Three Prefer- Prefer- First Top Three Prefer- Prefer- First Top Three Prefer- Prefer- Destination Actual ence ences Actual ence ences Actual ence ences New England 20% 4% 12% 11% 2% 6% 18% 2% 7% Eastern Gateway 50 George Washington Country 27 The South 18 Far West 34 Great Lakes Country .... 20 Mountain West 6 Frontier West 13 The Islands 2 13 38 53 15 43 65 16 38 6 19 19 5 17 24 3 12 14 51 22 22 62 29 18 60 38 78 40 33 73 38 41 80 3 14 18 4 22 17 4 23 5 21 12 5 21 7 5 23 9 39 21 10 38 22 9 44 10 28 5 4 12 3 2 10 TABLE 3. Annual Household Income Distribution of Major Tourist Generating Countries to New England — 1976 British Travelers to New England $ 8,435 and less 21% $ 8,436 to $10,545 13 $10,546 to $21,093 34 $21,094 or more 32 Total 100% Median household income $15,540 West German Travelers to New England $ 9,325 and less 24% $ 9,326 to $13,989 15 $13,990 to $18,652 , 22 $18,653 to $23,315 6 $23,316 or more 33 Total 100% Median household income $16,320 French Travelers to New England $ 7,954 and less 30% $ 7,955 to $10,971 13 $10,972 to $16,548 16 $16,549 or more 41 Total 100% Median household income $13,390 14 SECTION TWO A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE EASTERN GATEWAY INTRODUCTION Purpose and Scope This section presents an in-depth analysis of inter- national travel to the Eastern Gateway from major tourist generating countries to this region. Specif- ically, it provides a demographic analysis and trip profile of foreign travel to the Eastern Gateway from the following countries: Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, Italy, the Nether- lands, Australia, and Venezuela. Methodology The universe of this study for survey purposes was comprised of adult ( 18 years of age or older) Jap- anese, Mexican, British, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Australian, and Venezuelan residents from major urban areas within their respective countries. Respondents consisted of adult international travel- ers who had visited the Eastern Gateway during their trips to the United States in 1976. Respondent screening was accomplished through door to door interviews. Complete interviews were conducted either at the time of the screening or at an appointed time convenient for the respondent. A disproportionate sampling methodology (designed to locate an adequate number of travelers to the Uinted States) utilizing second-level referrals was used to locate qualified respondents. Limitations This survey of international travel to the Eastern Gateway region is confined to those country markets from which a sufficiently large sample population was obtained to permit a statistically valid analysis. 16 I. OVERVIEW Some 5 million foreigners visited the Eastern Gate- way in 1977, representing about 27 percent of the total international visitor arrivals (18.6 million) in the United States during that year. Fifty percent of these visitors came from Canada; an additional 46 percent came from overseas countries; and 4 percent came from Mexico. They spent an estimated $1.1 bil- lion in this region, accounting for slightly over 16 percent of total foreign travel spending in the United States in 1977. International travelers to the Eastern Gateway are generally in their late twenties to late thirties, well educated, with a large proportion having college or university level educations, and are usually em- ployed in professional, executive, or managerial oc- cupations. They most commonly travel to the United States during the third quarter of the year and generally come for vacational purposes. They usually contact travel agencies when making their travel arrangements or booking their trips, though many go directly to transportation carriers for these services. These travelers most frequently tend to purchase regular economy/coach fares, though many also book charter passage or travel on discount ex- cursion fares. The typical international travel party to the Eastern Gateway is comprised of one or two individuals who normally spend from 4 to 8 days in this region. During their visits to the United States, they generally allocate the greater share of their travel expenditures for food and lodging, fol- lowed by expenditures incurred for secondary trans- portation and for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs. The most commonly engaged in activities by inter- national travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their visits to the United States include: meeting in- teresting new people; seeing beautiful new scenery; learning new things helpful in their business and social lives; experiencing a new culture and way of life; and visiting places of significant historical in- terest. The Eastern Gateway is generally the most fre- quently visited U.S. regional destination by inter- national travelers and is their third most preferred region (after the Far West and the South) for future travel to the United States. Relatively few international travelers to the Eastern Gateway encountered problems during their visits to the United States in 1976. Among those who did, the most commonly cited complaints related to ex- pensiveness and concern for personal safety. Table A presents a regional breakdown of foreign visitor arrivals in the United States from major tourist generating countries in 1976. The following section of this report presents a de- tailed analysis of foreign travel to the Eastern Gate- way from major tourist generating countries to this region. II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE EASTERN GATEWAY FROM MAJOR FOREIGN TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 1. Japanese Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, some 112,000 Japanese travelers visited the Eastern Gateway, accounting for approx- imately 15 percent of the total Japanese travel mar- ket to the United States (772,000). Nearly all of these travelers visited New York State, and 33,000 visited New York City. Japanese travelers spent an estimated $39 million in the Eastern Gateway, ac- counting for nearly 9 percent of total Japanese travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 109,000 Japa- nese travelers visited the Eastern Gateway in 1977, and spent slightly over $39 million in this region during that year. Japanese Traveler/Trip Profiles Japanese travelers to the Eastern Gateway are generally in the 1 8 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with over half having college or university level edu- cations and are usually employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amount- ing to an estimated median of $16,560 in 1976) and are most frequently members of three-person house- holds containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 48 percent of these travelers reported annual household earnings in excess of $1 6,794. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income.) Sixty-six percent of Japanese travelers to the East- ern Gateway in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 3 percent went directly to trans- portation carriers for these services. Forty-one percent of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to their depar- 17 NO On o> « (J) 'S c ox o c o X! 3 S3 C OS w t~- '53 - .£ O i- u U, -> < -a > c ji C r * « 3 u 4J "O H 5 4> -w »*~> S-S o ■2 4? 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E o T3 SO C -a 'S D c -3 O 18 "3 > a d I) c CO o — 8^ ri 3 S 3 Hire, and an additional 25 percent began planning their trips at least 1 month in advance. Half of these visitors traveled to the Eastern Gateway during the third quarter; 21 percent came during the second quarter; and 19 percent came during the fourth quar- ter of the year. The types of travel information which they consid- ered most helpful were information about: transpor- tation schedules, scenic places to visit, travel arrange- ments, fare packages, lodging, and restaurants. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors were travel agencies (64 percent), followed by information supplied by: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (61 percent); print and broadcast media (37 percent) ; airline com- pany offices (26 percent); and paid advertising (20 percent). The largest share (36 percent) of Japanese trav- elers to the Eastern Gateway came to the United States on business or to attend conventions; 29 per- cent came to study or attend formal schooling; and 2 1 percent came for vacations. Relatively few came to visit friends (7 percent) or relatives (4 percent). The majority (54 percent) purchased regular economy/coach fares. Twenty-one percent bought tour packages; 18 percent purchased discount excur- sion fares; 5 percent bought first-class passage; and 3 percent booked charters. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Japanese travelers to the East- ern Gateway was 16 days, of which 13 were actually spent in this country, and 3 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these travelers while visiting the United States were: air transportation (89 percent); buses (62 percent for inter/intra-city transportation) ; taxis (48 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (28 percent); and rail (25 percent). The primary types of accommodation which they used during their visits to this country were first-class (67 percent) and medium- and budget-priced hotels and motels (56 percent), and private homes of friends and relatives (24 percent). During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures by Japanese travelers to the Eastern Gateway amounted to an estimated $2,695, of which $1,075 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-five percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 28 percent went for the pur- chase of gifts and souvenirs; 15 percent for secondary transportation; 12 percent for entertainment; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightsee- ing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States in- cluded: learning new things helpful in their business and social lives (91 percent); seeing beautiful sce- nery (89 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (80 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical interest (78 percent); and meeting inter- esting new people ( 73 percent ) . Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Eastern Gateway Fifteen percent of Japanese travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Eastern Gateway. Nineteen percent of all Japanese international trav- elers selected it as their first regional destination pref- erence for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third re- gional preferences were aggregated, 48 percent of all Japanese international travelers listed the Eastern Gateway among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Japanese Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among Japanese travelers to the Eastern Gateway: Most Japanese travelers like to mix with the local people and experience local customs and new and different cultures and lifestyles during their trips. They generally prefer taking longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. Most Japanese travelers prefer to visit new desti- nations which they have not previously visited. They generally do not favor vacations which entail a lot of nightlife. The majority of Japanese feel that it is important to stay in the best accommodations when travel- ing. The majority prefer to visit countries that have old historic monuments and historic buildings. When on vacation, many Japanese travelers like to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. 19 tive, or managerial positions. They tend to have mod- erate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $15,135 in 1976) and are most frequently members of three-person households con- taining no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 30 percent of these travelers reported annual household incomes in excess of $21,093. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income.) Sixty-three percent of British travelers to the East- ern Gateway in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 20 percent went directly to trans- portation carriers for these services. The majority (55 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the United States during the third (36 percent), second (29 percent), and fourth (25 percent) quarters of the year. The types of information which they considered most helpful were information about: transportation schedules, travel arrangements, lodging and accom- modations, and scenic places to visit. The most fre- quently used sources of travel information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (69 percent), followed by information sup- plied by travel agencies (48 percent); print and broadcast media (36 percent); and airline company offices (32 percent). During 1976, slightly over half (53 percent) of British travelers to the Eastern Gateway came to the United States for vacations. Forty-four percent came on business or to attend conventions; 27 percent came to visit relatives; 20 percent came to see friends; and 4 percent came to study or attend formal school- ing. The majority of these travelers purchased either regular economy/coach fares (39 percent) or charter passages (24 percent). Eighteen percent bought dis- count excursion fares; 13 percent booked first-class passages; and 7 percent bought tour packages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among British travelers to the Eastern Gateway was 21 days, of which 20 were actually spent in this country, and 5 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these visitors while traveling in the United States were: air transportation (57 percent); per- sonal cars of friends and relatives (53 percent); taxis (42 percent) ; buses (37 percent for inter/intra- city transportation); rental cars (26 percent); and rail (20 percent). The primary types of accommodation used by British travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their visits to the United States were private homes of friends and relatives (57 percent) and first-class (40 percent) and medium-priced (35 percent) and budg- et/economy ( 10 percent) hotels and motels. During 1976, total round-trip expenditures by British travelers to the Eastern Gateway amounted to an estimated $1,300 per adult British traveler, of which $725 were actually spent in the United States. Forty-one percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 21 percent for sec- ondary transportation; 14 percent for entertainment; 1 3 percent for gifts and souvenirs; and 1 1 percent for miscellaneous expenditures such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these British travelers during their visits to the United States included: meeting interesting new people (90 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (76 percent); learning things helpful in their business and social lives (70 percent); visiting places of significant his- torical interest (65 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (61 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and enter- tainment (60 percent); and buying interesting gifts and souvenirs (54 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Eastern Gateway In 1976, 50 percent of British travelers to the United States actually visited the Eastern Gateway. Thirteen percent of all British international travelers selected it as their first regional destination prefer- ence for a future visit or revisit to this country. Addi- tionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 38 percent of all British international travelers listed the Eastern Gateway among their top three destination preferences for a future U.S. visit. British A ttitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among British travelers to the Eastern Gateway: 22 The great majority of British travelers like to mix with the local people and experience the local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. They generally prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. Most British travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. When vacationing, the majority prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Many British travelers like to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally help- ful or useful in business. Most prefer to visit countries that have old monu- ments and historical buildings. Relatively few British travelers spend a lot of time during their vacations looking for bargain purchases. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by British Travelers to the Eastern Gateway Relatively few British travelers to the Eastern Gateway encountered problems during their visits to the United States. However, among those who did, the most frequently cited complaints related to: ex- pensiveness, concern for personal safety, poor weather, and overcrowding. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by British travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their U.S. visits.) 4. West German Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, some 193,000 West German trav- elers visited the Eastern Gateway, accounting for ap- proximately 53 percent of the total German travel market to the United States (366,000). Nearly all of these travelers visited New York State, and 168,- 000 visited New York City. German travelers spent an estimated $46 million in the Eastern Gateway, accounting for slightly over 24 percent of total Ger- man expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 194,000 Ger- man travelers visited the Eastern Gateway in 1977, spending just over $58 million in this region during that year. German Traveler /Trip Profiles German travelers to the Eastern Gateway are gen- erally in the 18 to 34 age bracket. They usually have high school or higher educations and are most fre- quently employed in cither professional, executive, or clerical occupations. They tend to have moderate household incomes (amounting to an estimated me- dian of $16,850 in 1976) and are usually members of three-person households containing no children under the age of 18. During 1976, 42 percent of German travelers to the Eastern Gateway reported annual household income in excess of $18,652. (See table 3 for a more detailed breakdown of annual household incomes.) Fifty-four percent of these travelers contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 21 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (66 percent) began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to this region during the third (53 percent), second (26 percent), and fourth (12 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, lodging and accommodations, trans- portation schedules, travel arrangements, restaurants, and climate. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (71 percent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (62 percent); print and broadcast media (53 per- cent); airline company offices (36 percent); tour operators (35 percent); and paid advertising (23 percent) . During 1976, the majority (56 percent) of these German travelers came to the United States for va- cation purposes; 32 percent came to visit relatives; 28 percent came to study or attend formal school- ing; 18 percent came to see friends; and nearly 15 percent came for business or to attend conventions. They most frequently either purchased charter passages (39 percent) or regular economy/coach fares (29 percent). Relatively few bought tour pack- ages (17 percent), discount excursion fares (9 per- cent), or first-class passage (3 percent). The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among German travelers to the East- ern Gateway in 1976 was 24 days, of which 21 were actually spent in this country, and 5 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. 23 The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: buses (46 percent for inter/ intra-city transportation) ; secondary air transporta- tion (42 percent) ; rental cars ( 30 percent) ; taxis (27 percent); and personal cars of friends and relatives (27 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers were: private homes of friends and relatives (53 percent); medium-priced and budget hotels and motels (53 percent); first-class hotels (26 percent) ; and budget/economy hotels and motels (19 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- ture for adult German travelers to the Eastern Gate- way amounted to an estimated $1,185, of which $725 were actually spent in this country. Forty percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging. Twenty-five percent was spent on secondary transportation; 12 percent went for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 11 percent for entertainment; and an additional 1 1 percent was used for miscella- neous expenses such as sight-seeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: meeting interesting new people (88 percent); expe- riencing a new culture and way of life (85 percent) ; seeing beautiful scenery (80 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical interest (73 percent); learn- ing new things helpful in their business and social lives (64 percent) ; and enjoying an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and entertainment (59 per- cent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Eastern Gateway Fifty-three percent of the German travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Eastern Gateway. Fifteen percent of all German international travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third re- gional preferences were aggregated, 43 percent of all German international travelers listed the Eastern Gateway among their top three destination prefer- ences for a future U.S. visit. German A ttitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among German travelers to the Eastern Gateway: The great majority of German travelers like to mix with the local people and experience the local cus- toms and different cultures and lifestyles. Most German travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. When on vacation, they generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Most German travelers do not consider it impor- tant that they stay in the best accommodations when vacationing. They generally prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones. Relatively few feel that the best vacations are those that have a lot of nightlife. Most German travelers are active, and relatively few feel that the best vacations are those where they can just relax and do nothing. Many prefer to visit new countries on each trip they take. The majority prefer to plan out their whole trip in advance. Most German travelers prefer to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. When traveling, many Germans spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by German Travelers to the Eastern Gateway Relatively few German travelers to the Eastern Gateway encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently cited complaints re- lated to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, inadequate information/facilities, entry difficulties, and overcrowding. (See table 1 for more details on the problems encountered by German travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their U.S. visits.) 5. French Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, 140,000 French travelers visited the Eastern Gateway, accounting for approximately 65 percent of the total French travel market to the United States (217,000). Nearly all these travelers visited New York State, and 103,000 visited New 24 York City. French travelers spent an estimated $40 million in the Eastern Gateway, accounting for slightly over 32 percent of total French travel expen- ditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 139,000 French travelers visited the Eastern Gateway in 1977, spend- ing slightly over $49 million in this region during that year. French Traveler/Trip Profiles French travelers to the Eastern Gateway are gen- erally in the 25 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with over half having college or university level educa- tions, and most commonly employed in up-scale pro- fessional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $13,870 in 1976) and are most frequently members of three- person households, containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 43 percent of these travelers reported annual household earnings in ex- cess of $16,458. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income.) Forty-three percent of French travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their trip arrangements or book their trips, and about 33 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. Thirty-two percent of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to depar- ture. An additional 24 percent began planning their trips at least 1 month in advance, and 22 percent made their trip plans less than 2 weeks in advance. Nearly half (48 percent) traveled to the Eastern Gateway during the third quarter; 21 percent came during the second quarter; and 16 percent came during the fourth quarter of the year. The types of travel information which these trav- elers considered most helpful were information about: travel arrangements, lodging and accommo- dations, scenic places to visit, restaurants, and trans- portation schedules. The most frequently used sour- ces of travel information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (80 percent), followed by information supplied by print and visual media (69 percent); travel agencies (52 percent) ; airline company offices (44 percent) ; tour operators (44 percent); USTS offices (44 percent); and embassies (41 percent). The majority (64 percent) of French travelers to the Eastern Gateway came to the United States for vacations; 24 percent came to visit friends; 21 percent came on business or to attend conventions; 14 per- cent came to see relatives; and an additional 14 per- cent came to study or attend formal schooling. They generally either purchased charter passages (39 percent) or regular coach/economy fares (33 percent). Relatively few bought tour packages (18 percent), discount excursion fares (17 percent), or first-class passage (4 percent). The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among French travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 was 30 days, of which 21 were actually spent in this country, and 6 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by French travelers to this region during their visit to the United States were: buses (48 percent for inter/intra-city transportation); secondary air trans- portation (47 percent); taxis (27 percent); rental cars (26 percent); and personal cars of friends and relatives (23 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these visitors were: private homes of friends and relatives (51 percent) ; first-class hotels (28 percent), medium-priced hotels and motels (24 percent), and budget/economy motels and hotels (15 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- ture for adult French travelers to the Eastern Gate- way amounted to an estimated $1 ,290, of which $705 were actually spent in this country. Thirty-four per- cent of these expenditures were allocated for secon- dary transportation; 24 percent for secondary trans- portation; 17 percent for entertainment; 15 percent for gifts and other purchases; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these French travelers during their visits to the United States were: meeting interesting new people (91 per- cent) ; experiencing a new culture and way of life (82 percent); learning things helpful in their busi- ness and social lives (78 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (76 percent) ; and enjoying an exciting night- life, with good restaurants and entertainment (60 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Eastern Gateway Sixty-five percent of French travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Eastern Gateway. Sixteen percent of all French international travelers 25 selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Addition- ally, when their first, second, and third regional pref- erences were aggregated, 38 percent of all French in- ternational travelers listed the Eastern Gateway among their top three destination choices for a fu- ture U.S. visit. French attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among French travelers to the Eastern Gateway: The great majority of French travelers like to mix with local people and experience local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. When on vacation, most French travelers prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. French travelers usually prefer to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. Most French travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. The majority do not consider it important that they stay in the best accommodations when vacation- ing, and they generally prefer to take longer vaca- tions with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones. Many prefer to visit a new country on each trip. Most French travelers like to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. When vacationing, relatively few French travelers spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by French Travelers to the Eastern Gateway Relatively few French travelers to the Eastern Gateway encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, the most frequently mentioned complaints re- lated to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, overcrowding, entry difficulty, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by French travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their U.S. trips.) 6. Italian Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, 105,000 Italian travelers visited the Eastern Gateway, accounting for approximately 80 percent of the total Italian market to the United States (131 ,000) . Nearly all of these travelers visited New York State, and 95,000 visited New York City. Italian travelers spent an estimated $40 million in the Eastern Gateway, accounting for about 68 per- cent of total Italian travel expenditures in this coun- try in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 98,000 Italian travelers visited the Eastern Gateway in 1977, spend- ing slightly in excess of $41 million in this region during that year. Italian Traveler/Trip Profiles Italian travelers to the Eastern Gateway are gener- ally in the 25 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with over 50 percent having college or university level edu- cations. They are most commonly comprised of cler- ical workers, individuals employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations, and students. They generally have moderate annual household in- comes and are members of three-person households containing no children under 18 years of age. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income. Caution should be observed in reviewing income data since 33 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions about their annual household incomes.) Thirty-six percent of Italian travelers to the East- ern Gateway in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 30 percent went directly to trans- portation carriers for these services. The majority (59 percent) of Italian travelers be- gan making their trip plans less than 1 month prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the Eastern Gateway during the third (42 percent), sec- ond (26 percent), and fourth (18 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which Italian visi- tors considered most helpful were information about: internal travel arrangements, restaurants and prices, transportation schedules, scenic places to visit, lodg- ing availability and prices, alternative fare packages, and weather and climate. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors in- cluded: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (55 percent); travel agencies (42 percent); airline 26 company offices (37 percent); print and visual media (31 percent); and embassies (28 percent). The majority (55 percent) of these travelers to the Eastern Gateway came to the United States for vaca- tions. Thirty-two percent came for business or to at- tend conventions; 15 percent came to visit relatives; 13 percent came to study or attend formal schooling; and 4 percent came to see friends. These travelers generally either purchased regular economy/coach fares (38 percent) or charter pas- sages (23 percent). Relatively few bought tour pack- ages (16 percent), first-class passages (9 percent), or discount/excursion fares (4 percent). The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Italian travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 was 23 days, of which 18 were actually spent in the United States, and 8 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Italian travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: buses (44 percent for inter/intra-city transportation); air transportation (37 percent); taxis (33 percent); rental cars (18 percent) ; and personal cars of friends and relatives (17 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers while visiting the United States were: first-class hotels (40 percent); private homes of friends and relatives (38 percent) ; and medium- and budget-priced hotels and motels (35 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures for adult Italian travelers to the Eastern Gate- way amounted to an estimated $1,605, of which $945 were actually spent in the United States. Twenty-nine percent of these expenditures were al- located for food and lodging; 25 percent for second- ary transportation; 20 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 15 percent for entertainment; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sight- seeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their trips to the United States in- cluded: experiencing a new culture and way of life (85 percent) ; seeing beautiful scenery (79 percent) ; meeting interesting new people (71 percent); enjoy- ing an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and entertainment (63 percent); purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (57 percent); and visiting places of significant historical interest (56 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Eastern Gateway Eighty percent of Italian travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Eastern Gateway. Twenty-three percent of all Italian international trav- elers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third re- gional preferences were aggregated, 51 percent of all Italian international travelers listed the Eastern Gateway among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by Italian Travelers to the Eastern Gateway Relatively few Italian travelers to the Eastern Gateway encountered problems or difficulties (apart from expensiveness, mentioned by 62 percent) during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, the most frequently mentioned complaints re- lated to: expensiveness, language problems, concern for personal safety, overcrowding, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of prob- lems encountered by Italian travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their visits to the United States.) 7. Dutch Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, slightly over 39,000 Dutch trav- elers visited the Eastern Gateway, accounting for approximately 41 percent of the total Dutch travel market to the United States (95,000). Nearly all of these travelers visited New York State, and 33,000 visited New York City. Dutch travelers spent nearly $6 million in the Eastern Gateway, accounting for about 1 1 percent of total Dutch travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 43,000 Dutch travelers visited the Eastern Gateway in 1977, and spent slightly in excess of $6 million in this region during that year. Dutch Traveler/Trip Profiles Dutch travelers to the Eastern Gateway are gener- ally in the 25 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with the majority having a high school or higher educa- tion. They are most commonly employed in up-scale professional, executive, or managerial occupations and usually have moderate annual household in- comes (amounting to an estimated median of $14,480 in 1976) and are members of three-person 27 households containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 24 percent of these travelers reported annual household incomes of $20,000 or more. (See table 3 for more details on annual house- hold income. Caution should be used in reviewing income data since 21 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions about their annual household incomes.) Forty-two percent of these Dutch travelers con- tacted travel agencies to make their travel arrange- ments or book their trips, and approximately 19 per- cent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (62 percent) began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the Eastern Gateway during the third (40 percent), second (24 percent), and fourth (23 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, internal travel arrangements, lodging availability and prices, restaurants and prices, and customs procedures and entry regulations. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (65 per- cent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (42 percent); airline company offices (33 percent); print and broadcast media (31 percent); and embassies (18 percent). During 1976, the majority of Dutch travelers to the Eastern Gateway came to the United States either to visit relatives (42 percent) or for vacations (41 percent). Twenty-one percent came on business or to attend conventions; an additional 21 percent came to see friends; and 16 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. These travelers generally purchased either charter passages (44 percent) or regular economy/coach fares (35 percent). Relatively few bought discount excursion fares (10 percent), tour packages (6 per- cent), or first-class passage (4 percent). The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Dutch travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 was 30 days, of which 22 were actually spent in this country, and 6 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Dutch travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: buses (39 percent for inter/intra-city travel); air transportation (36 percent) ; taxis (27 percent) ; personal cars of friends and relatives (25 percent); rental cars ( 17 percent); and rail ( 1 6 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers were: private homes of friends and relatives (51 percent); medium- and budget-priced hotels and motels (48 percent) ; and first-class hotels (25 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures among adult Dutch travelers to the Eastern Gateway amounted to an estimated $1,195, of which $570 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty- two percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 26 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 18 percent for secondary transporta- tion; 13 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips; and 12 percent for entertain- ment. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by Dutch international travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their trip to the United States included: seeing beauti- ful scenery (84 percent); enjoying an exciting night- life, with good restaurants and entertainment (80 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical inter- est (73 percent) ; and meeting interesting new people (72 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, 41 percent of Dutch travelers to the United States actually visited the Eastern Gateway. Fourteen percent of all Dutch international trav- elers selected it as their first regional destination pref- erence for a future visit or revisit to this country. Ad- ditionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 33 percent of all Dutch international travelers listed the Eastern Gateway among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by Dutch Travelers to the Eastern Gateway Relatively few Dutch travelers to the Eastern Gateway encountered problems or difficulties during their visit to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently mentioned complaints were related to; cxpensiveness, concern for personal safety, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of problems encountered by Dutch visitors to the Eastern Gateway during their visit to the United States.) 28 8. Australian Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, approximately 61,000 Australian travelers visited the Eastern Gateway, accounting for 36 percent of the total Australian travel market to the United States (168,000). Nearly all of these travelers visited New York State, and 54,000 visited New York City. Australian travelers spent an esti- mated $12 million in the Eastern Gateway, account- ing for nearly 1 1 percent of total Australian travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 56,000 Austra- lian travelers visited the Eastern Gateway in 1977, and spent slightly more than $10 million in this region during that year. Australian Traveler/ Trip Profiles Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway arc generally in the 35 to 54 age bracket, well educated, with nearly half having college or university level educations, and arc usually employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $20,735 in 1976) and are usually members of two-person households, contain- ing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 27 percent of these travelers reported annual house- hold incomes of $25,000 or more. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income. Caution should be observed in reviewing income data since 20 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions about their annual household incomes.) Sixty-one percent of Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 13 percent went directly to trans- portation carriers for these services. The majority (66 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to de- parture, and most frequently traveled to the Eastern Gateway during the second (31 percent), fourth (28 percent), and third (27 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which Australian visitors considered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, internal travel arrange- ments, transportation schedules to the United States, lodging availability and prices, alternative fare pack- ages, and weather and climate. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and rela- tives (66 percent); travel agencies (66 percent); print and visual media (35 pereent); and airline company offices (33 percent). The majority (74 percent) of Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway came to the United States for vacations. Thirty-eight percent came for business or to attend conventions; 35 percent came to sec friends; 1 8 percent came to visit relatives; and 9 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. These travelers generally cither purchased regular economy/coach fares (43 percent) or discount excursion fares (25 percent). Relatively few bought tour packages (17 percent), charter passages (7 percent), or first-class fares (6 percent). The median length of round-trip travel to the Unit- ed States among Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 was 44 days, of which 27 were actually spent in this country, and 4 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Australian travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: air transporta- tion (78 percent); buses (67 percent for inter/intra- city transportation); personal cars of friends and relatives (58 percent) ; taxis (56 percent) ; and rental cars (25 percent). The primary types of accommodation used by these travelers were: medium- and budget-priced hotels and motels (81 percent); private homes of friends and relatives (55 percent); and first-class hotels (39 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expen- ditures for adult Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway amounted to an estimated $4,340, of which $1,415 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-eight percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 20 percent for secondary transportation; 18 percent for the pur- chase of gifts and souvenirs; 12 percent for entertain- ment; and an additional 12 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by Aus- tralian travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their visit to the United States were: meeting interesting new people (86 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (80 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (73 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (56 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and entertainment (56 percent); and purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (55 percent). 29 households containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 24 percent of these travelers reported annual household incomes of $20,000 or more. (See table 3 for more details on annual house- hold income. Caution should be used in reviewing income data since 21 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions about their annual household incomes.) Forty-two percent of these Dutch travelers con- tacted travel agencies to make their travel arrange- ments or book their trips, and approximately 19 per- cent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (62 percent) began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the Eastern Gateway during the third (40 percent), second (24 percent), and fourth (23 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, internal travel arrangements, lodging availability and prices, restaurants and prices, and customs procedures and entry regulations. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (65 per- cent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (42 percent); airline company offices (33 percent); print and broadcast media (31 percent); and embassies (18 percent). During 1976, the majority of Dutch travelers to the Eastern Gateway came to the United States either to visit relatives (42 percent) or for vacations (41 percent). Twenty-one percent came on business or to attend conventions; an additional 21 percent came to see friends; and 1 6 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. These travelers generally purchased either charter passages (44 percent) or regular economy/coach fares (35 percent). Relatively few bought discount excursion fares (10 percent), tour packages (6 per- cent), or first-class passage (4 percent). The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Dutch travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 was 30 days, of which 22 were actually spent in this country, and 6 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Dutch travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: buses (39 percent for inter/intra-city travel); air transportation (36 percent) ; taxis (27 percent) ; personal cars of friends and relatives (25 percent); rental cars ( 17 percent); and rail ( 1 6 percent) . The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers were: private homes of friends and relatives (51 percent); medium- and budget-priced hotels and motels (48 percent) ; and first-class hotels (25 percent) . During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures among adult Dutch travelers to the Eastern Gateway amounted to an estimated $1,195, of which $570 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty- two percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 26 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 18 percent for secondary transporta- tion; 13 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips; and 12 percent for entertain- ment. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by Dutch international travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their trip to the United States included: seeing beauti- ful scenery (84 percent) ; enjoying an exciting night- life, with good restaurants and entertainment (80 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical inter- est (73 percent) ; and meeting interesting new people (72 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, 41 percent of Dutch travelers to the United States actually visited the Eastern Gateway. Fourteen percent of all Dutch international trav- elers selected it as their first regional destination pref- erence for a future visit or revisit to this country. Ad- ditionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 33 percent of all Dutch international travelers listed the Eastern Gateway among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by Dutch Travelers to the Eastern Gateway Relatively few Dutch travelers to the Eastern Gateway encountered problems or difficulties during their visit to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently mentioned complaints were related to; expensiveness, concern for personal safety, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of problems encountered by Dutch visitors to the Eastern Gateway during their visit to the United States.) 28 8. Australian Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, approximately 61,000 Australian travelers visited the Eastern Gateway, accounting for 36 percent of the total Australian travel market to the United States (168,000). Nearly all of these travelers visited New York State, and 54,000 visited New York City. Australian travelers spent an esti- mated $12 million in the Eastern Gateway, account- ing for nearly 1 1 percent of total Australian travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 56,000 Austra- lian travelers visited the Eastern Gateway in 1977, and spent slightly more than $10 million in this region during that year. Australian Traveler/ Trip Profiles Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway are generally in the 35 to 54 age bracket, well educated, with nearly half having college or university level educations, and are usually employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $20,735 in 1976) and are usually members of two-person households, contain- ing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 27 percent of these travelers reported annual house- hold incomes of $25,000 or more. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income. Caution should be observed in reviewing income data since 20 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions about their annual household incomes.) Sixty-one percent of Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 13 percent went directly to trans- portation carriers for these services. The majority (66 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to de- parture, and most frequently traveled to the Eastern Gateway during the second (31 percent), fourth (28 percent), and third (27 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which Australian visitors considered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, internal travel arrange- ments, transportation schedules to the United States, lodging availability and prices, alternative fare pack- ages, and weather and climate. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth 1 ' from friends and rela- tives (66 percent); travel agencies (66 percent); print and visual media (35 percent); and airline company offices ( 33 percent) . The majority (74 percent) of Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway came to the United States for vacations. Thirty-eight percent came for business or to attend conventions; 35 percent came to sec friends; 1 8 percent came to visit relatives; and 9 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. These travelers generally cither purchased regular economy/coach fares (43 percent) or discount excursion fares (25 percent). Relatively few bought tour packages (17 percent), charter passages (7 percent), or first-class fares (6 percent). The median length of round-trip travel to the Unit- ed States among Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 was 44 days, of which 27 were actually spent in this country, and 4 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Australian travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: air transporta- tion (78 percent); buses (67 percent for inter/intra- city transportation); personal cars of friends and relatives (58 percent) ; taxis (56 percent) ; and rental cars (25 percent). The primary types of accommodation used by these travelers were: medium- and budget-priced hotels and motels (81 percent); private homes of friends and relatives (55 percent); and first-class hotels (39 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expen- ditures for adult Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway amounted to an estimated $4,340, of which $1,415 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-eight percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 20 percent for secondary transportation; 18 percent for the pur- chase of gifts and souvenirs; 12 percent for entertain- ment; and an additional 12 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A etivities The most popular activities engaged in by Aus- tralian travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their visit to the United States were: meeting interesting new people (86 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (80 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (73 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (56 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and entertainment (56 percent); and purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (55 percent). 29 Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Eastern Gateway Thirty-six percent of Australian travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Eastern Gateway. Seven percent of all Australian interna- tional travelers selected it as their first regional des- tination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 33 per- cent of all Australian international travelers listed the Eastern Gateway among their top three destina- tion choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by Australian Travelers to the Eastern Gateway Relatively few Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, the most frequently mentioned complaints re- lated to: concern for personal safety, expensiveness, overcrowding, and poor weather. (See table one for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encoun- tered by Australian travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their visit to the United States.) 9. Venezuelan Travel to the Eastern Gateway During 1976, approximately 51,000 Venezuelan travelers visited the Eastern Gateway, accounting for 34 percent of the total Venezuelan travel market to the United States (152,000). Nearly all these travelers visited New York State and 48,000 visited New York City. Venezuelan travelers spent an esti- mated $33 million in the Eastern Gateway, account- ing for approximately 32 percent of total Venezuelan travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 70,000 Vene- zuelan travelers visited the Eastern Gateway in 1977, and spent nearly $51 million in this region during that year. Venezuelan Traveler /Trip Profiles Venezuelan travelers to the Eastern Gateway are generally in the 25 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with over half having college or university level educations, and employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $14,260 in 1976) and are most frequently members of five-person households with one or two children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 19 percent of these travelers reported annual household incomes of $20,000 or more. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income. Caution should be observed in reviewing income data since 18 percent of the respondents re- fused to answer questions about their annual house- hold incomes.) Fifty-one percent of Venezuelan travelers to the Eastern Gateway went directly to transportation carriers to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and 47 percent contacted travel agencies for these services. The majority (60 percent) of these Venezuelan travelers began making their trip plans less than 1 month prior to departure, but nearly a quarter (24 percent) planned their trips at least 2 months in advance. They most frequently traveled to the Eastern Gateway during the third quarter (49 per- cent) of the year. Eighteen percent came during the first quarter, 16 percent during the second quarter, and an additional 16 percent during the fourth quarter. The types of travel information which Venezuelan visitors considered most helpful were information about: lodging availability and prices, transportation schedules to the United States, recent economic trends and currency devaluation, tour group availa- bility, restaurants and prices, and exchange rates. The most frequently used sources of travel informa- tion by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (84 percent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (81 percent) ; airline company offices (80 percent); print and visual media (62 percent); and embassies (58 percent). During 1976, the majority (66 percent) of Vene- zuelan travelers to the Eastern Gateway came to the United States for vacations. Twenty-three percent came for business or to attend conventions; 18 per- cent came to see friends; and 17 percent came to visit relatives. The majority (68 percent) of these travelers pur- chased regular economy/coach fares. Relatively few bought first-class passages (17 percent), tour pack- ages (9 percent), or discount excursion fares (8 per- cent) . None came on charters. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Venezuelan travelers to the Eastern Gateway in 1976 was 26 days, of which 15 were actually spent in this country, and 8 were spent in the Eastern Gateway region. 30 The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Venezuelan travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: taxis (63 per- cent) ; air transportation (61 percent) ; buses (46 per- cent for inter/intra-city transportation); rail (29); and personal cars of friends and relatives (20 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers were: first-class hotels (33 percent); private homes of friends and relatives (32 percent); medium-priced (30 percent) and budget-economy (17 percent) hotels and motels. During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures per adult Venezuelan travel to the Eastern Gateway amounted to an estimated $2,085, of which $1,520 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-two percent of these expenditures were allo- cated for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 28 per- cent went for food and lodging; 17 percent for entertainment; 13 percent for secondary transporta- tion; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A divides The most popular activities engaged in by Vene- zuelan travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their visit to the United States were: purchasing interest- ing gifts and souvenirs (87 percent); meeting inter- esting new people (86 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (86 percent) ; experiencing a new culture and way of life (79 percent) ; learning new things helpful in their business and social lives (77 percent) ; enjoy- ing an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and entertainment (74 percent); and visiting places of significant historical interest (62 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Eastern Gateway Thirty-four percent of Venezuelan travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Eastern Gateway. Seventeen percent of all Venezuelan travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 55 percent of all Venezuelan international travelers listed the East- ern Gateway among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by Venezuelan Travels to the Eastern Gateway Relatively few Venezuelan travelers to the Eastern Gateway experienced problems or difficulties during their visit to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently cited complaints related to: expensiveness, poor weather, concern for personal safety, and unfriendliness. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by Venezuelan travelers to the Eastern Gateway during their visit to the United States.) 31 III. SUMMARY TABLES Japanese Mexican British West German French Italian Dutch Australian Venezuelan Travel to the Eastern Gateway 32 N© r- e 3 o U C V S cu 3 O H c 01 o o rt k. a vw o >> ■^ 03 -: c u u C c/1 a •c H > k. 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The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (74 percent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (53 percent); print and visual media (35 percent); and airline company offices (29 percent) . The majority (60 percent) of British travelers to George Washington Country came to the United States for vacations. Forty-four percent came on business or to attend conventions; 31 percent came to visit friends; and 27 percent came to see relatives. These travelers most frequently booked regular economy /coach fares (39 percent) or charter pas- sages (26 percent). Additionally, 19 percent pur- chased discount excursion fares; 9 percent booked first-class passages; and 5 percent bought tour pack- ages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among British travelers to George Washington Country was 22 days, of which 21 were spent in this country, and 3 were spent in the George Washington Country region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by British travelers to this region during their visit to the United States were: airlines (66 percent) ; personal cars of friends and relatives (58 percent); buses (38 percent for inter/intra-city transporta- tion) ; and rail (22 percent) . The primary types of accommodation used by these visitors during their stays in the United States were: private homes of friends and relatives (66 per- cent) and first-class (39 percent), medium- (43 per- cent), and budget-priced (13 percent) hotels and motels. During 1976, total round-trip expenditures by British travelers to George Washington Country amounted to an estimated $1 ,450 per adult, of which $870 were actually spent in the United States. Forty- two percent of these U.S. expenditures were allo- cated for food and lodging; 23 percent for secondary air transportation; 15 percent for entertainment; 11 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sight- seeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: meeting interesting new people (88 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (85 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (76 percent); learning new things helpful in their business and social lives (68 percent); experiencing new cultures and life- styles (62 percent); and purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (59 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to George Washington Country Twenty-seven percent of British travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited George Wash- ington Country. Six percent of all British interna- tional travelers selected it as their first regional desti- nation for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 19 percent of all British international travelers listed George Wash- ington Country among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit or revisit. British Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among British travelers to George Washington Country: The great majority of British travelers like to mix with the local people and experience local customs and different cultures and lifestyles when traveling. British travelers generally prefer to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations. When vacationing, the majority prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. They generally prefer to visit countries that have old monuments and other historic buildings. Most British travelers prefer to take longer vaca- tions, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones. They generally prefer to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. Most British travelers do not consider it particu- larly important that they stay at the best accommo- dations when on vacation. Relatively few British travelers prefer to travel on guided tours. Most British travelers are active and do not especially favor vacations where they can just relax and do nothing. 43 The majority do not feel that the best types of vacations are those which feature a lot of night- life. Most British travelers do not spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases during their va- cations. Problems Encountered by British Travelers to George Washington Country Relatively few British travelers to George Wash- ington Country encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most commonly cited com- plaints related to: expensiveness, concern for per- sonal safety, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by British travelers to George Washington Country during their U.S. visits.) 2. West German Travel to George Washington Country Some 68,000 West German travelers visited George Washington Country in 1976, accounting for nearly 19 percent of the total German travel market to the United States (366,000) during that year. Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia were by far the most frequently visited areas in this region, receiving 34,000 and 30,000 German visitors, re- spectively. German travelers to George Washington Country spent an estimated $6 million in this region in 1976, representing slightly over 3 percent of total German travel expenditures in this country during that year. It is estimated that approximately 69,000 German travelers visited George Washington Country in 1977 spending just over $8 million in this region, during that year. German Traveler/Trip Profiles German travelers to George Washington Country are generally in the 25 to 44 age bracket, well edu- cated, with the majority having high school or higher educations. They are usually employed in profes- sional, executive, or clerical occupations and tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amount- ing to an estimated $17,520 in 1976) and are typically members of three-person households, con- taining no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 29 percent of these travelers reported having annual household incomes in excess of $23,315. (See table 3 for a more detailed breakdown of household incomes.) Forty-seven percent of German travelers to George Washington Country in 1976 contacted travel agen- cies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and 18 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (72 per- cent) began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure, and most frequently traveled to this region during the third (47 percent), second (22 percent), and fourth (20 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which these travelers considered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, transportation sched- ules, lodging availability and prices, restaurants, travel arrangements, and climate. The most fre- quently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (70 percent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (55 percent); print and broadcast media (53 percent); tour operators (38 percent); and airline company offices (30 percent). During 1976, the majority (54 percent) of German travelers to George Washington Country came to the United States for vacation purposes. Forty-six percent came to see relatives; 27 percent came to study or attend formal schooling; 18 per- cent came to see friends; and 10 percent came on business or to attend conventions. These travelers most frequently purchased charter fares (48 percent) or regular economy/coach fares (25 percent). Many also bought tour packages (23 percent) . Hardly any booked first-class passages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among German travelers to George Washington Country in 1976 was 28 days, of which 27 were actually spent in this country, and 3 were spent in the George Washington Country region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by German travelers to this region during their visit to the United States were: personal cars of friends and relatives (47 percent); buses (44 per- cent for inter/intra-city transportation) ; air trans- portation (28 percent); taxis (23 percent); and rental cars (19 percent) . The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers during their visit to the United States were: private homes (67 percent); medium- and budget-priced hotels and motels (42 percent); and first-class hotels ( 1 7 percent) . 44 During 1976, total round-trip expenditures by German travelers to George Washington Country amounted to $1,025 per adult, of which $405 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-one per- cent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 23 percent were used for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 15 percent for entertainment; and 12 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visit to the United States in- cluded: meeting interesting new people (94 per- cent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (89 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (86 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (76 percent) ; experiencing a bargain priced vacation (65 percent) ; learning things helpful in their business and social lives (64 percent); and enjoying an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and enter- tainment ( 64 percent) . Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to George Washington Country Nineteen percent of German travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited George Wash- ington Country. Five percent of all German inter- national travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 17 percent of all German international travelers listed George Washington Country among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. German Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among German travelers to George Washington Country: Most German travelers like to mix with local people and experience local customs and new and different cultures and lifestyles during their trips. German travelers generally prefer to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations. Most prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones. Most German travelers do not feel that it is im- portant that they stay at the best places when on vacation. Relatively few German travelers like to travel abroad on guided tours. When on vacation, Germans generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Vacations with a lot of nightlife are not usually the most favored. Most Germans enjoy planning out their whole trip in advance. The majority prefer to visit a new country on each trip. German travelers do not especially prefer to visit places that have been previously visited by their friends. Many German travelers like to visit places where they can learn new things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by German Travelers to George Washington Country Relatively few German travelers to George Wash- ington Country encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. However, among those who did, the most commonly cited complaints related to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, entry difficulty, and inadequate in- formation/facilities. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by German travelers to George Washington Country during their visits to the United States.) 3. French Travel to George Washington Country During 1976, some 53,000 French travelers visited George Washington Country, accounting for approxi- mately 24 percent of the total French travel market to the United States (217,000). The District of Columbia and Pennsylvania were by far the most frequently visited areas in this region, receiving approximately 31,000 and 18,000 French visitors, respectively. French travelers to George Washington Country spent an estimated $7 million in this region in 1976, accounting for nearly 6 percent of total French expenditures in this country that year. It is estimated that approximately 53,000 French travelers visited George Washington Country in 45 1977 spending slightly over $8 million in this region during that year. French Traveler /Trip Profiles French travelers to George Washington Country are generally in the 25 to 34 age group, well edu- cated, with a large majority having college or university level educations, and are engaged in up- scale professional, executive, or managerial occupa- tions. They tend to have moderate annual house- hold incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $15,325 in 1976) and are members of three-person households, generally comprising no children under 18 years of age. Approximately 47 percent of French travelers to George Washington Country had incomes in excess of $16,458 in 1976. (See table 3 for a more detailed breakdown of annual household incomes among French travelers to George Washington Country.) Slightly over 47 percent of French travelers to George Washington Country in 1976 contacted travel agencies in making their travel arrangements or booking their trips, and approximately 26 percent wen) directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (58 percent) began making their trip plans at least 1 month prior to departure, and most frequently traveled to the United States during the third (56 percent), fourth (16 percent), and first quarters (15 percent) of the year. The types of information which French travelers found most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, restaurants, entertainment, and night- life, travel arrangements, transportation schedules, lodging, and climate. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors in- cluded: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (79 percent), followed by information supplied by print or broadcast media (68 percent); travel agen- cies (45 percent); paid advertising (45 percent); USTS offices (44 percent); airline company offices (39 percent); and embassies (39 percent). During 1976, the majority (59 percent) of French travelers to George Washington Country visited the United States for vacation purposes. Twenty-three percent came to visit friends; an additional 23 per- cent came on business or to attend conventions; 12 percent came to study or attend formal school- ing; and an additional 12 percent came to visit relatives. French travelers to George Washington Country most frequently booked either regular economy/ coach fares (33 percent) or charter passages (33 per- cent). Additionally, 26 percent bought tour pack- ages; 18 percent purchased discount/excursion fares; and 1 percent purchased first-class passages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among French travelers to George Washington Country in 1976 was 28 days, of which 21 were spent in this country, and 3 were spent in the George Washington Country region. The primary modes of secondary transportation used by French travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: buses (56 percent for inter/intra-city transportation); air transporta- tion (45 percent) ; personal cars of friends and rela- tives (25 percent); rental cars (23 percent); taxis (22 percent); and rail (14 percent). The primary types of accommodation used by these French travelers were: private homes (48 per- cent) and first-class (30 percent) and medium- and budget-priced motels and hotels (34 percent). During 1976, total round-trip expenditures by French travelers to George Washington Country amounted to an estimated $1,225 per adult, of which $600 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-three percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 22 percent for secondary transportation; 18 percent for entertain- ment; 17 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; and 11 percent for miscellaneous ex- penses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these French travelers during their visits to the United States were: meeting interesting new people (87 per- cent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (80 percent); learning things helpful in their busi- ness/social lives (76 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (75 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (60 percent); and enjoying an exciting nightlife, good restaurants, and entertain- ment (54 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to George Washington Country Twenty-four percent of French travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited George Wash- ington Country. Three percent of all French inter- national travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 46 12 percent of all French international travelers listed George Washington Country among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. French Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recent market- ing survey, the following general attitudes or psycho- graphic responses were noted among French travelers to George Washington Country: The great majority of French travelers like to mix with the local people and experience local customs and different cultures and lifestyles when traveling. When vacationing, they generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Most French travelers prefer visiting places where they can learn things that are educationally help- ful or useful in business. The majority of French travelers do not like to travel abroad on guided tours. French travelers generally prefer to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations. The majority of French travelers are active and do not especially like to take vacations just to relax and do nothing. Most French travelers do not spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases during their vaca- tions. They generally prefer to visit new places and destinations which neither they nor their friends have previously visited. Relatively few French travelers prefer vacations that entail a lot of nightlife. French travelers generally prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones. The majority prefer to visit countries that have old monuments and other historic buildings. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by French Travelers to George Washington Country Apart from complaints about "expensiveness," relatively few French travelers to George Washington Country encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among other prob- lems occasionally experienced by these travelers were: concern for personal safety, overcrowding, and poor weather. (Sec table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by French travelers to George Washington Country during their U.S. visits.) 4. Italian Travel to George Washington Country During 1976, some 45,000 Italians visited George Washington Country, accounting for approximately 34 percent of the total Italian travel market to the United States (131,000). Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia were by far the most frequently visited areas in this region, receiving 26,000 and 20,000 Italians, respectively. Italian travelers spent an estimated $7 million dollars in George Washington Country, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the total Italian travel expenditures in this coun- try in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 42,000 Italian travelers visited George Washington Country in 1977 spending nearly $7 million in this region, during that year. Italian Traveler/Trip Profiles Italian travelers to George Washington Country are generally in the 25 to 34 age group, well edu- cated, with the majority having college or university level educations. These visitors are most frequently employed in clerical capacities, and relatively few are engaged in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes and are usually members of three-person households comprised primarily of adults, with no children under 18 years of age. (See table 3 for a more detailed breakdown of annual household incomes. Caution should be observed in reviewing income data as 37 percent of the re- spondents refused to answer questions pertaining to this subject.) Nearly 37 percent of Italian travelers to George Washington Country contacted travel agencies in making their travel arrangements or booking their trips. An additional 28 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. Forty-six percent of these travelers began making their trip plans less than 1 month prior to departure; 28 per- cent planned their trips between 1 and 2 months in advance; and an additional 28 percent began making their trip plans over 2 months prior to departure. The types of travel information which these travelers considered most helpful were information 47 about: internal travel arrangements, alternative fare packages, scenic places to visit, lodging availability and prices, and transportation schedules to the United States. The most frequently used sources of informa- tion by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (60 percent), followed by in- formation supplied by travel agencies (44 percent); paid advertising (37 percent); airline company offices (31 percent); and print and broadcast media (31 percent). During 1976, the majority (69 percent) of Italian travelers to George Washington Country visited the United States for vacation purposes; 19 percent came to see relatives; 15 percent came for business; 13 percent came to study or attend formal schooling; and 3 percent came to see friends. These Italian travelers most frequently purchased either regular economy/coach fares (35 percent) or charter passages (34 percent). Fifteen percent bought tour packages; 7 percent booked first-class passages; and 6 percent purchased discount or ex- cursion fares. The median length of Italian round-trip travel to the United States among travelers to George Wash- ington Country in 1976 was 33 days, of which 29 were actually spent in this country, and 5 were spent in the George Washington Country region. The primary modes of secondary transportation used by Italian travelers to this region during their visit to the United States were: buses (54 percent for inter/intra-city transportation); air transporta- tion (46 percent) ; rental cars (24 percent) ; personal cars of friends and relatives (19 percent); and rail ( 12 percent). During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures among adult Italian travelers to George Wash- ington Country averaged an estimated $1,465, of which $975 were actually spent in this country. Thirty-three percent of these expenditures were allocated for secondary transportation; 29 percent for food and lodging; 16 percent for gifts, souvenirs, and other purchases; 13 percent for entertainment; and 9 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these Italian travelers during their visit to the United States in 1976 were: experiencing a new culture and way of life (90 percent) ; seeing beautiful scenery (90 per- cent) ; meeting interesting new people (68 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife, good restaurants, and entertainment (57 percent); visiting places of sig- nificant historic interest (56 percent); and buying interesting gifts and souvenirs (56 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to George Washington Country During 1976, 34 percent of Italian travelers to the United States actually visited George Washington Country. Three percent of all Italian international travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to the United States. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 17 per- cent of all Italian international travelers listed George Washington Country among their top three destina- tion choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by Italian Travelers to George Washington Country Relatively few Italian travelers to George Wash- ington Country encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most commonly cited com- plaints related to: expensiveness, unfriendliness, con- cern for personal safety, language problems, over- crowding, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by Italian travelers to George Washington Country during their U.S. visits.) 5. Australian Travel to George Washington Country During 1976, some 48,000 Australian travelers visited George Washington Country, accounting for approximately 28 percent of the total Australian travel market to the United States (168,000). The District of Columbia and Pennsylvania were the most frequently visited areas in the region, receiving 26,000 and 20,000 Australians, respectively. Aus- tralian travelers spent an estimated $9 million in the George Washington Country region, accounting for approximately 9 percent of total Australian travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 44,000 Aus- tralian travelers visited George Washington Country in 1977 and spent slightly more than 8 million in this region during that year. 48 Australian Traveler/Trip Profiles Australian travelers to George Washington Coun- try are generally in the 25 to 34 age group, well educated, with over half having college or university level educations, and employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $21,875 in 1976), and are members of three-person households, averaging slightly less than one child under the age of 18. Approximately 34 percent of Australian travelers to George Washington Country had incomes of $25,000 or more in 1976. (See table 3 for a more detailed breakdown of annual household incomes among Australian travelers to George Washington Country. Caution should be observed in reviewing these income statistics as 20 percent of the re- spondents either gave no answer or refused to answer questions pertaining to this subject.) Fifty-four percent of Australian travelers to George Washington Country in 1976 contacted travel agen- cies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and nearly 17 percent went directly to trans- portation carriers for these services. Over half (55 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 4 months in advance, and an addi- tional 24 percent planned their trips at least 2 months prior to departure. Only about 14 percent planned their trips less than 1 month in advance. The types of travel information which these travelers considered most helpful were information about: internal travel arrangements, scenic places to visit, lodging availability and prices, transportation schedules, and alternative fare packages. The most frequently used sources of information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (64 percent), followed by information sup- plied by travel agencies (55 percent); print and broadcast media (38 percent); and airline company offices (31 percent). During 1976, the majority (72 percent) of Aus- tralian travelers to George Washington Country visited the United States for vacation purposes; 40 percent traveled here on business or to attend a convention; 33 percent came to visit friends; 22 percent came to see relatives; and 7 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. These travelers most frequently purchased either regular economy/coach (40 percent) or discount ex- cursion (28 percent) fares. Additionally, 14 percent bought tour packages; 8 percent booked charters; and 7 percent purchased first-class passages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Australian travelers to George Washington Country in 1976 was 31 days, of which 29 were spent in this country, and 4 were spent in George Washington Country. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Australian travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: airlines (77 per- cent); buses (61 percent for intcr/intra-city trans- portation); personal cars of friends and relatives (59 percent); rail (21 percent); and rental cars (20 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these visitors were: first-class (34 percent) ; medium- and budget-priced motels and hotels (88 percent); and private homes of friends and relatives (55 per- cent). During 1976, total round-trip expenditures by Australian travelers to George Washington Country amounted to an estimated $3,865 per adult, of which $1,575 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-seven percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 22 percent for secondary transportation; 18 percent for the pur- chase of gifts and souvenirs; 12 percent for mis- cellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips; and 10 percent for entertainment. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by Aus- tralian travelers to George Washington Country during their visits to the United States included: meeting interesting new people (88 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (84 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (78 percent); learning things helpful in their business or social lives (64 per- cent); experiencing a new culture and lifestyle (62 percent) ; purchasing interesting gifts and souve- nirs (62 percent) ; and enjoying an exciting nightlife, good restaurants, and entertainment (52 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to George Washington Country Twenty-eight percent of Australian travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited George Washington Country. Six percent of all Australian international travelers cited it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 24 percent of all Australian international travelers 49 listed George Washington Country among their top culties during their visits to the United States. How- three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. ever, among those who did, the most frequently cited complaints related to: expensiveness, concern Problems /Difficulties Encountered by Australian tor personal safety, poor weather, and overcrowding, Travelers to George Washington Country and language difficulties. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by Relatively few Australian travelers to George Australian travelers to the George Washington Coun- Washington Country encountered problems or diffi- try during their U.S. visits.) 50 III. SUMMARY TABLES British West German French Italian Australian Travel to George Washington Country 51 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/ Trips to George Washington Country from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 Traveler/ Trip Characteristics (Base) Sex 1 Male Female Age 1 Median number of years Marital Status - Married Unattached Education 3 Elementary/ Primary High school/ Secondary Technical/Vocational College/University Occupation 3 Professional Executive/ Management Clerical Student Sales/ Merchant Self-employed Retired/Unemployed Other Size of Household 2 Average number of persons Children in Household 2 Average number under 18 years of age . . No children in household Language Capability - Speak or read English Prior Planning Time Less than 2 weeks 2 weeks to less than 1 month 1 month to less than 2 months 2 months to less than 4 months 4 months or more Planning Organization Contacted a Transportation carrier Travel agency Other/None/No answer Sources of Information about the United States Friends/ Relatives Travel agency Airline company offices Print/Visual media Tour operator Paid advertising Embassies USTS International Travel to George Washington Country British West German French Italian Australian (102) 42 3.4 100% (64! 32 3.2 88% (91) 28 3.4 87% (68) 35 3.4 77% (85) 57% 52% 50% 57% 46% 43 48 50 43 54 39 75% 48% 36% 52% 69% 25 52 63 48 31 3% 23% 2% 21% 28 43 7 21 37% 14 9 7 21 13 55 22 85 59 51 40% 5% 54% 10% 37% 28 27 1 4 24 4 27 8 37 9 6 8 , 19 7 * 11 1 — — 6 6 J 37 9 4 5 6 ] 3 4 10 11 ( 15 17 3.6 1.0 0.9 0.6 0.6 0.9 55% 64% 64% 55% 55% 100% 14% 6% 21% 21% 7% 13 11 21 25 7 7 11 17 28 18 28 36 27 19 24 38 36 14 7 55 17% 18% 26% 28% 17% 60 47 47 37 54 31 40 28 35 38 74% 70% 79% 60% 64% 53 55 45 44 55 2 l > 30 39 31 31 35 53 68 31 38 K) 38 31 12 13 10 19 45 21 13 15 5 39 37 26 15 16 44 na na 52 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to George Washington Country from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) Traveler/Trip Characteristics (Base) Types of Fare Purchased '' First class Regular economy/Coach Discount/ Excursion Charter Tour package Seasonality First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Length of Round Trip Median number of days Length of Stay in the United States Median number of days Purpose of Trip ;l Vacation Visit relatives Visit friends Business Attend conventions Study/ Formal schooling Other Inclusive Tour Travel -' Yes No Size of Traveling Party 1 person 2 persons 3 persons 4 or more persons Activities Engaged In ' l Met interesting people Saw beautiful scenery Learned new things helpful in business/ social life Experienced a new culture and way of life Visited places of significant historical interest Bought interesting gifts and souvenirs . . . Enjoyed an exciting nightlife, good restaurants, and entertainment Participated in warm weather sports/ Lay in the sunshine Experienced a bargain priced vacation . . . Attended a bicentennial event/site Went snow-skiing Participated in other winter sports and activities Went camping International Travel to George Washington Country British West German French Italian Australian (102) (64) (91) 47 64 54 (68) 57 (85) 9% 0% 1%. 7% 7% 39 25 33 35 40 19 8 18 6 28 26 48 33 34 8 5 23 26 15 14 6% 11% 15% 12% 14% 29 22 14 25 33 43 47 56 47 22 22 20 16 16 31 22 28 28 33 31 21 27 21 29 29 60% 54% 59% 69% 72% 27 46 12 19 22 31 18 23 3 33 42 8 13 15 31 2 2 10 — 9 4 27 12 13 7 4 29 10 3 40 6% 75% 28% 12% 21% 94 25 72 88 79 32% 30% 44% 40% 21% 42 35 27 40 46 9 11 16 4 11 18 24 13 16 22 88% 94% 87% 68% 88% 85 86 75 90 84 68 64 76 35 64 62 89 80 90 62 76 76 60 56 78 59 52 50 56 62 52 43 48 21 21 31 31 65 28 34 40 49 35 30 9 32 — 2 1 2 4 2 1 2 12 7 14 12 10 15 53 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to George Washington Country from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) _ ,_ . International Travel to George Washington Country Traveler/Trip . Characteristics British West German French Italian Australian (Base) (102) (64) (91) (68) (85) Lodging Used a First-class hotel 39% 17% 30% 3 1 % 34% Other hotel/motel 56 42 34 49 88 Private home 66 67 48 50 55 Other 16 19 33 35 24 Secondary Transportation :; Air 66% 28% 45% 46% 77% Boat 6 6 2 — 6 Rail 22 11 14 12 21 Personal car 58 47 25 19 59 Bus/Tour bus 38 44 56 54 61 Taxi 40 23 22 24 53 Rental car 35 19 23 24 20 Other 9 11 9 16 8 Total Round-Trip Expenditures 2 Average (per adult respondent) $1,450 $1,025 $1,225 $1,435 $3,865 Total Trip Expenditures in the United States 2 Average (per adult respondent) $870 $405 $600 $975 $1,575 Allocation of Expenditures in the United States 2 Secondary transportation 23% 21 % 22% 33% 22% Lodging and food 42 31 33 29 37 Gifts, souvenirs, and other purchases ... . 11 23 17 16 18 Entertainment 15 15 18 13 10 Miscellaneous expenses (sightseeing, tips, etc.) 10 12 11 9 12 Problems Encountered a Expensiveness 39% 31 % 56% 56% 32% Concern for personal safety 29 20 37 28 28 Overcrowding 8 11 31 16 13 Entry difficulty 6 14 22 10 9 Unfriendliness 5 6 12 6 5 Poor weather 18 11 29 15 18 Mobility problems 8 6 18 10 9 Inadequate information/ facilities 6 14 19 7 5 Language problems na na na 28 5 Other 3 2 1 47 15 ■'• Includes multiple responses; percentages may add to more than 100%. '' Reflects data concerning only those travelers who purchased commercial transportation to the United States. 1 Reflects data concerning all travel party members. 2 Reflects data concerning the respondent only. 3 Reflects data concerning the primary decision-maker for the trip. 54 TABLE 2. Regional Destinations Actually Visited by U.S.-Bound Market Segments of Selected Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries vs. U.S. Regional Preferences Among All International Travelers from These Countries — 1976 Bri tish Travelers West German Travelers French Travelers U.S. Regional Destination Actual First Prefer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences First Prefer- Actual ence Top Three Prefer- ences Actual First Prefer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences New England Eastern Gateway 20% . 50 4% 13 12% 58 11% 53 2% 15 6% 43 18% 65 2% 16 7% 38 George Washington ^7 6 19 16 5 17 24 3 12 The South IS 34 . 20 6 13 2 14 38 3 5 9 10 51 78 14 21 39 28 22 40 IS 12 21 5 22 33 4 5 10 4 62 73 22 21 38 12 29 38 17 7 22 3 18 41 4 5 9 2 60 Far West Great Lakes Country . . . Mountain West Frontier West The Islands SO 23 23 44 10 Italian Travelers Australian Travelers U.S. Regional Destination Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences New England Eastern Gateway 18% SO 3% 23 8% 51 13% 36 10% 7 18% 33 George Washington Country 34 3 17 28 6 24 The South 19 37 18 15 20 5 11 33 2 4 10 2 43 72 15 12 41 18 23 83 22 16 31 47 7 47 6 4 3 5 39 Far West 81 Great Lakes Country . . Mountain West Frontier West 21 19 27 The Islands 19 55 TABLE 3. Annual Household Income Distribution of Major Tourist Generating Countries to George Washington Country — 1976 British Travelers to George Washington Country $ 8,435 and less . . $ 8,436 to $10,545 $10,546 to $21,093 $21,094 or more . . Total 22% 7 35 36 00% Median household income $16,835 French Travelers to George Washington Country $ 7,954 and less . . $ 7,955 to $10,971 $10,972 to $16,458 $16,459 or more . . Total 23% 18 12 47 100% Median household income $15,235 Australian Travelers to George Washington Country $ 9,999 and less . . . $10,000 to $14,999 . $15,000 to $19,999 . $20,000 to $24,999 . $25,000 to $29,999 . $30,000 or more . . . Refused/ No answer Total 15% 9 12 10 S 26 20 100% Median household income $21 ,875 West German Travelers to George Washington Country $ 9,325 and less . . $ 9,326 to $13,989 $13,990 to $18,652 $18,653 to $23,315 $23,3 1 6 or more . . Total 15% 18 23 15 29 100% Median household income $17,520 Italian Travelers to George Washington Country $ 5,999 and less . . . $ 6,000 to $11,999 . $12,000 to $17,499 . $17,500 to $23,999 . $24,000 or more . . . Refused/No answer Total Median household income 19% 27 15 * 2 37 100% na Less than Vz of 1 % 56 SECTION FOUR A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE SOUTH INTRODUCTION Purpose and Scope This section presents an in-depth analysis of inter- national travel to the South from major tourist generating countries to this region in 1976. Specifi- cally, it provides a demographic analysis and trip profile of foreign travel to the South from the following countries: Mexico, the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, and Venezuela. Methodology The universe of the study for survey purposes was comprised of adult (18 years of age or older) Mexican, British, German, French, and Venezuelan residents from major urban areas within their re- spective countries. Respondents consisted of adult international travelers who had visited the South during their trips to the United States in 1976. Respondent screening was accomplished through door to door interviews. Complete interviews were conducted either at the time of the screening or at an appointed time convenient for the respondent. A disproportionate sampling methodology (designed to locate an adequate number of travelers to the United States) utilizing second-level referrals was used to locate qualified respondents. Limitations This survey of international travel to the southern region of the United States is confined to those country markets from which a sufficiently large sample population was obtained to permit a sta- tistically valid analysis. 58 I. OVERVIEW Some 3.2 million foreigners visited the South in 1977, representing approximately 17 percent of total international arrivals (18.6 million) in 1977. Fifty-seven percent of these visitors came from Canada; 35 percent came from overseas countries; and nearly 8 percent came from Mexico. They spent an estimated $1,024 million in the South, accounting for nearly 15 percent of total foreign travel spending in the United States during 1977. International travelers to the South are generally well educated, with a large percentage having college or university level educations, and are usually em- ployed in professional, executive, or managerial oc- cupations. They most commonly travel to the United States during the third quarter of the year, and generally come for vacational purposes. They usually contact travel agencies when making their travel arrangements or booking their trips, though many go directly to transportation carriers for these services. International travelers to the South most frequently tend to purchase either regular economy/ coach fares or charter passages to the United States. The typical international travel party to the South is comprised of one or two individuals, who normally spend 3 to 5 days in this region. During their visits to the United States, these international travelers generally allocate the greatest share of their travel expenditures for food and lodging, followed by expenditures incurred for secondary transportation, and the purchase of gifts and souvenirs. The most commonly engaged in activities by inter- national travelers to the South during their visits to the United States include: meeting interesting new people, seeing beautiful scenery, experiencing a new culture and way of life, learning things helpful in their business and social lives, purchasing interest- ing gifts and souvenirs, and participating in warm weather sports or lying in the sunshine. The South is the third most frequently visited U.S. regional destination by international travelers (after the Eastern Gateway and the Far West) and is the second most preferred region (after the Far West) for a future U.S. visit or revisit. Relatively few international travelers to the South encountered problems during their visits to the United States in 1976. However, among those who did, the most commonly cited complaints related to expensiveness, concern for personal safety, over- crowding, and poor weather. Table A presents a regional breakdown of foreign visitor travel to the United States from major tourist generating countries in 1976. The following section of this report presents a detailed analysis of foreign travel to the South from the major tourist generating countries to this region. II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE SOUTH FROM MAJOR TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 1. Mexican Travel to the South During 1976, some 227,000 Mexican travelers visited the South, accounting for approximately 12 percent of the total Mexican travel market to the United States (1.9 million). Florida was by far the most frequently visited state in the region and re- ceived approximately 136,000 Mexican visitors. These travelers spent an estimated $101 million in the South accounting for slightly over 8 percent of total Mexican travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 240,000 Mexi- can travelers visited the South in 1977, spending just under $100 million in this region during that year. Mexican Traveler/Trip Profiles Mexican travelers to the South are generally in the 25 to 34 age group, well educated, with approxi- mately two-thirds having college or university level educations, and engaged in up-scale professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amount- ing to an estimated median of $20,350 in 1976) and are members of five-person households consisting primarily of adults with one or two children under 1 8 years of age. During 1976, approximately 37 per- cent of these travelers reported annual family earn- ings in excess of $24,000. (See table 3 for more details on annual household incomes.) Slightly over 50 percent of Mexican travelers to the South contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips and 8 per- cent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (62 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans less than 1 month prior to departure and most frequently traveled to this region during the third (43 percent) and first quarters (21 percent) of the year. 59 \o to o a t~- '5 •- .> as u J2 ui [i. •> < — > c £ -5b se On « V "3 u > s ,£f '3 o b o c o 33 3 .Q 93 = "Ski - sa - c3 -*-j *j on C -l O IT, © r I 3" O — - O fr- ee" £ so DC m rf r- r- o —■ O ySJ o fr- gc -t O •— O vc, o fr- r»" ° o Ci m o — O fr- -t oc r i r-" r i c © © m o gc o c r- SO / — , o — O — c ^ O vo O fr- o ^ c - X ' r«~; 06^ m ' <"' C el o ■— o •— O ~ o — o — o *— C /- O K o O fr- o fr- 8& o fr- o fc- 8^ 8^ k6 cx oo'^i .n" r) voC ci c d S sS o ^ o -— O K o O v& o t> o c- o r l in r- o ~ » o — O — o o ^ O vo o &"■ r i -r o — 8^ <■<-, ~ , — , o — ■ o — c c o e^ o c ^ i/-, ^"^ -Jl O" -r 5 Ci ■c ' -t r- O ~ O K o o t? c o q 30 o ^ o ^ oo rj o *- 8^ o — o G^ o ^- 8^ o -— O vO o t^ o — O vO o t> o — o <— O vo o ^ os"S 8^ n*2 o -~ O K o o t> o — oT o ^ o &- log o — o £?~ Xi ^ ^h 01 o — 8^ C4 o — O tN o •— O jx, os 3 o — O ^c, O O^ ri ri GO U, C c rn o — O vo o c?- ri ri r- o — o ^ in O ^■ Q vO o -— o — O vO O vO O CN O O^ oo" ^ sd" ^2 o .—. O vO O v- rf °° O ko o «^ O /— O vc, oo (N r i o *- o .— o -— O /-^ 8^ O K o o S^ 8^ O K o o t> GO °2 m"2 2 r) o ^~ O -— - O "-> o <— 8^ O v o 8^ 8^ *->"£ K co rJ 'rj n , ^ H ^ cs o u ^ pa o 8^ os r_, o t> GO ■* o — O vO O S^ o -— ° t? o «^ £ CI O vO o £^ O — o ^ GO ij, O ^ 8^ S"2 o -— O v$ O 6 s « o sC -r o ■— o s 5 - o — 8&" o ^ o ^ so 52 o •— O >o O s> o — O K o o ^~ o -— O '— o ^ © K o 8^ 8&" si m 3 - GO 5!C SS o- c , — © — o — © -— o ~ c c ^ 8^ 8^ 8^ sC 3 OS ^, "T _ -5 sS c OS E ~ X3 u 'S -J c E o O u c 60 .2 3 < N a > 3 T3 c 1- z c -o 'J CQ The types of information which these travelers con- sidered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, lodging, transportation schedules, and fare packages. The most frcquenty used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (50 percent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (47 percent); airline company offices (24 percent); and tour operators (22 percent) . The majority (83 percent) of Mexican travelers to the South visited this country for vacations. Fifteen percent came on business or to attend conventions; an additional 15 percent came to visit relatives; and 1 3 percent came to visit friends. Mexican travelers to the South most frequently purchased regular economy/coach fares (60 per- cent) . Twenty-six percent purchased first-class fares; 12 percent purchased discount excursion fares; 9 percent purchased tour packages; and 2 percent booked charters. The median length of Mexican round trip travel to the South in 1976 was 15 days, of which 1 1 were spent in this country, and 4 were spent in the South. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Mexican travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: buses (39 percent for inter/intra-city use); taxis (24 percent); airlines (23 percent); and personal cars of friends and relatives (22 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers were: first class (69 percent); private homes of friends and relatives (29 percent); and medium-priced and budget/economy motels and hotels (15 percent). During 1976, total round-trip expenditures by Mexican travelers to the South averaged an estimated $1,455 per adult, of which $910 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-five percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodg- ing; 25 percent went for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 16 percent for entertainment; 15 percent for secondary transportation; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by Mexican travelers to the South during their visit to the United States included: seeing beautiful scenery (88 per- cent) ; learning things helpful in their business and social lives (71 percent) ; purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (71 percent); meeting interesting new people (66 percent) ; experiencing a new culture and way of life (62 percent); enjoying an exciting night- life, with good restaurants and entertainment (59 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical interest (58 percent); experiencing a bargain priced vacation (55 percent); and participating in warm weather sports and lying in the sunshine (44 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the South During 1976, 12 percent of Mexican travelers to the United States actually visited the South. Eleven percent of all Mexican international travelers chose the South as their first regional destination preference for a future visit/revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional prefer- ences were aggregated, 48 percent of all Mexican international travelers listed the South among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Mexican Attitudes (Psyehographies) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among Mexican travelers to the South: Most Mexican travelers enjoy experiencing new and different cultures and lifestyles when traveling. Nearly all Mexican travelers like to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. The great majority like to mix with the local people and experience local customs during their trips. They generally prefer to visit new places and travel to destinations which they have not previ- ously visited. When on vacation, the majority prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Many feel that the nicest type of vacation is one where they can just relax and do nothing. The majority prefer to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. When vacationing, most Mexican travelers do not spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases. The majority of Mexican travelers like to plan out their whole trip in advance. Mexican travelers generally prefer to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations. 61 Most Mexican travelers prefer to take longer vacations with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones. The majority do not like to travel abroad on guided tours. Mexican travelers do not generally prefer to visit places that have been previously visited by their friends. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by Mexican Travelers to the South Relatively few Mexican travelers to the South encountered problems during their visit to the United States. However, among those who did, the most commonly cited complaints related to: expcnsiveness, concern for personal safety, overcrowding, and un- friendliness. (See table I for a more detailed break- down of the problems encountered by Mexican travelers to the South during their U.S. visits.) 2. British Travel to the South During 1976 some 96,000 British travelers visited the South, accounting for approximately 18 percent of the total (538,000) British travel market to the United States. Florida was by far the most popular State in this region and received approximately 58,000 British visitors in 1976. British expenditures in the South amounted to an estimated $35 million, accounting for slightly over 1 1 percent of total British expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated approximately 95,000 British travelers visited the South in 1977, and spent slightly more than $38 million in this region during that year. British Traveler/Trip Profiles British travelers to the South are generally in the 35 to 44 age group, well educated, with nearly half having college or university level educations, and engaged in up-scale professional, executive, or man- agerial occupations. They tend to have moderate household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $12,655 in 1976) and are members of three-person households consisting primarily of adults with no children under 18 years of age. In 1976, approximately 25 percent had annual house- hold earnings of over $21,000. (See tables 1 and 3 for more details.) Nearly 60 percent of British travelers to the South in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approxi- mately 21 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority of British travelers to the South began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the United States during the third (32 percent), fourth (29 percent), and second quarters (21 percent) of the year. The types of travel information which British travelers to the South considered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, lodging, travel arrangements, and transportation schedules. The most frequently used sources of travel informa- tion by these travelers were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (59 percent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (47 percent) ; print or broadcast media (35 percent); and airline company offices (29 percent). The majority (59 percent) of British travelers to the South came for vacation purposes. Forty-five percent came to visit friends or relatives, and 39 per- cent came on business or to attend conventions. (Only a small portion came to attend conventions — 4 percent.) British travelers to the South most frequently pur- chased regular economy/coach fares (48 percent). Twenty-four percent bought charter fares; 13 per- cent bought discount excursion fares; 1 1 percent traveled first class; and 7 percent purchased tour packages. Given the fact that British travelers to non-U. S. destinations most frequently purchase tour packages, the relatively low incidence of this type of travel among British travelers to the South may be, in part, attributable to the lack of availability of such types of fares rather than the lack of demand for them. The median length of British round-trip travel to the South in 1976 was 21 days, of which 18 were spent in this country, and 4 were spent in the South. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by British travelers to this region were: air (55 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (47 percent); and rented cars (41 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by British travelers to the South were medium- (48 per- cent) and budget-priced (9 percent) hotels and motels; first-class hotels (45 percent); and private homes of friends and relatives (41 percent). During 1976, total round-trip expenditures of travelers to the South averaged an estimated $1,535 per adult respondent, of which an estimated $775 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty- eight percent of this U.S. expenditure were allocated 62 for food and lodging, 23 percent went for secondary transportation, 15 percent for purchases of gifts or souvenirs, 13 percent for entertainment, and 11 per- cent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by British travelers to the South included: meeting interesting new people (81 percent); seeing beautiful scenery ( 8 1 percent) ; learning things helpful in their business and social lives (65 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (67 percent) ; and participat- ing in warm weather sports and lying in the sun- shine (57 percent). It is noteworthy that the South received the highest rating of any U.S. Mainland region for this latter activity. The Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the South Eighteen percent of British travelers to the United States actually visited the South. Fourteen percent of all British international travelers chose the South as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional prefer- ences were aggregated. 51 percent of all British international travelers listed the South among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. British Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among British travelers to the South: British travelers enjoy experiencing new and different cultures and lifestyles when traveling. Nearly all British travelers like to mix with the local people and experience local customs during their trips. British travelers generally prefer to arrange their own sightseeing schedules and accommodations and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. When on vacation, they prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Most prefer to visit countries that have old monu- ments and historic buildings. Most prefer taking longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant vacations. They generally prefer to visit new places and destinations not previously visited. Most British travelers like to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. (This is especially true of U.S. -bound travelers.) Vacations with a lot of nightlife are not usually their most favored. Most British travelers do not spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases on their trips. British travelers usually like to tell their friends about their vacation experiences when they return home. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by British Travelers to the South Relatively few British travelers encountered prob- lems in the South during their visit to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently cited complaints related to expensiveness and concern for personal safety. (See Table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of problems encountered by British travelers to the South while visiting the United States.) 3. West German Travel to the South During 1976, nearly 82,000 West Germans visited the South, accounting for approximately 22 percent of the total (366,000) German travel market to the United States. Florida was the most popular State in this region and received approximately 39,000 German visitors in 1976. German expendi- tures in the South amounted to an estimated $19 mil- lion and accounted for 10 percent of total German travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 83,000 German travelers visited the South in 1977, spending slightly over $23 million in this region during that year. German Traveler /Trip Profiles German travelers to the South are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with over half having a high school or higher education, and engaged in up-scale professional, executive, or man- agerial occupations. The majority of these travelers have moderate annual household incomes (amount- ing to an estimated median of $16,580 in 1976) and are members of three-person households consisting primarily of adults with no children under 18 years 63 of age. Approximately 24 percent of German trav- elers had annual family incomes in excess of $23,315. (See table 3 for a more detailed breakdown of annual household incomes.) Approximately 63 percent of German travelers to the South contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and 17 per- cent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure. They traveled to the South primarily during the third (43 percent), second (28 percent), and first quarters (17 percent) of the year. The types of travel information which German travelers to the South considered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, transpor- tation schedules, lodging, and restaurants. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these travelers included: "word of mouth 1 ' from friends and relatives (69 percent); followed by in- formation supplied by travel agencies (66 percent); and that which appeared in print and broadcast media (48 percent). German travelers also fre- quently turned to airline companies (34 percent) for travel information. During 1976, the majority (62 percent) of German travelers to the South came to the United States for vacations or to visit relatives (40 percent) or friends (27 percent). Twenty-two percent came to study or attend formal schooling, and 17 percent came on business or to attend conventions. German travelers to the South most frequently (43 percent) purchased regular economy/coach fares. Thirty-two percent booked charter passage; 13 percent bought tour packages; 8 percent pur- chased discount excursion fares; and 7 percent traveled first class. The median length of German round-trip travel to the South was 35 days, of which 28 were spent in this country, and 3 were spent in the South. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by German travelers to this region were: air trans- portation (55 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (45 percent); buses for inter/intra-city transportation (35 percent); and rented cars (23 percent). The primary types of accommodation used by German travelers to the South were first-class (33 percent) and medium and budget priced hotels and motels (52 percent) and private homes (58 percent) . During 1976, total round-trip expenditures of German travelers to the South averaged an estimated $1,355 per adult respondent, of which an estimated $660 was actually spent in the United States. The largest share (40 percent) of these expenditures was allocated for food and lodging; 29 percent went for additional transportation; 1 3 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 10 percent for entertainment; and 9 percent went for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities which German trav- elers to the South engaged in were: meeting interest- ing new people (90 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (82 percent) ; experiencing a new culture and way of life (78 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical interest (63 percent); buying interesting gifts and souvenirs (63 percent) ; and participating in warm weather sports and lying in the sunshine (62 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the South Twenty-two percent of German travelers to the United States actually visited the South. Also, 22 per- cent of all German international travelers chose the South as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Addi- tionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 62 percent of all German international travelers listed the South among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. German Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing study, the following general atti- tudes and psychographic responses were observed among German travelers to the South: Most German travelers enjoy experiencing new and different cultures and lifestyles during their trips. (This is especially true of U.S. -bound travelers.) Most German travelers like to mix with the local people and experience local customs during their trips. (Again, this is especially true of U.S. -bound travelers.) German travelers generally prefer to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations. 64 Most prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant vacations. Most German travelers do not feel that it is im- portant that they stay at the best places when on vacation. When traveling, the majority of Germans spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases. The majority of German travelers do not like to travel abroad on guided tours. When on vacation, they generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Vacations with a lot of nightlife are not usually the most favored. The majority of German travelers enjoy planning their whole trip in advance. Many German trav- elers like to visit places where they can learn new things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. (This is especially true of U.S. -bound travelers.) The majority prefer to visit a new country on each trip. German travelers generally do not prefer to visit places that have been previously visited by their friends. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by German Travelers to the South Relatively few German travelers encountered problems in the South during their visit to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most commonly cited complaints related to: expensive- ness, entry difficulty, and overcrowding. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of problems en- countered by German travelers to the South.) 4. French Travel to the South During 1976, slightly over 63,000 French travelers visited the South, accounting for approximately 29 percent of the total (217,000) French travel market to the United States. Florida was the most popular State in this region and received approximately 26,000 French visitors in 1976. French expenditures in the South amounted to an estimated $15 million, accounting for slightly over 1 2 percent of total French expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that nearly 63,000 French travelers visited the South in 1977, spending nearly $19 million in this region during that year. French Traveler /Trip Profiles French travelers to the South are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with approxi- mately 90 percent having a high school or higher education, and engaged in up-scale professional, executive, or managerial occupations. The majority (86 percent) of French travelers to the South have some fluency in speaking or reading English. They tend to have moderate family incomes (averaging an estimated $11,375 in 1976) and are members of three-person households consisting primarily of adults with no children under 18 years of age. In 1976, approximately 36 percent had annual family incomes of $16,659 or more. (See table 3 for a more detailed breakdown of annual household earnings.) Though some 44 percent of French travelers to the South contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, 34 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. Nearly half (45 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and traveled to the South predomi- nantly (60 percent) during the third quarter of the year. However, a substantial portion (22 percent) also came during the second quarter. The types of information which French travelers to the South considered most helpful included infor- mation about: travel arrangements, lodging, scenic places to visit, and transportation schedules. The most frequently used sources of information by these travelers included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (75 percent); followed by information supplied by print and visual media (68 percent); travel agencies (55 percent); and airline company offices (45 percent). During 1976, the majority (74 percent) of French travelers to the South came for vacation purposes. Thirty-eight percent came to visit friends or rela- tives; 9 percent came on business or to attend con- ventions; and an additional 9 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. French travelers to the South most frequently (47 percent) booked charter passage. Twenty-six percent purchased regular economy/coach fares; 19 percent bought discount excursion fares; 15 per- cent purchased tour packages; and 3 percent traveled first class. The median length of French round-trip travel to the South in 1976 was 32 days, of which 30 were spent in this country, and 5 were spent in the South. The principal modes of secondary transportation 65 used by French travelers to this region were: buses for inter/intra-city transportation (53 percent); secondary air transportation (44 percent); rented cars (26 percent); and personal cars of friends and relatives (18 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by French travelers to the South were: private homes of friends and relatives (52 percent); budget/economy (26 percent) and medium-priced (24 percent) hotels and motels; and first-class hotels (20 percent). During 1976, total round-trip expenditures of French travelers to the South averaged an estimated $1,320 per adult respondent, of which an estimated $720 were actually spent in the United States. The largest share (33 percent) of this expenditure was allocated for food and lodging; 26 percent went for additional transportation; 15 percent for entertain- ment; 14 percent for gifts and souvenirs; 12 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities which French travelers to the South engaged in were: meeting interesting new people (93 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (90 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (80 percent); learning things helpful in their business and social lives (74 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical interest (52 percent); enjoy- ing an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and entertainment (45 percent); and participating in warm weather sports and lying in the sunshine (45 percent). The South received the highest rating of any U.S. region for this latter activity. The Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the South Twenty-nine percent of French travelers to the United States actually visited the South. Eighteen percent of all French international travelers chose the South as their first regional destination prefer- ence for a future visit/revisit to this country. Addi- tionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 60 percent of all French international travelers listed the South among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. French Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic traits were observed among French travelers to the South: Most French travelers prefer taking longer vaca- tions, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones, and they do not consider it especially important that they stay at the best accommodations during their trips. French travelers generally prefer to visit places that have old monuments and historic buildings. Most French travelers enjoy experiencing new and different cultures and lifestyles when traveling. Nearly all French travelers like to mix with local people and experience local customs during their trips. They generally prefer to arrange their own sight- seeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel abroad on guided tours. Most French travelers like to visit places where they can learn things that are either educationally helpful or useful in business. When on vacation, they generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Most French travelers do not spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases during their trips. The majority of French travelers are active and do not like to take vacations to just relax and do nothing. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by French Travelers to the South Relatively few French travelers encountered prob- lems in the South during their visit to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most commonly cited complaints related to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, and overcrowding. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of problems encountered by French travelers to the South during their visits to the United States.) 5. Venezuelan Travel to the South During 1976, some 79,000 Venezuelans visited the South, accounting for approximately 52 percent of the total Venezuelan travel market to the United States (152,000). Florida was by far the most popular State in this region and received approxi- mately 77,000 Venezuelan visitors in 1976. Vene- zuelan travelers to the South spent an estimated 66 $47 million, accounting for nearly 46 percent of total Venezuelan travel expenditures in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 109,000 Vene- zuelan travelers visited the South in 1977, spending slightly over $72 million in this region during that year. Venezuelan Traveler/Trip Profile Venezuelan travelers to the South are generally in the 25 to 34 age group, well educated, with over 50 percent having college or university level edu- cations, and engaged in up-scale professional, execu- tive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate household incomes (amounting to an esti- mated median of $16,380 in 1976) and are members of five-person households consisting primarily of adults with one or two children under 1 8 years of age. During 1976, approximately 26 percent of these travelers reported annual family earnings in excess of $20,000 (see table 3 for more details on annual household income). Caution should be observed in reviewing annual household income data since 1 8 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions pertaining to this matter. Nearly 70 percent of Venezuelan travelers to the South contacted travel agencies in making their travel arrangements or booking their trips, and 32 percent went directly to travel agencies for these services. The majority (60 percent) of these trav- elers began making their trip plans less than 1 month prior to departure and most frequently traveled to this region during the third (55 percent), fourth (22 percent), and second (12 percent) quarters of the year. The types of information which Venezuelan trav- elers considered most helpful were information about: lodging availability and prices, transportation sched- ules, internal travel arrangements, and locations and prices of good restaurants and entertainment. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (89 percent), followed by in- formation supplied by travel agencies (86 percent); airline companies (71 percent); and print and visual media (69 percent). Most (89 percent) Venezuelan travelers to the South came to this country for vacation purposes; 12 percent came to visit friends; 8 percent came to visit relatives; 6 percent came on business; and 4 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. Venezuelan travelers generally purchased regular economy/coach fares (57 percent). Seventeen per- cent purchased first-class fares; 16 percent purchased tour packages; 8 percent bought discount excursion fares; and only 1 percent booked charters. The median length of Venezuelan round-trip travel to the South was 25 days, of which 14 were spent in this country, and 9 were spent in the southern region. The principal modes of transportation used by these Venezuelan travelers while visiting the United States were: secondary air transportation (58 percent) ; buses (53 percent for inter/intra-city transportation); taxis (45 percent); and rail (17 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by Venezuelan travelers to the South were first-class (45 percent) and medium and budget priced hotels and motels (32 percent) and private homes (18 percent) . During 1976, total round-trip expenditures of Venezuelan travelers to the South averaged an esti- mated $1,870 per adult traveler, of which $1,165 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-one percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs, 28 percent went for food and lodging, 17 percent for entertainment, 1 3 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sight- seeing and tips, and 1 1 percent for secondary transportation. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by Vene- zuelan travelers to the South included: beautiful scenery (98 percent); buying interesting gifts and souvenirs (93 percent); enjoying an exciting night life, good restaurants, and entertainment (86 per- cent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (84 percent); and meeting interesting new people (83 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the South Fifty-two percent of Venezuelan travelers to the United States actually visited the South. Twenty- four percent of all Venezuelan international travelers chose the South as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 57 percent of all Venezuelan international travelers listed the South among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. 67 ^^ ms/DifficultiesEncounteredb y Venezuelan most commonly cited complaints related to expen- siveness, language problems, poor weather and over- Relatively few Venezuelan travelers to the South crowding. (See table 1 for a more detailed break- encountered difficulties during their visits in the down of the problems encountered by Venezuelan United States. However, among those who did, the travelers to the South.) 68 III. SUMMARY TABLES Mexican British West German French Venezuelan Travel to the South 69 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to the South from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 Traveler/ Trip International Travel to the South Characteristics Mexican British West German French Venezuelan (Base) (110) (75) (91) (118) (139) Sex 1 Male 49% 51 26 59% 41 40 63% 37 30 54% 46 26 53% Female 47 Age 1 Median number of years 29 Marital Status 2 Married Unattached 52% 48 72% 28 50% 50 31% 69 58% 42 Education 3 Elementary/Primary High school/Secondary Technical/Vocational 1% 12 22 66 8% 34 14 45 23% 33 8 33 1% 3 9 86 3% 32 12 College/ University 54 Occupation 3 Professional 44% 13 6 IX 6 1 2 10 5.0 20% 41 7 7 1 1 1 7 ( ) 3.2 7% 22 19 21 11 7 7 8 3.1 49% 2 12 38 2.8 50% Executive/ Management 3 Clerical Student Sales/ Merchant Self-employed 11 12 8 4 Retired/ Unemployed Other 1 11 Size of Household - Average number of persons 5.1 Children in Household 2 Average number under 18 years of age . . No children in household 1.8 30% 0.8 61% 0.8 57% 0.8 67% 1.3 33% Language Capability 2 Speak or read English 76% 100% 84% 86% 58% Prior Planning Time Less than 2 weeks 42% 20 14 15 10 18% 52 25 23% 12 11 23 32 21% 58 24 7% 13 18 35 28 17% 63 24 13% 14 28 32 13 44% 34 24 22% 2 weeks to less than 1 month 1 month to less than 2 months 2 months to less than 4 months 4 months or more 38 14 15 11 Planning Organization Contacted :l Transportation carrier 32% Travel agency 69 Other/None/No answer 4 Sources of Information about the United States Friends/ Relatives 50% 47 24 17 22 10 16 12 59% 47 29 35 16 13 19 17 69% 66 34 48 21 17 14 21 75% 55 45 68 32 39 49 50 89% Travel agency Airline company offices Print/Visual media 86 71 69 Tour operator Paid advertising Embassies 47 42 61 USTS — 70 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to the South from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) Traveler/Trip Characteristics (Base) Types of Fare Purchased '' First class Regular economy/Coach Discount/ Excursion Charter Tour package Seasonality First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Length of Round Trip Median number of days Length of Stay in the United States Median number of days Purpose of Trip :l Vacation Visit relatives Visit friends Business Attend conventions Study/ Formal schooling Other Inclusive Tour Travel Yes No Size of Traveling Party 1 person 2 persons 3 persons 4 or more persons Activities Engaged In a Met interesting people Saw beautiful scenery Learned new things helpful in business/ social life Experienced a new culture and way of life Visited places of significant historical interest Bought interesting gifts and souvenirs . . . Enjoyed an exciting nightlife, good restaurants, and entertainment Participated in warm weather sports/Lay in the sunshine Experienced a bargain priced vacation . . Went snow-skiing Participated in other winter sports and activities Went camping International Travel to the South Mexican British West German French Venezuelan (110) 15 59 (75) 21 (91) 35 28 54 (118) 32 30 45 . (139) 26% 11% 7%, 3% 17% 60 48 43 26 57 12 13 8 19 8 2 24 32 47 1 9 7 13 15 16 21% 17%, 17% 10% 9% 18 21 28 22 12 43 32 43 60 55 18 29 13 8 22 25 14 83% 59%, 62% 74% 89% 15 21 40 11 8 13 24 27 27 12 9 35 16 6 6 6 4 1 3 — 8 22 9 4 7 3 2 9 19 25% 8% 14% 15% 46% 75 92 86 85 54 29% 21% 37% 39% 30% 22 48 30 44 30 16 8 14 8 13 33 23 19 10 28 66% 8 1 % 90% 93% 83% 88 81 82 90 98 71 65 55 74 72 62 67 78 80 84 58 51 63 52 61 71 53 63 42 93 86 44 57 62 45 54 55 31 47 42 42 6 1 4 1 2 7 3 1 2 4 9 7 15 19 17 71 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to the South from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) Traveler/Trip Characteristics International Travel to the South Mexican British West German French Venezuelan (Base) (110) (75; (91) (118) (139) Lodging Used :l First-class hotel 69% 45% 33% 20% Other hotel/ motel 15 57 52 50 Private home 29 41 58 52 Other 8 19 33 42 Secondary Transportation ;| Air 23% 55% 55% 44% Boat 10 8 2 3 Rail 4 12 4 14 Personal car 22 47 45 18 Bus/Tour bus •• 39 37 35 53 Taxi 24 30 24 9 Rental car 32 41 23 26 Other 13 5 12 13 Total Round Trip Expenditures 2 Average (per adult respondent) $1,455 $1,535 $1,355 $1,320 Total Trip Expenditures in the United States - Average (per adult respondent) $910 $775 $660 $720 Allocation of Expenditures in the United States Secondary transportation 15% 23% 29% 26% Lodging and food 35 38 40 33 Gifts, souvenirs, and other purchases ... 25 15 13 14 Entertainment 16 13 10 15 Miscellaneous expenses (sightseeing, tips, etc.) 10 11 9 12 Problems Encountered n Expensiveness 34% 32% 33% 59% Concern for personal safety 21 25 12 41 Overcrowding 18 5 18 37 Entry difficulty 10 11 22 22 Unfriendliness 16 7 3 11 Poor weather 13 13 8 20 Mobility problems 11 11 3 17 Inadequate information/facilities 7 5 13 30 Language problems na na na na Other* 8 3 2 1 "■ Includes multiple responses; percentages may add to more than 100%. '' Reflects data concerning only those travelers who purchased commercial transportation to the United States. 1 Reflects data concerning all travel party members. 2 Reflects data concerning the respondent only. :! Reflects data concerning the primary decision-maker for the trip. 45% 32 18 4 58% 9 17 8 53 45 22 6 $1,870 $1,165 11% 28 31 17 13 45% 10 18 8 10 20 9 7 27 12 72 TABLE 2. Regional Destinations Actually Visited by U.S.-Bound Market Segment of Selected Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries vs. U.S. Regional Preferences Among All International Travelers from These Countries — 1976 M« jxican Travelers British Travelers WestG erman Travelers U.S. Regional Destination Actual First Prefer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences Actual First Prefer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences Actual First Prefer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences New England Eastern Gateway • • • • 3% .. . 10 3% 14 9% 42 20% 50 4%. 13 12% 38 11% 53 2% 15 6% 43 Country 3 s 32 27 6 19 19 5 17 The South 12 11 48 18 14 51 22 22 62 I George Washington Country The South Far West 43 Great Lakes Country .... 6 Mountain West 2 Frontier West 37 The Islands 6 46 4 5 5 4 118 17 14 L6 12 34 20 6 13 9 38 3 5 9 10 78 14 21 39 28 40 is 12 21 5 33 4 5 10 4 73 22 21 38 12 French Travelers Venezuelan Travelers U.S. Regional Destination Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences New England Eastern Gateway George Washington Country 18% 65 24 2% 16 3 7% 38 12 5% 34 34 5% 17 8 13% 55 30 The South 29 18 60 52 24 57 Far West 38 17 7 22 3 41 4 5 9 2 80 23 23 44 16 11 5 2 6 23 18 7 5 9 5 51 Great Lakes Country .... Mountain West 20 17 Frontier West J 3 The Islands 15 73 TABLE 3. Annual Household Income Distribution of Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries to the South — 1976 Mexican Travelers to the South $ 9,606 and less 12% $ 9,607 to $14,410 17 $14,41 1 to $19,213 17 $19,214 to $24,017 17 $24,01 8 to $33,624 17 $33,625 or more 20 Total 100% Median household income $20,350 West German Travelers to the South $ 9,325 and less 24% $ 9,326 to $13,989 17 $13,990 to $18,652 21 $18,653 to $23,315 14 $23,3 1 6 or more 24 Total 100% Median household income $16,580 Venezuelan Travelers to the South $ 9,999 and less 14% $10,000 to $14,999 21 $15,000 to $19,999 21 $20,000 to $24,999 9 $25,000 or more 17 Refused/ No answer 18 Total 100% Median household income $16,380 British Travelers to the South $ 8,435 and less 31% $ 8,436 to $10,545 13 $10,546 to $21,093 31 $21 ,094 or more 25 Total 100% Median household income $12,655 French Travelers to the South $ 7,954 and less 30% $ 7,955 to $10,971 19 $10,972 to $16,458 15 $ 1 6,459 or more 36 Total 100% Median household income $11,375 74 SECTION FIVE A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE GREAT LAKES COUNTRY INTRODUCTION Purpose and Scope This section presents an in-depth analysis of inter- national travel to the Great Lakes Country from major tourist generating countries to this region. Specifically, it provides a demographic analysis and trip profile of foreign travel to the Great Lakes Country from the United Kingdom, West Germany, France, and the Netherlands. Methodology The universe of this study for survey purposes was comprised of adult (18 years of age or older) British, German, French, and Dutch residents from major urban areas within their respective countries. Respondents consisted of adult international trav- elers who had visited the Great Lakes Country during their trip to the United States in 1976. Respondent screening was accomplished through door to door interviews conducted either at the time of the screening or at an appointed time con- venient for the respondent. A disproportionate sampling methodology (designed to locate an ade- quate number of travelers to the United States) utilizing second-level referrals was used to locate qualified respondents. Limitations This survey of international travel to the Great Lakes Country region is confined to those country markets from which a sufficiently large sample population was obtained to permit a statistically valid analysis. 76 I. OVERVIEW Nearly 2.3 million foreigners visited the Great Lakes Country in 1977, representing approximately 12 percent of total international arrivals to the United States during that year (18.6 million). The majority (57 percent) of these visitors came from Canada; 37 percent came from overseas countries; and 6 percent came from Mexico. They spent an estimated $418 million in this region in 1977, ac- counting for about 6 percent of total foreign travel spending in the United States during that year. International travelers to the Great Lakes Country are generally in the 25 to 44 age bracket, well edu- cated, with a large proportion having college or university level educations, and are usually employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They most commonly travel to the United States during the third quarter of the year and generally come for vacational purposes. They usually contact travel agencies when making their travel arrange- ments or booking their trips, though many go directly to transportation carriers for these services. These travelers generally purchase either regular coach/ economy fares or charter passages. The typical international travel party to the Great Lakes Country region is comprised of one or two individuals who normally spend 4 or 5 days in this region. They generally allocate the greatest share of their travel expenditures for food and lodging, followed by ex- penditures incurred for secondary transportation and the purchase of gifts and souvenirs. The most commonly engaged in activities by inter- national travelers to the Great Lakes Country during their visits to the United States include: meeting interesting new people; seeing beautiful scenery; ex- periencing a new culture and way of life; learning things useful in their business and social lives; and visiting places of significant historical interest. Relatively few international travelers to the Great Lakes Country encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States in 1976. Among those who did, however, the most commonly cited complaints related to expensiveness, concern for personal safety, and poor weather. Table A presents a regional breakdown of foreign visitor arrivals in the United States from major for- eign tourist generating countries in 1976. The following section of this report presents a detailed analysis of foreign travel to the Great Lakes Country from selected major foreign tourist generat- ing countries to this region. II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE GREAT LAKES COUNTRY FROM MAJOR FOREIGN TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 1. British Travel to the Great Lakes Country The United Kingdom was by far the most im- portant of the overseas travel markets to the Great Lakes Country in 1976. During that year, 105,000 British travelers visited this region, representing about 19 percent of the total British travel market to the United States (538,000). Illinois and Ohio were the most frequently visited States in this region, receiving 58,000 and 28,000 British visitors, respectively. These travelers spent an estimated $28 million in the Great Lakes Country, representing 9 percent of the total British travel spending in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 104,000 British travelers visited the Great Lakes Country in 1977, and spent slightly over $30 million in this region during that year. British Traveler /Trip Profiles British travelers to the Great Lakes Country are generally in the 25 to 44 age bracket, well educated, with approximately half having college or university level educations. These visitors are most frequently employed in up-scale professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an esti- mated median of $13,875 in 1976) and are usually members of three-person households containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 24 per- cent reported annual household earnings in excess of $21,093. Sixty-four percent of British travelers to the Great Lakes Country contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips and slightly over 1 3 percent went directly to transporta- tion carriers for these services. The majority (57 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to their departure, and most frequently traveled to the United States during the third (38 percent), second (31 percent), and fourth (23 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful were information about: scenic 77 v© 60 O e« r- '3 •- ,g a >- .2 ^ fc ^ < ■a £ PS Z c W as *j C O .o O 6< o 52 00 IT, O ~ O K o O &- r-" ° S r) in ir, in" vC m o — « O .o O v> CN o ,—. o e^ oo" 00 oo VD o q in in o — o ^ O »-n O K o O .o o ©- o S^ -T ^ do' ^ ro" 00 CI O -~s o ^. O /-N o .—• o s-~* o — O K o o O ^ O o 5 - ^"52 o^ vd ON <3\ o ^ 8^ d "* o .—. o £?- o f- °i >n t- o ^ o ^ ; m ■ O ^-N O /-N O /-« o ^ o e- O vQ O tN o &"- O to O K o ri!2 3"S o --> O «— o -— 8^ o ^ s - 8^ v?S oo"^ *"2 m i_i r-i ^^ o -~. 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O v?- ^52 o ^ o s^- vd ^H as E o -a CO c u 'a c E u a u c as lH 3 < 3 NJ u c > o ^ 8^ o — O ^ o ^ o <-> O /-N o ^ o ^ o o ^ 8^ O vo O K o 8^ 8^ o ^ o o ^h" "^ VD w ,-T >n ?'?. oo" 2 VO w m" ^ °°CN ■* 52 ri » m 8^ ri ri §^ O '— O vfi O — 8^ 2 8 o *-> 8^ o — O sQ O o 5 - VC o ^ o ^ O o 5 - © 6 s - oo" ^ m"2 O ^ 8^ ?2 o ^ 8^ T3 C as s-, J3 a z C u T3 o ^ 8^ O yQ o t> r— " ""^ o c o tN 5^ o" ^ o -— - O ■—■ o --> O -—■ 8^ 8^ ^>'S K co S"S <^r. ri ^^ '~ h s / (N O O •— • O '— o ^~ o ^ O v?- 8^ 8^- O 6v 8| «"s -oo •^r > - Rl o ^ O o^ S2 E 3 13 PQ 78 places to visit, transportation schedules, travel ar- rangements, lodging, climate, and restaurants. The most frequently used sources of information by these visitors were: "word of mouth' 1 from friends and relatives (60 percent), followed by information sup- plied by travel agencies (46 percent); print and broadcast media (27 percent); and airline company offices (24 percent). It is noteworthy that the largest share (47 per- cent) of British travelers to the Great Lakes Country came to the United States either on business or to attend conventions. Forty-four percent came on vacations; 37 percent came to visit relatives; 19 per- cent came to see friends; and 1 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. They most frequently (48 percent) purchased economy/coach fares. Thirty-one percent booked charter passages; 13 percent bought discount ex- cursion fares; 7 percent purchased first-class fares; and 2 percent bought tour packages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among British travelers to the Great Lakes Country was 22 days, of which 20 were actually spent in this country, and 5 were spent in the Great Lakes Country region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these travelers while visiting the United States were: air transportation (62 percent); per- sonal cars of friends and relatives (52 percent); taxis (31 percent); buses (29 percent for inter/ intra-city transportation); rental cars (27 percent); and rail (18 percent). The primary types of accommodations which they used during their visits to this country were: private homes of friends and relatives (65 percent); first- class hotels (43 percent); and medium- and budget- priced hotels and motels (33 percent). During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures among adult British travelers to the Great Lakes Country amounted to an estimated $1,485, of which $730 were actually spent in the United States. Forty-two percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 23 percent went for secondary transportation; 13 percent for the pur- chase of gifts and souvenirs; 12 percent for enter- tainment; and 1 1 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States in- cluded: meeting interesting new people (89 per- cent); seeing beautiful scenery (83 percent); learn- ing things helpful in their business and social lives (63 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife, with good restaurants and entertainment (59 percent); purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (59 per- cent); visiting places of significant historical interest (56 percent); and experiencing a new culture and way of life ( 52 percent) . Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Great Lakes Country Nearly 20 percent of British travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Great Lakes Country. Three percent of all British inter- national travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 14 percent of all British international travelers listed the Great Lakes Country among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. British A ttitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among British travelers to the Great Lakes Country: Nearly all British travelers like to mix with local people and experience the local customs and differ- ent cultures and lifestyles. Most British travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. When vacationing, they generally like to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. The majority prefer to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. Relatively few British travelers especially favor vacations that feature a lot of nightlife. They generally prefer taking longer vacations with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. Relatively few British travelers spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases during their vacations. 79 They generally prefer to visit places that have old monuments and historic buildings. Many British travelers like to plan out their whole trip in advance. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by British Travelers to the Great Lakes Country Relatively few British travelers to the Great Lakes Country encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently cited complaints related to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, poor weather, and entry difficulty. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown on the prob- lems encountered by British travelers to the Great Lakes Country during their travels in the United States.) 2. West German Travel to the Great Lakes Country West Germany was the second most important overseas travel market to the Great Lakes Country in 1976. During that year, nearly 65,000 German travelers visited this region, representing almost 18 percent of the total German travel market to the United States (366,000). Illinois, Ohio, and Michi- gan were the most frequently visited States in this region, receiving 32,000, 17,000, and 15,000 German visitors, respectively. These travelers spent an esti- mated $17 million in the Great Lakes Country, accounting for nearly 9 percent total German travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that slightly over 65,000 German travelers visited the Great Lakes Country in 1977, spending slightly over $21 million in this region during that year. German Traveler/Trip Profiles German travelers to the Great Lakes Country are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, with the majority having high school or higher educations. They are most commonly employed in up-scale pro- fessional, executive, or managerial occupations, though many are also engaged in clerical positions. They generally tend to have moderate annual house- hold incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $16,500 in 1976) and are usually members of three-person households, most commonly containing no children under 18 years of age. In 1976, 27 per- cent of these travelers reported annual household earnings in excess of $23,3 15. Fifty-one percent of German travelers visiting the Great Lakes Country contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 27 percent went directly to trans- portation carriers for these services. The majority (69 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to their departure and most frequently traveled to the Great Lakes Country during the third (46 percent), second (31 percent), and first (15 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, lodging, climate, and restaurants. The most frequently used sources of information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (72 percent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (61 percent); print and broadcast media (49 per- cent); airline company offices (38 percent); and tour operators (32 percent). Half of the German travelers visiting the Great Lakes Country came to the United States for vaca- tions. Forty-two percent came to visit relatives; 32 percent came to study or attend formal school- ing; 21 percent came to visit friends; and 17 percent came on business or to attend conventions. They most frequently (44 percent) booked charter passages. Thirty-five percent purchased regular economy /coach fares; 10 percent bought discount excursion fares; and an additional 10 percent bought tour packages. Only 3 percent purchased first-class fares. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among German travelers to the Great Lakes Country was 28 days, of which 27 were actually spent in this country, and 4 were spent in the Great Lakes Country region. The principal modes of transportation used by these travelers while visiting the United States were: air transportation (54 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (39 percent); rental cars (37 percent); buses (34 percent for inter/intra-city transportation); and taxis (17 percent). The primary types of accommodations which they used during their visits to this country were: private homes of friends and relatives (72 percent) ; medium- and budget-priced motels and hotels (46 percent) ; and first-class hotels (25 percent). During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures among adult German travelers to the Great Lakes Country amounted to an estimated $1,230, 80 of which $585 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-four percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 28 percent went for secondary transportation; 16 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 12 percent for entertainment; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States included: seeing beautiful scenery (84 percent); meeting interesting new people (83 percent); ex- periencing a new culture and lifestyle (83 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (74 percent) ; learning things useful in their business and social lives (60 percent) ; purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (60 percent); and experiencing a bargain-priced vacation (54 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Great Lakes Country Nearly 18 percent of German travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Great Lakes Country. Four percent of all German inter- national travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 22 percent of all German international travelers listed the Great Lakes Country among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. German Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among German travelers to the Great Lakes Country: The great majority of German travelers like to mix with the local people and experience the local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. Most German travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. The majority prefer taking longer vacations with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones, and relatively few consider it important that they stay at the best accommodations during their trips. Relatively few German travelers especially favor vacations that entail a lot of nightlife. When on vacation, they generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Many like to visit a new country on each trip. They generally prefer to plan out their whole trip in advance. Many Germans spend a considerable amount of time during their travels trying to find bargain purchases. The majority of German travelers are active and do not especially favor vacations where they can just relax and do nothing. Many Germans prefer to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by German Travelers to the Great Lakes Country Relatively few German travelers to the Great Lakes Country encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently cited complaints related to: expensiveness, inadequate information and facilities, concern for personal safety, and entry difficulty. (See table 1 for more details on the problems encountered by German travelers to the Great Lakes Country during their visits to the United States.) 3. French Travel to the Great Lakes Country France was the third most important overseas travel market to the Great Lakes Country in 1976. During that year, nearly 36,000 French travelers visited this region, representing about 17 percent of the total French travel market to the United States (217,000). Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio were the most frequently visited States in this region, receiving 15,000, 12,000, and 9,000 French visitors, respec- tively. These travelers spent an estimated $7 million in the Great Lakes Country, representing nearly 6 percent of total French travel spending in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 36,000 French travelers visited the Great Lakes Country in 1977, spending slightly over $9 million in this region during that year. 81 French Traveler /Trip Profiles French travelers to the Great Lakes Country are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with a large majority having college or university level educations and are most commonly employed in up-scale professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $10,655 in 1976) and are usually mem- bers of two-person households typically containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, a substantial minority (40 percent) reported annual household earnings in excess of $16,458. It is noteworthy that the largest share (41 per- cent) of French travelers to the Great Lakes Coun- try went directly to transportation carriers to ar- range their trip plans or make their bookings. An additional 35 percent contacted travel agencies for these services. Twenty-six percent of these travelers began mak- ing their trip plans at least 2 months prior to their departure. An additional 33 percent planned their trips at least 1 month in advance. The majority (61 percent) began their trips to the United States during the third quarter; 20 percent came during the second quarter; and 12 percent came during the first quarter of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful in planning their trips were information about: travel arrangements, scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, lodging, and restau- rants. The most frequently used sources of informa- tion by these travelers were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (78 percent), followed by in- formation supplied by print and broadcast media (63 percent); USTS field offices (48 percent); travel agencies (46 percent) ; airline company offices (39 percent); embassies (36 percent); and paid advertising (36 percent). The majority (72 percent) of French travelers to the Great Lakes Country came to the United States for vacations. Thirty-four percent came to visit friends; 23 percent came to study or attend formal schooling; 15 percent came to visit relatives; and 14 percent came on business or to attend conventions. They most frequently (37 percent) booked charter passages; 33 percent purchased regular economy/ coach fares; 24 percent bought discount excursion fares; 13 percent bought tour packages; and 3 per- cent paid for first-class fares. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among French travelers to the Great Lakes Country was 30 days, of which 28 were actually spent in this country, and 5 were spent in the Great Lakes Country region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these travelers visiting the United States were: buses (54 percent for intcr/intra-city trans- portation); air transportation (43 percent); per- sonal cars of friends and relatives (31 percent); taxis (22 percent); rental cars (15 percent); and rail (10 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by them during their visits to this country were: private homes of friends and relatives (60 percent) ; medium- and budget-priced hotels and motels (36 percent); and first-class hotels (25 percent). During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures among adult French travelers to the Great Lakes Country amounted to $1,255, of which $685 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty- two percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 23 percent went for secondary transportation; 19 percent for entertainment; 15 per- cent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sight- seeing and tips. A divides The most popular activties engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States in- cluded: meeting interesting new people (96 percent) ; experiencing a new culture and lifestyle (90 percent) ; learning things helpful in their business and social lives (82 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (78 per- cent) ; enjoying an exciting nightlife, good restau- rants, and entertainment (57 percent); and visiting places of significant historical interest (48 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Great Lakes Country Seventeen percent of French travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Great Lakes Country. Four percent of all French international travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 23 percent of all French international travelers listed the Great Lakes Country among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. 82 French Attitudes (Psycho graphics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among French travelers to the Great Lakes Country: The great majority of French travelers like to mix with the local people and experience local customs and different cultures and lifestyles during their travels. When vacationing, most French travelers prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. They generally prefer taking longer vacations with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more ex- travagant ones, and relatively few French travelers consider it important that they stay in the best accommodations during their trips. The majority like to arrange their own accommo- dations and sightseeing, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. The majority of French travelers are active and do not especially favor vacations where they can just relax and do nothing. Many like to visit a new country on each trip. French travelers generally prefer to visit countries that have old monuments and other historic buildings. The majority do not especially favor vacations that entail a lot of nightlife. Relatively few French travelers spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases during their vacations. They generally prefer visiting places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by French Travelers to the Great Lakes Country Apart from complaints about "expensiveness," relatively few French travelers to the Great Lakes Country encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among other prob- lems occasionally mentioned by these travelers were: overcrowding, concern for personal safety, poor weather, entry difficulty, and inadequate informa- tion and facilities. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by French travelers to the Great Lakes Country region during their visits to the United States.) 4. Dutch Travel to the Great Lakes Country The Netherlands was the fourth most important overseas travel market to the Great Lakes Country in 1976. During that year, approximately 28,000 Dutch travelers visited this region, representing nearly 30 percent of the total Dutch travel market to the United States (95,000). Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio were the most frequently visited States in this region, receiving 15,000, 13,000, and 7,000 Dutch visitors, respectively. These travelers spent an estimated $5 million in the Great Lakes Country, accounting for slightly over 10 percent of total Dutch travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 31,000 Dutch travelers visited the Great Lakes Country in 1977, spending nearly $6 million in this region during that year. Dutch Traveler /Trip Profiles Dutch travelers to the Great Lakes Country are generally in the 25 to 39 age bracket, well educated, with approximately half having a high school or higher education. They are most commonly em- ployed in up-scale professional, executive, or man- agerial occupations and generally have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an esti- mated median of $13,665 in 1976) and are usually members of three-person households containing no children under 18 years of age. In 1976, however, 23 percent of these travelers reported annual house- hold earnings of $20,000 or more. (See table 3 for more details on annual household earnings. Caution should be observed in reviewing income data of Dutch travelers since 18 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions about their annual household incomes.) Thirty-seven percent of these Dutch travelers con- tacted travel agencies to make their travel arrange- ments or book their trips, and approximately 18 per- cent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the Great Lakes Country during the third (45 percent), second (27 percent), and fourth (17 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, tour group 83 availability, and weather and climate. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (67 percent), followed by information sup- plied by travel agencies (37 percent); airline com- pany offices (30 percent) ; print and broadcast media (28 percent) ; and paid advertising (6 percent). During 1976, the majority (58 percent) of Dutch travelers to the Great Lakes Country came to the United States to visit relatives. Twenty-nine per- cent came on vacations; 1 6 percent came for business or to attend conventions; an additional 16 percent came to visit friends; and 12 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. The majority (56 percent) of these travelers booked charter passages. Thirty-one percent pur- chased regular economy/coach fares; 7 percent bought discount excursion fares; 3 percent bought tour packages; and 2 percent bought first-class fares. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Dutch travelers to the Great Lakes Country in 1976 was 32 days, of which 24 were actually spent in this country, and 9 were spent in the Great Lakes Country region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Dutch travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: air transportation (38 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (31 percent); buses (28 percent for inter/intra-city transportation); rental cars (17 percent); taxis ( 1 3 percent) ; and rail (8 percent) . The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers were: private homes of friends and relatives (61 percent); medium-priced motels and hotels (34 percent); first-class hotels (21 percent); and budget or economy hotels and motels (15 per- cent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures among adult Dutch travelers to the Great Lakes Country amounted to an estimated $1,140, of which $530 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-four percent of these expenditures were allocated for the purchase of gifts and souve- nirs; 23 percent went for food and lodging; 17 per- cent for secondary transportation; 14 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips; and 1 1 percent for entertainment. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by Dutch international travelers to the Great Lakes Country during their trip to the United States included: seeing beautiful scenery (80 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (72 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical interest (70 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife, good restaurants, and entertainment (67 percent) ; meeting interesting new people (66 percent) ; purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (45 percent) ; and learning things helpful in their business and social lives (37 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Great Lakes Country Nearly 30 percent of Dutch travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Great Lakes Country. Four percent of all Dutch international travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 18 percent of all Dutch international travelers listed the Great Lakes Country among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by Dutch Travelers to the Great Lakes Country Relatively few Dutch travelers to the Great Lakes Country encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. However, among those who did, the most frequently mentioned com- plaints related to: expensiveness, language problems, concern for personal safety, and poor weather. (See table 1 for more details concerning the prob- lems encountered by Dutch travelers to the Great Lakes Country region during their visits to the United States.) 84 SUMMARY TABLES British West German French Dutch Travel to the Great Lakes Country 85 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/ Trips to the Great Lakes Country from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 West German French T 1 /T ' International Travel to the Great Lakes Country Characteristics British (Base) (82) Sex 1 Male 60% Female 40 Age 1 Median number of years 38 Marital Status 2 Married 76% Unattached 24 Education 3 Elementary/ Primary 5% High school/ Secondary 33 Technical/ Vocational 12 College/ University 50 Occupation 3 Professional 26% Executive/ Management 35 Clerical 6 Student 4 Sales/ Merchant 1 Self-employed 7 Retired/ Unemployed 11 Other 10 Size of Household - Average number of persons 3.6 Children in Household 2 Average number under 18 years of age 1.1 No children in household 49% Language Capability 2 Speak or read English 100% Prior Planning Time Less than 2 weeks 19% 2 weeks to less than 1 month 15 1 month to less than 2 months 10 2 months to less than 4 months 30 4 months or more 37 Planning Organization Contacted Transportation carrier 13% Travel agency 64 Other/None/No answer 25 Sources of Information about the United States" Friends/ Relatives 60% Travel agency 46 Airline company offices 24 Print/Visual media 27 Tour operator 8 Paid advertising 12 Embassies 10 USTS 11 Dutch (72) 59% 41 31 4.2 0.8 54% 86% (67) 53% 47 26 3.2 0.5 66% 85% (97) 56% 44 45 48% 28% 64% 52 72 36 22% 3% 25% 36 5 32 10 8 27 32 85 17 7% 34% 7% 29 3 29 25 13 12 8 3 6 10 | 2 7 7 46 22 4 7 1 10 2.9 0.7 65% 83% 8% 23% 6% 10 18 8 13 33 17 32 15 23 37 11 42 27% 41% 18% 51 35 37 31 24 45 72% 78% 67% 61 46 37 38 39 30 49 63 28 32 27 13 18 36 6 10 36 14 15 48 na 86 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/ Trips to the Great Lakes Country from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) Traveler/ Trip Characteristics (Base) Types of Fare Purchased 2 First class Regular economy/Coach Discount/ Excursion Charter Tour package Seasonality First quarter Second quarter , Third quarter , Fourth quarter Length of Round Trip Median number of days , Length of Stay in the United States Median number of days Purpose of Trip a Vacation Visit relatives Visit friends Business Attend conventions Study/ Formal schooling Other Inclusive Tour Travel Yes No Size of Traveling Party 1 person 2 persons 3 persons 4 or more persons Activities Engaged In a Met interesting people Saw beautiful scenery Learned new things helpful in business/ social life Experienced a new culture and way of life Visited places of significant historical interest . . . Bought interesting gifts and souvenirs Enjoyed an exciting nightlife, good restaurants, and entertainment Participated in warm weather sports/ Lay in the sunshine Experienced a bargain priced vacation Attended a bicentennial event/ site Went snow-skiing Participated in other winter sports and activities . Went camping International Travel to the Great Lakes Country British West German French Dutch (82) 22 20 59 (72) 28 27 39 (67) 30 28 57 (97) 7% 3% 3% 2% 48 35 33 31 13 10 24 7 31 44 37 56 2 10 13 3 9% 15% 12% 11% 31 31 20 27 38 46 61 45 23 8 8 17 32 24 44% 50% 72% 29% 37 42 15 58 19 21 34 16 41 14 12 12 6 3 2 4 1 32 23 12 3 6 8 10 5% 14% 15% 10% 95 86 85 90 36% 42% 53% 28% 36 25 27 40 9 13 11 16 20 21 9 10 89% 83% 96% 66% 83 84 78 80 63 60 82 37 52 83 90 72 56 74 48 70 59 60 46 45 67 35 49 30 32 38 54 22 29 37 31 15 22 — 4 8 3 2 1 6 4 2 13 18 14 87 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to the Great Lakes Country from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) Traveler/ Trip _ Characteristics British (Base) (82) Lodging Used a First-class hotel 43% Other hotel/ motel 33 Private home 65 Other/None 13 Secondary Transportation a Air 62% Boat 1 Rail 18 Personal car 52 Bus/Tour bus 29 Taxi 31 Rental car 27 Other 4 Total Round Trip Expenditures 2 Average (per adult respondent) $1,485 Total Trip Expenditures in the United States 2 Average (per adult respondent) $730 Allocation of Expenditures in the United States Secondary transportation 23% Lodging and food 42 Gifts, souvenirs, and other purchases 13 Entertainment 12 Miscellaneous expenses (sightseeing, tips, etc.) .... 11 Problems Encountered Expensiveness 33% Concern for personal safety 21 Overcrowding 5 Entry difficulty 10 Unfriendliness 2 Poor weather 15 Mobility problems 9 Inadequate information/ facilities 7 Language problems na Other 2 International Travel to the Great Lakes Country West German French Dutch (72) 25% (67) 25% (97) 21% 46 36 49 72 60 61 22 25 24 54% 43% 38% 4 2 2 6 10 8 39 31 31 34 54 28 17 22 13 37 15 17 10 8 38 >30 $1,255 $1,140 >85 $685 $530 28% 23% 17% 34 32 23 16 15 34 12 19 11 10 10 14 31% 58% 32% 11 30 16 10 27 5 11 15 4 — 5 4 6 19 13 6 16 11 14 24 5 na na 19 6 3 9 a Includes multiple responses; percentages may add to more than 100%. 1 Reflects data concerning all travel party members. 2 Reflects data concerning the respondent only. 3 Reflects data concerning the primary decision-maker for the trip. 88 TABLE 2. Regional Destinations Actually Visited by U.S.-Bound Market Segments of Selected Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries vs. U.S. Regional Preferences Among All International Travelers from These Countries — 1976 British Travelers West German Travelers U.S. Regional Destination Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences Eastern Gateway George Washington The South 20% 50 27 18 34 4% 13 6 14 38 12% 38 19 51 78 11% 53 19 22 40 2% 15 5 22 33 6% 43 17 62 Far West 73 Great Lakes Country .... 20 3 14 18 4 22 Mountain West 6 13 2 5 9 10 21 39 28 12 21 5 5 10 4 21 Frontier West 38 The Islands 12 French Travelers Dutch Travelers U.S. Regional Destination Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences New England .... Eastern Gateway . George Washington Country The South Far West 18% 65 24 29 38 2% 16 3 18 41 7% 38 12 60 80 11% 41 20 18 45 2% 14 X 10 34 7% 33 23 38 65 Great Lakes Country 17 4 23 30 4 18 Mountain West 7 22 3 5 9 2 23 44 10 15 19 3 6 4 4 18 Frontier West 35 The Islands 11 89 TABLE 3. Annual Household Income Distribution of Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries to the Great Lakes Country — 1976 British Travelers to the Great Lakes Country $ 8,435 and less 22% $ 8,436 to $ 1 0,545 16| $10,546 to $21,093 38 $2 1 ,094 or more 24 Total 100% Median household income $13,875 French Travelers to the Great Lakes Country $ 7,954 and less 33% $ 7,955 to $10,971 18 $10,972 to $16,458 9 $ 1 6,459 or more 40 Total 100% Median household income $10,655 West German Travelers to the Great Lakes Country $ 9,325 and less 21% $ 9,326 to $13,989 19 $13,990 to $18,652 19 $18,653 to $23,315 15 $23,3 1 6 or more 27 Total 100% Median household income $16,500 Dutch Travelers to the Great Lakes Country $ 9,900 and less 30% $10,000 to $14,999 16 $15,000 to $19,999 13 $20,000 to $24,999 7 $25,000 or more 16 Refused/No answer 18 Total 100% Median household income $13,665 90 SECTION SIX A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST INTRODUCTION Purpose and Scope This section presents an overview and analysis of international travel to the Mountain West from select major foreign tourist generating countries to this region. Specifically, it provides a trip profile of foreign travel to the Mountain West from the United Kingdom, West Germany, and France. Methodology The universe of this study for survey purposes was comprised of adult (18 years of age or older) British, German, and French residents from major urban areas within their respective countries. Re- spondents consisted of adult international travelers who had visited the Mountain West during their trip to the United States in 1976. Respondent screening was accomplished through door to door interviews conducted either at the time of the screening or at an appointed time convenient for the respondent. A disproportionate sampling methodology (designed to locate an adequate number of travelers to the United States) utilizing second- level referrals was used to locate qualified re- spondents. 92 I. OVERVIEW Approximately 1.9 million foreigners visited the Mountain West in 1977, representing slightly over 10 percent of total international arrivals to the United States during that year (18.6 million). The majority (76 percent) of these visitors came from Canada; 21 percent came from overseas countries; and 3 percent came from Mexico. They spent an estimated $219 million in this region in 1977, repre- senting about 3 percent of total foreign travel ex- penditures in the United States during that year. International travelers to the Mountain West are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with a large majority having either high school or university level educations, and are usually employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupa- tions. They most commonly travel to the United States during the third quarter of the year and usually come for vacational purposes. They usually contact travel agencies when making their travel arrangements or booking their trips, and most frequently purchase regular economy/coach fares or charter passages. The typical international travel party to the Mountain West region is comprised of one or two individuals who normally spend 3 to 5 days in this region. They generally allocate the greatest share of their travel expenditures for food and lodging, followed by expenditures incurred for secondary transportation and the purchase of gifts and souvenirs. The most commonly engaged in activities by international travelers to the Mountain West during their visits to the United States include: seeing beautiful scenery, meeting interesting new people, experiencing a different culture and lifestyle, and learning things useful in their business and social lives. Relatively few international travelers to the Moun- tain West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States in 1976. Among those who did, however, the most commonly cited complaints related to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, and overcrowding. Table A presents a regional breakdown of foreign visitor arrivals in the United States from major tourist generating countries in 1976. The following section of this report presents a brief analysis of foreign travel to the Mountain West from select major tourist generating countries to this region. II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST FROM SELECTED MAJOR FOREIGN TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 1. West German Travel to the Mountain West West Germany was the largest of the overseas travel markets to the Mountain West in 1 976. During that year, 45,000 German travelers visited this region, representing slightly over 12 percent of the total German travel market to the United States (366,000). While in this region, these travelers most frequently visited: Utah (35 percent); Yellow Stone National Park (33 percent); and Colorado (25 percent). They spent an estimated $12 million in the Mountain West, representing slightly over 6 percent of total German travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 45,000 German travelers visited the Mountain West in 1977, spending nearly $16 million in this region during that year. The majority (74 percent) of German travelers to the Mountain West came to the United States for vacations. Twenty-six percent came to visit rela- tives; 24 percent came to study or attend formal schooling; 18 percent came to visit friends; and 1 percent came on business or to attend conventions. Most of these German visitors were independent travelers (86 percent), rather than inclusive tour travelers (14 percent), and the majority (66 per- cent) contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips. The median length of round trip travel among German travelers to the Mountain West was 35 days, of which 31 were actually spent in the United States, and 3 were spent in the Mountain West region. The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States in- cluded: seeing beautiful scenery (90 percent) ; meet- ing interesting new people (83 percent); experienc- ing a new culture and lifestyle (83 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical interest (70 percent); learning things useful in their business and social lives (60 percent); and purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (60 percent) . 93 fi , c/a NO ao O "c3 t- - S .tJ > ON i_ u u. -3 Z c 0> o IT) d rl ON c o © I" NO oc m r-f r- o — O vo o S 5 - NO 00 00 m in o — 8^ r-' ° © n ir, IT) NO m o — 8^ -t CO r-" el O •<* oo' o o rl o o -» o - ^ O kO 00 OO r-H ^ m . f^ W o --> O vQ o v- 2 oo £ r- m O <-- © vQ o t?- CI C NO m ON ON O ^ O vo o £?■ o r i «/-T r- 8^ m XT O r-> O >CJ O c 5 - NO ^ ON « "S p 4* C .5? la e CM c C c •■c 3 J2 .a c ■« c _© '3d 4j W < 03 +-► O >-> ooTl 8^ en o ,— 8^ in rJ O *-n o — O K o o o ^ *>"£ f» ■O ' — i r) ^^ o ^ 8^ O vo o £>■ <*!2 o ^ © fcQ o s^ O ~ O /-s O .0 O k o o ©^ o ©^ JJ 4) t! «> ^ C t cs 3 w M U H^2 c ° :> GO =* £ fe S c ° d 3 > 3 O (/) u H >, w o o -—. o o x O ^ O ^p O tN r- o ^ 8^ 8^ o"2 on rj 8^ oo'2 o ^ O vQ o ^ fn (^ wo 8^ 8^ o o c NO o — O o -—- 8^ o o L" 8^ zc w-, o ^ O /-> o -~ O ^ O tN O Q 5 - c ^ o ^ o"G ON "2 r- ro s'S o ^ 8^ 8^ 8fe" o ^ O vO O 6^ o ^ c ^^ o ^ c o £?- o ^ 8^ c o -H "^ _; ^, t"^ ^r NO ^^ -t- * ' 5 C! vO o — 8^ o ^ o ^ o <- o --. 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O vQ O o 5 - vc'^ o -— 8^ o ^ o <>- 2"S rn o ^ o — O S^ O G^ o —- o — O vo O,o O ©^ o o 5 - oo" ~ vo' ^J O ^ 8^ O -v O vo O o^ - m © ^ 8^ .2 ^ C 00 vC oo' 00 o ^ © to O t> o ^ © K o O v- r~- n o ^ o ^ 2 k? 8^ r>"^ oCi£ o ^ 8^ vo © r5 r 1 . >-! © — * 2 b9 oo" 2 © --s 8^ <^2 8^ 2"a 3 c u H CO CO w a CO © >~N 2 t5> © ^ 8^ ©2 8^ oo"2 o o © m o ^ O v$> O s © ^ 2 &§> p*S © ^ 2 t? vo °° ON 3 O .—> 2 fc? 8^ oo ri o — < 8^ oo r*. 2 k? s"5 © '-- 8^ ^2 o ^ 8^ © -— . © t? o o © © /- Q 8^ O © ^ U^ON r- 0C' <^ 3 ' ' O ^ o , — O o 5 - © © ^ S'S \C en © ^ O <-s o ^ © vQ o s^ 8^ 8^ sS £s o ^ 8^ o ^ 8^ -oo ^"2 o — 2 t? O tN oo J_i 2 jsS> o ^ © -*> © ^-s o -— © —^ o £^ O vO O 6* 8^ 8^ ^o Hi ?"£ 9"S -3 c CO a. cO B o c "3 U "S D c E u a o c P < 3 N O C > >. C JO 1h CL) J5 C 4) -a CD in © /-. 8^ !5^ O ^"N 2 vs> R'S o ^ © sS> O o^ 0) 100 travel agencies (24 percent); print and broadcast media (21 percent); and airline company offices (17 percent). The majority (73 percent) of Mexican travelers to the Frontier West came to the United States for vacations. Nineteen percent came on business or to attend conventions; 15 percent came to visit rela- tives; 11 percent came to see friends, and 4 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. The majority (65 percent) purchased regular economy/coach fares. Twenty-nine percent booked first class passages; 6 percent bought discount excur- sion fares; 5 percent bought tour packages; and 1 percent bought charter packages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Mexican travelers to the Fron- tier West in 1976 was 8 days. The median duration of these travelers' visits to this country was also 8 days, of which 4 were actually spent in the Frontier West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Mexican travelers to this region while visiting the United States were: personal cars of friends and relatives (50 percent); rental cars (20 percent); buses (18 percent for inter/intra-city transporta- tion); taxis (15 percent); and air transportation (10 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: first class (49 percent) and medium- and budget-priced hotels and motels (27 percent), and private homes of friends and relatives (29 percent). During 1976, total round-trip expenditures per adult Mexican traveler to the Frontier West amounted to an estimated $865, of which $670 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-seven percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 30 percent went for food and lodging; 13 percent for entertainment; 11 percent for secondary transportation; and 9 per- cent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by Mexi- can travelers to the Frontier West during their visits to the United States included: purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (79 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (72 percent); learning new things helpful in their business and social lives (71 percent); meeting interesting new people (63 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (52 percent); and experiencing a bargain priced vacation (52 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Frontier West Thirty-seven percent of Mexican travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Frontier West. Five percent of all Mexican international trav- elers selected it as their first regional preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional prefer- ences were aggregated, 1 6 percent of all Mexican international travelers listed the Frontier West among their top three regional preferences for a future U.S. visit. Mexican Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted survey, the following general attitudes or psychographic responses were noted among Mexican travelers to the Frontier West: Nearly all Mexican travelers like to mix with the local people and experience local customs and different cultures and lifestyles during their trips. The great majority like to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. When vacationing, the majority prefer to travel to new destinations which they have not previously visited. When on vacation, they generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. They generally prefer to arrange their own sight- seeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. Most of these travelers like to plan out their whole trip in advance. The majority prefer to take longer vacations with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. Many, however, do feel that it is important that they stay at the best accommodations when travel- ing. They generally prefer to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. Many feel that the best kind of vacations are those which offer a great deal of nightlife. Many, however, also favor taking vacations where they can just relax and do nothing. 101 Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by Mexican Travelers to the Frontier West Relatively few Mexican travelers to the Frontier West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most commonly cited complaints related to: expensivencss, poor weather, overcrowd- ing, and unfriendliness. (See table 1 for a more de- tailed breakdown of the problems encountered by Mexican travelers to the Frontier West during their visits to the United States.) 2. Japanese Travel to the Frontier West During 1976, some 48,000 Japanese travelers vis- ited the Frontier West, accounting for approximately 6 percent of the total Japanese travel market to the United States (772,0000). The majority (29,000) of these travelers visited Arizona; 1 1,000 visited New Mexico; and 8,000 visited Texas. Japanese travelers spent an estimated $9 million in the Frontier West, accounting for nearly 2 percent of total Japanese travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 46,000 Japanese travelers visited the Frontier West in 1977, spending slightly over $8 million in this region during that year. Japanese Traveler/Trip Profiles Japanese travelers to the Frontier West are gener- ally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated with over half having college or university level educations and are usually employed in either professional, executive, managerial, or clerical occupations. A sub- stantial number are also students. These travelers tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $16,020 in 1976) and are most commonly members of four- person households, usually containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 45 percent of these travelers reported annual household incomes in excess of $16,794. (See table 1 for more details on household income.) Sixty-one percent of Japanese travelers to the Frontier West in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips; 12 percent availed themselves of their company travel departments for these services; 5 percent used tour operators; and 2 percent went to travel clubs. None of these travelers reported going to transporta- tion carriers for help in planning their trips. Fifty-eight percent of these travelers began mak- ing their trip plans at least 2 months prior to depar- ture, and an additional 29 percent began planning their trips at least 1 month in advance. Over half of these visitors (51 percent) traveled to the Frontier West during the third quarter; an additional 18 per- cent came during the second quarter; and 16 percent came during the fourth quarter of the year. The types of travel information which they consid- ered most helpful in planning their trips were infor- mation about: transportation schedules, scenic places to visit, lodging, and travel arrangements. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors were: travel agencies (62 percent), followed by "word of mouth 1 ' information from friends and relatives (56 percent); print and broadcast media (42 percent); paid advertising (27 percent); and airline company offices (23 percent). The largest share (36 percent) of Japanese travel- ers to the Frontier West came to the United States for vacations. Thirty-four percent came to study or attend formal schooling; 20 percent came on business or to attend conventions; 10 percent came to see friends; and 5 percent came to visit relatives. Nearly half (47 percent) of these travelers pur- chased regular economy/coach fares; 21 percent bought tour packages; 19 percent purchased dis- count/excursion fares; 10 percent booked charters; and 5 percent bought first-class passages. The median length of round trip travel to the United States among Japanese travelers to the Fron- tier West was 2 1 days, of which 1 7 were actually spent in this country and 2 were spent in the Frontier West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: buses (79 percent for inter/intra-city transportation); air transportation (74 percent); taxis (38 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (28 percent); rental cars (17 percent); and rail (16 percent). The primary types of accommodation used by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: medium- (47 percent) and budget-priced (23 percent) hotels and motels; first-class hotels (46 percent); and private homes of friends and relatives (30 percent). During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures by Japanese travelers to the Frontier West amounted to $2,305, of which $1,045 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-five percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 28 percent went for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 15 percent for secondary transporta- 102 tion; 12 percent for entertainment; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States in- cluded: seeing beautiful scenery (96 percent); expe- riencing a new culture and way of life (90 percent) ; learning new things helpful in their business and social lives (88 percent); meeting interesting new people (79 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (72 percent); experiencing a bar- gain-priced vacation (58 percent); and enjoying an exciting nightlife with good restaurants and entertain- ment (55 percent). Incidence of A dual vs. Preferred Travel to the Frontier West Six percent of Japanese travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Frontier West. Eight percent of all Japanese international travelers selected it as their first regional destination prefer- ence for a future visit or revisit to this country. Addi- tionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 31 percent of all Jap- anese international travelers listed the Frontier West among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Japanese Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among Japanese travelers to the Frontier West. A large majority of Japanese travelers like to mix with the local people and experience local customs and new and different cultures and lifestyles. Most Japanese travelers prefer to visit countries that have old historic monuments and buildings. They generally prefer to visit new destinations which they have not previously visited. They usually like to plan out their entire trip well in advance. The majority prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. They generally do not favor vacations which en- tail a lot of nightlife. Though the majority prefer to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, many (40 per- cent) also like to travel on guided tours. When on vacation, Japanese travelers generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. The majority like to visit where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. Many feel that the best type of vacations are those where they can just relax and do nothing. Relatively few Japanese travelers spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases during their vacations. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by Japanese Travelers to the Frontier West Relatively few Japanese travelers to the Frontier West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. However, among those who did, the most commonly cited complaints related to: concern for personal safety, expensive- ness, entry difficulty, and mobility problems. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the prob- lems encountered by Japanese travelers to the Fron- tier West during their visits to the United States.) 3. West German Travel to the Frontier West During 1976, slightly over 78,000 West German travelers visited the Frontier West, accounting for approximately 21 percent of the total West German travel market to the United States (366,000). Ari- zona and Texas were the most frequented States in this region, receiving 27,000 and 24,000 German travelers, respectively. These travelers spent an esti- mated $17 million in the Frontier West, accounting for nearly 9 percent of total German travel expendi- tures in the United States in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 79,000 German travelers visited the Frontier West in 1977, spending slightly over $21 million in this region during that year. German Traveler/Trip Profiles German travelers to the Frontier West are gener- ally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with a large majority having high school or higher educa- tions. They are usually employed in professional, executive, managerial, or clerical occupations. Also, a substantial number of German students visit the 103 Frontier West. German travelers to this region gener- ally tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $16,320 in 1976) and are members of three-person households usually containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 39 percent reported having annual household incomes in excess of $18,652. (See table 3 for a more detailed breakdown of annual house- hold incomes.) Fifty-eight percent of these travelers contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and 20 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The major- ity (65 percent) began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the Frontier West during the third (55 percent); second (23 percent); and first (11 per- cent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they consid- ered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, lodging, transportation schedules, travel arrangements, restaurants, and climate. The most frequently used sources of information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (72 percent); followed by information sup- plied by travel agencies (61 percent); print and visual media (59 percent); airline company offices (37 percent); USTS offices (24 percent); and tour operators (21 percent). During 1976, the majority (67 percent) of these German travelers came to the United States for vaca- tions. Twenty-four percent came to visit relatives; 21 percent came to study or attend formal schooling; 18 percent came to visit friends; and 17 percent came on business or to attend conventions. They most frequently booked charter passages (47 percent); 31 percent bought regular /economy coach fares; 13 percent bought tour packages; 7 percent bought discount excursion fares; and 6 percent paid for first-class passages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among German travelers to the Fron- tier in 1976 was 32 days, of which 30 were actually spent in this country, and 3 were spent in the Frontier West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: air transportation (62 percent); rental cars (50 percent); buses (38 percent for in- ter/intra-city transportation) ; personal cars of friends and relatives (34 percent); and taxis (19 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers while visiting the United States were: private homes of friends and relatives (54 percent); medium-priced hotels and motels (52 percent); first- class hotels (37 percent); and budget hotels and motels (31 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures for adult German travelers to the Frontier West amounted to an estimated $1,560, of which $805 were actually spent in this country. Forty-two per- cent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 27 percent were used for secondary transportation; 10 percent went for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 10 percent for entertainment; and an additional 10 percent for miscellaneous ex- penses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by German travelers to the Frontier West during their visits to the United States included: experiencing a new cul- ture and lifestyle (93 percent) ; seeing beautiful sce- nery (92 percent); learning things helpful in their business and social lives (88 percent) ; meeting inter- esting new people (84 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (70 percent) ; participat- ing in warm-weather sports (62 percent) ; and enjoy- ing an exciting nightlife with good restaurants and entertainment (55 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Frontier West During 1976, 21 percent of German travelers to the United States actually visited the Frontier West. Ten percent of all German international travelers selected it as their first regional destination prefer- ence for a future visit or revist to this country. Addi- tionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 38 percent of all Ger- man international travelers listed the Frontier West among their top three destination preferences for a future U.S. visit. German Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among travelers to the Frontier West. The great majority of German travelers like to mix with the local people and experience the local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. 104 Most German travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. They generally prefer to take longer vacations with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. The majority do not especially favor vacations that feature a lot of nightlife. Most German travelers like to visit places where they can learn things helpful in their business and social lives. Many like to plan out their whole trip in advance. Most German travelers do not consider it particu- larly important that they stay in the best places when on vacation. When on vacation, they usually prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. They generally like to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. Most German travelers are active and do not especially favor taking vacations where they can just relax and do nothing. Many spend a considerable amount of time look- ing for bargain purchases during their vacations. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by the German Travelers to the Frontier West Relatively few German travelers to the Frontier West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. However, among those who did, the most frequently cited complaints related to: expensiveness, concern for personal safety, over- crowding, and entry difficulty. (See table 1 for more details on the problems encountered by German travelers during their U.S. visits.) 4. French Travel to the Frontier West During 1976, approximately 47,000 French trav- elers visited the Frontier West, accounting for nearly 22 percent of the total French travel market to the United States. Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico were the most frequented States in this region, receiv- ing 22,000, 20,000, and 12,000 French travelers, respectively. These visitors spent an estimated $9 million in the Frontier West, accounting for slightly over 7 percent of total French travel expenditures in the United States in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 47,000 French travelers visited the Frontier West in 1977, and spent just over $1 1 million in this region during that year. French Traveler/Trip Characteristics French travelers to the Frontier West are usually in the 1 8 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with a large majority having college or university level edu- cations. They are most commonly employed in pro- fessional, executive, or managerial occupations and generally tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $9,845 in 1976). During that year, however, 34 per- cent reported having annual household earnings in excess of $16,458. French travelers to the Frontier West are typically members of two- or three-person households, usually containing no children under 18 years of age. Forty-seven percent of these travelers contacted travel agencies to make their trip arrangements or book their trips, and 31 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. Thirty-eight percent began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure, and an addi- tional 21 percent planned their trips at least 1 month in advance. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) began their trips to the Frontier West during the third quarter; 17 percent came during the second quarter; 14 percent came during the fourth quarter; and 4 percent came during the first quarter of the year. The types of travel information which these trav- elers considered most helpful were information about: travel arrangements, lodging, scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, restaurants, and climate. The most frequently used sources of travel informa- tion by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (78 percent), followed by in- formation supplied by print and the broadcasting media (69 percent); travel agencies (56 percent); USTS offices (50 percent); embassies (50 percent); and airline company offices (48 percent). A substantial majority (77 percent) of French travelers to the Frontier West came to the United States for vacations. Twenty-five percent came to visit friends; 14 percent came on business or to attend conventions; 12 percent came to see relatives; and 10 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. Most of these travelers (60 percent) purchased charter passages; 25 percent bought regular econ- omy/coach fares; 1 3 percent bought discount excur- sion fares; and 9 percent bought tour packages. Hardly any booked first-class passages. 105 The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among French travelers to the Frontier West in 1976 was 31 days, of which 30 were actually spent in this country, and 6 were spent in the Fron- tier West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by French travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: buses (53 percent for inter/intra-city transportation) ; air transportation (42 percent) ; rental cars (31 percent) ; and personal cars of friends and relatives (19 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these visitors were: private homes of friends and relatives (49 percent); medium-priced (34 percent) and budget/economy (26 percent) hotels and mo- tels; and first-class hotels (13 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures for French travelers to the Frontier West amounted to an estimated $1,305, of which $730 were actually spent in this country. Thirty-five per- cent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 30 percent went for secondary trans- portation; 13 percent for entertainment; 12 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; and 9 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these French travelers during their visits to the United States were: meeting interesting new people (96 per- cent) ; seeing beautiful scenery (93 percent) ; experi- encing a new culture and way of life (80 percent); learning things useful in their business and social lives (72 percent); and visiting places of significant historical interest (50 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Frontier West Twenty-two percent of French travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Frontier West. Nine percent of all French international travel- ers selected it as their first regional destination prefer- ence for a future visit or revisit to this country. Addi- tionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 44 percent of all French international travelers listed the Frontier West among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. French Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among French travelers to the Frontier West: The great majority of French travelers like to mix with local people and experience local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. When vacationing, most French travelers prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Most French travelers prefer to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. They generally like to arrange their own sightsee- ing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. Many prefer to visit a new country on each trip they take. They do not especially favor vacations that entail a lot of nightlife. The majority of French travelers are active and do not especially favor taking vacations where they can just relax and do nothing. The majority do not consider it particularly im- portant that they stay in the best accommodations when vacationing, and they generally prefer taking longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones. Most French travelers like to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. When on vacation, relatively few French travelers spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases. Problems /Difficulties Encountered by French Travelers to the Frontier West Relatively few French travelers encountered prob- lems or difficulties during their trips to the Frontier West. Among these who did, however, the most fre- quently mentioned complaints related to: expensive- ness, concern for personal safety, overcrowding, and inadequate information and facilities. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems en- countered by French travelers to the Frontier West during their visits to the United States.) 5. Australian Travel to the Frontier West During 1976, nearly 53,000 Australian travelers visited the Frontier West, accounting for approxi- mately 31 percent of the total Australian travel market to the United States (168,000). Arizona was 106 by far the most frequently visited State in this region and received approximately 42,000 Australian trav- elers, of which nearly 37,000 visited Grand Canyon. Other States in the Frontier West region to receive substantial numbers of Australian travelers were New Mexico (14,000) and Texas (12,000). These travelers spent an estimated $9 million in the Fron- tier West, accounting for slightly over 8 percent of total Australian traveler expenditures in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 48,000 Austra- lian travelers visited the Frontier West in 1977, spending nearly $8 million in this region during that year. Australian Traveler/Trip Profiles Australian travelers to the Frontier West are gen- erally in the 35 to 44 age bracket, with over 40 per- cent having college or university level educations, and are most frequently employed in up-scale profes- sional, executive, or managerial occupations. They have moderate annual household incomes (amount- ing to an estimated median of $19,500 in 1976) and are usually members of three-person households gen- erally containing no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 26 percent of these travelers reported annual household incomes in excess of $25,000. (Caution should be observed in reviewing annual household income data, since 15 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions pertaining to this subject.) Sixty percent of the Australian travelers to the Frontier West contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 10 percent went directly to transporta- tion carriers for these services. Over 70 percent of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months in advance, and most frequently traveled to the Frontier West during the fourth (32 percent), second (25 percent), and third (23 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which Australian visitors considered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, lodging availability and prices, transportation schedules, internal travel ar- rangements, and alternative fare packages. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: travel agencies (69 percent), followed by information supplied by: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (65 percent); print and broadcast media (46 percent); paid ad- vertising (25 percent); and airline company offices (24 percent). The majority (85 percent) of Australian travelers to the Frontier West came to the United States for vacations. Twenty-nine percent came on business or to attend conventions; 20 percent came to see friends; 9 percent came to see relatives; and 5 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. These travelers most frequently either purchased tour packages (35 percent) or regular economy/ coach fares (34 percent). Additionally 25 percent bought discount excursion fares; 4 percent booked first-class passages; and 1 percent purchased charter fares. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Australian travelers to the Fron- tier West was 38 days, of which 27 were actually spent in this country, and 3 were spent in the Frontier West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Australian travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: buses (76 per- cent for inter/intra-city transportation); air trans- portation (69 percent); taxis (53 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (38 percent) ; and rental cars (22 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers were: medium- (63 percent) and budget-priced (20 percent) hotels and motels; first- class hotels (44 percent); and private homes of friends and relatives (38 percent). During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures for adult Australian travelers amounted to an estimated $3,345, of which $1,645 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-eight percent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 20 percent went for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 17 percent for secondary transportation; 13 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sight- seeing and tips; and 12 percent for entertainment. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these Australian travelers to the Frontier West during their visits to the United States included: seeing beautiful scenery (97 percent) ; meeting interesting new people (92 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (72 percent); purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (64 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife with good restaurants and entertainment (60 percent) ; experiencing a new culture and way of life (57 percent); and learning things helpful in their business and social lives (57 percent). 107 Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Frontier West Thirty-one percent of Australian travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Frontier West. Three percent of all Australian international travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 27 percent of all Australian travelers listed the Frontier West among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by Australian Travelers to the Frontier West Relatively few Australian travelers to the Frontier West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. However, among those who did, the most frequently mentioned com- plaints related to: concern for personal safety, expen- siveness, overcrowding, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by Australian travelers to the Frontier West during their visits to the United States.) 108 III. SUMMARY TABLES Mexican Japanese West German French Australian Travel to the Frontier West 109 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/ Trips to the Frontier West from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 Traveler/Trip Characteristics (Base) Sex 1 Male Female Age 1 Median number of years Marital Status 2 Married Unattached Education 3 Elementary/ Primary High school/ Secondary Technical/Vocational College/University Occupation ;! Professional Executive/ Management Clerical Student Sales/ Merchant Self-employed Retired/ Unemployed Other Size of Household 2 Average number of persons Children in Household 2 Average number under 18 years of age . . No children in household Language Capability 2 Speak or read English Prior Planning Time Less than 2 weeks 2 weeks to less than 1 month 1 month to less than 2 months 2 months to less than 4 months 4 months or more Planning Organization Contacted Transportation carrier Travel agency Other/None/No answer Sources of Information about the United States a Friends/ Relatives Travel agency Airline company offices Print/Visual media Tour operator Paid advertising Embassies USTS International Travel to the Frontier West Mexican Japanese West German French Australian (347) 27 4.9 84% (89) 34 4.2 76% (87) 32 3.0 94% (88) 25 2.6 91% (94) 51% 73% 69% 55% 53% 49 27 31 45 47 35 56% 51% 46% 32% 65% 44 49 54 68 35 1% 5% 12% 1% 2% 12 25 47 3 46 21 9 8 8 10 66 61 33 88 43 40% 5% 6% 38% 29% 17 21 28 1 19 7 23 18 14 16 14 23 23 5 3 7 4 9 3 1 15 9 43 10 1 6 2 13 14 6 3 17 3.3 1.8 0.8 0.6 0.5 0.9 32% 55% 63% 76% 60% 110% 58% 4% 13% 20% 3% 22 9 9 22 7 11 29 13 21 18 7 32 27 28 17 2 26 38 10 54 18% 20% 31% 10% 26 61% 58 47 60 58 40 30 23 43 50% 56% 72% 78% 65% 24 62 61 56 69 17 23 37 48 24 21 42 59 69 46 12 15 21 32 15 8 27 18 32 25 10 7 16 50 20 12 14 24 50 na 110 TABLE 1, Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to the Frontier West from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) Traveler/Trip Characteristics (Base) Types of Fare Purchased 2 First class Regular economy/Coach Discount/ Excursion Charter Tour package Seasonality First quarter Second quarter Third quarter Fourth quarter Length of Round Trip Median number of days Length of Stay in the United States Median number of days Purpose of Trip a Vacation Visit relatives Visit friends Business Attend conventions Study/ Formal schooling Other Inclusive Tour Travel Yes No Size of Traveling Party 1 person 2 persons 3 persons 4 or more persons Activities Engaged In il Met interesting people Saw beautiful scenery Learned new things helpful in business/ social life Experienced a new culture and way of life Visited places of significant historical interest Bought interesting gifts and souvenirs . . . Enjoyed an exciting nightlife, good restaurants, and entertainment Participated in warm weather sports/ Lay in the sunshine Experienced a bargain priced vacation . . Attended a bicentennial event/site Went snow-skiing Participated in other winter sports and activities Went camping International Travel to the Frontier West Mexican Japanese West German French Australian (347) 47 (89) 21 17 55 (87) 32 30 55 (88) 31 30 46 (94) 29% 5% 6% — 4% 65 47 31 25% 34 6 19 7 13 25 1 10 47 60 1 5 21 13 9 35 17% 13% 11% 4% 20% 26 18 23 17 25 33 51 55 65 23 24 16 10 14 32 38 27 73% 36% 67% 77% 85% 15 5 24 12 9 1 1 10 18 25 20 16 19 15 12 25 3 1 2 2 4 4 34 21 10 5 22 8 3 7 11 6% 43% 14% 10% 43% 94 57 86 90 57 20% 28% 37% 42%. 18% 29 26 29 33 42 17 12 15 13 7 33 34 20 12 33 63% 79% 84% 96% 92% 72 96 92 93 97 71 88 88 72 57 52 90 93 80 57 47 72 70 50 72 79 48 47 39 64 60 29 49 62 35 34 52 58 47 44 50 11 17 na 16 33 2 2 7 — 3 4 2 5 12 7 11 20 23 10 111 TABLE 1. Characteristics of Travelers/Trips to the Frontier West from Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries — 1976 (Continued) Australian ^ . ,— . International Travel to the Frontier West Traveler/Trip Characteristics Mexican Japanese West German French (Base) (347) (89) (87) (88) Lodging Used a First-class hotel 49% 46% 37% 13% Other hotel/ motel 27 70 83 60 Private home 29 30 54 49 Other 8 28 43 47 Secondary Transportation a Air 10% 74% 62% 42% Boat 2 8 5 1 Rail 2 16 5 8 Personal car 50 28 34 19 Bus/Tour bus 18 79 38 53 Taxi 15 38 19 7 Rental car 20 17 50 31 Other 12 1 15 11 Total Round-Trip Expenditures 2 Average (per adult respondent) $865 $2,305 $1,560 $1,305 Total Trip Expenditures in the United States 2 Average (per adult respondent) $690 $1,045 $805 $730 Allocation of Expenditures in the United States Secondary transportation 11% 15% 27% 30% Lodging and food 30 35 42 35 Gifts, souvenirs, and other purchases ... . 37 28 10 12 Entertainment 13 12 10 13 Miscellaneous expenses (sightseeing, tips, etc.) 9 10 10 9 Problems Encountered a Expensiveness 37% 39% 20% 59% Concern for personal safety 11 52 14 30 Overcrowding 15 10 10 30 Entry difficulty 7 19 9 16 Unfriendliness 13 3 1 8 Poor weather 23 9 6 15 Mobility problems 5 18 1 14 Inadequate information/ facilities 6 7 9 23 Language problems na na na na Other 7 -9 1 2 11 Includes multiple responses; percentages may add to more than 100%. 1 Reflects data concerning all travel party members. 2 Reflects data concerning the respondent only. 3 Reflects data concerning the primary decision-maker for the trip. (94) 44% 83 38 19 69% 7 13 38 76 53 22 9 $3,345 $1,645 17% 38 20 12 13 26% 27 13 4 4 13 4 10 6 19 112 TABLE 2. Regional Destinations Actually Visited by U.S.-Bound Market Segments of Selected Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries vs. U.S. Regional Preferences Among All International Travelers from These Countries — 1976 U.S. Regional Destination Mexican Travelers Japanese Travelers West German Travelers Actual First Top Three First Top Three First Top Three Prefer- Prefer- Prefer- Prefer- Prefer- Prefer- ence ences Actual ence ences Actual ence ences 3% 9% 3% 2% 6% 11% 2% 6% 14 42 15 19 48 51 15 43 8 32 5 6 22 16 5 17 11 48 5 9 36 22 22 62 46 108 36 31 64 38 33 73 4 17 5 5 21 17 4 22 5 14 2 4 14 12 5 21 New England 2% Eastern Gateway 8 George Washington Country 3 The South 11 Far West 41 Great Lakes Country .... 6 Mountain West 2 U.S. Regional Destination French Travelers Australian Travelers Frontier West 37 5 16 6 8 31 21 10 38 The Islands 6 4 12 72 16 31 5 4 12 Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences New England Eastern Gateway . . . George Washington Country The South Far West Great Lakes Country Mountain West 17% 64 23 29 37 17 7 2% 16 41 4 5 7% 38 12 64 80 23 23 13% 36 28 22 83 22 16 10% 7 6 7 47 6 4 18% 33 24 39 81 21 19 Frontier West . 22 9 44 31 3 27 The Islands 3 2 10 47 5 19 113 TABLE 3. Annual Household Income Distribution of Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries to the Frontier West — 1976 Mexican Travelers to the Frontier West $ 9,606 and less 12% $ 9,607 to $14,410 18 $14,411 to $19,213 18 $19,214 to $24,017 18 $24,01 8 to $33,624 16 $33,625 or more 18 Total 100% Median household income $19,695 West German Travelers to the Frontier West $ 9,325 and less 20% $ 9,326 to $13,989 19 $13,990 to $18,652 22 $18,653 to $23,315 10 $23,3 1 6 or more 29 Total 100% Median household income $16,320 Australian Travelers to the Frontier West $ 9,999 and less 19% $10,000 to $14,999 14 $15,000 to $19,999 11 $20,000 to $24,999 15 $25,000 or more 26 Refused/No answer 15 Total 100% Median household income $19,500 Japanese Travelers to the Frontier West $ 6,717 and less 4% $ 6,718 to $10,076 17 $10,077 to $13,435 14 $13,436 to $16,794 20 $ 1 6,795 or more 45 Total 100% Median household income $16,020 French Travelers to the Frontier West $ 7,954 and less 39% $ 7,955 to $10,971 17 $10,972 to $16,458 10 $ 1 6,459 or more 34 Total 100% Median household income $ 9,845 114 SECTION EIGHT A REGIONAL ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE FAR WEST INTRODUCTION Purpose and Scope This section presents an in-depth analysis of inter- national travel to the Far West from major tourist generating countries to that region in 1976. Spe- cifically, it provides a demographic analysis and trip profile of foreign travel to the Far West from the following countries: Mexico, Japan, the United King- dom, West Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Australia. Methodology The universe of study for survey purposes was comprised of adult ( 1 8 years of age and older) Mexi- can, Japanese, British, German, French, Italian, Dutch, and Australian residents from major urban areas within their respective countries. Respondents consisted of adult international travelers who had visited the Far West during their trips to the United States in 1976. Respondent screening was accomplished through door to door interviews. Complete interviews were conducted either at the time of the screening or at an appointed time convenient for the respondent. A dis- proportionate sampling methodology (designed to locate an adequate number of travelers to the United States) utilizing second-level referrals was used to locate qualified respondents. Limitations This survey of international travel to the Far West region is confined to those country markets from which a sufficiently large sample population was obtained to permit a statistically valid analysis. 116 I. OVERVIEW Approximately 5.9 million foreigners traveled to the Far West in 1977, representing approximately 32 percent of total international visitor arrivals (18.6 million) in the United States during that year. Slightly over 55 percent of the foreign visitors to this region came from Canada; nearly 30 percent came from overseas countries; and 15 percent came from Mex- ico. They spent an estimated $1929 million in this region, accounting for nearly 28 percent of total U.S. travel receipts in 1977. International travelers to the Far West are gener- ally in their late twenties to early thirties, well edu- cated, with a large proportion having college or uni- versity level educations, and are usually employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They most commonly travel to the United States during the third quarter of the year and generally come for vacational purposes. They usually contact travel agencies when making their trip arrangements or booking their trips, though many go directly to transportation carriers for these services. These trav- elers most frequently tend to purchase regular econ- omy/coach fares, though many also book charter passages. The typical international travel party to the Far West is comprised of one or two individuals who normally spend from 3 to 10 days in this region. During their visits to the United States these travelers generally allocate the greatest share of their travel expenditures for food and lodging, followed by ex- penditures incurred for secondary transportation, and the purchase of gifts and souvenirs. The most commonly engaged in activities by inter- national travelers to the Far West during their visits to the United States include: seeing beautiful scenery, meeting interesting new people, experiencing a new culture and lifestyle, learning things helpful in their business and social lives, and visiting places of sig- nificant historical interest. The Far West is the second most frequently visited U.S. regional destination by international travelers (after the Eastern Gateway )and is their most pre- ferred region for future travel to the United States. Relatively few international travelers to the Far West encountered problems during their visits to the United States in 1976. However, among those who did, the most frequently cited problems related to expensiveness and concern for personal safety. Table A presents a regional breakdown of foreign visitor arrivals in the United States from the major tourist generating countries in 1976. The following section of this report presents a detailed analysis of foreign travel to the Far West from the major tourist generating countries to this region. II. PROFILE OF FOREIGN TRAVEL TO THE FAR WEST FROM MAJOR TOURIST GENERATING COUNTRIES TO THIS REGION 1. Mexican Travel to the Far West During 1976, approximately 818,000 Mexican travelers visited the Far West, accounting for nearly 43 percent of the total Mexican travel market to the United States (1.92 million). Nearly all these travel- ers visited California; with 434,000 visiting Los Angeles; 311,000 visiting San Francisco; 257,000 visiting San Diego; and 163,000 visiting Disneyland. A substantial number of Mexicans (184,000) also visited Nevada. Mexican travelers spent an estimated $489 million in the Far West, accounting for nearly 41 percent of total Mexican travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 865,000 Mexi- can travelers visited the Far West in 1977, spending just over $484 million in this region during that year. Mexican Traveler /Trip Profiles Mexican travelers to the Far West are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with slightly over 60 percent having college or university level educations. The majority are employed in up-scale professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household in- comes (amounting to an estimated median of $19,- 250 in 1976) and are members of four-person households consisting primarily of adults with no children under 18 years of age (57 percent). During 1976, 34 percent of the Mexican travelers to the Far West had incomes in excess of $24,018. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income.) In 1976, 41 percent of these travelers contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and 29 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The major- ity (72 percent) began making their trip plans less than 1 month prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the Far West during the third (42 per- cent), second (21 percent), and fourth (20 percent) quarters of the year. 117 d u. J2 Uh ^ < n® uo TS j= c M *3 u o a. s o = JO •c O a c # o ot -J H ■a ^ C W c O .0 o e 5 - o © ri in O ^ o e^ 00 !2, m o — - O vo O t?- rn' 00 .-s ~ s 5 - c ^ in T ri o ^ 8^ —1 (N O O VU O o 5 - ^ O ,-». O '-N O ^ ^ O ^ O ^ ^> 8^ 8^ 8^ O K o t> 8^ O K o s^ R^ s"§ m 3 oc'^ -*2 o c q CO ^ O <-s 8^ 8^ o'Ci <*T. c — *~ c ^ O ^ r- m 'ON. o ^ 8^ o ^ 8^ o o c 00 -— . O /-v O O vC, e- O O 00 ^ 00'^ no *3- VO w r- L" O ■— O K o O t^ 8^ o ^ O vo o o 5 - o ^ O K o O cN o o q ri oc O /-> O K o O t?- ON 2. 8^ o — O vo O t> r-* ^ o <-> O vO o e^ rn r-l vo fcS> 2*S 8^ 8^ o ^ 8^ 8^ 8^ O o 5 - o o o L" Ov o «— 8^ CM O ^ o ^ ^* Si o ^~ 8^ VO' ° ON >/-, o o o vD m o >-> ■n J2. o ^ O vo O a 5 - S"g VO ro ON Tf Ov o ^ O vo o e 5 - o ^ O — . O ^ O ^-s O S^ O S 5 - o s^ w r^ i2 n o — o e^ O /-n o — 8^ 8^ o /-, o — o e 5 - o c?- 00' 2; m' 2 r3 ^ - r. - ,— . O ^ <-> ^ ° l5> O ON O ^o t>- ON. ^-00 o ^ r 00 T ir, G d a a. 6 o 00 d T3 U +-- 'd !3 c a E |H o o o d 11? =1 < c-J C 43 C 00 >n ■■t o ,-> o ^ O Sn O WN rf On vo [2 ^ ^ O kO 8^ 00 ^ *>*-2 8^ 8^ o <-> so O on O ^ O 5^ o ^ 8^ 2"R o ^ 8^ o *-, O K o O on n o s 3 jab P5 The types of information which these Mexican travelers considered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, lodging, transportation schedules, and restaurants. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (46 per- cent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (38 percent); airline company offices (28 percent); and print and visual media (20 percent). The great majority (86 percent) of Mexican trav- elers to the Far West came to the United States for vacations. Twenty-two percent came to visit rela- tives; 15 percent came on business or to attend con- ventions; 10 percent came to see friends; and 4 per- cent came to study or attend formal schooling. The majority (57 percent) purchased regular economy/coach fares. Thirty-three percent booked first-class passages; 9 percent bought discount excur- sion fares; and 8 percent purchased tour packages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Mexican travelers to the Far West in 1976 was 14 days, of which 12 were actu- ally spent in this country, and 4 were spent in the Far West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by travelers to this region while visiting the United States were: buses (34 percent for inter/intra- city transportation); rental cars (31 percent); per- sonal cars of friends and relatives (28 percent); air transportation (21 percent); and taxis (20 percent). Relatively few traveled by rail (4 percent) or boat (3 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers during their visit to the United States were: first-class hotels (52 percent); private homes of friends and relatives (36 percent); and medium- and budget-priced hotels (21 percent). During 1976, total round-trip expenditures by Mexican travelers to the Far West amounted to an estimated $1,264 per adult, of which $862 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-one per- cent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 27 percent went for food and lodging; 22 percent for entertainment; 13 percent for secondary transportation; and 8 per- cent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by Mexican travelers to the Far West during their visits to the United States included: seeing beautiful scenery (89 percent); purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (76 percent) ; learning things useful in their business and lives (72 percent) ; meeting interesting new peo- ple (62 percent); experiencing a new culture and way of life (62 percent) ; enjoying an exciting night- life, with good restaurants and entertainment (59 percent); enjoying a bargain priced vacation (56 percent), and visiting places of significant historical interest (51 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Far West Forty-three percent of Mexican travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Far West. Forty-six percent of all Mexican international travel- ers chose it as their first regional destination prefer- ence for a future visit or revisit to this country. Addi- tionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 108 percent of all Mexican international travelers listed the Far West among their top three regional destinations for a future U.S. visit. Mexican Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among Mexican travelers to the Far West: Nearly all Mexican travelers like to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. Most Mexican travelers like to mix with the local people and experience the local customs and dif- ferent cultures and lifestyles during their trips. The majority prefer to travel to new destinations which they have not previously visited. When on vacation, they generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. Many feel that the best types of vacations are those where they can just relax and do nothing. The majority like to plan out their whole trip in advance. They generally prefer to arrange their own sight- seeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. The majority prefer to take longer vacations with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. 119 Many, however, do feel that it is important that they stay at the best places when on vacation. The majority prefer to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. Many feel that the best kind of vacations are those which offer a great deal of nightlife. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by Mexican Travelers to the Far West Relatively few Mexican travelers to the Far West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, the most commonly cited complaints related to ex- pensiveness, overcrowding, poor weather, unfriendli- ness, and concern for personal safety. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems en- countered by Mexican travelers to the Far West during their visits to the United States.) 2. Japanese Travel to the Far West During 1976, some 277,000 Japanese travelers visited the Far West, accounting for approximately 36 percent of the total Japanese travel market to the United States (772,000). Nearly all these travelers visited California; with 131,000 visiting Los Angeles; and 1 1 1 ,000 visiting San Francisco. Other major areas in the Far West visited by substantial numbers of Japanese travelers included: Nevada and Washing- ton, receiving 51,000 and 48,000 visitors, respec- tively. Japanese travelers spent an estimated $141 million in the Far West, accounting for nearly 31 percent of total Japanese travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 269,000 Japa- nese travelers visited the Far West in 1977, spending nearly $140 million in this region during that year. Japanese Traveler/Trip Profiles Japanese travelers to the Far West are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with over half having college or university level educations and are usually employed in either clerical or executive, managerial positions. They tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an es- timated median of $15,815 in 1976) and are most frequently members of four-person households con- taining no children under 18 years of age. During 1976, 46 percent of these travelers reported annual household incomes in excess of $16,794. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income.) Sixty-six percent of Japanese travelers to the Far West in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approx- imately 3 percent went directly to transportation carriefs for these services. Forty-eight percent of these travelers began mak- ing their trip plans at least 2 months prior to de- parture, and an additional 28 percent began planning their trips at least 1 month in advance. Nearly half (46 percent) of these visitors traveled to the Far West during the third quarter, 22 percent came dur- ing the second quarter, and 18 percent came during the fourth quarter of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful in planning their trips were in- formation about: scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, fare packages, travel arrangements, and lodging and accommodations. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors were travel agencies (63 percent), followed by in- formation supplied by: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (55 percent); print and visual media (38 percent); paid advertising (22 percent); and airline company offices (21 percent). The largest share (36 percent) of Japanese trav- elers to the Far West came to the United States for vacations or to study or attend formal schooling (29 percent). Twenty percent came on business or to attend conventions; 9 percent came to see friends and 6 percent came to visit relatives. The majority either purchased regular economy/ coach fares (38 percent) or tour packages (31 per- cent). Twenty-four percent bought discount excur- sion fares. Four percent bought first-class fares, and an additional 4 percent booked charter passage. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Japanese travelers to the Far West was 14 days, of which 10 were actually spent in this country, and 3 were spent in the Far West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by travelers to this region while visiting the United States were: air transportation (78 percent); buses (66 percent for inter/intra-city transporta- tion); taxis (33 percent); and personal cars of friends and relatives (24 percent). Only 15 percent traveled by rail; and 12 percent used rental cars. The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers during their visits to the United States were first class (61 percent) and medium- and budget-priced motels and hotels (45 percent), and private homes of friends and relatives (26 percent). 120 During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures by adult Japanese travelers to the Far West amounted to an estimated $2,230, of which $940 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-two percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; an additional 32 percent went for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 15 percent for secondary transportation; 14 percent for entertain- ment; and 8 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their visits to the United States in- cluded: seeing beautiful scenery (92 percent) ; learn- ing things helpful in their business and social lives (82 percent) ; experiencing a new culture and way of life (82 percent); meeting interesting new people (75 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (69 percent); purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (56 percent) ; and enjoying an exciting nightlife with good restaurants and entertainment (54 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Far West Thirty-six percent of Japanese travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Far West. Thirty-one percent of all Japanese international trav- elers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 64 percent of all Japanese international travelers listed the Far West among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Japanese Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among Japanese travelers to the Far West: Most Japanese travelers like to mix with the local people and experience local customs and new and different cultures and lifestyles. They generally like to plan out their whole trip in advance. Most Japanese travelers prefer to visit countries that have old historic monuments and historic buildings. The majority prefer taking longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. They generally do not favor vacations which entail a lot of nightlife. Most Japanese travelers prefer to visit new destina- tions which they have not previously visited. The majority prefer to arrange their own sight- seeing and accommodations. Many, however, prefer to travel on guided tours. When on vacation, Japanese travelers generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. The majority like to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or use- ful in business. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by Japanese Travelers to the Far West Relatively few Japanese travelers to the Far West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. However, among those who did, the most commonly cited complaints re- lated to: concern for personal safety, expensiveness, mobility problems, overcrowding, and entry difficulty. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by Japanese travelers to the Far West during their visits to the United States.) 3. British Travel to the Far West During 1976, approximately 183,000 British trav- elers visited the Far West, accounting for 34 percent of the total British travel market to the United States (538,000). Nearly all these travelers visited Califor- nia, with 69,000 visiting Los Angeles, and 63,000 visiting San Francisco. Substantial numbers (36,000) also visited Nevada. They spent an estimated $76 million in the Far West, accounting for almost 25 percent of the total British expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 181,000 British travelers visited the Far West in 1977, spending nearly $83 million in this region during that year. British Traveler/Trip Profiles British travelers to the Far West are generally in the 25 to 44 age bracket, well educated, with over one-third having college or university level educa- tions. Slightly over half are employed in up-scale 121 professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They tend to have moderate annual household in- comes (amounting to an estimated median of $13,875 in 1976) and are most frequently members of three-person households with no children under 18 years old. During 1976, 25 percent of these travelers reported annual household incomes in excess of $21,093. (See table 3 for more details on annual household income.) Sixty-seven percent of British travelers to the Far West in 1976 contacted travel agencies in making their travel arrangements or booking their trips, and approximately 10 percent went directly to transpor- tation carriers for these services. Seventy percent of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the United States during the second (29 percent), third (27 percent), and fourth (25 percent) quarters of the year. The types of information which they considered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, travel arrange- ments, lodging, climate, and restaurants. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (72 percent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (53 percent); print and visual media (33 percent); airline company offices (24 percent); and embassies (22 percent). During 1976, nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of British travelers to the Far West came to the United States for vacations. Thirty-six percent came to visit reatives; 30 percent came on business or to attend conventions; and 18 percent came to see friends. The majority of these travelers purchased either regular economy/coach fares (33 percent) or char- ter passage (29 percent). Twenty percent purchased discount excursion fares; 1 1 percent bought tour packages; and 9 percent booked first-class passage. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among British travelers to the Far West was 22 days of which 21 were actually spent in this country, and 5 were spent in the Far West region. The principal modes of transportation used by these visitors while traveling in the United States were: air transportation (51 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (50 percent) ; buses (41 per- cent for inter/intra-city transportation); rental cars (34 percent); and taxis (25 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by British travelers to the Far West during their visits to the United States were: private homes of friends (36 percent) and relatives (59 percent) ; first-class hotels (36 percent); and other motels and hotels (46 percent). During 1976, total round-trip expenditures by British travelers to the Far West amounted to an estimated $1,680 per adult, of which $720 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-eight per- cent of these U.S. expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 20 percent went for secondary transportation; 15 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 14 percent for entertainment; and 13 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sight- seeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these British travelers during their visits to the United States included: seeing beautiful scenery (92 per- cent); meeting interesting new people (89 percent) experiencing a new culture and way of life (68 per- cent) ; learning things helpful in their business and social lives (65 percent) ; enjoying an exciting night- life with good restaurants and entertainment (60 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical interest (59 percent); and purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (56 percent). Incidence of A dual vs. Preferred Travel to the Far West During 1976, 34 percent of British travelers to the United States actually visited the Far West. Thirty-eight percent of all British international trav- elers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 78 percent of all British international travelers listed the Far West among their top three destination preferences for a future U.S. visit. British Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among British travelers to the Far West: The great majority of British travelers like to mix with the local people and experience the local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. Most British travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. 122 When on vacation, the majority prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. They generally prefer to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. The majority prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extrava- gant ones. Most prefer to visit countries that have old monu- ments and other historic buildings. Vacations with a lot of nightlife are not generally the most favored by British travelers. British travelers usually like to plan out their whole trip in advance. Most British travelers are active and do not par- ticularly favor vacations where they can just relax and do nothing. Relatively few British travelers spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases when on vaca- tion. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by British Travelers to the Far West Relatively few British travelers to the Far West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, the most frequently cited complaints related to expen- siveness, concern for personal safety, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems encountered by British travelers to the Far West.) 4. West German Travel to the Far West During 1976, approximately 146,000 West Ger- man travelers visited the Far West, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total German travel market to the United States (366,000). Most of these trav- elers visited California, with 81,000 visiting San Francisco, and 75,000 visiting Los Angeles. Other frequently visited destinations by West German travelers to the Far West included Nevada (52,000) and Washington (17,000). They spent an estimated $62 million in the Far West, according for slightly over 32 percent of total German travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 147,000 Ger- man travelers visited the Far West in 1977, spending slightly over $77 million in this region during that year. German Traveler/Trip Profiles German travelers to the Far West are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket. In 1976, nearly three- quarters (72 percent) had high school or higher educations and are most frequently employed in pro- fessional, executive, or managerial occupations. Addi- tionally, in 1976, 20 percent of these travelers were students. They generally tend to have moderate an- nual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $14,490 in 1976) and are members of three-person households, usually containing no chil- dren under 18 years of age. During 1976, 33 percent reported having annual household incomes in excess of $18,652. (See table 3 for a more detailed break- down of annual household incomes.) Fifty-six percent of these travelers contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approximately 20 percent went di- rectly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (64 percent) began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the Far West during the third (50 percent), second (28 percent), and first (11 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, lodging, travel arrangements, and transportation schedules. The most frequently used sources of information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (72 per- cent), followed by information supplied by travel agencies (58 percent); print and visual media (57 percent); and airline company offices (35 percent). During 1976, the majority (67 percent) of these German travelers came to the United States for vaca- tion purposes; 30 percent came to visit relatives; 24 percent came to see friends; an additional 24 percent came to study or attend formal schooling; and 12 percent came on business or to attend conventions. The majority either purchased charter passages (40 percent) or regular economy/coach fares (30 percent). Seventeen percent bought tour packages; an additional 17 percent purchased discount excur- sion fares; and 4 percent paid for first-class passage. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among German travelers to the Far West in 1976 was 30 days, of which 28 were actually spent in this country, and 4 were spent in the Far West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: air transportation (53 percent); 123 buses (44 percent for inter/intra-city transporta- tion); personal cars of friends and relatives (29 percent); and rental cars (23 percent). The primary types of accommodation used by these travelers while visiting the United States were: private homes of friends and relatives (56 percent); medium-priced hotels and motels (41 percent); first- class hotels (33 percent); and budget/economy ho- tels and motels (27 percent) . During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures for adult German travelers to the Far West amounted to an estimated $1,480, of which $725 were actually spent in this country. Thirty-nine per- cent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 28 percent were used for secondary transportation; 12 percent went for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 1 1 percent for entertainment; and 10 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by German travelers to the Far West during their visits to the United States included: seeing beautiful scenery (93 percent); meeting interesting new people (84 per- cent); experiencing a new culture and lifestyle (83 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical in- terest (65 percent); learning things helpful in their business and social lives (64 percent); participating in warm-weather sports and lying in the sunshine (58 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife with good restaurants and entertainment (55 percent); and purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (52 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Far West During 1976, 40 percent of German travelers to the United States actually visited the Far West. Thirty-three percent of all German international travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third re- gional preferences were aggregated, 73 percent of all German international travelers listed the Far West among their top three destination preferences for a future U.S. visit. German A ttitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes or psychographic responses were noted among travelers to the Far West: The great majority of German travelers like to mix with the local people and experience the local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. Most German travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. When on vacation, they generally prefer to visit places that offer adventure and escape from the ordinary. Most German travelers do not consider it impor- tant that they stay in the best accommodations when vacationing. They generally prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones. The majority do not especially favor vacations that feature a lot of nightlife. Many prefer to visit new countries on each vaca- tion trip. The majority prefer to plan out their whole trip in advance. Most German travelers like to visit places where they can learn things helpful in their business or social lives. They generally like to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. Many spend a considerable amount of time look- ing for bargain purchases during their vacations. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by German Travelers to the Far West Relatively few German travelers to the Far West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, the most frequently cited complaints related to: ex- pensiveness, concern for personal safety, overcrowd- ing, and entry difficulty. (See table 1 for more details on the problems encountered by German travelers during their U.S. visits.) 5. French Travel to the Far West During 1976, slightly over 82,000 French trav- elers visited the Far West, accounting for 38 percent of the total French travel market to the United States (217,000). The majority of these travelers vis- ited California, with 39,000 visiting San Francisco, and 37,000 visiting Los Angeles. A substantial num- 124 ber (19,000) also visited Nevada and 6,000 traveled to Washington. French travelers spent an estimated $29 million in the Far West, accounting for nearly 23 percent of total French travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that nearly 82,000 French travelers visited the Far West in 1977, and spent slightly over $35 million in this region during that year. French Traveler /Trip Profiles French travelers to the Far West are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with a large majority having college or university level educations. They are most frequently employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations and tend to have moderate annual household incomes (amount- ing to an estimated median of $10,250 in 1976). However, during that year, 30 percent reported an- nual household incomes in excess of $16,458. French travelers to the Far West usually are members of two-person households containing no children under 1 8 years of age. Thirty-seven percent of French travelers to the Far West in 1976 contacted travel agencies to make their trip arrangements or book their trips, and 34 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. Thirty-five percent began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure, and an addi- tional 24 percent planned their trips at least 1 month in advance. Over half (58 percent) began their trips to the Far West during the third quarter; 17 percent came during the second quarter; and 16 percent came during the first quarter of the year. The types of travel information which these travelers considered most helpful were information about: travel arrangements, lodging, scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, and restaurants. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors were: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (81 percent), followed by information supplied by print and visual media (68 percent); travel agencies (59 percent) ; airline company offices (49 percent); USTS offices (45 percent); paid advertising (40 percent) ; embassies (40 percent) ; and tour operators (39 percent). Seventy-five percent of the French travelers to the Far West came to the United States for vacations; 21 percent came to visit friends; 16 percent came to study or attend formal schooling; 12 percent came to visit relatives; and an additional 12 percent came on business or to attend conventions. Half of these travelers purchased charter passages; 29 percent bought regular economy/coach fares; 15 percent bought discount excursion fares; 14 percent bought tour packages; and 2 percent booked first- class passages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among French travelers to the Far West in 1976 was 32 days, of which 30 were actually spent in this country, and 7 were spent in the Far West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by French travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: buses (48 percent for inter/intra-city transportation) ; air transportation (40 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (27 percent); rental cars (26 percent); rail (16 per- cent); and taxis (13 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these visitors were: private homes of friends and relatives (57 percent); medium- (25 percent) and budget-priced (21 percent) hotels and motels; and first-class hotels ( 1 8 percent) . During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures for French travelers to the Far West amounted to an estimated $1,375, of which $755 were actually spent in this country. Thirty-four percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 26 percent went for secondary transportation; 15 per- cent for entertainment; 14 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; and 10 percent for miscel- laneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these French travelers during their visits to the United States were: meeting interesting new people (93 per- cent) ; seeing beautiful scenery (91 percent); ex- periencing a new culture and lifestyle (79 percent); learning things helpful in their business and social lives (73 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife with good restaurants and entertainment (54 per- cent); and visiting places of significant historical interest (50 percent) . Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Far West Thirty-eight percent of French travelers to the United States in 1976, actually visited the Far West. Forty-one percent of all French international trav- elers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this coun- try. Additionally, when their first, second, and third 125 regional preferences were aggregated, 80 percent of all French international travelers listed the Far West among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. French Attitudes (Psychographics) Toward Travel According to data compiled from a recently com- pleted marketing survey, the following general atti- tudes on psychographic responses were noted among French travelers to the West: The great majority of French travelers like to mix with local people and experience local customs and different cultures and lifestyles. When on vacation, most French travelers prefer to visit places that offer adventure and an escape from the ordinary. French travelers usually prefer to visit places where they can learn things that are educationally helpful or useful in business. Most French travelers like to arrange their own sightseeing and accommodations, and relatively few prefer to travel on guided tours. Many prefer to visit a new country on each trip. They do not especially favor vacations that entail a lot of nightlife. The majority of French travelers are active and do not especially favor taking vacations where they can just relax and do nothing. The majority do not consider it important that they stay in the best accommodations when vaca- tioning, and they generally prefer to take longer vacations, with fewer luxuries, rather than shorter, more extravagant ones. Most French travelers like to visit countries that have old monuments and historic buildings. When on vacation, relatively few French travelers spend a lot of time looking for bargain purchases. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by French Travelers to the Far West Relatively few French travelers encountered prob- lems or difficulties during their trips to the Far West. Among those who did, however, the most frequently mentioned complaints related to: expensiveness, overcrowding, concern for personal safety, and entry difficulty. (See table 1 for a more detailed break- down of the problems encountered by French trav- elers to the Far West during their visits to the United States.) 6. Italian Travel to the Far West During 1976, slightly over 49,000 Italian travelers visited the Far West, accounting for approximately 37 percent of the total Italian travel market to the United States (131,000). Most of these travelers visited California, with 34,000 visiting San Francisco, and 27,000 visiting Los Angeles. Substantial num- bers of Italians also visited Nevada (21,000) and Washington (13,000). Italian travelers spent an estimated $20 million in the Far West, accounting for slightly over 34 percent of total Italian travel ex- penditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that 46,000 Italian travelers visited the Far West in 1977, spending some $21 million in this region during that year. Italian Traveler /Trip Profiles Italian travelers to the Far West are generally in the 25 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with the majority having college or university level educations. These individuals are most frequently employed in clerical or professional, executive, or managerial positions. Many Italian travelers to the Far West were also students. They generally have moderate family incomes and are members of four-person households containing no children under 18 years of age. (Caution should be observed in reviewing annual household income data as 45 percent of respondents refused to answer questions pertaining to this subject.) Thirty-seven percent of Italian travelers to the Far West went directly to transportation carriers to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and 27 percent contacted travel agencies for these services. The majority (55 percent) of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 1 month prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the Far West during the third (55 percent), fourth (19 per- cent) and second (18 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which Italian travelers considered most helpful were information about: lodging availability and prices, scenic places to visit, transportation schedules, and alternative fare packages. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (64 per- cent), followed by information supplied by airline company offices (45 percent); travel agencies (41 percent); embassies (39 percent); and print and visual media (34 percent). During 1976, the majority (64 percent) of Italian travelers to the Far West came to the United States 126 for vacations. Twenty-one percent came on business or to attend conventions; 18 percent came to visit relatives; 4 percent came to see friends; and an additional 4 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. These travelers generally purchased either regular economy/coach fares (43 percent) or charter pas- sages (32 percent). Relatively few bought tour packages (8 percent), discount excursion fares (7 percent), or first-class packages (3 percent). The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Italian travelers to the Far West was 39 days, of which 30 were actually spent in this country, and 10 were spent in the Far West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Italian travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: air transportation (51 percent); buses (51 percent for inter/intra-city transportation); rental cars (30 percent); personal cars of friends and relatives (24 percent); and taxis (15 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers while visiting the United States were: private homes of friends and relatives (45 percent) ; medium-priced and budget motels and hotels (51 percent); and first-class hotels (27 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures for adult Italian travelers to the Far West amounted to an estimated $2,195, of which $1,355 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 29 percent went for secondary trans- portation; 17 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 15 percent for entertainment; and 9 per- cent for miscellaneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips. A ctivities The most popular activities engaged in by these travelers during their trips to the United States included: experiencing a new culture and way of life (95 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (87 per- cent); meeting interesting new people (81 percent); visiting places of significant historical interest (60 percent) ; purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (60 percent) ; and enjoying an exciting nightlife with good restaurants and entertainment (54 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to Far West Thirty-seven percent of Italian travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Far West. Thirty-three percent of all Italian international trav- elers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 72 percent of all Italian international travelers listed the Far West among their top three destinations as choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems /Difficulties Encountered by Italian Travelers to the Far West Relatively few Italian travelers to the Far West encountered problems or difficulties (apart from expensiveness, mentioned by 60 percent) during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, the most frequently mentioned complaints related to: language problems, concern for per- sonal safety, unfriendliness, overcrowding, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed break- down of the problems encountered by Italian trav- elers to the Far West during their visits to the United States). 7. Dutch Travel to the Far West During 1976, nearly 43,000 Dutch travelers visited the Far West, accounting for approximately 45 per- cent of the total Dutch travel market to the United States (95,000). Most of these travelers went to California, with 22,000 visiting Los Angeles, 16,000 visiting San Francisco, and 14,000 visiting Disney- land. Substantial numbers of Dutch travelers also visited Washington (15,000) and Nevada (14,000). They spent an estimated $16 million in the Far West, accounting for nearly 33 percent of total Dutch travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 47,000 Dutch travelers visited the Far West in 1977, spending approximately $18 million in this region during that year. Dutch Traveler/Trip Profiles Dutch travelers to the Far West are generally in the 18 to 34 age bracket, well educated, with the majority having a high school or higher education. They are most commonly employed in up-scale professional, managerial, or executive positions and usually have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated $12,930 in 1976). During that year, 20 percent of these travelers re- ported annual household incomes of $20,000 or more. (Caution should be observed in reviewing 127 annual household income data, since 43 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions per- taining to this subject.) Forty-two percent of these travelers contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and 16 percent went directly to transportation carriers for these services. The majority (71 percent) of Dutch travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure and most frequently traveled to the Far West during the third (38 percent), second (27 percent), and fourth (24 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which they con- sidered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, transportation schedules to the United States, weather and climate, tour group availability, and customs and entry regulations. The most fre- quently used sources of information by these travelers included: "word of mouth" from friends and rela- tives (67 percent), followed by information sup- plied by travel agencies (37 percent); airline com- pany offices (27 percent); print and visual media (25 percent); and embassies (14 percent). During 1976, the majority (53 percent) of Dutch travelers to the United States came to visit relatives. Forty percent came on vacations; 17 percent came on business or to attend conventions; 13 percent came to see friends; and 10 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. These travelers generally purchased either charter passages (46 percent) or regular economy/discount fares (36 percent). Relatively few purchased dis- count excursion fares (10 percent); tour packages (5 percent) or first-class fares (3 percent). The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Dutch travelers to the Far West in 1976 was 36 days, of which 26 were actually spent in this country and 20 were spent in the Far West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Dutch travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: air transportation (35 percent); buses (33 percent for inter/intra-city transportation) ; and personal cars of friends and relatives (26 percent). The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers during their visits to the United States were: private homes (55 percent); medium- (29 per- cent) and budget-priced (22 percent) hotels and motels; and first-class hotels (17 percent). During 1976, total round-trip per capita expendi- tures for adult Dutch travelers to the Far West amounted to an estimated $1,200 of which $530 were actually spent in the United States. Twenty- eight percent of these expenditures were allocated for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 27 percent went for food and lodging; 17 percent for miscel- laneous expenses such as sightseeing and tips; 15 per- cent for secondary transportation; and 14 percent for entertainment. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by Dutch international travelers to the far West during their visits to the United States included: seeing beautiful scenery (91 percent); enjoying an exciting nightlife with good restaurants and entertainment (75 per- cent) ; visiting places of significant, historical interest (71 percent) ; experiencing a new culture and way of life (70 percent) ; and meeting interesting new people (57 percent). Incidence of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Far West Forty-five percent of Dutch travelers to the United States actually visited the Far West. Thirty-four per- cent of all Dutch international travelers selected it as their first regional destination preference for a future visit or revisit to this country. Additionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 65 percent of all Dutch interna- tional travelers listed the Far West among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems / Difficulties Encountered by Dutch Travelers to the Far West Relatively few Dutch travelers to the Far West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently cited complaints related to: expcnsiveness, concern for personal safety, lan- guage problems, and mobility problems. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems en- countered by Dutch travelers to the Far West during their visits to the United States.) 8. Australian Travel to the Far West During 1976, approximately 139,000 Australian travelers visited the Far West, accounting for nearly 83 percent of the total Australian travel market to 128 the United States (168,000). The majority of these travelers visited California, with 104,000 going to San Francisco, 78,000 traveling to Los Angeles, and 36,000 visiting Disneyland. Substantial numbers of Australians also traveled to Nevada (58,000); Washington (21,000); and Oregon (11,000). Aus- tralian travelers spent an estimated $74 million in the Far West, accounting for approximately 69 per- cent of total Australian travel expenditures in this country in 1976. It is estimated that approximately 128,000 Aus- tralian travelers visited the Far West in 1977, spend- ing slightly over $66 million in this region during that year. Australian Traveler/Trip Profiles Australian travelers to the Far West are generally in the 35 to 44 age bracket, well educated, with nearly half having college or university level educa- tions and most frequently employed in professional, executive, or managerial occupations. They have moderate annual household incomes (amounting to an estimated median of $21,390 in 1976) and are usually members of four-person households, averag- ing one child under 18 years of age. During 1976, 3 1 percent of these travelers reported annual house- hold incomes of $25,000 or more. (Caution should, however, be observed in reviewing annual household income data, since 17 percent of the respondents refused to answer questions pertaining to this subject.) Sixty-two percent of Australian travelers to the Far West contacted travel agencies to make their travel arrangements or book their trips, and approxi- mately 15 percent went directly to transportation car- riers for these services. Two-thirds of these travelers began making their trip plans at least 2 months prior to departure, and most frequently traveled to the Far West during the fourth (30 percent), second (27 percent), and third (27 percent) quarters of the year. The types of travel information which Australian visitors considered most helpful were information about: scenic places to visit, lodging availability and prices, transportation schedules to the United States, internal travel arrangements, and weather and cli- mate. The most frequently used sources of travel information by these visitors included: "word of mouth" from friends and relatives (64 percent); travel agencies (64 percent) ; print and visual media (39 percent); paid advertising (29 percent); and airline company offices (27 percent). The majority (74 percent) of Australian travelers to the Far West came to the United States for vaca- tions; 37 percent came on business or to attend con- ventions; 26 percent came to visit friends; 17 percent came to visit relatives; and 5 percent came to study or attend formal schooling. These travelers most commonly purchased regular economy/coach fares (41 percent). Twenty-six per- cent bought tour packages; 21 percent bought dis- count excursion fares; 7 percent bought first-class fares; and 4 percent booked charter passages. The median length of round-trip travel to the United States among Australian travelers to the Far West in 1976 was 38 days, of which 20 were actually spent in this country, and 9 were spent in the Far West region. The principal modes of secondary transportation used by Australian travelers to this region during their visits to the United States were: air transpor- tation (74 percent); buses (72 percent for inter/ intra-city transportation); taxis (53 percent); per- sonal cars of friends and relatives (45 percent); and rental cars (24 percent) . The primary types of accommodations used by these travelers were: medium-priced budget motels and hotels (70 percent); first-class hotels (48 per- cent) ; and private homes of friends and relatives (41 percent) . During 1976, total per capita round-trip expendi- tures for adult Australian travelers to the Far West amounted to an estimated $3,600, of which $1,300 were actually spent in the United States. Thirty-eight percent of these expenditures were allocated for food and lodging; 21 percent for the purchase of gifts and souvenirs; 17 percent for secondary transportation; 12 percent for miscellaneous expenses such as sight- seeing and tips; and 1 1 percent for entertainment. Activities The most popular activities engaged in by Aus- tralian travelers to the Far West during their visits to the United States included: meeting interesting new people (89 percent); seeing beautiful scenery (85 percent) ; visiting places of significant historical in- terest (67 percent); purchasing interesting gifts and souvenirs (65 percent); learning things helpful in their business and social lives (60 percent); and en- joying an exciting nightlife with good restaurants and entertainment (57 percent). 129 Incidences of Actual vs. Preferred Travel to the Far West Eighty-three percent of Australian travelers to the United States in 1976 actually visited the Far West. Forty-seven of all Australian international travelers selected it as their first regional destination prefer- ence for a future visit or revisit to this country. Addi- tionally, when their first, second, and third regional preferences were aggregated, 81 percent of all Aus- tralian international travelers listed the Far West among their top three destination choices for a future U.S. visit. Problems/ Difficulties Encountered by Australian Travelers to the Far West Relatively few Australian travelers to the Far West encountered problems or difficulties during their visits to the United States. Among those who did, however, the most frequently mentioned complaints related to: concern for personal safety, expensive- ness, overcrowding, and poor weather. (See table 1 for a more detailed breakdown of the problems en- countered by Australian travelers to the Far West during their U.S. visits.) 130 111. SUMMARY TABLES Mexican Japanese British West German French Italian Dutch Australian Travel to the Far West 131 e at c © £ c •^ r- to I -** .— © is ** c 1/1 3 D< © •c „ w .5 o o .22 w 5 £ o S H u u 35 H a .2 "3 ^^ ^ l-t ON a> go "t -T 3 CJ < 3 2 ,— s ^ i£ "os Tf oo cl en rn r~ c- in ^t m ■<* *n 33 \ >- ,_ is o3 2 H U cj oo 00 CJ NO rn — 3 ^ ^ ^ NO Tf NO CJ Tj- ON lO X^-tflNO* m r- cj ■* Tt- n r j -< T-i "1 CO -^ * ^ H O o oo r-~ O — ' U~) l/~> o CI CJ tJ- $ ^ $ $ ON t-. ^ ^ & r~ r— m ~T l/"> own ^ a\Hrti^^hr)oo r'\ o >n NO CJ NO no >o r- ~t l/~> Tf -t m ^r CJ ^t CJ —i cl — < —• cj NO X i-H ■h N W n m m -H ON "* NO -tf lO U o -O £ - c a -5" u C • o in r~- r<~, ^f r- -t \o en m ^D m ^ h en ^ £ s -H ON ^— iri m ^j- r~- r- ri NO rn m VI Tf r) — i iri G CJ , — , ^ ^ ^ oo rH ON X r) oo r) iri (N ^h cu ON lO Tt ri •O Tt -h N VD >> >. ■i-> T3 on "5 C W) S I Si's ^ W I H U M-rtO o r- ^ $ ^ c«i O r- o NO ON NO Tt l^ >T) zc CJ H (N ^-i ^ N NO « no »/-> r~ o CI ^h CN -t ri oo r-~ r- on OONOiriiri-HOOOO r) ri -h ^h OnONNO^i/^NOOOGN CJ NO ON NO On CJ CJ m en a G £ o M - C a! > 1-1 *-* > *^H S -a -5 -a « S >< Ji fcH -O o >. o T3 B CO ^ C E "a ^ ^ l- ^ O NO c o ^ t ~ tT r~ ON CJ CJ CJ CJ r-H r~- "1 ^ £ ^ ri O 00 00 O «-H wOl- NO yi i-H ^H ^^ m m oo ^ ^ ^ O 1-H o »-i m NO 00 CJ NO o i-H T— ( CJ ^t °o ^ ^ ^ o r- o ON NO oo r- t-« >o sC i— 1 CJ C) CJ nC ^ ^ ^ ^ -r '— ' r- ri O CJ >o oc •O CJ cc < o -a a o D j- 3 O H rC tu CJ •2 So c E «» '" 2«« S 3 O u! CJ "3 oo £ .-3 f 3 o3 4S > "^ o U ^ 3 •S w IE T3 03 03 Cu « 03 | - 1 U fe CJ ° 2 03 3 cj vihh CJ c^ AS — i ? $ CJ 2fcJ — < sir C3 C/3 o o c/1 xn SZ ■5 E' 3 O ° E E fc 3 C 3 03 03 £ ■*— • •— < c^ ^ is «3 cj 3 cj — *-! ~ o b O -3 O ■£-£•£ 3 3 3 o o o E E E .2 i-l cj nrjTt 132 * * * # * # * m (N CS ^r ^i- r- on r~ on o a f- -H ^H Tt VO >o r- r- o oo O Tfh^OMnft >o >n m m 00 VO — i \o ^r VO >C (S «1 -h N N C ■ o o - ^h „ ^- CI •— ' ON m -*h» ^h ,-h ^ ^ $ ^ g r- r~ oo -t - ^^ N 00 0\ 03 m m r- rl co r- oo m on 3N o Tt 00 Cl M O \C rf 't W ^ " r, c rt m ,—. O rH 00 Tt ro cj ^ r~ o — ononooonOOio ^ ^ $ rl on m o ^t nd r- oo on oi o U-> r- 1 N ^t m ^r o r- o r- —< oo O O O CO f- O "* — < ,-H Tt Tj- on c) m oo m no rJ iri ro hKiriKi 1 (N r-l (N n ^ t ^ HNIflH CO n vO f^ n -^ (S I-H 00 m m i-H ih Or^ND NMl'MI N ''iN0O ^ ^ on r*i o on — oo on r-~ in n ro rN « * B 5 - £ m NO rt i/->n->— o t oo Tt- Tt — 1 Tf cj no oo NO ro IT; VO N fl rt n — r<"> (N en 1-1 (N Tf T-H vo no On no ON — n ro oo rl >/-] r~ On ri in ■ON i-H n tT n no n O — con -h ^ ^t Tt On OO (N 1H oo in m •* C O U N c o 60 «1 ■— O Cij D. C (/) c 'E =a 5 i- H - c a o >, z u c u c 60 Ed z ~ L- > 1) 71 x! - ♦J on -a u '5 D 3 O -C C3 C E H O »— ■ s — c u Pi ^~^ o (A — •J-. c o u u s. U o o .rt c u a _ a) C > vs E 2 8.1 > 60 u c o -g ^^ ' .S au.= C 3 T3 3 o CO - l. o '3 £ « -a u CJ Ih Ph c U c 3w cfl ■y, U ^ U. c8 u- C it-i 5 ifl 3 ^_^ 3 c u W5 60 o "J 60 U cd o cd ■a u* O ~ u +3 U >,2 CLi [t. H a: Q U H cd S cr§ S 5-T3 ^JS C ■£ o u. b O l-r O '3 s! c/5 ._ .E 2 3 co a <^ — i c o a j= '-5 c 2 U H c «s 60 c o c CJ 3 O "J t/5 ° 9. u 'S K o Oh, L- > H u. ■=, o H o > - 5£ > > >' « < 53 O o>-Z c >. C Oh 60 _g > H •- •- 3 ■" £ 3 0) O 9j U V O- o. o. CO 133 B OJD a c - I. e E _ o -o la flj *- 3 m O .2- i 2 § 01 o — u « 2f u. c "ft 2 K C VI W -#■* u Si 3 2 ° « H 3 1) ca o CD > ~ c .o eo c u u a nJ « / $ u. ON ON in © Tf r- in r*« CI O ON vo /j "I" 00 00 vC •n VO vo u. r^ Bj u _c H u On 00 « ^ COO ^VO n «n on ^j- en -t m On m r- t-> -t r^ en sC * in (N en «— 1 rN «n - VO C . — 1 "* in ~+ oo on xC o m ir, ^c in m m rJ m g o in r) n r\ 0> V0 -1- r~ On X zc sC n Tf -H c<-> t-~ vo m m vo >n m vo vo on ir> m ^ in ^h 8* — in vo <-n VO rf (N ^-i G ^ oo rj ON r\ r\ . — . VC ON ON vo in ^t >< 'ON vo oo f- sC >n r-s in r I in i—i a> m - S- ^ x _ O 4) ? J* *J ^5 OO i_J C its ° 2 S c Bj 'S 00 i/j c it: u o °- ^ -a 0) C3 QJ O £ '-£ T3 O *j O C i H « » '5 C VC c X o 2 C U S2.a "^ y V- ^ c a £ 3 t/3 .3 u 60 Efl > IS 3 CQ Zh G S U T3 3 > U c^ O ° OJ ^ 'c '- w > C X) •S ">L ^ ■a ca "a a, *2 -Si c/) > "° 5 4) O BS O y oo ■g c > "5. E G X c-> "O ij Beg t S jj CO <££ ^ 60 a '5b ~o o a « 3 D JSx h O Ph O ^ ■rj- Tt i-h m o rj r4 in i-H rn — i ^ On-, vor~-Xri-ivOn-i rf -h (N Tt -h CM ^h ^ rn'TfinON-^-ONmcN in cN -*t i-h (N i- 1 i-HvoxO^inTfx •n ifitcNn ^ oo Tf >n rf vo m r-i r~- ^h < H y. fee 00 T3 ■ "3 rr J| S °h en oo cu o t_ >H a. 3 — ."3 3 "° "5 C ™ u u Oh 1> X Oh W *- a 4) i-h cS ~ 4) 1< m r- u aj oo T3 4) "3 P (U -3 a 0) o 3 aj -*-» +-• 3 CU 4) en O, C X a3 pq a ' 4 - 1 ^ •2 3 S 8 rH fN n Tt ^ vC -t m (-» nrNiOssoossooo m rH rN rH rH «j in 3 aj in 3 ■ Jb .2? • i- C/5 4> . rC VI o ; en -a i 3 3 • a> ,— 13 o3 & o O ., . X -3 O 5« 1) 4) <+- ■3 . *■ c« ■ H T3 C 03 3 6J0 O .5 " '3b 2 "O <+H 53 3 CO 4) 4) C CO Or 03 J= _ _ U » S •h U 4) 3 u O Cl, -3 .22 3 3 03 W) T3 4) 3 3 O 4) 3 w o 4) 03 3 C CO Ih 4) 00 Or COD U Ih S Z a % o 3 4> a) o Oh 3 4) X o > w o o i— i en 3 4) a 3 S T3 T3 3 4) c 5 w P S E 4) O — <+r i- -3 3 4) O • — H ^- 03 o3 ^•3 & § O 03 Ph S £ OJ 0/J 03 3 oo fcn > U d O. H x: OJ M a £ _>. c _0 c 'co o o OJ c 4) T3 T3 >> C u. O en rK 03 r 03 C 00 O c CV- cn C r It 4) CJ O c c o o ej a S 03 03 o3 TJ T3 T3 eu i2 S +2 ■O u u U 3 eu eu 4) y eu eu cu £«! Oh « 135 TABLE 2. Regional Destinations Actually Visited by U.S.-Bound Market Segments of Selected Major Foreign Tourist Generating Countries vs. U.S. Regional Preferences Among All International Travelers from These Countries — 1976 Japanese Travelers Vlexican Travelers British Travelers U.S. Regional Destination Actus 1 First Prefer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences ] Actual First 'refer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences Actual First Prefer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences New England 3% 2% 6% 3% 3% 9% 20% 4% 12% Eastern Gateway . . 15 19 48 10 14 42 50 13 38 George Washington Country The South 5 5 6 9 22 36 3 12 8 11 32 48 27 18 6 14 19 51 Far West . . 36 31 64 43 46 108 34 38 78 Great Lakes Country . . 6 5 21 6 4 17 20 3 14 Mountain West 2 4 14 2 5 14 6 5 21 Frontier West 6 8 31 37 5 16 13 9 39 The Islands 72 16 31 6 4 12 2 10 28 West German Travelers French Travelers Ital ian Travelers U.S. Regional Destination Actual First Prefer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences Actu ] al First 'refer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences Actu al First Prefer- ence Top Three Prefer- ences New England . 119? 2% 6% 18% 2% 7% 18% 3% 8% Eastern Gateway . 53 15 43 65 16 38 80 23 51 George Washington Country The South 19 . 22 5 22 17 62 24 29 3 18 12 60 34 19 3 11 17 43 Far West . 40 33 73 38 41 80 37 33 72 Great Lakes Country . . . 18 4 22 17 4 23 18 2 15 Mountain West . 12 5 21 7 5 23 15 4 12 Frontier West . 21 10 38 22 9 44 20 10 41 The Islands 5 4 12 3 2 10 2 5 18 j. Dutch Travelers Australian Travelers U.S. Regional Destination \ctual First Preference Top Three Preferences Actual First Preference Top Three Preferences New England 11% 2% 7% 13% 10% 18% Eastern Gateway George Washington Country 41 20 14 8 33 23 36 28 7 6 33 24 The South 18 10 38 22 7 39 Far West 45 34 65 83 t M 81 Great Lakes Country . . 30 4 18 22 6 21 Mountain West 15 6 18 16 4 19 Frontier West 19 3 4 4 35 11 31 47 3 5 27 The Islands 19 136 so 4> L. C3 b 4= c 3 © U a "•3 n u> u c u o .a e H s '33 u O s o •3 s -o u .a c E o u c o 45 eu VI s o K ■a 3 3 3 PQ < H aa * * m m r» in o >n cs C*1 (S o r— 00 OO ^ * ON t- 00 ^H IO O T-l u o — < ""* — < ri -O oo oo S 9 ° IT) so so f) ro rfr ■* ^t >o oo' oo' o re OO 69 OO OO 43 0) CO 3 43 3 re u so so r- r- t— r- o © rl OS 1) E G u C o m r- -t ■— < ■— i ^^ rl ■J CO CO 'J ■* ON o 0) u o o 43 — 09 oo 69 69 S u CO 3 3 ."3 o o n O -C sC r- h -1- X i/-, , c o o — - — i . — rl .-3 ^c so Tt rl o tC H c> OS rf 0s -T m ■J u T-H • — i CM rn «— oo OO OO 60 60 oo ^ o 43 re ft u 4= 2 H o 3 u u, OS OS OS os os os co os rf os 00 ■* •* r. ju —< r- m T3 W WW « O O O O o3 B o OS o o o o OS o o o o OS © o IO o m' so" «n r~* Tt OO OO OO OO OO o H so oo so o o o >n I-H oo r- >o n o in'Mfn oo oo oo oo oo P5 O o3 o 43 o i^ 3 O 43 3 £3 "3 u t" # ^ ^ v^ ^ oc so so ^t ^c c ir ^C ra os <— Cs c c M ^t M C O so O O ^H *-H i — -t c — H Tf i-H OS >^ H 4) •— 03 ^ 83 43 *-* 43 O 4) ■*-• 43 O 00 -fcj 4) O cy] a, — 4. + J 4) _4> S ^ £ 2 E 1) c c3 c 4) > H u oo 4) 3 P3 SO IT ^f CJ H 3 o- r ir > 03 0* 3- O 4i 4 r- m ff O ■* r~ O rn sc ooooo<= 0. c c X 3 g or a 00 in i- OS SO ft* r c re o o c c c 4: * 2 2 S c 2 ^ O 43 t-» oo r~- sc u* "— re ^ ir O O r<- ^c g 000c c -0 C 03 '■3 4) -h r- n- z> « (N NOW1 re 000c 4) "« v© O f* c 1 O- 1 °^ ^ " 3\" m 0C C 4J OS c Os' >n c q z '■4- c ^^ ^- ^ ^H ^ r S rt rt M r O S o= r OO &? O^ f o<= h o^ • oo W f oo &0 00 60 60 O0 00 Pi 137 SECTION NINE '' f? -^hs^ m PUERTO RICO *3p THE VIRGIN ISLANDS HAWAII UAM & A SUMMARY ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE ISLANDS \ m OVERVIEW ccnt came f rom Canada, and 8 percent came from Mexico. Foreign visitors spent an estimated $844 Nearly one million foreigners visited the U.S. mjlHon in the Islands in 1977? representing slightly Islands and Territories in 1977, representing just ovcr \2 percent of total foreign travel expenditures over 5 percent of total U.S. international arrivals. j n tr , e United States during that year. The majority (61 percent) of these visitors came Table A presents a regional breakdown of foreign from overseas countries, with Japanese arrivals ac- visitor arrivals in the United States from major tourist counting for 40 percent of the total. Thirty-one per- generating countries in 1976. 141 NO 0) 2 13 01 -~ ■- d M fa © © 33 .a Q « s .2 °5c 0) W l-J H Cfl On VO VO m rf O m >0 VO o en d t- O 00 00 lo 00 r~ o r-~ en r- W1 so .w> o *rt m en Tt io (S ^_ o m ON o" o; oo' u-T r-' oo' (N ^ Tf u-T Tt (N r^ m ^o ^^ VD >o m On r- '3- > ON r- w, rn O /-> o — O <-> O *--N O /-». 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PL > < > »— a J w a ce 142 ■ft U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1979 O— 289-920 PENN STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES HIIIIIIIIH