4. Tourism Market Drivers

4. Tourism Market Drivers

4.1 Introduction

In determining the Tourism Strategy 2017-2022 for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, it is necessary to consider the trends and tastes of visitors to Northern Ireland, and the purpose of their visit, such as holiday/leisure/recreation, business meetings/events/ conferences or other events.

4.2 Tourism Trends

There are several tourism trends that are relevant to the development and expansion of the tourism sector in Antrim and Newtownabbey: • Demography: The number of people in older age categories is rapidly increasing. Seniors are often healthier and have higher disposable incomes than in the past; this may result in holidaymaking where arts, culture and history play a more important role, including more educational and spiritual holidaymaking. Destinations are also increasingly modernising their offer to attract younger age-group markets. As a result, there is a growing number of more ‘culturally curious’ and ‘active’ tourists.

• Travel experience: More sophisticated consumers are progressively more self-assured regarding their needs. For tourism, this results in an increasingly critical attitude to quality, and to the pricequality ratio.

• Consumer and visitor loyalty to destinations has dissipated: Visitors are both more discerning and demanding about what is on offer from a destination.

• Information technology and use of digital platforms: The internet and its role as an information source, as well as for actual purchasing of tourism products and services, will continue to increase.

Social media and review sites will continue to increase as a key engagement tool for potential visitors. These Trends33 are patterns of behaviour in visitors and potential visitors and how they act in relation to tourism. Significant research has been done in recent years to establish what the key trends of visitors to Northern Ireland are; these are summarised in Table 4.1.

Trend Behaviours

Trend 1 Consumers continue to book more components of their itinerary online. With their travel options now virtually unlimited most consumers no longer want an off-the-shelf package and are happy to build separate and independent tourism products into a bespoke and personal holiday (although travel agents and tour operators are still seen as a risk mitigator, particularly in long haul markets). Trend 2 Consumers are increasingly booking components of their itinerary using their mobile devices on-the-go and often while already in the destination; this means that lead times are shorter, flexibility is greater and consumers can be open to more influence whilst indestination. Trend 3 Consumers have access to unlimited amounts of information and have become more perceptive about the world. They are arriving at destinations with a wealth of previously sourced information about what to see and what to do; this means that they are increasingly looking more from their trip and want to be surprised by hidden gems and authentic places only the locals know about.

33These trends where identified by Northern Ireland Tourist Board (now Tourism NI) and included in their toolkit Knowing Your Customer and Growing Your Business published in 2014

Trend Behaviours

Trend 4 Consumers are increasingly influenced by what their peers are doing and saying on social media. Driven by ‘FOMO’ (Fear of Missing Out) or bragging rights, visitors increasingly want once-in-a-lifetime experiences that they can share on social media. Trend 5 Based on their experience with technological innovations such as mobile phones and tablets, consumers have become used to the idea of fast, efficient service with minimal effort on their part. It must be easy for them to choose their destination, to make their travel and accommodation arrangements, to decide what to see and do, and to find their way around

Table 4.1 Digital Platforms and Northern Ireland

§ Visitor servicing providers: Providers are being more creative about what activities are being offered with new niche products being developed and presented, particularly around ‘cultural and heritage and adrenalin experiences’.

• Transportation: The increasing availability of low-cost air carriers will influence travel flows; this is particularly relevant as Ryanair, Easyjet and Norwegian Air are all operating routes from Belfast

International Airport.

• Northern Ireland: The region must compete hard to attract traditional and existing markets, since these also have a wider choice and access to destinations. The tourism and hospitality offer and experience to visitors must be unambiguous. Visitors need to know what they are going to get in the destination, suggesting that the product needs to be well defined and accessible.

• Sustainability: Environmental consciousness will continue to increase. For tourism, this will result in more demand for sustainable destinations, in which nature and population will play an increasingly prominent role.

• Fragmentation of consumer interests: Increasing diversity of tourist interests suggests that a range of opportunities for visitors are required, with mutually reinforcing products and services, but each well matched to their specific market e.g. sports or cultural activities; family or moderate walks and physical opportunities; sightseeing; food and drink; and heritage. The choices about which activities that can be experienced are so immense that the ease of gathering information and booking, access, the quality of support services and the quality of the destination itself are now dominant motivators. Each product needs to be part of the destination “offering”, but in addition, differentiated for its own market. Destinations succeed or fail on the basis of their ability to package and present themselves competitively with other destinations.

• City breaks: City breaks remain popular. Low cost travel reinforces this interest amongst visitors, using public transport, being entertained by the quality of the food and drink, and entertainment product.

• Alternative forms of accommodation: The emergence of alternative and creative camping offerings has seen the image of traditional camping evolve; this has resulted in a significant rise in visitors choosing this type of accommodation and a broadening of the demographic who enjoy this.

4.3 Conclusion

Whatever their primary motive for destination choice, the common needs of all visitors are: transportation to, and around the destination, and signage to key sites in the destination; choice of places stay; and good quality local and international-style bars and restaurants; this Tourism Strategy

presents recommendations for Antrim and Newtownabbey to respond to these market needs in terms of attractions and activities that can be developed and expanded, and the resources required to support this (Chapter 6: Strategy and Recommendations).