Tour Savannah Process Book by Claire Partlow

Tour Savannah Claire Partlow | Ying Zhou | Yash Rathod | Yang Yu 1

Table of Contents

6 12 30

Initial Concepts

84 Interviews

Planning Design Research

90 Surveys

Secondary Research

96 Personas

52 Observations

134

Discovering Opportunities

Meet the Team

Claire Partlow

Ying Zhou

Claire is an MFA candidate in Design Management. She also earned a BFA in Illustration with a minor in Business Management and Entrepreneurship from SCAD. Claire is passionate about bringing creative ideas to life and frequently experiments with various DIY projects using a variety of methods and tools. Claire also loves to draw and hopes to combine her knowledge of design strategy, innovation development and illustration to become a graphic facilitator. She can usually be found making new creations on her

Ying is a current graduate student in furniture design and industrial design programs with engineering background. The passion for handwork and high technology fully convinced me to explore the preferable future. I believe things could be radically different than they are today and designers can progress that imaginary world.

Yang Yu

Yash Rathod

Yang is a Chinese student and her Bachelor degree was Industrial design in Lanzhou Jiaotong University in China. Last year, she began studying at SCAD as as an MFA student majoring in industrial design. She used to join in a woodcraft club in Ohio and loves wood carving and burning. She prefers to work with her hands and wants to be a creatable designer in the future.

Yash Rathod is an MFA, Industrial Design student currently pursuing his third quarter at SCAD. He is native to India and his Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree was in Interior Design from CEPT University, India. He has a passion for working with tangible objects and live material prototyping. Yash has enjoyed learning to decipher design problems using various methods in order to offer a better insight about how contrarily a design could be looked at. Yash challenges himself to take his design strategy to new peaks.

Initial Concepts

Initial Concepts Considering the scope of the research deadline and anticipated deliverables, we began to brainstorm possible areas of study. We considered our personal interests, trends in society and availability of resources. After generating various possibilities, we narrowed down our concepts to four main areas that could provide innovative outcomes.

The initial concepts included: Food Exchange Recycled DIY Projects Mobile Forest Conservation Tourism in Savannah

Exploring Concepts

Next we chose to further explore our most promising concepts through mind mapping. This exercise allows the design team to discover connections between concepts and ideas that may have otherwise been missed.

Evaluating Concepts In order to prepare for a highly successful and innovative design research project, several contributing factors must be taken into consideration. We decided to make a basic checklist for evaluating the strength of our initial concepts and anticipating potential issues with each idea. This method allowed us to consider which of our several ideas is the best direction for our project.

Do we have access to people willing to participate in interviews and surveys?

Do we have access to relevant places and events to observe?

Are there secondary research sources available for us to use?

Is this a unique topic that hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been fully explored before? 10

Food Exchange

Recycled DIY Projects

Mobile Forest

Tourism in Savannah

Planning Design Research

Planning Design Research Planning Design Research

The planning stage includes: Effectively planning a design Defining the scope of research research project is no easy feat. Effectively planning a design and The Theplanning Creative stage Brief includes: A lot of careful consideration Defining theQuestions scope of research research project is no easy Research and Plan anticipation of needs goesfeat. into The Creative Brief A the lot of careful stage. consideration and GANTT Chart Schedule planning Additionally, Research Questions and Plan anticipation into the courseofofneeds designgoes research GANTT Chart Schedule the stage. Additionally, is planning hardly ever linear, and may the course of design research veer off course at times due to is availabilty hardly everoflinear, and may resources, schedules veer off courseparticipants at times due to of interview and availabilty of resources, schedules other unforseen circumstances. ofHowever, interview there participants andsteps are some other unforseen designers can circumstances. take to manage the However, there are steps project as best assome possible. designers can take to manage the project as best as possible.

Defining the Scope

Why define the scope? It is absolutely necessary to define a scope for your research before beginning a project. This allows you to narrow down the world of endless possibilities in order to tackle a more manageable area of study and exploration. Often this can be done through choosing a specific geographic location, or user group.

limited to Savannah zip codes

limited to the tourism industry

limited to “tourists” not “new residents”

Who are the main participants in Savannah tours?

Who are the key players and stakeholders?

How does Savannah tourism affect stakeholders financially or otherwise? What are the user demographics? What organizations or stakeholders are related to Savannah tourism? What systems are involved in Savannah tourism?

Do tourists tend to travel alone, with groups or family the most? What is touristsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; budget when visiting Savannah? What is the purpose or reason for visiting Savannah?

What issues are affecting the Savannah tourism industry?

What controversies surround the topic of Savannah tourism and tours? How knowledgeable is the public about the topic of Savannah tourism and tours?

What did you think/know about Savannah before visiting? What are touristsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; favorite and least favorite part of their visit to Savannah? What experiences and/or services do tourists wish Savannah had?

How has Savannah tourism changed over time?

What is the history of Savannah tourism and tours? How has technology affected Savannah tourism and tours? How much (or little) technology do tourists want to use and interact with?

How has the visitor center and other organizations related to tourism changed over time? What are they planning to do in the future?

Where do the activities of Savannah tourism and tours take place?

What are the facilities used? How do the users experience the activity? Where do tourists find information? Where is Savannah mentioned in popular media?

Do tourists prefer indoor or outdoor tours? Are tourists aware of SAV HAPPS APP? Do they use it? Do tourists read Savannah Connect or similar publications?

What is the value Savannah tourism contributes to society?

Why is Savannah tourism valuable and necessary?

How would users and society be affected if Savannah tourism were to disappear? How does Savannah tourism and tours compare to similar locations?

How much revenue is generated by tourism annually? What do tourists learn while/ after visiting Savannah?

When do the activities of Savannah tourism and tours take place?

When do users participate in tourism the most? What do tour companies and stakeholders do in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;slow monthsâ&#x20AC;? to stay in business? How does the weather affect Savannah tours and tourism?

Which tours are most popular with tourists? How far in advance do tourists plan their visit to Savannah? How far in advance do tourists plan the activities they want to do while in Savannah? How often do tourists visit Savannah?

Planning the Process

What is a GANTT chart? Planning your research timeline is essential because it allows you to be effective and efficient. The GANTT chart tracks each task by day with a detailed start and end time. This type of chart is frequently used in manufacturing and project planning.

Secondary Research

what is secondary research? Secondary research is used to gain a working knowledge of a topic, before diving into primary research methods such as interviews and observations. This allows the research team to gain literacy in the topic to make more informed judgements and ask the right questions througout the process. 31

The Creative Brief

HISTORY Savannah has a rich history which attracts many tourists annually. Savannah was affected by the Revolutionary War and Civil War. There are many historial monuments such as Tomo-Chi Chi’s grave and cemeteries such as Bonaventure. Historical-based tours are popular in Savannah. These include tours of famous houses such as the Mercer House, Owen Thomas House and Telfair Museum. History continues to be an important aspect of Savannanian culture today. Although Savannah celebrates its unique history, the city has expanded and become more popular with artists and millenials in recent years.

AUDIENCE Tourists range greatly in numerous demographic factors such as age, race, orientation, and income level. Additionally, tourists’ reasons for visiting Savannah also vary. Some are visiting for business purposes, others out of curiousity. Some tourists visit frequently in order to spend time with family. Others may stop in Savannah somewhat unintentionally on their way to a farther destination. Tourists choose to visit Savannah for various reasons. Some are very interested in the history of Savannah and want to visit the numerous monuments, battlefields, cemeteries, historical sites and architectural marvels. Tourists are also inspired by Savannahbased movies such as “Forrest Gump” and “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”.

GOALS Our goal is to improve the overall experience of Savannah tourism. We would like to create a [system/service/ product/program] that holistically exceeds the needs and expectations of users, benefitting their overall experience. We will also work on identifying and improving existing systems, while also creating new offerings and opportunities. The design research and methods conducted by the Tour Savannah project will benefit tourists, and stakeholders alike.

COMPETITORS The Savannah tourism ecosystem is highly competitive. We have identified competition in three main sectors: Business-to-Business: There is direct competition between businesses in the same industry. For example Oglethorpe Trolley Tours vs. Old Savannah Trolley Tours Choice of Type: Competition in this area is seen in the choices users make. For example: Trolley Tours vs. Walking Tours Choice of Other Options: Competition in this area is at the holistic level. Tourists may choose Charleston, South Carolinia over Savannah if they are looking for a similar experience

DETAILS We plan to complete the entire ethnographic research process including primary and secondary research. We have the benefit of being in the Savannah environment where we have access to numerous resources. We have differing backgrounds as researchers that will allow us to compare Savannah to other experiences as analogous model. There are several deliverables throughout the research process including: -Reframing models -2x2 diagram -Framing Statement -Value Proposition -Opportunity Statement -Concept Model -User Journey Map -Ecosystem Map -User Interviews -Personas -Design Concepts

SPONSOR The Tour Savannah project will be conducted over the course of ten weeks from March to May. It is sponsored by Savannah College of Art and Design. This project is being conducted for 704 Applied Theory and will be overseen by Professor Bruce Claxton. We also plan to share our reseach and final outcomes with any interested parties and/or stakeholders.

Some of the final outcomes summarizing the entire project include the Design Proposal Document and process book.

Current Offerings Matrix

what kind of tours are currently offered?

Savannah is a leading tourist destination comprised of various kinds of tours. This allows the city to attract various types of tourists and to stay competitive in the market. All the tours mainly provide one type of service: learning more about the history and culture of Savannah. The fascinating part is that the tourists are given experiences while in transit. The mode of tours mainly include trolleys, cars, bikes, horse carriages, Segways, walking tours. Further attractions include: Savannah Slow Ride, Ghost tours, Pub tours, Martini tours, Pedi cab tours and more!

Market Trends

what trends are currently impacting the tourism industry? There are many trends currently affecting the tourism industry. These areas are influenced by countless factors including pop culture, technology, the sharing economy and culture.

Travel Boom

Unstoppable Elders

Mobile Booking Hotels

In the past year, travel has increased even more as retirees are staying active later in life and taking vacations to escape to warmer climates

Elders enjoy traveling in off-peak times of year. They also view retirement as “a time to travel and explore new places” (59% of age-55 us citizen) -12-24million international travel (42%)

Mobile booking using smart phones has increased in recent years: 2014---33% increase 2012---23% increase

Travel Shopping

Selfies

Solo Trip

Approximately 1/3 of travel expenditures on are on retail purchases. Boutique stores and independent shops have also increased in popularity in recent years

Wearable technology has lead to a movement of “selfies” and increased social media usage. People are driven to take self-portrait photos in interesting locations and use built-in GPS devices while doing so

37% of people ages 45+ took a trip alone in the past two years. A company called VBT Bicycling and Walking vacations noticed the average age of participants is 64.

Smart Phone Boom

Screen-Inspired Travel

Local Color

Internet access is considered the most important hotel amenity. Hotel booking is completed by phone 32% of the time and by tablet 20% of the time

People are increasingly choosing travel destinations according to movies they are interested in and which locations are features in pop culture

Tourists are interested in authentic experiences of the culture they are visiting. Volunteering programs are common as a part of tourism

Green Leaders

Focus on Health/Wellness

Pet-Friendly Travel

The Green Leaders Program (Trip Advisor) promotes the protection and rehabilitation of ecological environments

Hotels are incorporating more and more fitness centers. Additionally people are becoming more interested in healthy, activities options while on vacation

The number of hotels that provide a pleasant stay for pets has increased in recent years: 2010: 52% increase 2012: 61% increase

Custom Travel Options

Multi-Generational Travel

LGBT Travel

Tourists are increasingly interested in customized travel options. Some have no interest in being with a group. Travel packages that allow users to customize are very popular

Multi-generational travel has increased in popularity in recent years. This has prompted hotels and tours to become more accessible to all age groups

LGBT spending on tourism will exceed $200 million in 2014. Additionally, LGBT people choose to not travel to unsupportive areas

More Millenials

Volunteer Vacations

Carbon Trust

Millenials are more interested in international travel and urban destinations. They tend to show off pictures more and travel in organized groups

These are unique tourism opportunities that allow the tourist to volunteer while on vacation, sometimes in exchange for freebies.

This form of â&#x20AC;&#x153;responsible tourismâ&#x20AC;? works to create meaningful experiences for travelers by connecting them to the local culture and the natural beauty of host communities. It benfits communities through building skills, creating jobs and opportunities

Millions of Millionaires

FlyForGood.com

Consumer Sharing

10.5 million millionaires took a vacation in 2011. It is estimated to be 20.5 million in 2020

This is a unique program that allows tourists to volunteer and work in a location in order to get their plane ticket paid for

Consumer Sharing includes programs such as AirBnB, where tourists stay with locals in order to have a more authentic experience

Leisurely Business Trips

Crypto-Currency

72% of business travelers said that they take extended executive trips that have a leisure component

Rather than using a traditional form of currency, bitcoins and crypto-currency has increased in usage in the past few years 43

Why Choose Savannah? “The Book” and “The Movie” “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” & “Forrest Gump” “The Book” as it is known in Savannah, has transformed tourism in Savannah and the city self. “The Book” because a central “pull factor” for tourists, and significantly informed their expectations. Eight months after the publication of midnight, tourism in Savannah was up by 46 percent. “The Book” helped create the exotic atmosphere that attracts tourists.

Squares and Parks “Wright Square” was formed in 1733 and was originally named Percival Square. It was later, re-named Wright Square, “Court House Square” and “Post office Square” “Tom chi chi” monument A memorial of simple granite stone “Emmet Park” remains an important center of ceremonial congregation for Savannah of Irish descent.

House Museums and Homes

Music

In the 1950, many of Savannah’s historically and architecturally significant buildings were demolished.

“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

Owens Thomas house

“Savannah Jazz Festival”

Mercer Williams house

SCAD alumni concert

Kehoe house

Savannah stopover

“Mood River”Johnny Mercer

Davenport house museum Flannery O’Connor childhood home Andrew low house museum Green-Meld rim house museum Telfair museum

Competitor Analysis

The Savannah tourism ecosystem is highly competitive. We have identified competition in three main sectors: Business-to-Business: There is direct competition between businesses in the same industry. For example Oglethorpe Trolley Tours vs. Old Savannah Trolley Tours Choice of Type: Competition in this area is seen in the choices users make. For example: Trolley Tours vs. Walking Tours Choice of Other Options: Competition in this area is at the holistic level. Tourists may choose Charleston, South Carolinia over Savannah if they are looking for a similar experience.

Other Options Savannah vs. Charleston

Type of Experience Carriage Tour vs. Pedi-Cab Tour

Business-to-Business Oglethorpe Trolley Tours vs. Old Savannah Trolley Tours

Secondary Research Insights More and more old people will travel around the world after retirement. As a famous historical city, Savannah is attractive to the elder. We can design some elder friendly facilities for the city. Tourists are interested in customizing their tours. How to enhance this tourist customization services will be an interesting topic. Some sightseeing districts and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Must go placesâ&#x20AC;? are too commercial. Tourists are more interested in local cultures and local lives. How to redesign the river street? How to make people see the real savannah life? 48

Visitor center is rarely used. Traditional visitor center may fade. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the next generation of the visitor center? Providing a pleasant stay for pets is a trend. How can we enhance this experience for tourists? Consumer sharing and volunteering will lower the price for tourists. Can we design some volunteering tours? The average age of savannah tourists is 43 which is getting younger in the last years. Old people are the main tourists, but we think savannah is also a good destination for the young. How to attract more young people.

Tour companies like Old Savannah Tours and Old Town Trolley tours have wide spread their scope to almost all the tour facilities while few others have just made up to 1-2 facilities. DOT tours from Chatham Area County (CAT) have introduced Express Shuttles, River street streetcar and Savannah Ferries for further motivation of Savannah Tourism which seems to have been mostly used by the locals. From various quick interviews with random tourists, It was figured out that the services from Savannah tourisms are satisfactory and most of them like to take Trolley tours considering the fact that sound of the information is loud and clear as the guide say it over the mic, trolleys are covered which makes them travel in all kind of weather conditions.

All tour companies even though conducting same kind of tours like Ghost tours, cemetery tours, historic town tours, walking tours have incorporated at least one aspect which differentiates their tour from others. For example, A company called Bizarre tours have introduced an Illusionist and Magician to cheer the tourists while walking and giving out information

From certain interviews, the general demographic of the visitors who travel Savannah are older aged. Others visit over the weekend from nearby region. Savannah as a town has got the maximum attention after few movies which were shot here to 46%.

Few tours have tried to be more specific like Architectural tours, Black history of Savannah tours which seems to attract less tourists. Tourists visit Savannah throughout the year but the busiest yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s starts from the End of Winters through the end of summers that is around 8-9 months.

SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis diagram is used to analyze and evaluate strategic business components or systems. This tool can be used to pinpoint areas of opportunity and highlight areas of success.

The area of “Strengths” within the system is something we should consider, without letting it influence our final opportunities too much. We can use these strengths to guide us. However, our final opportunities should be innovative solutions that are not too similar to existing services and experiences.

The area of “Opportunity” within Savannah tourism is what we are most interested in for our design research project. This is where we can make the most impact on the overall system. We will continue to explore opportunities throughout the rest of the project.

Strengths Historical landmarks Availability of many types of tour activities

Weaknesses Lack of new technology in the tourism industry Lack of easy access to information

Unique arts culture Eclectic assortment of foods and restaurants

Lack of proper signage in the downtown area

More kid-friendly activities

Charleston, South Carolina

Nearby attractions (Tybee Island)

Lack of parking in the downtown area and popular locations

Pet-friendly activities

Large chain stores

Opportunities

Threats

The area of “Weakness” within Savannah tourism may become a potential area of opportunity because it could use improvement. We will continue to think of ways in which we can solve issues with the existing system.

The area of “Threats” is interesting for our project because we are able to study the reasons why these things are threats to the system of Savannah tourism, We may be able to turn “threats” or “competitors” into “allies” with an innovative strategy that benefits all stakeholders.

Observations

where should we observe? Luckily, Savannah has no shortage of tourists or locations they are interested in. However, due to our scope limitations and short period of time in which to complete our project, we have chosen several main areas to observe.

Savannah Locations to Observe: River Street Broughton Street Forsyth Park Historic Park Squares Jepson Museum Leopoldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ice Cream MLK Visitor Information Center River Street Visitor Center 53

River Street Visitor Center

The River Street visitor center is one of the most heavily used infomation centers in all of Savannah. This center features a guide who can provide helpful information and answer questions as well as a huge selection of brochures, maps and coupons. This visitor center also includes a touch-screen kiosk with personalized information for tourists around the world. The River Street Visitor Center is also heavily used due to the fact that is one of the only locations in the area that has public restrooms for guests. 54

This is a photo of a television located above the collection of brochures in the River Street visitor center. It played mostly ads for different tours and restaurants. It was fairly seamlessly editied and did not seem like “commercials” as much as a “documentary”. People in the visitor center paid a little bit of attention to it.

This is the home page of the River Street visitor center’s “Tourist Assistance Portal” kiosk. It is very colorful and eye-catching. It includes links to a map, calendar of events and “Don’t Miss This”.

An employee of the River Street visitor center helps two tourists find what they are looking for on a map. She was very friendly and attentive.

This is a picture of the “Visitor Information and Special Deals” kiosk in the River Street visitor center. This includes a lot of information and is touch-screen. However, tourists did not seem to interact with the kiosk at all during the observation.

This is a photo of the collection of brochures in the River Street visitor center. It included sections for “accomodations”, “beach”, “dining” “shopping”, “attractions” and “tours”. People in the visitor center were very interested in this area and took a lot of the printed information.

This photo shows the many different types of users in the Visitor Center. Many people simply came inside to use the free restrooms. Others stopped to browse the brochures and information.

MLK Visitor Information Center The MLK Street Visitor Center is the largest visitor’s center in Savannah in terms of physical space. It houses facilities like a Gift shop, visitor information desk, kiosk for quick interactive tours across Savannah, carefully segmented brochure holders, ticket counter for museums, tours and hotels, direct calling extensions to tours, restaurants, hotels and cab services. For leisure time, it also has a large seating area, café and a gallery which gives an overview about Savannah. Tourists generally tend to visit this center because of its scale and its function as a “onestop-shop” for all tourists. 56

Savannah visitors centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior view. The interior includes a seating area. Elements in the space include a double height volume, exposed brick wall, large scale painting on the wall and lighting elements. The historical Savannah essence seems to have been maintained.

View of Merchandise on Sale in Visitors Center. The guiding system in the center was quite simple and directive. A small interactive screen was given at the entrance of the center.

Display center within the Visitors center. For the convenience of the visitors, the brochures, flyers and magazines were arranged in such way that visitors find it easy to find what they are exactly looking for.

Direct extensions to Tours, Hotels and Motels, Savannah Attractions and Tybee island is provided for the convenience of the tourist. A screen with continuously rotating images are shown from Savannah with a little kiosk on the desk below.

Savannah visitors centerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior view. A view of the Information desk where a small gallery of history Savannah is shown can be seen after climbing few steps. On the right side is the cafeteria. The Visitors center has arrows shown which leads towards three different museums.

Savannah Vistors Center. An old historic building converted into a visitors center. Highly busy during the day hours even on weekdays. Has an interior cafeteria, Information desk, seating areas, Gift shop and kiosk for a quick information. This is one of the largest visitors centers in United states.

Downtown Savannah (DAY) Downtown Savannah during the day buzzes with numerous activities and people of different kinds. Many trolley, horse carriage and walking tours occur during this time. Shops and restaurants are also very busy with tourists and locals alike. Savannnah is a very â&#x20AC;&#x153;walkableâ&#x20AC;? city as seen by the large amounf of foot traffic in the downtown area. Bike lanes are also plentiful, allowing locals to commute to work, and tourists to explore the city on bicycles.

This is a photo of City Hall on Bay Street. Many tourists passed by to look at the building and take pictures of it. There were benches nearby that people used to take a rest. There is also an entrance to River Street next to the building that many people utilized.

This is a photo of Bay Street, a busy road downtown where many touristsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hotels are located as well as City Hall. Greyhound buses and large tour buses passed by, as well as people traveling on foot. People were carrying shopping bags from nearby stores.

A trolley tour in action! There are two trollies. Tourists are geting on the car and getting off the car. This seems to be an attractive and comfortable option for tourists. The driver is smiling and the tourists are also look excited. This photo was taken on Barnard Street and W Bryan Street.

A walking tour in action! This tour looks attract a lots of seniors. There are more than 20 people on this tour. They are walking across the Ellis Square in a line and seem to be satisfied and having fun. This photo was taken on West St. Julian Street at approximately 7:40pm on Tuesday, April 14th.

Free walking. The man in the red shirt seems to be leading the group. The senior touists stopped to look at two little kids with their mother playing in the fountain. The kids look happy and the seniors are also smiling. Everyone looks happy and like they are having fun. This photo was taken at Ellis Square at approximately 7:35pm.

Tourists were waiting in a line for a meal. They seem excited and having fun talking with their friends and family. There were also some tourists looking around the restuaurant they looked like they wanted to try it. This photo was taken on the Collins Quarter cafe at approximately 12:00pm on Sunday, April 18th. A large group of tourists walking on Broughton Street and trying to figure out how to cross the street to get to a fashionable store. They were not all together, but seemed to be going to the same place. This photo was taken on E. Broughton Street at approximately 5:35pm.

This is a picture of the frustrating experience of being stuck driving behind a carriage tour while driving downtown! The carriage tour did not attempt to pull over to make room for cars even though it was a double yellow area. This photo was taken around 2:00pm.

This is a photo of Colonial Park Cemetery. This photo was taken on cemetry at approximately 10:30am on Thurday, April 16th.

This tour is talking about a show in Lucas Theatre for the Arts. A guide was explainng a showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story and tourists were listening. This photo was taken on 32 Abercorn St. at approximately 10:45am on Friday, April 17th.

Downtown Savannah (NIGHT) Downtown Savannah at night is full of activities and surprises. Ghost tours are most popular during the night. The nightlife can be unpredictable, but is always very interesting. There are numerous bars, entertainment venues, restaurants and shops open late in Savannah. This is especially true on the weekends in Savannah.

Savannah Slow Ride tour in action! This seems to be a popular tour because every seat was filled. People on the street stopped in their tracks to gaze at the Slow Ride as it passed by. This photo was taken on Broughton Street.

The line for Leopoldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ice cream was longer than a block! Some of the tourists were talking to each other, but others were standing in silence looking annoyed. Pedi-cabs also parked in front of the store, waiting for customers.

Walking tour next to the Colonial Park Cemetery on Abercorn street. This was one of several tours taking place at the same time. Some of the tourists looked engaged in the guide, but others were taking photos and playing on their phones.

Two pedi-cab tours in action! The two guides were talking to each other while stopped at a traffic light. They did not seem to be talking to their passengers.

Hearse tour on Broughton Street at approximately 9:30pm. Every seat on the tour was full. The tourists were also taking pictures of their surroundings. This is one of the many ghost tours available in Savannah.

Forsyth Park Forsyth Park occupies 30 acres in the historic district of Savannah, Georgia and is located south of Gaston Street and north of Park Avenue. For locals and tourists, Forsyth Park is a hub of social interaction. They come to here for walking, jogging, picnics, playing sports and more! In this park, there is also several important monuments.The fountain at the north end of the park was added in 1858. Tourists and locals frequently visit Forsyth Park to take photos, celebrate weddings, and enjoy sports and music festivals. If you are going to be visiting the historic district of Savannah make sure to plan a visit to the beautiful Forsyth Park! 64

A group of tourists are unloading and loading the trolley at the Forsyth Mansion bus stop. They were discussing what activities to do next. This photo was taken on the East side of Forsyth Park at approximately 1:00pm.

An event memorializing the Confederate Army is taking place in the monument. There are many people dressed in colonial clothes that reflect the era, waving flags and even shooting cannons! Many tourists are gathering to watch the events taking place. This photo was taken in Forsyth Park at approximately 1:00pm.

An event occuring at the South end of Forsyth. It looked to be a charity or church event of some kind. Most of the people in the group were African American. This photo was taken on the South side of Forsyth Park around 12:30pm.

A couple enjoys riding rented bikes (from Ellis square) at the South side of Forsyth Park. They are gesturing toward the Forsyth Mansion and possibly deciding where to go next. This photo was taken on the south side of Forsyth Park at approximately 1:00pm.

A young family of tourists are unloading the trolley at the Forsyth Mansion bus stop. They were discussing what activities to do next. They had many belongings with them including a stroller and young child. This photo was taken on the East side of Forsyth Park at approximately 1:00pm.

Two women are using the kiosk in Forsyth cafe. They seem to be engaged in the kiosk, but it is unclear whether or not they are finding what they are looking for. This photo was taken in Forsyth Park at approximately 1:00pm.

Several tourists were waiting for their trolley bus to come pick them up. There were no benches or seating areas available, so the tourists sat on this brick structure instead. Others were leaning on the side of the Forsyth Mansion as they waited. Others were also complaining about the sun. This photo was taken on the East side of Forsyth Park at approximately 1:00pm.

A group of â&#x20AC;&#x153;travelersâ&#x20AC;? relaxing in the shade. They were talking and enjoying each others company. They also had a dog and cat with them. This photo was taken on the South side of Forsyth Park around 12:30pm.

This is a photo of the Forsyth Mansion. This is a historic building that serves as a luxury hotel and restaurant. There were several people enjoying the outdoor eating area, browsing the menu and taking photos of the building itself. This photo was taken on the East side of Forsyth Park at approximately 1:00pm.

A Royal Bike Taxi worker relaxing in the shade. However, this was not a designated area for her to rest because it is where the trolleys come to load and unload passengers. She was only able to sit here for about five minutes before having to move. This photo was taken on the East side of Forsyth Park at approximately 1:00pm.

A chalk drawing that says â&#x20AC;&#x153;Will You Marry Me?â&#x20AC;? in front of the Forsyth Park fountain. It is unclear whether or not this proposal was used by a local Savannah resident or a tourist. This photo was taken on Sunday, April 26th at approximately 1:00pm.

A tourist in Forsyth Park watches the festivities with his two dogs in a stroller. This photo was taken on Sunday, April 26th at approximately 1:00pm.

City Market Since the early 1700â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, City Market has been the commercial and social center of historic Savannah. Located on the original site of the market used by farmers and traders of all kinds to sell their goods and wares, City Market offers the best of what is old and what is new in Savannah. Around both sides of the street, you can find unique art galleries and wonderful restaurants. Tourists frequently visit this area because of the mix of activities and live music.

Two tourists are asking for some information about the carriage tours and a ticket seller seems to answer their questions and provide help. This photo was taken in City Market on West St. Julian Street at approximately 5:55pm.

Two tourists are admiring the shop front of a gallery in City Market. There are many interesting shops and galleries in the area that get a lot of foot traffic from tourists.

Two tourists were having a rest and seemed to be looking at the horse carriage tour. There is a horse carriage waiting in the station in City Market. This photo was taken on City Market at approximately 5:55pm on Tuesday, April 14th.

Tourists are taking photos for themselves. They look happy and are enjoying todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sunshine. One of them is using her cellphone to take photos for her family. This photo was taken in City Market on West St. Julian Street at approximately 7:15pm.

Live music! A song was sung in City Market and people were enjoying listening to the music. They seemed to enjoy the food and also the music.This photo was taken on City Market at approximately 5:50pm on Tuesday, April 14th.

River Street

River Street is glittering, multi-faced gem along the broad Savannah River. The century old buildings, antique shops, distinctive boutiques, spectacular galleries, quaint brew pubs, fabulous restaurants, unique nightspots, elegant inns and hotels. And itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a place to provide public festivals and events, to promote public interest and also to see Savannah and watching ships from around the globe sail into one of the busiest ports in America.

Ghosts and Graveyards tour unloading its passengers. The trolley seemed full! They were unloading to go into a dark building, which was another portion of the tour. This photo was taken around 9:45pm.

This is the free ferry that tourists and locals seem to enjoying riding. There was a group of people wating to board the ferry when it was docked. This photo was taken on River Street around 5pm.

This photo shows the popularity of River Street in the evening. Cars were having trouble driving due to all of the pedestrians and cross traffic. This photo was taken around 5pm.

This is a photo of one of the Savannah dinner boat tours. It attracted many interested tourists who wanted to take photos in front of it and get a closer look.

This is a photo of the Riverboat Ticket office and help desk. Two tourists stopped to talk to the guides. This photo was taken around 5pm.

Ghosts and Gravestones tour is getting ready to depart. It looked like every seat was filed on the tour! This photo was taken on River Street around 9:30pm on Friday, April 11th.

Dinner cruise in action! Two tourists are boarding the ship and having their photo taken by a photographer who is working there. They look happy and excited about the dinner on the ship. This photo was taken on W River Street at approximately 8:10pm.

Self-driving traveling! This seems to be one of the most popular travel styles. This lady is changing her sandals for more comfortable shoes for walking beside the river in Savannah. This photo was taken on W River Street at approximately 8:12pm.

This seems a family walking on the historic River Street while drinking something. This is a unique law in Savannah; people can drink alcohol in plastic cups on the street. They seem to be enjoying their day. This photo was taken on W River Street at approximately 8:15pm.

Shopping time! Tourists are buying souvenirs and other things they like in the store. They seem happy and satisfied. This photo was taken on W River Street at approximately 7:55pm.

Savannah Belles Ferry! There are some tourists walking on the bridge. They look relaxed and are talking to their friends. This photo was taken on W River Street at approximately 8:20pm.

There are three people singing on the street and a tourist is taking photo of them. The tourist seems like it or think this is interesting and fun. This photo was taken on W River Street at approximately 8:05pm.

There are some people waiting for the next ferry and gathering near the dock. Most people look excited but some seem bored and are playing with their cellphones. This photo was taken on W River Street at approximately 8:10pm.

Two tourists asking questions to the guides behind a table on the street. They seemed to have issues finding places they were looking for. This photo was taken on W River Street at approximately 7:50pm on Tuesday, April 14th.

A group of tourists having a rest. They seem to be talking about where they should to go next or how can they get there quickly. They all looks a little bit tired, but they still discussing about something. They are also using a printed map of Savannah. This photo was taken on W River Street at approximately 8:15pm.

People who are possibly friends or relatives buying some sweets at Savannah Candy Kitchen. They look interested in the sweets in the store and then buy some. These photos were taken in Savannah Candy Kitchen at approximately 7:30pm.

Historic Park Squares The city of Savannah was originally laid out in 1733 around four open squares, each surrounded by four residential blocks and four civic blocks. By 1851 there were 24 squares in the city. In the 20th century, three of the squares were demolished or altered beyond recognition, leaving 21. In 2010, one of the three “lost” squares, Ellis, was reclaimed. Most of Savannah’s squares are named in honor or in memory of a person, person or historical event, and many contain monuments, markers, memorials, statues, plaques, and other tributes. 74

Walking Tour in action! This group of tourists included mainly seniors, and the majority of them were women. They stopped to talk at the front of the square before admiring the monuments. This photo was taken in Johnson Square.

The guide was wearing a yellow shirt and was giving information about the statue in Johnson Square. The tourists were listening and ask questions. This photo was taken on Johnson Square at approximately 11:00am on Friday, April 17th.

Many tourists gathered to take photos and enjoy the monuments in Johnson Square. It seemed the majority of tourists in this area, at this time were seniors. This photo was taken in Johnson Square.

A group of children stop to learn about the monuments in Johnson Sqaure with their adult guides. This looks like a school field trip of some kind. This photo was taken on Johnson Square at approximately 10:58am on Friday, April 17th.

Leopold’s Ice Cream Leopold’s Ice Cream was founded in 1919 by George, Peter, and Basil Leopold. They opened the original ice cream parlor on the corner of Gwinnett and Habersham Street in Savannah. In the summer of 2004, Stratton and Mary officially opened the new location at 212 E. Broughton Street. Leopold’s was also a popular destination after concerts, dances, and football games. Leopold’s offers 47 different flavors and other fountain creations. No artificial dyes, of course! They use natural ingredients, hand-picked for quality.

Leopold’s ice cream! Some tourists are waiting in front of the door and are talking to each other. Today’s line is not too long. They seem excited about not having to wait in a long line.

The line inside Leopolds was quite long, but not compared to a hot day. Today was cloudy, yet the tourists still flocked to get a taste of the famous handmade ice cream!

This wall featured old photographs of the Leopold brothers, family members and old photographs of the original location. Tourists seemed to look at the photos while waiting in line, since they were near the entrance of the store.

This photo shows the interior counter of the Leopold’s counter. This is where the ice cream flavors are displayed and guests place their orders. The employees are all dressed in button up shirts, hats and ties.

This photo depicts the main dining area inside Leopold’s. There are numerous cafe tables with granite countertops with movie posters and classic photos lining the walls.

Gallery Espresso Gallery Espresso is located at the corner of Bull and Perry Street, next to Chippewa Square. With arabica beans and over 100 teas by the cup, Gallery Espresso attracts a mix of caffeine-driven college students and leisurely travelers who seem to enjoy the laid-back atmosphere and eclectic interior decoration and furniture. This cafe is unique because it features local art on the walls, as well as charming mis-matched furniture and seating arrangements.

One of the most famous Cafe in downtown, Gallery Espresso, is located on the corner of bull and Chippewa Square. The coffee shop was reconstructed from a notable historic building which is build around 1859 and has a long history of commercial versatility. People can enjoy the beautiful historical areas in an artistic atmophere from busy morning to the cozy afternoon.

The tourism brochures are on the fireplace. Some tourists come in to grab a cup of coffee and the brochures as well. They talk about their visit to Savannah and read these informtion in the Cafe. Tourism information and artistic atmophere make the cafe be a must visit location in Savannah.

Gallery Espresso, like its name, is also a art gallery. There is an exhibition every month and people can check the upcoming events on the official website. Tables besides the wall are working areas. People are reading newspapers, working on their computers and talking about their work. Tables in the center are for a group of people.

This tourist family is having a rest in the afternoon. Choosing a table close to the door means they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spend long time in the cafe. They are chatting. The father is looking outside and enjoying the beautiful historical park in Savannah.

The coffee cups and kitchenware are displayed on the way from the dinning areas to the restroom. These things are regarded as the souvenirs from Savannah for tourists.

Tourists were waiting in a line to get a cup of coffee and snacks. There were also some tourists looking around. This picture shows a pathway map in the cafe. The tourists come in, look at the menu, get a cup of coffee, go right to add cream, sugar and find a table.

User Pathway Mapping

what is pathway mapping? Pathway mapping is an ethnographic tool used in research observations. This tool allows researchers to determine how users interact within spaces. This allows for more strategic placement of goods and better utilization of the space overall.

Leopoldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pathway Map

Restroom

person 1

person 3

person 2

person 4

Counter

Dining Area Dining Area

Gallery Espresso Pathway Map

person 1

person 3

person 2

person 4

Dining Area Tour Booklets

Fireplace Display

Fireplace

Counter 82

Jepson Museum Pathway Map person 1

person 3

person 2

person 4 Elevator

Shop

hib

ito

Seating Area Seating Area

Seating Area

Interviews

Discovering User Groups Before diving in to the interviewing process, we first had to distinguish the key user groups we needed to talk to. This included the tourists themselves, key players and stakeholders in the system of Savannah tourism. We categorized our target interview participants into five main user groups.

The interview participants included: Tour Guides First-Time Savannah Tourists Frequent Savannah Tourists Employees of tourist locations Visitor Center Guides Savannah police sheriff

Preparing Our Questions Knowing what to ask interview participants and how to ask it can be one of the most tricky aspects of the design research process. Questions can be designed to generate quantitative data or qualitative data depending on the manner in which they are asked. Futhermore, questions should be specific to the research goals, yet open-ended. This allows authentic and creative answers to be given by the interview participant.

Tour Guide Questions Demographics (Name/Age/Nationality) How long have you lived in Savannah? Why did you decided to be a tour guide? Is there a main demographic of people who participate in your tour? Do you think tourists tend to travel alone, with groups or family the most? What are some common questions tourists ask you? When are you busiest? Least busy? Have you seen tourism in Savannah change over time? How? If Savannah tours were to disappear, what kind of effect do you think that would that have? Do you have any ideas for improving the experience of tourism in Savannah? Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the best place youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever visited? Why?

Visitor Information Center Guide

First-Time Savannah Tourist

Demographic Information (Name/Age/Nationality)

How long have you been in Savannah?

Why did you choose to visit Savannah?

How long have you been working in at the Visitor Center? How is this visitor center different from others in Savannah?

How was your visit to Savannah? What do you think about Savannah?

How do you differentiate tourists from locals? Is it necessary to do that? If Yes, then why?

Which places did you go in Savannah?

What kind of questions do tourists generally ask you?

How many days did you stay in Savannah?

After ___ years of experience, how do you perceive: a. Tourists? b. Tourism? c. Savannah?

What is/are the interesting thing(s) you found in Savannah? Favorite part? What do you think about the people in Savannah?

How do you perceive all the above 3 during festivities?

Where did you eat in Savannah? Did you want to eat anywhere else?

How is the tourists’ attitude towards you?

How does the culture in Savannah compare with yours?

How do you think tourists differ from locals? What are their needs? Do you think there is a common demographic of tourist that visits Savannah? How do you think one tourist is different from another? Does the mentality change from tourist to tourist? What factors do you think leads them to think differently? How many tourists do you interact with on a daily basis? Do tourists tend to travel alone or as a group? What part of the year/day/week/month are you busiest/least busy? Have you visited any visitor centers in different states? How is Savannah’s similar/ different? How different Savannah is from another city/county/state/country from the tourism point of view? If Savannah Tourism disappears, how will it affect you? What do you think is missing in Savannah Tourism? How do you think we can improve that?

Where did you stay while in Savannah? Hotel, Airb&b or with friends? Did you know anything about Savannah before visiting? Would you like to visit Savannah again? Or recommend your relatives and friends to visit? Did you go on any tours while visiting Savannah? Which ones? What were your favorites? Was there anything that hindered your visit? Time, money, etc… Who do you prefer to travel with? Alone, friends, or family… What do you think is the best season to visit Savannah? Do you prefer indoor or outdoor activities? How many hours per day did you spend outside while in Savannah? What type of transportation did you use in Savannah? Favorite?

Employee of Popular Tourist Location [Server]

Employee of Popular Tourist Location [Store Owner]

Demographic Information (Name/Age/Nationality)

What does Savannah mean to you?

How long have you been in Savannah?

Why did you come to Savannah?

How long have you been running this store?

How does the culture of Savannah compare to yours?

How do you differentiate tourists from locals? Is it necessary to do that? If Yes, then why?

What do you think about people in Savannah?

What kind of questions do tourists generally ask you?

What is/are the interesting thing(s) you found in Savannah?

What kind of products do tourists generally buy from you?

Where is you favorite spot in Savannah? Why?

How much do tourists usually spend in your store? (Min-Max)

Is there anything inconvenient for you in Savannah?

After ___ years of store experience, how do you perceive: a. Tourists? b. Tourism? c. Savannah?

Which restaurant do you work for? For how long? Is there a main demographic of the customers? How do you differentiate tourists from locals? How much do tourists usually spend in your restaurant? What do tourists usually order? How do tourists usually travel to the restaurant?

How do you perceive all the above 3 during festivities? What is your strategy to attract more customers? How is the touristsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; attitude towards you? How do you think tourists perceive Savannah convenience stores? How do you think one tourist is different from another?

Where do customers park their cars?

Is there a common demographic of customer/tourist that visits your store?

What questions do tourists usually ask?

How many tourists generally come to your store on a daily basis?

When is the restaurant busiest/least busy?

Do tourists tend to travel alone or as a group?

What do you think about Savannah tourism?

What part of the year/day/week/month are you busiest/least busy?

What is your restaurantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strategy for attracting more customers?

If Savannah Tourism disappears, how will it affect you?

What do you think is missing in Savannah Tourism? How do you think we can improve that?

Savannah Police Sheriff

Frequent Savannah Tourist

Demographic Information (Name/Age/Nationality)

How long have you been in Savannah?

Why did you choose to visit Savannah?

How long have you been working in law enforcement?

How was your visit to Savannah?

How do you differentiate tourists from locals? Is it necessary to do that? If Yes, then why?

What do you think about Savannah?

What kind of questions do tourists generally ask you? After ___ years of store experience, how do you perceive: a. Tourists? b. Tourism? c. Savannah? How do you perceive all the above 3 during festivities? How is the tourists’ attitude towards you? How do you think tourists differ from locals? What are their needs? Do you think there is a common demographic of tourist that visits Savannah? How many tourists do you interact with on a daily basis? Do tourists tend to travel alone or as a group?

Which places did you go in Savannah? How many days did you stay in Savannah? What is/are the interesting thing(s) you found in Savannah? Favorite part? What do you think about the people in Savannah? Where did you eat in Savannah? Did you want to eat anywhere else? How does the culture in Savannah compare with yours? Where did you stay while in Savannah? Hotel, Airb&b or with friends? Did you know anything about Savannah before visiting? Would you like to visit Savannah again? Or recommend your relatives and friends to visit?

What part of the year/day/week/month are you busiest/least busy?

Did you go on any tours while visiting Savannah? Which ones? What were your favorites?

If Savannah Tourism disappears, how will it affect you?

Was there anything that hindered your visit? Time, money, etc…

What do you think is missing in Savannah Tourism? How do you think we can improve that?

Who do you prefer to travel with? Alone, friends, or family… What do you think is the best season to visit Savannah? Do you prefer indoor or outdoor activities? How many hours per day did you spend outside while in Savannah? What type of transportation did you use in Savannah? Favorite?

Surveys

why conduct surveys? Surveys allow the reseach team to connect with the users and stakeholders involved in the system. This is also an opportunity to gain both quantitative and qualitative data. We talked to tourists and end-users face-to-face while conducting surveys.

User Surveys After completing personal interviews with users and stakeholders within the Savannah tourism industry, we realized we needed to take our research one step further. In order to get more familar with our users and their needs, we immersed ourselves in the environment. This allowed us to gain data first-hand and join in the tourism experience. We conducted surveys on foot in the morning, but then spent the afternoon in Forsyth Park at a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tourism Surveyâ&#x20AC;? booth we created. It was successful and we were able to generate approximately 50 survey responses in a four hour period.

We decided to set up our survey table in Forsyth Park next to the fountain. This is one of the most high-traffic areas of the park. We stayed in this location from 1:30pm-5:30pm on Saturday, May 2nd.

Sometimes the traffic would be slower than others. People also stopped to relax on the benches around our area.

We decided to offer free bottled water and sodas to survey participants as an incentive. This proved to be very helpful in attracting people to our table!

Sometimes tourists came in groups and laughed and chatted with each other while completing the survey.

Often the tourists would chat with us while completing the survey and verbally explain certain parts of the survey they wanted to elaborate on. We quickly wrote down the quotes to use as data.

Tourists also asked us to take their picture in front of the fountain. We helped them out of course!

First Time Tourist Frequent Tourist

NATIONALITIES OF SURVEY PARTICIPANTS 1

American Canadian Indian Mexican African American British Serbian Ecuadorian

Italian

Total: 35

First Time Tourist Frequent Tourist

AGES OF SURVEY PARTICIPANTS 1

under 21 22----30 31----40 41----50 51----60 61----70

Total: 33

Personas

what is a persona? Personas are designed to give a face to interview data without exploiting the actual interview participants. The personas are fictional aggregates that represent groups of people we interviewed.

Tour Guide Gary Williams | 62 As a native to Savannah, Gary has spent many years exploring the historical city and enjoying its many unique offerings. Gary served in the United States Army for 23 years before retiring and becoming a tour guide as a part-time job and hobby.

I like being a tour guide because I enjoy meeting and helping people. It also allows me to utilize my skills in a fun way “I was told I should [be a tour guide]. I’m also pretty good at it.” “I decided to be a tour guide so I could work with people, help people to be happy, and meet different kinds of people.”

It seems many types of tours are already offered, but there is definitely still an opportunity for new creative ideas “A pet tour or dog walking tour would be cool.” “You could give an underground tour. There’s a tunnel that runs directly under Forsyth from one hospital to another. That’s where they would take all the yellow fever patients.”

I have noticed tourists also enjoy exploring the beautiful downtown areas and park squares on foot to learn about the history “I will introduce tourists to spots where the tour bus passes, like Forsyth Park, Congress Street, and City Market” “My favorite spots in Savannah are Congress Street, City Market. I also like to rest in the park squares when I feel tired” “Savannah is famous for its historical areas”

I am interested in learning more about the unique attractions in Savannah “Tourists visit Savannah with all different reasons. Some are inspired by the Forrest Gump movie and some just come for business or SCAD” “Tourists frequently ask me about the Forrest Gump bench, antique shops, restaurants, and about the horse carriage tour”

I’ve noticed tourists most often travel in groups or with family “It seems that tourists most often travel with family” “Experience is something to share, so it is fun to be with friends and family. People travel alone only if they are trying to research on something”

100

Spring is the busiest season for tourism because of the many events such as St. Patricks Day, college visits and spring break “Weekend nights are always a really busy time, and the month of April” “St. Patricks Day is the busiest day of the year for all of Savannah” “The middle of March all the way through to the 2nd week of April is the busiest time, spring break season. The least busy is around Christmas season”

I’ve noticed some tour guides fabricate information to make the tour seem more interesting, even if the information isn’t completely true “Basically all the trolley tours suck because their information is wrong, especially when it comes to city projects, SCAD and Savannah. They got a lot of it historically correct, but not about SCAD itself” “Savannah and tour guides got creative. The ghost phenomena isn’t true. There are only about five buildings that are actually really haunted, the rest are just weird stuff that happened there”

101

I’ve noticed Savannah has increased in popularity in recent years and tourism is now an essential part of the economy “Savannah has grown a lot. it went from a city where no one really wanted to go, to a city where everyone wants to go!” “I’ve seen Savannah mentioned on shows especially for ghost tours. That’s also how Savannah got its name of being ‘Most Haunted City in the US’. Before that, New Orleans was considered to be the most haunted city” “Savannah’s tourism is the largest in the South. It beat Charleston’s tourism this past year. Savannah made more money than Charleston as far as tourist revenue” “If Savannah tourism were to disappear, everything would be awful! It wouldn’t have any positive benefits and the city itself wouldn’t have a way of making money”

102

It seems SCAD students don’t use pedi-cabs. It is mainly used by older people and retired people “The pedi-cabs also do ‘scenic routes’ which are basically tours” “Generally the people who use pedi-cabs are older people, retired people and couples”

I’ve noticed tourists are very concerned with being able to customize their tour experience. They want to see and do everything they think is interesting “Tourists frequently ask me questions like, ‘Where is ShopSCAD?’,’What’s a good place to eat?” “Tourists are interested in finding all the best places to eat and frequently ask me about Fire Street, B&D Burgers, and the Pink House” “People can register online for the SCAD Admission Tours so they can choose the buildings they want to visit”

103

Employee of Popluar Tourist Location Alanna Greene | 22 Alanna Greene is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina but is now living in Savannah while attending Savannah State University. She recently started working a part-time job in downtown Savannah where she 104 frequently interacts with tourists.

I’ve realized tourists play an important role in generating revenue in Savannah by spending money in restaurants and stores “Tourists seem to like to spend a lot of money here” “If tourism were to disappear it would definitely affect our business, as we are downtown and are based on tourism” “Tourists seem to bring a lot of revenue to Savannah” “The amount tourists respond in my store tends to vary, but majorly from $10 to a maximum of $400”

Tourists frequently ask me for directions and advice about my favorite local restaurants and activities “Tourists generally asked about how to get down to the highway, good places to eat, and for directions in general” “Tourists mostly ask for directions, tourist attractions, locations of hotels, and best restaurants” “Tourists and locals both ask for how to get to i-95 or any place”

I’ve realized there is an opportunity to generate more revenue by providing Savannah tourists with more tour options and parking facilities “I think everything in the tourist industry is working well. People enjoy touring over here. If they open up the river route for customers to get into Savannah, Savannah would generate even more revenue” “Some more trolleys and bus tours likely helped Savannah tourism” “It’s always hard to park downtown. I feel most people have to find a place to park and then walk”

105

I enjoy interacting with tourists on a daily basis and having conversations with them “Tourists tend to like to talk about different things about the city. They mostly want to know what is good and bad around here. We generate discussions with them” “I notice different accents and phrases that set people apart” ‘Tourists are always polite and kind-hearted, even when drunk’

I’ve noticed there are more tourists in Savannah during festivities and on weekends and they spend more money during these times “We get a lot of business during festivities because tourists spend a lot more than they usually spend” “During festivities, we get a lot of customers and we have to fill up our stock 3 times more often than what we are filling now” “It is crazy busy here during festivities. It is busier on Thursdays and Fridays than weekdays” “Tourism is very busy during festivities and at the same time during summer months. Winters are comparatively less busy” 106

I do my best to accomodate the wants and needs of tourists by offering various products and excellent service “To attract more customers, we try to bring a variety of products, try to keep the surroundings clean, and bring an environment near our store like maintaining trees, plants, and flowers. We also sell stuff at half the price of local rates, keep restrooms clean, and keep the store clean as well” “Tourists generally buy things like cigarettes in boxes and mostly whole 10 packs, soft drinks, hard drinks like beer and wine, snacks, gas and lottery tickets”

I think the ages of tourists vary greatly, but they generally seem to travel in groups “Tourists are sometimes with family, sometimes with couples, while majorly with tour guides or in a tour like Trolley Tour, etc” “Tourist travel in a group mostly, I haven’t seen any single tourist in my store at least” “The common tourist demographic would be between middle age and old age and multicultural. Probably more from out of the state” 107

During festivities my job becomes more difficult due to the amount of visitors and their needs “This part of the year about we get about 500 tourists, but during summers and the rapid season it can go up to 750 - 1000. During slow season 200”

Visitor Information Center Guide Sean Fuller | 30 Sean is originally from Pasadena, California, but moved to Savannah to attend SCAD. After graduation, Sean decided to stay in Savannah because he enjoys the local art community. He now works as a part-time Visitor Center Information Guide. 108

“Major festivals like St. Patrick’s Day, Savannah Music Festival, and Savannah Film Festival brings folks from all around the world. During St. Patrick’s Day they bring another half a million tourists from other parts of the country. It changes the tone of the city. We work hard during festivals” “During festivities and festivals people usually just come in to use the bathroom. The actual Savannah sightseeing tourists get angry because they are unable to use the facilities in the Visitor’s Center. The prevalence of drunk people everywhere also annoys them. So, during festivities, the group that is here knows what they’re doing; We generally try to provide creative solutions to the problem, like parking in other areas and walking to their destination”

I have realized tourists and locals are interested in different activies and locations. There also seems to be an opportunity to introduce more kid-friendly options “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was published in 1994, but still after 20 years, we get a huge draw people from it. Everyone is curious about the bird girl, Forrest Gump’s bench, and asking for Civil War history. They want to see plantations and squares” “What is there to do in Savannah? What can I see? There’s something for every single person to do in Savannah. There is less for children to do, but otherwise for everyone else there’s something to do. All different subcultures and people from all walks of life come to Savannah” “I would like to see more focus on families for tourism. The Children’s Museum and Railroad Museum are the only things for kids to do. We need to make things more child-friendly” “More locals come for a night out and dinner, or visiting bars and pubs, while the tourist normally seen during the day time” “Tourists tend to ask about our history and architecture. For sure they love the architecture and gardens and squares. They want to know the history of all of these”

109

I have witnessed the changes that have affected Savannah tourism but recently it seems to have gained popularity “There used to be a common demographic of tourists, but it has changed. It has become famous for getting married in the gardens and squares. They come here from across the country and they come for their anniversary also. We still have more mature adults. Savannah is Romantic” “I’ve been in Savannah for 20 years, and I have been looking at the different faces of tourists and it fascinates me. I have seen changes, so I know the deep history of it, and how and what has changed” “The tourism industry is very healthy. We suffered through a ten year recession. After that, Savannah grew a lot from where it was then. It is now the number two town in the United States for tourist revenue generation.”

I have noticed most tourists travel in groups, sometimes with family, and tend to stay 2-4 days on average “The amount of time a tourist days depends on an individual’s need. If someone is stopping by, then it is usually 2 - 3 hours. But actually, 3 - 4 days are enough to see downtown to the core” “I think the average tourist spends two to three days in Savannah. Actually though you need a whole week” 110

“Tourists tend to mostly come as a group or family”

From my experience I have learned to differentiate tourists from locals based on their behaviors and questions. “I can recognize tourists by their gestures in the way they carry their stuff and themselves. When a local comes in, we can figure out within 5 words of what they say if they are local or a tourist” “When you work in a tourism department, you can spot whether someone is local or a tourist – The way to carry themselves and their dress” “Tourists have tons of stuff in their hands, they will not look at you directly, and look at other stuff closely” “We have a lot of locals who come to downtown and their activities are defined, while tourist activities are not defined, but we never differentiate between them. Locals are not as involved in the historic district, so we treat them equally”

111

It seems tourists are often confused, but they find information by asking questions and using technology that is available to them “Tourists don’t always come with preconceived ideas of Savannah. They can be confused, but due to technology nowadays, it has changed completely. People have an idea of what they want to see” “Tourists don’t differ much from one to another. They’re typically confused and we show them away” “There is a general rule of tourists - they’re stupid! There is a saying amongst the tour and Visitor’s Center people that they pack their stuff and they leave their brains behind. He might be a rocket science engineer but he loses all of it when he is traveling. The major reason for this is the new city, as they don’t know what they are doing and they may go through a culture shock. For example, if you come from New England to Savannah, there’s a huge culture and population difference. We do things slower – we talk slower. They use the same words that people are familiar with over there. They don’t know our customs” “I have been asked every question a tourist can ask and you could possibly imagine”

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I greatly enjoy my job because it allows me to interact with a lot of people, help them and utilize my skills “I try to figure out what tourists needs are, why they came to see Savannah, and what their interests are, and then I can send them in the right direction” “Savannah tourism gave my life meaning” “If Savannah tourism disappeared, I’d be screwed because I only know one thing. I can work in a grocery store, but my speech and spontaneity are my greatest assets” “I enjoy tourists. I love this city and love talk about it, so tourists fascinate mean when they ask all different questions”

I have noticed the demographics of tourists and quantity of visitors changes with each season “Demographics of tourists really depends on the time of the year. During spring and fall it’s mostly motorcoach tours with 65 and older people. During the summertime it’s mostly families. During festivities typically teenagers and those in their twenties. During winter it’s typically Canadians and Northerners” “Summers are busy because it is warm and people come from northern part of country, while during winters it is comparatively calm” “We tend to be busiest at the beginning of April to the end of August. Where least busy from the end of October to the end of February” 113

First-Time Savannah Tourist

Savannah was recommended to me because ot its history, beauty, numerous events and because it’s a great place to stop while traveling “I read that it is a beautiful city online. My friends also recommended that I visit” “I chose to visit Savannah for the history and the sightseeing”

Patricia Reyes | 48 Patricia and her family are first-time visitors to Savannah from Indianapolis, Indiana. They came to Savannah to explore the history, architecture, restaurants and local events. She and her family also plan to visit Tybee Island while in town. 114

“Savannah is a great place for a fun weekend getaway” “I saw the Sorrel Weed House on HGTV” “My friends highly recommended Savannah because of the warm weather and sightseeing” “A lot of reviews online recommend Savannah as a great city to see in America”

I enjoyed taking a tour while visiting Savannah and seeing the unique landmarks “I am interested in going on the River Boat tour and a trolley tour” “I went out to see the beautiful Tybee Island lighthouse” “I toured several of the park squares” “I enjoyed the River front walk, City Market, walking the streets of Savannah and Forsyth Park” “I did a guided architectural tour which was very interesting and insightful” “I checked out the shops on Broughton Street and River Street”

I greatly enjoyed eating and drinking at the unique restaurants and bars during my visit in Savannah “I am planning to eat at more restaurants and take more pictures while visiting Savannah” “I ate at the Pink House when I got here yesterday afternoon” “I am looking forward to eating some delicious Southern food”

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There were certain aspects of my visit that could be improved “The museums and historic spaces should be open after 4pm” “I wish there were Wi-Fi everywhere” “I couldn’t find good international food in Savannah. It also wasn’t easy to do things in Savannah without reservations” “Charleston was nice because it was so quiet. People here drive around with their loud music”

I had issues with transportation and it would improve my experience if there were better cab service and more accessible options “I wish the bus system picked up near my hotel or other special spots” “The public transportation is really bad. There are no signs and I cannot find a bus station when I read the map” “I wish Savannah had Uber, or a better cab service” “I like pedi-cab a lot, but only for transferring to different spots. It can be expensive” 116

I noticed some of the information I needed was not easily accessible “I couldn’t find my car and a stranger had to help me find it” “I couldn’t find the availability of dolphin tours online” “I am interested in extreme sports in Savannah, but I couldn’t find any information about it” “I needed more information on local festivals and advertisements” “I could’ve used a better free map” “There needs to be a website dedicated to Savannah tourism, schedules, and links to different things to do”

During my visit, I realized some activities I would enjoy doing weren’t offered “I wish there were more athletic things to do in Savannah” “I wanted a nighttime tour that wasn’t a ghost tour” “Savannah needs a casino for gambling”

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I mainly found information online, but I also got information at the hotel, visitor center and by asking friends and locals “I bought a book on Amazon to learn about Savannah before visiting” “I looked at TripAdvisor and Yelp to scout out good places to go to” “I was able to find maps and brochures at my hotel”

Walking around is also a really great way to explore and tour Savannah “I love to sightsee by walking around and self-touring” “I rented a bike to explore downtown. My friends told me that’s the best way to do it” “Sometimes I like to just walk around to find things to eat” “I enjoyed walking aorund the parks in the beautiful scenery” “Forsyth Park was my favorite place to go for a walk”

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Events are also a great reason to make the trip to Savannah. There’s a lot happening all the time “It was cool to see St. Patrick’s Day here. I can see why it brings so many tourists” “There is a gymnastics tournament happening this weekend” “I can’t wait to see the events at Savannah Live while I’m in town”

I enjoyed the weather and climate while visiting Savannah. It seems much nicer than where I’m visiting from “I like being outdoors, but it depends on the weather. I hate rain. I spent 4 or 5 hours ourside, but usually my friend drove me to different places” “I really liked the weather in Savannah” “It is cold in the North in the fall, Savannah is much nicer”

I also made sure to visit the nearby Tybee Island and beach while in Savannah “I also enjoyed going to the Tybee pier, and I want to take a dolphin tour if there is one available” “I enjoyed seeing the sunset at Tybee Island beach” “I rode my bike to the beach while I was visiting”

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Frequent Savannah Tourist Lynn Peterson | 54 Lynn visits Savannah frequently because she has family that lives in town. She has favorite local restaurants, but also enjoys exploring new places to eat. Lynn has also learned which “tourist traps” to avoid and which local favorites to visit 120 each time she is in town.

I believe the art culture, historical horse-drawn carriages, unique restaurants and one-of-a-kind boutiques is what makes Savannah truly authentic “The best place I have visited in Savannah has been River Street so far” “All the family-owned restaurants are very interesting and add lots of charm to visiting Savannah” “The impression that I got of Savannah was that it was beautiful, the trees, the hanging moss, the horse drawn carriage ride with the guide explaining all the history made it very quaint and educational. I feel like I had learned and experienced a place” “What is also special about Savannah is all the artists and all the custom-made things you can get there, whether it be jewelry, or a painting, or a sculpture, it’s one of a kind stuff. That’s what Savannah is trying to keep, to keep out the big chains that want to come in and take over Broughton, River Street, and the restaurants”

The historical features make Savannah a unique place that I’m interested to visit and explore “I expected Savannah to be very historic and I wanted to learn a lot about the history of the area” “I chose to come to Savannah for the historic architecture” “I plan on visiting St. John’s Baptist Church while I am in Savannah”

I believe that immersing yourself in the environment by walking around is one of the best ways to explore downtown Savannah “I have been to River Street and on a walking tour so far while in Savannah” “I’ve also taken a ghost tour, walked around downtown, and gone to Forsyth Park”

I really enjoy the lively nightlife and the adult entertainment options while in Savannah “I plan on going to see Lady Chablis while in Savannah” “So far in Savannah I’ve eaten dinner, walked around, and drank” “City Market is the best place I visited because of the music and beers”

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I can’t always participate in all the tours and activities I want to because sometimes pets are not allowed “ When traveling to Savannah with a pet check if your local hotel could offer a kennel, or pet sitter business, or doggy daycare. A lot of places in Savannah blow your dog to come with you” “Allowing dogs on Tybee would make my experience even better!”

I’ve noticed parking is an issue in Savannah and it causes me frustration each time I visit “That’s a negative about being a tourist, when it comes to finding parking downtown. Bike rentals are a nice thing” “I don’t know if Savannah wants tourists to know this, but you don’t have to put money in the parking meters after 5 p.m. or on the weekends. It would be nice if that were printed somewhere. Maybe they don’t want tourists to know so they can make more money”

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Savannah is very bicycle friendly and I love that I can ride my bike to restaurants and explore downtown while bicycling “One of my favorite things to do in Savannah is to ride a bicycle downtown and see the beautiful architecture and landscaping in different homes. I really enjoy that. They have bike lanes and stuff like that” “I mostly used bicycling as my mode of transportation in Savannah. Even if I’m going downtown kind of dressed up, I would rather ride my bike because parking is an issue”

It’s easy to get exactly what you want when it comes to dining in Savannah due to the various options and experiences “I plan on visiting more restaurants while I’m in Savannah” “I’ve visited some local restaurants while I’ve been here including Zunzi’s, Al Salaam, and Green Truck” “The best place I’ve eaten in Savannah has been Alligator Soul. I love its food” “Every time I go to Savannah I learn about new restaurants and places to try. I really enjoy trying new places, but I also frequent my favorites” 123

It seems Charleston and Savannah might be competitors because they are very similar and have the same sort of historic architecture “Charleston and Savannah are very similar. I’ve driven through Charleston and have seen the architecture in the homes. I think they are more rivals than allies.”

I find information about Savannah in various places including maps, brochures, apps, websites and by asking employees, friends and other frequent visitors “I use Yelp a lot and I read the customer comments on restaurants and other things, and it helps me decide where to go” “I talked to frequent visitors and read online reviews when preparing to visit Savannah” “I booked my flight to Savannah 2 months before” “I used Wikipedia and TripAdvisor sometimes to prepare for the trip” “To plan activities I looked at bike and run routes on Map My Run” “I also studied the history of parks, historical figures, and parts of Savannah” 124

“I’ll sit down and plan my weekend and make reservations in advance”

I realized Savannah is a great place to travel with a group because of the variety of activities and options available “Our group chose to come to Savannah because of the variety of options for a large group - good food, party options, historic sites, and walkability” “Savannah seems like a good place for a bachelorette party” “I chose savannah because I am bringing a tour group with me”

Savannah can be a great place for families to visit because of the historical and educational experiences that are offered for different age groups “Savannah seems like a great place for a family vacation” “When I travel, I usually prefer to go with family” “I would say the main demographic for tourists in Savannah are either families with kids, Girl Scouts going to see the Juliette Gordon Lowe house, or it seems to be 50 to 60 year olds. The younger crowds seem to be coming for the education”

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When the weather is nice, I also like to visit Tybee Island because of the events and restaurants that are different and Savannah “I had lunch at the Crab Shack, and went to Tybee Island for dinner” “We can go out to Tybee and spend some time there when the ocean is warm come up that’s really nice” “I know that they have Orange Crush and they have turtle release/nesting day at Tybee. They have all kinds of occasions that draw people out” “I go to Tybee because of the beach, all the delicious food there, and the weather is warm” “I’d say that Savannah and Tybee our allies. They’re totally different and two different places. They both have different kinds of charm and attraction. Savannah is full of life and the Arts. The best part about Tybee is the ocean, but the restaurants aren’t as good as Savannah. I would think they’re allies because they attract different things”

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I struggle to find all the tourism information I need in a way that is user-friendly, valuable and easily accessible “When I go in the visitor center, it makes me feel like it’s too commercialized. It’s overwhelming, and to even get in the information center you have to find a parking spot! It’s a big project just to go in there” “It would be nice if somehow the tourist information were in a kiosk, or a big sign like in the mall, where it shows all the things that are available. Almost like a bulletin board where I wouldn’t feel obligated or pressured to go on the tours, but I could have the information” “What if you made a really nice website that has a chart on it comparing tourist offerings and prices? Post the website everywhere on big signs “Need to know what to do in Savannah?” or “Activities in Savannah” “Better tour bus stop signage would help with tourism experiences”

The people in Savannah are kind and mannerly and that’s a reason why it is so tourist friendly “I think the people in Savannah are kind, they’re warm, and their mannerly. The waiters and waitresses are eager to please and very tourist-friendly” “The kindness of the people surprised me” 127

Savannah is a great place to relax and enjoy various entertainment and recreation activities “I came to Savannah because I wanted some time off from work. It’s a great place to relax” “Savannah is a beautiful city” “Savannah is more alive, it’s more artistic, there’s always something going on. It’s a more bicycle-friendly culture. It’s an entertainment and recreation culture” “Savannah has a casual atmosphere too but it’s what you make it”

I love the various outdoor activities Savannah has to offer including outdoor seating at restaurants, Forsyth Park and outdoor sporting events “Some of the things I’ve done while in Savannah are going to Forsyth Park, a Sand Gnats game, lunch at Green Truck, and walking around downtown” “Another thing I love about Savannah is the outdoor seating. If the weather is nice you really get to enjoy it. Savannah is a city that is also in nature at the same time. We try to hit the restaurants where we can sit outside and have our dog with us” 128

I wish I had easier access to water and snacks using vending machines in convenient locations “It would be nice if Savannah had vending for water bottles” “Bringing better shoes would make the experience better too!”

I enjoy unique stores and shopping opportunities including the custom jewelry stores, but also the malls with familiar stores “I plan to hang out at the malls, wander, and shop” “My go-to places are Forsyth, Broad Street, and custom jewelry stores”

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Weather and temperature are very important factors that can make or break your experience if you want to enjoy outdoor activities “If the weather is nice in Savannah, it makes the trip that much better” “March and April are the best for the temperatures when visiting Savannah. I also enjoy when the ocean is warm, so that’s more like June and July” “When the weather is nice in Savannah I will spend at least 6 hours a day outside” “When it gets cold and rainy it’s not as fun to visit because I love the outdoors. I love the bike rides, I love to walk to the places into the gardens, and the cemeteries and squares. I like to take my dog for a walk through the park. If the weather’s not nice that’s what makes me possibly not even go”

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There are many options for tours of Savannah they offer different experiences and information “I plan to eat at the Bohemian Hotel and continue historic tours” “So far I have taken the Oglethorpe Trolley Tour” “My favorite tour is the horse-drawn carriage. To me it just defines a lot of what Savannah is. The history, back when Savannah was first developed, it was pretty much horse-drawn carriages that went through there. It’s also much more oneon-one with the tour guide. You can ask questions, he can ask you questions. You can see everything very clear, instead of having to look through a plastic window. You can hear very clearly because you are sitting right there in front of the tour guide. It’s much more intimate of a conversation and an enjoyable trip”

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Primary Research Insights

Savannah loves nightlife and even has martini tour. According to a law in Savannah, people can drink alcohol outside with cups. Tourists generally travel in groups, not alone. They enjoy sharing their tour experience with others. Tourists donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to mind waiting in long lines to get what they want, such as Leopoldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ice cream.

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People usually get maps and brochures from hotels. Visitor center is rarely used. No parking spaces and urban location make it difficult to access. How might we make the tourism information more accessible? Savannah is an art and vacation city. Boutique, art and jewelry is the brand of Savannah. A jewelry tour would be a great new offering. Physical maps are still welcomed by tourists. Because of the city planning, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really easy for tourists to find where they want to go in Savannah. However, a better map is still needed.

Tourists enjoy jogging and walking in Savannah. But sometimes they have to stop at the traffic light. Making the city more walkable will be an interesting idea. We can design a jogging road for people to do exercise and enjoy the beautiful scenery. People come to Savannah for different reasons. Can we connect them together and let them know different aspects of savannah? Tourists who first come to Savannah, they like the special tours, like horse carriages and pedi-cabs.

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Discovering Opportunities

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Framing Statement How might we improve the experience of tourism in Savannah to create a unique and valuable market offering that is authentic, user-friendly and enjoyable?

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Opportunity Statement

what is a opportunity statement? An opportunity statement describes the offering the design team plans to create, and the reason for doing so. This statement often summarizes the current issue in the system and how the new offering can solve these issues.

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Due to the immense popularity and importance of the tourism industry in Savannah, there are many resources available for creating innovative market offerings. The Tour Savannah Design Team aims to create valuable offerings for the Savannah community to enjoy and benefit from, while also solving some of the issues and weak areas in the current system. In this manner we will be able to create a hollistic system that benefits stakeholders and users alike.

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Value Pillars

what are value pillars? Value pillars are used to define areas of opportunity. The value pillars are backed up by extensive research and should be the core essence of any opportunities or market offerings created by the design team.

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AUTHENTIC

USER-FRIENDLY

ENJOYABLE

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Initial Design Concepts

How are design concepts created? Design concepts can be inspired by different phases of the research projects. Often they are informed by observations, interview participants and other data.

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Jogging Tour

Underground Tour

Custom Vacation Plan

There arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t many athletic tour opportunities available in the current market. This tour would allow users to sightsee and learn about Savannah while also getting some exercise.

This tour would take place in the historic tunnels under Forsyth Park that were used to transport patients between hospitals during the yellow fever. This would likely be a historic/ haunted type of tour.

Users would have the opportunity to take a survey about their interests and needs in order to receive a customized vacation plan with suggested activities, restaurants and tours they may enjoy.

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Photography Tours

Alcohol Tours

Scavenger Hunt Tour

This tour could be conducted as an instructional session with traditional cameras, in which users receive a short lesson from an experienced guide, or as an interactive “Instagram competition” of some sort.

Numerous pub crawls and alcohol tours already exist in Savannah, but there is likely still an opportunity for more if it was a unique idea that hasn’t “been done before”

A scavenger hunt tour could be a great activity for children, families or anyone who wants to have a little fun! This could be presented as a GPS app (similar to GeoCaching) or as a virtual reality experience.

Art & Jewelry Tour

International Tour

Sleeping With Ghosts

One of the most unique and special aspects of Savannah is the arts culture. There are numerous shops and boutiques with handmade goods and custom jewelry. This tour would allow tourists to buy one-ofa-kind items that are authentic to Savannah.

This would simply be a tour that is conducted in many different languages, depending on the needs of the tourists.

This experience would allow tourists of all ages to sleep with ghosts (possibly) in one of the local cemeteries. This could be a great camping event for girl scout and boy scout troops.

Shopping Tour

Self-Guided Tour

Info Site & App

The shopping tour would allow visitors to shop at the most “authentic Savannah” stores and boutiques. This would also be a great opportunity to forge partnerships with local shops and further stimulate the Savannah economy

The self-guided tour is always an option for those who aren’t interested in the mainstream tours. This could be presented as a podcast, scavenger hunt or virtual reality. There could also be different types of podcasts depending on the interests of the use.r

As of now, there isn’t a website or app that allows tourists to easily compare offerings. This could compare prices, suggest activities, and provide coupons. The opportunities for an info site and app are endless and would impact the entire sytstem of tourism

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Savannah Passport Stamp Collection This opportunity would allow users to collect stamps and stickers at each location they visit in Savannah. This would provide them with an authentic souvenir that captures the essence of their authentic Savannah experience.

Landscape & Garden Tour Although there is currently a home and gardens tour available, it is expensive and only offered once per year. This tour would be for those who are purely interested in seeing the numerous courtyards and gardens around the Savannah historic district.

Push Notifications In this scenario, notifications would be sent to users cell phones alerting them of sales, promotions and freebies as they passed by certain Savannah locations. This could increase sales and user-experience.

Pet Tours

Savannah Home Base

Partner with Celebrities

Calling all pet lovers! This tour would allow guests to bring their beloved pets with them, either on a pet-friendly trolley bus, or a dog-walking tour.

In this scenario, Savannah would be used as a meeting place for tourists who want to also take day trips as a group to nearby locations. This would require a ride-share system or greyhound bus partnership.

Savannah is a hotspot for film, music, fashion, art and entertainment. Creating partnerships with celebrities that are willing to visit Savannah and meet tourists could increase interest and quantity of visitors.

SCAD Guided Tours

International District

Pet Daycare

In this scenario, tours would be given by SCAD students. This could be a great opportunity for younger tourists who are looking for college activities, or anyone interested in SCAD. This could also be a great work-study solution for students needing part-time jobs.

Unlike many other cities, Savannah does not have an international district. This would allow locals and tourists to experience different cultures within Savannah, as well as allow international students and immigrant locals to experience something familiar to them. This district could also host many festivals and fairs throughout the year.

Due to the large number of tourists that travel with pets, there is an opportunity for a pet daycare service in the downtown area, as well as Tybee Island. Pets currently are not allowed on tours or beaches. This would give tourists peace of mind and freedom to explore more tourism options in Savannah.

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2x2 Opportunity Matrix

why use a 2x2 matrix? The 2x2 Opportunity Matrix visually depicts the relationship of the initial design concepts to the specified criteria. In this case, “short/long term” referred to the amount of time and evel of difficulty involved before the concept could be actualized in reality. The “high/low impact” criteria refers to the amount of interest we predict the concept would generate when it is actualized.

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Sleeping With Ghosts

HIGH IMPACT

Custom Vacation Plan

Self-Guided Tour

Info Site & App Savannah Home Base

LONG TERM

SHORT TERM

International Tour Shopping Tour Art & Jewelry Tour Pet Tours

International District

Underground Tour

Alcohol Savannah Passport Tours Stamp Collection Photography Tours

Scavenger Hunt Tour

Push Notifications

Jogging Tour Landscape & Garden Tour

SCAD Guided Tours

Pet Daycare Partner with Celebrities

LOW IMPACT

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How We Chose...

Although many of our ideas seem like very promising and exciting opportunities, we needed to select a few for further prototyping ans testing. We decided to first create something that solves all of the critical needs of the users.

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Tourists desire easy access to information and the ability to compare options

Tourists desire the ability to customize their tour experience

Tourists desire easy access to vending machines for drinksa and snacks

Tourists desire shaded seating areas near tour bus stops 147

Prototyping Opportunities

what is a prototype? A prototype is a working model that visualizes the concept or idea. Prototypes vary in quality depending on which stage of the design process the design team iis currently working on.

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Prototype Testing

“It totally looks like downtown Savannah style. Tourists will like it” “A change machine is what I need, so I can get quarters and dollars for tips” “The upcoming events are the kind of things you may need to display”

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“People can get free newspaper in their hotel. And there are lots of newspaper vending machine in downtown areas. The newspaper vending machine may be not required”

“They already have a kiosk in the city market. Your design may replace that stuff” “A drink machine would be better than snacks and newspaper

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information station renderings key features list

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The Information Station A The Information Station is a prototype of a multi-use interactive map station that also incorporates seating, shade and other ammenities. This station solves all the critical needs of our users. This model could potentially be adapted to suit many diffrerent locations in Savannah to enhnace the tourism experience, making it more enjoyable, authentic and user-friendly.

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Large scale interactive map Digital Advertisement Space Emergency Call Button WI-FI connectivity Built-in printer

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Beverage Vending Machine ATM machine Redbox Movie & Game rental Charging Station

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Large scale interactive map Digital Advertisement Space Emergency Call Button WI-FI connectivity Built-in printer

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Large seating benches Digital Advertisement Space Charging Station

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The Art and Jewelry Tour allows guests to immerse themselves in the unique Savannah art culture. This tour features several unique boutique stores and shops in Savannah including Red Clover, ShopSCAD and A.T. Hun Gallery. This tour allows guests to shop for handmade jewelry and art pieces that are one-of-a-kind. 160

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Savannah Underground is a spooky tour of some of the most historic places in Savannah. Explore some of the creepiest tunnels and passageways in Savannah on this unique excursion. Some of the most well-known places on this route include Savannah Law School, and the First African Baptist Church.

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Underground tour mockups

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Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next?

Continue to Refine Designs

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Create full-size prototype model for testing

Gain sponsors and gather resources

Receive funding and Build!

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