Image factor South Tyrolean Christmas markets A survey among the Italian population
The IER - Instiute for Economic Research of the Chamber of Commerce of Bolzano compiled a series of questions on the South Tyrolean Christmas markets and commissioned the Milan-based survey institute TNS Infratest to conduct a representative survey of the Italian population (1,004 adults) in January 2007: The results provide information on the role of the South Tyrolean Christmas markets as an image factor for local tourism.
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South Tyrol is a popular destination for Italian tourists. Already 36.1% of the entire Italian population (older than 18 years) know South Tyrol at least by hearsay and another 40.6% have visited South Tyrol already once, while only a quarter (23.3%) do not know South Tyrol at all. The quality of the touristic offers is highly appreciated. Above all, South Tyrol is associated with nature, beautiful scenery, gastronomic specialities as well as tradition and culture. The surprise is that no less than half of South Tyrol's guests associate South Tyrol strongly with the event of "South Tyrolean Christmas Markets". 27.8% of the total Italian population (older than 18 years) know the Christmas markets by hearsay and 15% have visited them (at least once); the northeast has the highest proportion of Christmas market visitors with 30.8% of the population. Every 10th Italian guest who comes to South Tyrol (older than 18) stated that they had become aware of South
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Tyrol because of the local Christmas markets and 38.8% of Italians (older than 18) who have not yet visited South Tyrol could imagine taking the Christmas markets as an occasion for a visit of South Tyrol. Half of the visitors of the South Tyrolean Christmas markets are day tourists with a maximum of one overnight stay. The majority of visitors of the South Tyrolean Christmas Markets are satisfied: 90% are very or quite satisfied, 70% recommended the visit and 69.3% want to revisit the Christmas markets in South Tyrol. 27.7% of Italians (older than 18), who do not know the South Tyrolean Christmas markets, have visited a Christmas market outside South Tyrol. In a direct comparison between South Tyroleans and other Christmas markets, South Tyrolean Christmas markets perform comparatively better.
The image effect of the South Tyrolean Christmas markets on the Italian population is surprisingly high: • • •
43% of Italians (over 18 years) know or have visited the South Tyrolean Christmas Markets. 50.7% of Italian guests in South Tyrol associate South Tyrol strongly with the Christmas markets. Every 10th Italian guest in South Tyrol has become aware of South Tyrol through the Christmas markets.
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Their charisma also reaches the south and the islands of Italy.
But, there are also nice Christmas markets elsewhere, and of those Italians who don't know the South Tyrolean Christmas markets, many have visited other Christmas markets. South Tyrol's Christmas markets are assessed by visitors as very positive and by those Italians who have visited both South Tyrol and other Christmas markets, the South Tyrolean ones are rated better. Challenges: •
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There is still potential in communication on the Italian market (especially for Italians who have visited other Christmas markets than those in South Tyrol). The positive image among the local population must be strengthened due to the great importance. The key to success is to keep the quality of the South Tyrolean Christmas markets high and to continuously improve them. Both an improved communication and an increase in quality can best be achieved through the cooperation of the South Tyrolean Christmas Markets.