Travel and Tourism in Maine The 2003 Visitor Study Kennebec & Moose River Valleys Prepared by the: Maine Office of Tourism June 2004

2 Size & Structure of the Kennebec & Moose River Travel Market  The Kennebec & Moose River region of Maine is visited on one-in-ten of all Maine Day and Overnight trips.  It receives 3.5 million Day trips, 0.65 million Overnight trips on which 1+ nights are spent in the region itself, and another 0.23 million Overnight trips to the state on which the traveler spends some time or passes through the Kennebec & Moose River Valleys.  This means that a majority three-quarters of those who spend time in the region are also prompted to overnight in the region.

3 Trips to Kennebec & Moose River Valleys Total: 4.43 Million Pass-Through 0.23 Million (7%) Day Trips 3.55 Million (80%) Stayed Overnight 0.65 Million (13%)

4 Key Market Segments  Overnight trips, though smaller in number than day trips, typically generate more traveler revenue for the state because they are longer and often involve spending for commercial accommodation.  Vacation or Marketable trips are worthy of particular attention for similar reasons and because the choice of destination on them is discretionary and open, therefore, to the influence of destination marketing activities.  This segment is underdeveloped for the Kennebec & Moose River Valley region. It accounts for only one-third of overnight trips, leaving the region largely dependent on Visits to Friends & Relatives.

5 Purpose of Overnight Trips to Kennebec & Moose River Valleys 1+ Nights in Region: 0.65 Million Visit Friends/Relatives 0.39 Million (59%) Marketable Pleasure 0.22 Million (34%) Business 0.05Million (7%)

6 Types of Marketable Trips  Outdoors trips predominant among Marketable Day trips to Kennebec & Moose River Valleys. They account for forty percent of the market, followed by Shopping trips at roughly half that number.  Touring trips are taken by car, bus, or train through areas of scenic beauty, cultural or general interest. The traveler may have flown to the destination before beginning the regional tour itself.  Overnight trips are mostly of three types - Outdoors (to experience the natural environment and engage in outdoor activities such as camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, or rafting), Touring, and Special Event trips (to attend an event such as a fair, festival, pageant, race, sports meet, or a professional or college ball game).

7 Marketable Day Trip Mix Base: Marketable Day Trips

8 Overnight Marketable Trip Mix Base: Overnight Marketable Trips <1%

9 Making the Trip  Much like Maine overall, the region’s visitors come from New England. They include, however, a greater proportion of in-state visitors. This may reflect the higher importance of Visits to Friends & Relatives (VFR) to the region.

10 Sources of Business Base: Total Overnight Trips

11 Making the Trip cont’d  The Summer is the single-most important season for Maine and the Kennebec & Moose River Valleys. Of much note, however, is the importance of the Fall season to the latter. This probably also reflects VFR travel for the holidays.

12 Season of Trip Base: Total Overnight Trips

13 Making the Trip cont’d  The average stay in Maine on these regional trips lasts 5.1 nights of which 4.3 are spent in the region itself.

14 Number of Nights in Maine Total in Maine: 5.1 Nights Kennebec & Moose River Valleys 4.3 Nights Other Regions 0.8 Nights

15 The Kennebec & Moose River Visitor  The visitors typically travel with a spouse, partner, or friend, do not plan very far ahead, and rely more on personal experience and friendly advice than other information sources. The internet, for example, is used at a rate half the state Norm. It is probably needed less for planning repeat family visits.

16 Travel Party Composition Base: Total Overnight Trips

17 Planning Cycle Base: Total Overnight Trips

18 Information Sources Used Base: Total Overnight Trips

19 The Kennebec & Moose River Experience  The Kennebec & Moose River Valleys experience is a rural one but visitors nonetheless find time for some shopping, heed the call to LL Bean, and eat a Maine lobster.

20 Things Experienced on Trip Base: Total Overnight Trips

21 Things Experienced on Trip cont’d Base: Total Overnight Trips

22 The Kennebec & Moose River Experience cont’d  The most popular destination within the region is Augusta. Three-in-ten spent some time there.

23 Regional Destinations Visited Base: Total Overnight Trips

24 Product Delivery  Wherever they go and whatever the visitors may do in the Kennebec & Moose River Valleys, their experience of Maine garners kudos well beyond the Norm for U.S. destinations.

25 Product Delivery Base: Total Overnight Trips

26 The Bottom Line  The Kennebec & Moose River Valleys region is a treasure to those who visit it but the primary reason for most of their visits is less about the region and more about seeing friends and relatives who happen to live there.  Familiarity with the region needs to be developed among the tourist market to increase the likelihood of Maine visitors spending at least some time there and adding it to their touring trip itineraries.

27 Research Background  This report was prepared for the Maine Office of Tourism by Longwoods International.  Visitor volume and travel profile data come from:  Travel USA ®, Longwoods' syndicated survey of the U.S. travel market that contacts a representative sample of 200,000 U.S. households annually,  a follow-up survey of Maine overnight visitors identified through Travel USA ® and,  the Maine Day Visitor study.