The 2011 North Carolina Visitor Profile, which includes a wealth of demographic and spending data, is now available on the Division’s website at no cost. The research provides critical data that helps to guide the Division’s marketing decisions. For example, in 2011, 80 percent of all domestic visitors came to North Carolina for pleasure purposes, while 11 percent of visitors came to conduct business (includes meeting/convention). The average household trip expenditure for overnight visitors was $576; daytrip parties to the state spent approximately $155 per visit.
The Division contracts with the research company TNS to perform demographic profiles and volume analyses on the North Carolina travel and tourism industry. TNS is the world’s largest provider of custom research and analysis, serving all segments of the travel industry. The research includes over 10,000 Internet-based interviews among past 12-month travelers who have traveled more than 50 miles from their homes (excluding commuters). Information collected includes purpose of trip, mode of travel, travel party characteristics, places visited, number of nights, accommodations, activities, spending, and demographics. Data collected are weighted to match U.S. Census variables, market size, age of household head, household income, and household size.
The 2011 Regional Visitor Profile, which includes the same data for the Mountain, Piedmont and Coast regions, will be available later this spring.