The 2012 North Carolina Visitor Profile, which includes a wealth of demographic and spending data, is now available on the Tourism Division’s website at no cost. The research provides critical data that help to guide the Division’s marketing decisions. For example, in 2012, 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 $540; daytrip parties to the state spent approximately $186 per visit. The summer (June – August) was the most popular season for travel to North Carolina, with 31 percent of all 2012 visitors. Spring (March-May) and fall (September – November) followed with 25 percent and 24 percent, respectively. The winter season (December-February) was the least visited with 20 percent. July was the single largest month for travel to the state with nearly 11 (10.8 percent) percent, followed by August with 10 percent (10.1 percent).
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 more than 10,000 Internet-based interviews among the past 12-month travelers who had 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 2012 Regional Visitor Profile, which includes the same data for the Mountain, Piedmont and Coast regions, will be available in early summer. For more information about the Division’s research, contact Research Manager Marlise Taylor at (919) 733-7278.