Latest news with #visitorSatisfaction
Travel Weekly
16 hours ago
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Hawaii visitor satisfaction remains high, but Canadians might stay away
Christine Hitt A new study finds that while Hawaii visitor satisfaction remains high, recent Canadian visitors are less likely to return, due in part to the political climate. The Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism released its visitor satisfaction study for the first quarter of 2025. The results come from a survey of recent visitors from eight markets, including U.S. West, U.S. East, Japan, Canada and Europe. Hawaii received satisfactory marks, with most visitors in all markets rating it a 7 out of 8. Trip expectations also saw positive movement, with increases of "exceeded expectations" selections seen in the markets of U.S. West, U.S. East, Canada, Oceania, Korea, China and Europe. The report found that repeat visitors from U.S. West gave higher satisfactory scores compared to first-time visitors from the same market. Also, travel party size among visitors from U.S. East made a difference: Travelers in groups of three or more people gave higher scores than those traveling alone. Repeat visitors from U.S. West, U.S. East, Oceania and Japan were more likely to return to the state than first-time visitors. The study also found that traveler with higher incomes and education in U.S. West markets were more likely to return. Canadian visitors less likely to return When visitors were asked whether they are likely to return to Hawaii in the next five years, the number of Canadian visitors had the largest differential. Only 55% of Canadians said that they were "very likely" to return, compared to 68% in the first quarter of 2024. Compared to the last 10 years, 2025 ranks the lowest. Last year, Canadians' top reason for not returning was that it is "too expensive" (60%). This year, Canadians' responses include political climate (45%), high cost of travel (30%), long-distance travel (12%) and travel restrictions or relations (12%). "High cost of travel" remains a top reason for not returning for U.S. West (48%), U.S. East (42%), Japan (34%), Oceania (48%), Korea (57%) and Europe (40%) markets.
Japan Times
09-06-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Osaka Expo sees strong ticket sales
Ticket sales for the ongoing 2025 Osaka Expo have been strong recently. The number of tickets sold in a week has exceeded 500,000 for three consecutive weeks since mid-May. If the current pace continues, total cumulative sales may reach 18.4 million, the level that makes the operation of the six-month Osaka Expo profitable. Meanwhile, the increase in visitors has led to issues such as long lines occurring more frequently. Maintaining visitor satisfaction is now a major challenge, especially as temperatures are set to rise. The Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition aimed to sell 14 million advance tickets by the April 13 start of the Expo. Actual sales fell short of the target, at about 9.7 million, however. Still, sales began to increase gradually after the opening. "The appeal of the expo is becoming known" to the public, a senior official of the association said. In particular, sales of season passes, for which price discounts were applied until the end of May, were robust. In addition, starting May 7, the entry time for night ticket holders was moved up to 4 p.m. from 5 p.m., which contributed to strong ticket sales. The association hopes that about 80% of the Expo operation costs seen totaling ¥116 billion will be covered with ticket sales revenue. If tickets continue to sell at the pace of 500,000 per week, cumulative sales would reach 18.4 million by mid-August, possibly making the Expo operation profitable. But Jun Takashina, deputy secretary-general of the association, sounded cautious at a news conference on June 2. "We need to carefully monitor how long sales will remain brisk and the possibility of sales starting to decline at some point," Takashina said. The number of visitors is also on the rise. Daily visitors hit the highest level of about 170,000 on May 31, apparently thanks to a series of popular events such as a live concert and a fireworks show. The association expects a total of 28.2 million people will visit the expo, which ends Oct. 13. The daily number of visitors is seen peaking at 220,000. However, an association official cautioned that there are no events or services capable of entertaining some 200,000 visitors at the same time. The association is also concerned that waiting in line for a long time in front of pavilions in the summer could increase the risk of heatstroke. "It's not that we are trying to attract as many visitors as possible no matter what," Takashina said. The association plans to respond appropriately while listening to visitors' opinions, among other things.
Travel Weekly
27-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Weekly
Survey finds that a record number of visitors were back for more
Paul Szydelko About 86% of visitors to Las Vegas in 2024 had been to the city before. That's a new high, according to the annual Las Vegas Visitor Profile released earlier this year, up significantly from prepandemic numbers. For example, in 2019, the last year before the pandemic, 76% were return visitors. Repeat visitors were more likely than first-time visitors to say they were visiting friends/relatives (20% vs. 9%), came to gamble (7% vs. 4%) or to attend a special event (5% vs. 3%). Most of those repeaters did not wait long in between their last visit and this one: 53% of repeat Las Vegas visitors said they had visited the city at least once over the past two years. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, sponsors of the survey, and its hospitality partners were no doubt heartened to hear the overwhelming percentage of 2024 visitors who were interviewed said they were satisfied with the experience: 87% said that they were "very satisfied" with their visit, while 10% said they were "somewhat satisfied." Only 2% of visitors were dissatisfied with their visit. "We want our visitors to be thrilled with what we're doing, and that's what's going to cause them to keep coming back. So when we see those levels, it's comforting, but it takes a lot of work to keep it there," LVCVA Research Center director Kevin Bagger told the LVCVA board in a summary. Those only "somewhat satisfied" with their visits were concerned about the cost: 18% said their biggest complaint was that Las Vegas was too expensive, up from 17% in 2023 and 14% in 2022. Others said their trip was too short (13%) or had complaints about their hotel (8%). Seven percent said it was too crowded, another 7% said is is too hard to get around. About 6% complained about gambling, and 6% said that it was too hot. One finding that might be concerning to readers: Only about 4% of those polled said they used a travel advisor in planning their trip to Las Vegas. That's down pretty significantly from prepandemic levels (10% in 2019). About 300 monthly in-person interviews were conducted, and about 150 monthly surveys were conducted online. In total, 5,418 interviews were completed in 2024. Some other findings from the 50-page survey: • Millennials (ages 28 to 43) represented the biggest chunk of visitors at 46%, followed by Gen X (ages 44 to 59) at 38%. Gen Z visitors (ages 21 to 27) represented 7% of Las Vegas visitors in 2024. • More than half (52%) of all visitors made their way downtown, down from 58% in 2022 but still ahead of 42% in 2019. • About 59% said they planned their trip more than a month in advance, while 55% said they booked their accommodations more than a month in advance, both figures up from past results. • About 78% gambled during their stay, and the average trip gaming budget was $820.15, similar to last year but above 2019 to 2022 results. • Almost 78% of those who stayed in a hotel booked online (up from 52% in 2019). Fewer visitors booked by calling the property directly (13%) compared to last year (18%).
Zawya
26-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Oman: Eco-friendly practices at OCEC boost visitor experience
MUSCAT: The Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) is recognised for its sustainable operations and world-class facilities as research findings provide evidence that the centre's sustainable event management practices create a positive link to increased visitor satisfaction. Sustainability is gaining popularity in the tourism, hospitality and event management sectors due to socioeconomic and environmental concerns. Convention and exposition facilities like the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre play a crucial role in generating income and satisfying visitors. By implementing sustainable practices such as waste management, energy efficiency and eco-friendly design, they help address environmental issues; and attract customers and tourists with their eco-friendly operations. Research investigating the impact of sustainability integration at convention and exhibition centres on visitor satisfaction and strategic decision-making has shown that the use of sustainable materials improves sustainability prospects by contributing to the design of green buildings. The Oman Centre has also actively engaged with communities by forming relationships with local organisations, promoting recycling programmes and installing over 8,000 solar panels for energy efficiency, which significantly impacts guest satisfaction. Survey results indicate that 76 per cent of participants are aware of the sustainable practices at the facility, with factors like sustainability influencing event attendance and recommendations from respondents. Strategic landscape techniques and a 4.6-megawatt rooftop solar power system have contributed to water conservation, while energy-saving measures have had the most significant impact on visitor experience. While some tourists suggest a no-plastic zone, the installation of electric vehicle charging stations and other energy-saving measures have made a significant impact. Overall, the Centre's sustainable practices have enhanced guest experiences and made Oman a more appealing destination. The study suggests potential improvements such as installing intelligent power management systems and digital documentation systems to reduce paper usage. The OCEC, along with other events, sets leadership standards that position Oman as an innovation leader in sustainable development and tourism practices. The research emphasises that sustainable choices lead to memorable experiences and lasting impacts, as global environmental responsibility continues to grow. 2022 © All right reserved for Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertising (OEPPA) Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
