COUNTY KERRY TOURISM RESEARCH TAIGHDE … · 1 county kerry tourism research foreword brollach introduction from the tourism steering group of the kerry county development board this

COUNTY KERRY TOURISM RESEARCH

TAIGHDE TURASÓIREACHTA CONTAE CHIARRAÍ

JUNE MEITHEAMH 2004

KERRY COUNTYENTERPRISE BOARD

KERRY COUNTY COUNCIL

TUATHACHIARRAÍ

Commissioned by The Tourism Steering Group of Kerry County Development Board

Funded by

CONTENTS ÁBHAR

INTRODUCTION 2

PROJECT BRIEF 5

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 6

PROFILE OF VISITORS 8

PROFILE OF KERRY AS A TOURISM DESTINATION 12

PROFILE OF THE TOURISM EXPERIENCE 16

IMPLICATION OF THE RESEARCH 27

QUESTIONNAIRE 30

1


FOREWORDBROLLACH

INTRODUCTION FROM THE TOURISM STEERING GROUP OF THE KERRY COUNTY

DEVELOPMENT BOARD

This countywide tourism survey is an initiative of the Kerry County Development Board which

was launched in February 2000 following a decision by Government to promote mechanisms for

enhanced co-ordination and integration of services at a county level. This survey is an example of

such integration. The Tourism steering group which consists of Shannon development,

Cork/Kerry Tourism, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Kerry County Enterprise Board and Kerry County

Council pooled resources and commissioned the Institute of Techonology Tralee to conduct this

survey.

The commissioning for this research was driven by the lack of county-specific tourism figures

available for Kerry. The aim of this research project was to overcome the current deficiency in

county-specific tourism knowledge, through the provision of valid and reliable information in a

timely manner that would both contribute to the strategic decision-making processes of the

various tourism industry interests in the county and provide a base on which more short-term

actions may be framed. The information contained in the findings is three fold; Profile of Visitors,

Profile of Kerry as a Tourism Destination and Profile of the Tourism Experience by the Visitor.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the Economic Review Group of

the Kerry County Development Board. A special word of thanks to Tuatha Chiarraí for their grant

aid and we wish express our appreciation to the Institute of Technology Tralee.

We hope that this survey and its findings will act as a useful tool to both the tourism agencies and

tourism trade in planning and marketing their services.

TOURISM STEERING GROUP

Ogie Moran Shannon Development

Declan Murphy Cork Kerry Tourism

Noreen O’Mahony Kerry County Council

Martin Collins Kerry County Enterprise Board

Máire Ní Shé Udarás na Gaetachta

Bríd McElligott Institute of Technology Tralee

KERRY COUNTYENTERPRISE BOARD

KERRY COUNTY COUNCIL

TUATHACHIARRAÍ

County-specific tourism figures are currently not

available for Kerry. Any figures that are available are

on a regional basis only with the exception of revenue

and numbers. For example, Shannon Development

produces an annual survey where North Kerry is

included as part of the overall Shannon region figures

but is not presented as a separate entity. A similar

situation pertains in South Kerry.

The need to overcome the absence of information

that would facilitate immediate remedial action

where necessary. By the nature of centralised market-

ing research, statistics issued by the relevant agencies

involved in tourism in the region are released too late

to facilitate such action.

The Kerry County Development Board - Economic,

Social and Cultural Development Strategy for County

Kerry - Meitheal Chiarraí (2002-2011) specified a

range of information, the absence of which prevented

the planned strategic development of the county’s

tourism industry. Among the information requirements

identified were:

- The number of visitors to the county

- The number of repeat visits in the county, both

overseas and domestic

- The socio-economic and demographic profile of

visitors to the county

- The points of entry used by visitors to the county

- The average spend by overseas and domestic

visitors to the county

- The level of satisfaction of the county’s tourists.

INTRODUCTIONRÉAMHRÁ

IN APRIL 2003, THE ECONOMIC REVIEW GROUP OF THE KERRY COUNTY DEVELOPMENT BOARD,

COMMISSIONED THE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, TRALEE TO UNDERTAKE A COUNTYWIDE

TOURISM SURVEY. THE COMMISSIONING OF THIS RESEARCH WAS DRIVEN BY A NUMBER OF

FACTORS, INCLUDING:

2


�

�

�

3


The lead funding partner in this initiative was Tuatha

Chiarraí in association with the following agencies

through their participation in the research steering

group and financial contribution to the research:

� Shannon Development

� Kerry County Council

� Udarás Na Gaeltachta

� Cork/Kerry Tourism

� Kerry County Enterprise Board

All the agencies supporting this project are members of

the Kerry County Development Board Economic Review

Group.

A tourism steering group was established to progress

and manage the project, it included:

� Mr. Ogie Moran, Shannon Development

� Mr. Declan Murphy, Cork/Kerry Tourism

� Ms. Noreen O’Mahony, Kerry County Council

� Ms. Maire Ní Shé - Udarás Na Gaeltachta

� Mr. Martin Collins, Kerry County Enterprise Board

� Ms. Brid Mc Elligott, Institute of Technology Tralee

Institute of Technology, Tralee personnel involved in

conducting the research and analysing the findings were:

� Mr. Cyril Gavaghan,

Department of Business and Social Studies

� Ms. Mary Rose Stafford,

Department of Hotel, Catering and Tourism

� Ms. Fiona Tobin,


� Ms. Brid Mc Elligott,


The stated aim of the research project was:

TO OVERCOME THE CURRENT DEFICIENCY IN COUNTY-SPECIFIC TOURISM KNOWLEDGE,

THROUGH THE PROVISION OF VALID AND RELIABLE INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER THAT

WILL BOTH CONTRIBUTE TO THE STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES OF THE VARIOUS

TOURISM INDUSTRY INTERESTS IN THE COUNTY AND PROVIDE A BASE ON WHICH MORE

SHORT-TERM ACTIONS MAY BE FRAMED.

4


A number of open-ended questions were also

presented to glean more qualitative type

information from those being interviewed.

5


: : SECTION ONE Profile of visitors to include:

- Gender

- Age

- Origin

- Arrival point

- County visited before and after Kerry

- Number of nights spent in Ireland and in Kerry

- Household income

- Number of visits to Kerry

- Number of people in the visiting party

: : SECTION TWOProfile of Kerry as a tourism destination to include:

- Primary reasons for visiting Kerry

- Primary influences in choosing Kerry as a

destination

- Awareness of the county prior to visit

- Tourist information offices visited in Kerry

- An evaluation of the service standard of the

various tourist information offices

: : SECTION THREEProfile of the tourism experience by the visitor to include:

- Accommodation types used

- Primary form of transport used

- Activities engaged in as part of the visit

- Paid attractions visited and perceptions of same

- Night-time entertainment engaged in and

perceptions of same

- Cultural aspects of Kerry of interest and

experienced by visitors

- Awareness of the Gaeltacht areas

- Overall evaluation of the tourist experience in Kerry

- Average spend per day (in various categories)

- Perceptions of Kerry as a ‘value for money’ destination

- Likelihood of revisiting Kerry and/or

recommending it to others

PROJECT BRIEF

SONRAÍ AN TIONSCADAIL

AT THE OUTSET IT WAS REQUESTED THAT THE STEERING GROUP AND ITT RESEARCH TEAM

REVIEW THE KERRY COUNTY TOURISM SURVEY, 1997 TO FACILITATE COMPARISON BETWEEN

FINDINGS FROM THIS REPORT AND FINDINGS FROM THE 2003 RESEARCH PROJECT.

THE MAIN INFORMATIONAL OBJECTIVES SPECIFIED BY THE RESEARCHERS AND THE STEERING

GROUP WERE AS FOLLOWS:

6


TABLE 1 LOCATION OF INTERVIEWS

Ballybunion Glenbeigh Tarbert

Ballyheigue Kenmare Tralee

Caherciveen Killarney Waterville

Castleisland Killorglin

Dingle Listowel

DATA COLLECTIONThe data collection method utilised was the structured

direct personal interview technique. This method was

deemed most suitable, as the length and complexity of

the questionnaire required the presence of an inter-

viewer to ensure its effective completion. This interview

technique also took cognisance of the fact that many

members of the population of interest were obviously

non-English speakers and therefore might need personal

assistance to understand and interpret questions.

In some exceptional cases, where circumstances dictated

it to be appropriate, respondents were permitted to

complete the questionnaire without the presence of the

interviewer.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

MODHEOLAÍOCHT TAIGHDE

POPULATION OF INTEREST AND SAMPLINGTo achieve the research objective and various informa-

tional objectives as stated, the population of interest

was identified as all tourists to County Kerry. A random

sample of this population of interest was selected. The

sampling method employed was the interuption of the

tenth person to pass the interview location after the

completion of the previous interview. Should this person

be inappropriate to the population of interest or choose

not to respond then the interviewer was instructed to

wait for the next tenth person.

The sample was stratified on the basis that interviews

were conducted at 13 sampling points throughout the

county, across all seven days of the week, covering all

times between 8.00am and 9.00pm, over a ten-week

period. The list of sampling points is shown in Table 1.

The chosen interview location in each town was at a point

of high pedestrian traffic to maximize both the number

of passing tourists and the safety of interviewers.

The sample size was determined from the typical size of

samples for similar studies and the use of a traditional

statistical model. Ultimately a total of 925 usable inter-

views were completed. This sample size means that all

types of the wide variety of tourists visiting the county

had an equal chance of being included in the sample.

7

QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGNThe design of a 34 question questionnaire was required

to achieve the informational objectives specified. To

standardise the responses and to minimise the possibility

of researcher interpretational errors at the analysis

stage, a structured questionnaire with mainly closed

questions was used. A variety of simple, balanced, ordinal

scales were employed to measure various attitudes. All

the questions were formed using words of common

usage and free from jargon and technical terms.

The objective in designing the questionnaire was to arrive

at a layout and wording that would be understandable

to potential respondents, would achieve an acceptable

response rate, and would fulfil the informational

objectives of the research.

The initial drafts of the questionnaire were presented

to the Research Steering Group for criticisms and

recommendations.These criticisms resulted in valuable

amendments. The final amended version was then pilot-

tested on a group of typical respondents and their

observations and criticisms were incorporated into the

final questionnaire. A copy of the final questionnaire is

presented in Appendix A to this report.

ANALYSIS OF DATAAll the data generated from the survey were analysed

using SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) - a

data analysis software package.

8


As shown in Figure 1 above, 51% of the respondents

were male and 49% female (439). This gives an

equitable gender balance in the sample.

In relation to the country of origin of those surveyed

24% originated from Britain, 22% from Ireland, 18.4%

from Germany and 14% from the USA. Italy, Northern

Ireland, France and Holland combined made up 18% of

the sample. Other European Union states represented

2% of the sample, while other countries worldwide

represented a further 2%. This breakdown is shown in

Figure 2.

In the 1997 County Kerry Tourism Survey the largest

number of visitors were from Ireland (the Republic and

Northern Ireland combined) at 31%, followed by the

United Kingdom at 23.2%, Europe at 19% and the

United States at 17.8%.

One third of overseas visitors in Kerry arrived in Ireland

through Dublin Airport. Shannon Airport with 15.8%

of arrivals is the second most important point of entry.

Of the 689 non-nationals interviewed in the survey 83

or 12% arrived in Ireland through Kerry Airport.

55.4% of those who arrived in Ireland through Kerry

Airport came from Germany. In comparison, only

31.3% of arrivals in Ireland through Kerry Airport orig-

inated from Britain despite the fact that the Kerry-

London route is much better established. It is apparent

from the survey findings that the introduction of

Ryanair’s Hahn-Kerry route has had a significant

beneficial effect on Kerry tourist numbers in 2003.

It is noticeable that tourists who arrived in Ireland

through Kerry Airport spent an average of 5.9 nights in

Kerry. This compares very favourably with tourists in

general spending 4.5 nights on average in Kerry.

In addition, it can be seen that tourists who arrived in

Kerry through Kerry Airport have a higher average

household income than tourists who arrive in Ireland

through other arrival points. 55.4% of those arriving at

Kerry airport have an average income of less than

€40,000 compared to 62.6% of all tourists, while

20.8% of those arriving at Kerry Airport have an

average household income of greater than €60,000

compared to 11.9% of all tourists in the county. On

average, tourists who arrive through Kerry Airport have

a household income of approximately €40,000. This

is up to 10% more than the average household income

of all tourists in Kerry.

In total 70.7% of respondents arrived in Ireland by air,

while 29% of respondents arrived by seaport. Dublin

port was the most popular access route, facilitating

10% of respondents, while 9% arrived through

Rosslare and Dunlaoire. 1% of respondents arrived in

Ireland via Cork port. (See Figure 3).

PROFILE OF VISITORS

PRÓFÍL NA DTURASÓIRÍ

SECTION ONE RANNÓG 1

9


In the 1997 survey, Dublin Airport was also the main

point of entry at 32.2%, followed by Shannon Airport

at 20.2% and Rosslare Ferry Port at 14.8%. In contrast

to the 2003 survey, Kerry Airport in 1997 was the

point of entry for only 2.9% of the county’s visitors.

To profile the travel pattern of tourists in Kerry,

respondents were questioned on the counties visited

prior to Kerry, while also asked to indicate the county

to which they intended to travel next. This information

is presented in Figure 4 and Figure 5. It is apparent from

these figures that tourists to Kerry are more likely to

enter the county from a northern position and then

travel south.

It is particularly noticeable that 20% of tourists to

Kerry arrive from Cork, while 28% of Kerry tourists

leave to travel to Cork.

A two or three night stay is the most popular holiday

duration for tourists in Kerry. 51% of the county’s

tourists only stay that length in the county. 22% of

respondents spent more than a week in the county. On

the other hand 59% of tourists in Kerry who also

holiday elsewhere in Ireland spend seven or more

nights in the country. The most popular stay-length in

Ireland is seven nights.

FIGURE 1 GENDER OF RESPONDENTS

FIGURE 2 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN OF VISITORS

FIGURE 3 ARRIVAL POINT OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS

FIGURE 4 COUNTY VISITED PRIOR TO KERRY

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Overall tourists on average spend 7.64 nights on

holiday in Ireland while those holidaying in Kerry

spend an average of 4.5 nights. People who holiday in

Ireland and who spend part of that holiday in Kerry on

average spend 8.05 nights in Ireland of which they

spend 3.04 nights in Kerry. People who holiday in

Kerry however, but visit no other part of Ireland spend

6.09 nights in the county.

Figure 8 above shows the age profile of visitors to Kerry.

It indicates that the county attracts all age-groups rel-

atively evenly.

Sixty-three per cent of respondents reported their

household income as being less than €40,000 while

11% have a household income of more than €60,000.

� 40% of respondents were travelling as part of a

package holiday

� 19% of respondents were travelling as part of a

couple

� 19% of respondents were travelling with friends

� 18% of respondents travelling with family

� 5% of respondents were travelling on their own

Sixty-five percent of respondents were on a first visit to

Kerry. Conversely, 35% were on a repeat visit to the

county, a figure that includes 16% making at least their

4th trip. This implies that Kerry is attracting back just

over one third of all our visitors for a second visit.

Taking into account that a certain percentage of these

repeat visitors are Irish people living abroad or those

with a second/holiday home in the county, the figure is

disappointing and below the national figure of 40% - a

figure which excludes Irish born visitors (Fáilte Ireland,

2002).

FIGURE 6 NIGHTS ON HOLIDAY IN IRELAND

FIGURE 7 NIGHTS ON HOLIDAY IN KERRY

FIGURE 8 AGE OF RESPONDENTS

FIGURE 5 COUNTY RESPONDENTS INTEND TO VISIT AFTER KERRY

11


Developing repeat business is important for the

long-term viability of tourist destinations and the

statistics indicate that Kerry is underachieving in this

vital area. In this context, however, it should be noted

that despite the current low-performance in generating

repeat business 94.6% of respondents stated that

they would revisit Kerry. In addition 98% of respon-

dents suggest that they will recommend Kerry to

friends as a tourist destination.

The highest percentage of those on a first visit to

the county is between the ages of 45-59 while the

propensity for repeat visits is greatest in the 30-44

age group.

The origin of tourists is also important as this assists

with evaluating the effectiveness of current marketing

campaigns and directing campaigns of the future. The

largest proportion of first time visitors to Kerry was

from Northern Ireland, from where 92.5% of visitors

to Kerry were visiting for the first time. This is followed

by Italy at 91.7%. In relation to the repeat business

sector, it is Britain at 39.4%, USA at 22.6% and France

at 20.6% that have the greatest tendency to revisit

Kerry.

Linked to this question was the issue of awareness of

Kerry. Respondents on a first visit to Kerry were asked

if they had heard of the county before arriving. 83%

stated that they had heard of the county before

holidaying in the region, indicating a high level of

awareness of Kerry as a potential tourism destination

among those who have not visited the county previously.

The statistics reveal that it is females in the 60+ cate-

gory that had the greatest awareness of the county.

FIGURE 9 HOUSEHOLD INCOME LEVEL OF RESPONDENTS

FIGURE 10 NUMBER OF VISITS TO KERRY

FIGURE 11 AWARENESS OF KERRY BEFORE ARRIVAL IN COUNTY

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95% of visitors surveyed (845 respondents) stated

that their primary reason for visiting Kerry was for a

holiday only. Other motivations given for visiting the

county were to visit friends and relatives - 2.4%, on

business or conference tourism - 2% and for educational

purposes - 1%.

The 'Holiday Only' reason for visiting Kerry was partic-

ularly marked among the Italian (100%) and Northern

Ireland (100%) segments followed closely by the USA

(97.6%), Germany (96.8%) and Holland (94.4%).

Table 2 presents the main reasons for visiting Kerry

as given by respondents in the 1997 and shows a

comparison with the 2003 survey.

Respondents identified the three primary influences in

choosing Kerry as a destination as follows:

1. Recommendation from a Friend or Relative (42%)

2. Information in a Tour Brochure (16%)

3. Recommendation from a Travel Agent (16%)

Of particular note for the industry is the important role

that informal, word-of-mouth marketing plays in

influencing the survey respondents' choice of Kerry as

a tourism destination. ‘Recommendation from friend or

relative’ tells us that a family member or friend played a

part in the decision of 41.6% of respondents to visit

Kerry. 1

This can be both positive and negative. Positively, it is

a powerful marketing tool that supplements the formal

marketing carried out by the Tourist Board, statutory

agencies and private operators. However, it is also this

informality that makes it uncontrollable and therefore

volatile. As much as a good recommendation will entice

visitors, a negative one (for any reason) may have the

opposite effect. This highlights the importance of

meeting and surpassing the expectations of every

visitor to encourage positive feedback.

The primary influences in choosing Kerry as a tourism

destination are shown in Table 3.

1 It is unclear who these family or friends are and where they are from. A wife who tells her husband of a suggestion by a travel agent or an article on Kerry in a

tour brochure could technically be relevant to all categories above. Similarly, in an effort to fully understand the information it is necessary to know if these family

and friends are here in Kerry or are they recommending the product after sampling it as tourists themselves. More detailed, follow-up research needs to be carried

out to determine the details of each category.

PROFILE OF KERRY AS A TOURISM DESTINATION

PRÓFÍL CHIARRAÍ MAR CHEANN SCÍBE TURASÓIREACHTA

SECTION TWO RANNÓG 2

TABLE 2PRIMARY REASONS FOR VISITING KERRY

Main Reasons for Visiting Kerry 1997 Main Reasons for Visiting Kerry 2003

Holiday and Pleasure 81.2% Holiday Only 94.6%

Visiting Friends and Relatives 5.8% Visiting Friends and Relatives 2.4%

Business and Conference 6.9% Business and Conference 2.0%

Day Trip 4.2% Education 1.0%

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TABLE 4TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES VISITED

Visited TIO Yes Yes % No No %

Tralee 138 15 787 85.1

Killarney 139 15 786 84.9

Dingle 89 10 836 90.4

Caherciveen 5 .5 920 99.5

Kenmare 13 1.4 912 98.5

Listowel 10 1.1 915 98.9

Waterville 6 .6 919 99.4

Ballybunion 10 1.1 915 98.9

Table 4 above shows the distribution of respondents'

visits to the Tourist Information Offices in the county.

The survey reveals that the information offices of

Killarney and Tralee received the most visits with 15%

each, followed by Dingle with 10%. Visits to all the

other listed Tourist Information Offices were under

10%. In Tralee, it was the British followed by the Irish

and American visitors that were the most frequent

consumers of the service, while in Killarney the British,

German and Irish were the predominant visitors to the

office.

TABLE 3

PRIMARY INFLUENCES IN CHOOSING KERRY AS A DESTINATION

Primary Influence No. of Respondents Overall%

Recommendation from a Friend or Relative 385 41.6

Tour Brochure 150 16.2

Recommendation from a Travel Agent 146 15.8

Internet 134 14.5

Recommendation from an Irish Resident 132 14.2

Article in Book/Magazine 116 12.5

Feature on a Travel Programme 94 10.2

Other 67 7.3

Recommendation from another Tourist 63 6.8

Irish Tourism Board (ITB) Advertising 48 5.2

Gael Saoire 4 .4

* Percentages add up to more than 100 due to multiple responses

From among the list of influencers provided survey

respondents identified Gael Saoire as having the

least influence on their choice of Kerry as a tourism

destination. There seems to be a general lack of

awareness of the campaign and understanding of the

term, made all the more significant given the presence

of the Gaeltacht area in Kerry.

14


Given the relative size and importance of Tralee and

Killarney in Kerry tourism, it is expected that they

would receive the greatest number of visitors to their

information offices.

Respondents were also asked to identify the Tourist

Information Office they had visited most recently and

to rate it against three standard service criteria:

friendliness of staff, knowledge of staff and location of

office. The results make encouraging reading for the

local industry, as the satisfaction rating was particular-

ly high overall. However, of some concern is the fact

that almost one in every four respondents described

‘knowledge of staff ’ as being ‘Fair’ to ‘Very Poor’. Given

the nature and role of the tourist information office

this issue needs to be addressed in future staff

selection and training programmes.

In relation to each of the other three Tourist

Information Offices, the Dingle office is clearly seen as

the superior office having achieved an average rating of

between ‘Good’ and ‘Very Good’ on all three criteria.

The Tralee office received an average rating of slightly

less than ‘Good’ on all three criteria. In comparison

with the other two offices the Tralee office is perceived

as least friendly, least knowledgeable, and of the

poorest location.

The Killarney office received an average rating of

slightly less than ‘Good’ in relation to friendliness and

knowledge of staff and better than ‘Good/Very Good’ in

relation to location of office. These findings are

presented in Tables 6 to 8 below.

TABLE 6FRIENDLINESS OF STAFF IN TIO’S

Good/ Fair Poor/ Very Good Very Poor

Tralee 68.8% 19.6% 11.2%

Killarney 81.5% 12.3% 6.2%

Dingle 93.7% 4.2% 2.1%

TABLE 7KNOWLEDGE OF STAFF IN TIO’S


Tralee 72.1% 19.2% 8.7%

Killarney 76.9% 15.4% 7.7%

Dingle 89.6% 4.2% 6.3%

TABLE 8LOCATION OF TIO’S


Tralee 71.4% 18.1% 10.5%

Killarney 88.8% 11.3% 0.0%

Dingle 95.7% 4.3% 0.0%

TABLE 5

SATISFACTION RATINGS WITH TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES

Good/ Fair Poor/Very Good Very Poor

Friendliness of Staff 79.1% 13.6% 7.3%

Knowledge of Staff 76.5% 14.9% 8.5%

Location of Office 83.0% 12.2% 4.8%

15


THE FINDINGS REGARDING THE OPINION OF TOURISTS IN RELATION TO INDIVIDUAL TOURIST

INFORMATION OFFICES ALSO MAKES INTERESTING READING. AN INSUFFICIENT NUMBER OF

RESPONDENTS OFFERED A RATING OF THE OFFICES IN BALLYBUNION, CAHERCIVEEN,

KENMARE, LISTOWEL OR WATERVILLE TO SUPPORT ANY STATISTICAL ANALYSIS. THEREFORE

THESE OFFICES ARE EXCLUDED FROM FURTHER ANALYSIS IN THIS REGARD.

16


The survey also evaluated the accommodation usage in

the county and tested satisfaction ratings with basic

service provision in that sector. Respondents identified

the type of accommodation used the previous night

and rated it on five standard service criteria: efficiency

of staff, cleanliness, friendliness of staff, quality and

range of food, and price.

Hotels were the most popular form of accommodation,

used by 49% of respondents. This was followed by

Guest House accommodation, catering for 23% of

tourists. The full details are shown in Figure 12.*

The findings suggest a high satisfaction rating with all

accommodation types in relation to efficiency and

friendliness of staff, cleanliness, and quality and range

of food.

The responses in relation to price should be particularly

noted. The statistics show that almost 27% of respon-

dents considered the price of their accommodation to

be less than ‘Good’. The issue of competitiveness of

Irish tourism is an important one and is very much part

of the current debate within the industry and it clearly

has repercussions for the long-term future of the

tourism in the county.

PROFILE OF THE TOURISM EXPERIENCE PRÓFÍL AN TAITHÍ TURASÓIREACHTA

SECTION THREE RANNÓG 3

*It should be considered that clients may be unaware of the nuances of certain categories, e.g. Town and Country Home

and Farmhouse Accommodation, and may have included them in the Guest House category.

FIGURE 12

Previous Night Accommodation

TABLE 10 CLEANLINESS OF ESTABLISHMENT


Self-Catering 93.8% 0.0% 6.3%

Camping/Caravanning 92.9% 7.1% 0.0%

Guest House 92.6% 4.9% 2.5%

Town/Country House 90.5% 9.5% 0.0%

Hotel 89.5% 8.3% 2.3%

Farmhouse 80.0% 20.0% 0.0%

Hostel 76.2% 18.6% 5.1%

17

As Table 9 shows guesthouses are rated highest in relation to ‘Efficiency of Staff ’ by a substantial margin while

farmhouses received the lowest rating.

Self-catering accommodation, camping/caravanning, and guesthouses were rated best in relation to the perceived

cleanliness of the facility. Hostels and farmhouses received the lowest rating on cleanliness, though it should be

noted that nobody rated farmhouses in the ‘Poor’ or ‘Very Poor’ category in this respect.

TABLE 9 EFFICIENCY OF STAFF


Guest House 95.7% 2.4% 1.8%


Hostel 90.0% 8.3% 1.7%

Self-Catering 87.5% 0.0% 12.5%


Hotel 83.2% 11.4% 5.5%

Farmhouse 83.0% 0.0% 16.7%

THERE HAS BEEN MUCH DEBATE AND COMMENTARY REGARDING THE IRISH ‘FÁILTE’ AND THE

OVERALL FRIENDLINESS OF STAFF IN THE TOURISM/HOSPITALITY SECTOR. IT IS ENCOURAGING TO

NOTE THE HIGH SATISFACTION LEVEL OF VISITORS TO KERRY IN RELATION TO THIS FACET OF THE

LOCAL TOURISM INDUSTRY.

18


Table 11 shows that by a substantial margin the staff of

farmhouses were rated the friendliest of all staff in the

accommodation sector. Indeed respondents were

unanimous that farmhouse staff members are ‘Good’ or

‘Very Good’ in terms of friendliness.

Farmhouses also received the highest rating for the

quality and range of food they provide. Again,

respondents were unanimous in rating farmhouses

‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’ in this regard. Not surprisingly,

given that they are not established for the provision of

food, the self-catering sector and hostel sector

received the lowest rating. Somewhat surprisingly, and

of much concern, the hotel sector received the next

lowest rating.

Overall the perception of accommodation prices in

Kerry received the lowest rating of the five criteria.

Self-catering, farmhouses, and hostels received the

highest rating in this regard while in contrast town/

country houses received the lowest rating. Indeed 48%

of their guests award the prices charged by town/

country houses with a less than positive rating.

TABLE 12 QUALITY AND RANGE OF FOOD


Farmhouse 100% 0.0% 0.0%

Guest House 91.9% 6.2% 1.9%



Hotel 80.9% 13.5% 5.6%

Hostel 79.4% 12.8% 7.7%

Self-catering 66.7% 16.7% 16.7%

When the tourists’ perception of accommodation prices is analysed across the county it produces

interesting findings as presented in Table 14. A clear divide exists between North Kerry (the Shannon

Development region) and South Kerry (the Cork-Kerry Tourism region) in relation to the perception of

accommodation prices. When listed in order of the average rating given by tourists of the nine towns

analysed, with Dingle as mid-point, the four North Kerry towns - Ballybunion, Castleisland, Tralee,

Ballyheigue - occupy the top four places while the four South Kerry towns - Kenmare, Killarney, Killorglin,

and Caherciveen - occupy the bottom four places.

TABLE 13 PRICE OF ACCOMMODATION


Self-catering 81.3% 12.5% 6.3%

Farmhouse 80.0% 20.0% 0.0%

Hostel 79.0% 17.5% 3.5%

Guest House 78.9% 18.0% 3.1%


Hotel 69.6% 23.5% 6.9%


TABLE 11 FRIENDLINESS OF STAFF


Farmhouse 100.0% 0.0% 0.0%

Guest House 95.1% 3.0% 1.8%



Hotel 86.2% 9.1% 4.7%

Hostel 82.8% 17.2% 0.0%

Self-catering 77.8% 11.1% 11.1%

19


Table 14 shows that 67% of respondents who spent

the previous night (of being surveyed) in Caherciveen

have a negative impression of the prices charge for

accommodation there. This rating clearly positions

Caherciveen as being seen by tourists as the most

expensive town in the county.

* A value of 5 indicates a rating of ‘Very Good’, 4 indicates

‘Good’ while 3 indicates ‘Fair’.

Note: The survey produced sufficient responses only

from the towns included in the table to support valid

statistical analysis.

Given the importance of the sector to the tourism

industry of the county it should be noted that on each

of the five criteria the hotel sector received a relatively

low rating.

85.4% of survey respondents primarily used one of

three forms of transport while in Kerry. These were:

� Organised private coach

� Own car

� Self drive hired car/minibus

It should be noted that signposting, traffic congestion

and infrastructure received negative evaluations by

respondents in this survey and given the high levels of

car/coach usage, this feedback is of continuing

concern.

Respondents were asked to identify which activities

they had or would engage in while visiting Kerry. The

results are shown in Table 15.

TABLE 15ACTIVITIES ENGAGED IN BY THE VISITOR

ACTIVITIES NO. OF PARTICIPANTS

Sightseeing 694

Historical/Cultural Sites 451

Shopping 429

Walking/Hiking 281

Cycling 83

Watersports 80

Cruising/Boating 61

Golfing 58

Pony Trekking/Horse-riding 34

Fishing/Angling 24

Language Learning 20

Genealogy 17

The majority of visitors (79%) engaged in sightseeing

activities. This confirms that the county’s natural

beauty is the most significant attraction for tourists.

However, being free, easily accessible, and ‘open-all-

hours,’ the natural environment is one which is most

susceptible to damage. As the county’s most popular

tourism ‘product’ it is imperative that the environment

is maintained, while at the same time retaining ease of

access and ‘usability.’ To this end, traffic management,

signposting and the conditions of the roads all must

be addressed to enhance the visitor’s experience.

Similarly, the environment itself must be maintained

and protected.

Just under half of visitors surveyed (49%) visited

historical/cultural sites. Muckross House was the most

popular historical paid attraction and also featured as

the most impressive paid attraction in Kerry.

Muckross House was also identified as the most

popular paid visitor attraction in the 1997 County Kerry

Tourism Survey. It is also apparent from the research

conducted that a number of centres are attracting

insufficient numbers to ensure their long-term viability.

TABLE 14

PERCEPTION OF ACCOMMODATION PRICE ACROSS COUNTY KERRY

Good/ Fair Poor/ AverageVery Good Very Poor Rating*

Ballybunion 84.6% 15.4% 0.0% 4.2

Castleisland 84.6% 15.4% 0.0% 4.1

Tralee 76.5% 18.9% 4.6% 3.97

Ballyheigue 72.8% 18.2% 9.0% 3.95

Dingle 80.7% 19.3% 0.0% 3.9

Kenmare 64.3% 28.6% 7.1% 3.9

Killarney 69.3% 23.4% 7.3% 3.8

Killorglin 70.0% 10.0% 20.0% 3.7

Caherciveen 33.3% 55.6% 11.1% 3.3

20


that Siamsa Tíre was their most popular form of enter-

tainment. Siamsa Tíre features particularly highly with

German nationals, and highest with 45-59 year olds.

Six percent of visitors (54 respondents) attended

shows at the Irish National Events Centre (INEC). 10%

of those who attended the INEC said it was their most

enjoyable night.

* That the total % is less than 100 indicates that a

number of tourists did not participate in any night-time

entertainment in Kerry.

* In the 1997 survey, questions were not posed in relation

to the italicised attractions.

Pub entertainment was the most popular (66% of

respondents) and the most enjoyable (18% of respon-

dents) night-time entertainment. Only 2% of respondents

reported the pub experience to be their least enjoyable

evening activity (see Figure 13). Similarly in the 1997

survey, the most popular night-time entertainment was

pub based, with 48% of respondents stating this

experience as their preferred choice.

Pubs retain a particularly significant role as a source of

entertainment amongst visitors to the county. 13% of

respondents stated that it was within this setting they

experienced the aspects of culture they were most

interested in. Pubs also feature as the most enjoyable

entertainment with all nationalities. Good music, good

beer, good social life were all reasons recorded as to

why pubs were most enjoyable.

19% of respondents visited Siamsa Tíre, of whom

30% said it was their most enjoyable night-time

entertainment. This is a significant increase from the

1997 survey, where only 7% of respondents stated

TABLE 16 PAID ATTRACTIONS VISITED - 1997 AND 2003 RESEARCH*

ATTRACTION % VISITED 1997 % VISITED 2003

Muckross House 32% 45%

Dingle Ocean World 6% 14%

Aquadome 6% 14%

Geraldine Experience 7% 13%

Muckross Farms - 11%

Blasket Island Centre 4% 7%

Crag Cave 6% 5%

Derrynane House - 5%

Skellig Experience 3% 4%

Seanchaí - 1%

National Transport Museum - 1%

Fungi 8% .5%

Bowling Alley - .3%

FIGURE 13 NIGHT-TIME ENTERTAINMENT

21

Music was identified as the cultural aspect visitors are

most interested in when visiting Kerry. The survey shows

that 36% of respondents were interested in music and

22% were interested in history. Music was the most

important cultural aspect across all nationalities, with

45-59 year olds recorded as highest. History was most

popular among the 60+ age group. 9% of visitors

reported that the Irish Language was the cultural

aspect they were most interested in when visiting

Kerry. Irish Language was most popular with 15-29 and

45-59 year olds.

17% expressed no cultural interest. These results are

presented in Figure 14.

Half of the respondents surveyed reported having had

an opportunity to experience their preferred aspect of

culture while in Kerry.

41% of respondents visited a Gaeltacht area while in

Kerry. The Dingle Gaeltacht was identified as the most

popular destination. 17% of respondents did not know

whether they had been in a Gaeltacht area or not.

FIGURE 14 CULTURAL ASPECTS MOST INTERESTED IN

FIGURE 15 HAVE YOU VISITED A GAELTACHT AREA IN KERRY AND IRELAND

KERRY GAELTACHT IRISH GAELTACHT

22


QUESTION 20 presented respondents with a number

of criteria that sought to establish their rating of

their experience in relation to their expectations. A

three-item scale ranging from ‘Worse than Expected’, to

‘As Expected’ to ‘Better than Expected’ was used as the

measurement instrument.

This is a standard method of measuring perceived

quality in the service sector. Expectations serve as

standards against which subsequent experiences are

measured, resulting in evaluations of satisfaction level

or perceived quality.

In a tourist destination context these expectations are

typically based on:

� previous experience with the destination

� previous experience with a particular destination

� word-of-mouth

� promotional messages

� information from other sources

Though customer expectations are essentially pre-con-

sumption beliefs about a product or service, that serve

as the norms against which service performance will be

judged, it is nonetheless possible for service providers

to set expectations. These are real-time expectations

created during the service experience itself. They may

reinforce pre-existing ideas or they may dramatically

alter them. They can be set by something as explicit as

a promise or as implicit as a behaviour pattern that sets

a tone.

Measuring the gap between expectations and

perceptions of performance is not an actual measure-

ment of technical quality but of the quality of service

people perceive. Perception acts as a filter that moves

the perceived service level up or down. Perception is

itself influenced by the same factors that dictate

expectations.

In general the local tourism industry is meeting the

expectations of the tourists but is not giving them any

reason to postulate on behalf of the county as a tourist

destination. Of the 20-item construct presented four

items received a negative assessment or an expression

of dissatisfaction. A negative expression indicates that

the mean rating given in relation to a particular item

was ‘Worse than Expected’.

It is particularly notable that three of those four items

- signposting, traffic congestion, and infrastructure - are

the responsibility of local authorities rather than of the

tourism industry itself, or of the tourism authorities.

The fourth variable causing tourist dissatisfaction, and

over which the industry has direct and immediate

influence, is restaurant prices.

In assessing the implications of the negative opinion

expressed in relation to restaurant prices it should

be noted that the other price-related item -

Accommodation: Price was positively evaluated. Only

11.2% of respondents thought that accommodation

prices were ‘Worse than Expected’ compared to 26.4%

who felt that restaurant prices were ‘Worse than

Expected’. It should be remembered though; as

previously pointed out, that accommodation prices

are nonetheless a cause of concern among tourists,

and in some areas of the county more than others.


23

Table 17 shows the full comparison of tourist

experiences and expectations.

When the country of origin of the tourist is taken into

account, it can be seen that the Italians in general are

more likely to express dissatisfaction with the service

received than any other nationality. The Americans on

the other hand, and to a lesser extent the Germans, are

most likely to express satisfaction.

Italians were more likely to express dissatisfaction with

each of the following items than any other nationality:

� Range/Choice of Accommodation

� Quality of Accommodation

� Price of Accommodation

� Range of Activities

� Range of Restaurants

� Quality of Restaurants

The only issue on which Italians are more likely to

express satisfaction than others is on the availability of

tourist information offices.

Americans were more satisfied than other nationalities

in relation to:

� Range/Choice of accommodation

� Quality of accommodation

� Price of accommodation

(along with French and Northern Irish)

� Range of Restaurants (along with British)

� Availability of Tourist Information Offices

(along with Italians)

� Cleanliness

� Customer Service.

In relation to restaurants prices more than one in five

tourists of all nationalities suggested that prices were

worse than they had expected.

TABLE 17

EVALUATION OF EXPERIENCE VERSUSEXPECTATION OF KERRY TOURISTS

Worse than As Better thanExpected Expected Expected

Range/Choice of accommodation 4.6% 68.4% 27.1%

Quality of accommodation 3.0% 70.8% 26.2%

Price of accommodation 11.2% 72.9% 15.9%

Range/Choice of activities 4.2% 72.9% 22.9%

Range of restaurants 6.2% 75.1% 18.7%

Quality of restaurants 7.4% 74.3% 18.3%

Price of restaurants 26.4% 66.3% 7.3%

Availability of Tourist Information Offices 4.1% 79.8% 16.0%

Friendliness of people 1.8% 64.1% 34.0%

Cleanliness of surroundings 3.9% 69.2% 26.8%

Customer service 4.9% 72.9% 22.2%

Entertainment 1.9% 70.0% 28.1%

Culture/Heritage 2.3% 65.0% 32.8%

Signposting 24.2% 62.9% 12.9%

Traffic 17.8% 68.7% 13.5%

Infrastructure 12.6% 76.0% 11.4%

24

Gender does not seem to affect the respondents'

perceived quality of service. Only five items showed

any significant difference between the opinions of men

and women. Those five items are as follows:

Price of Restaurant: Significantly more men feel price

is ‘Worse Than Expected’.

Availability of TIO: Women report more disappoint-

ment with the availability of Tourist Information

Offices.

Customer Service: Women are more likely to perceive

the customer service received to be ‘Better than

Expected’ while men are more likely to be somewhat

disappointed.

Culture and Heritage: Men are more likely to report

an experience that is ‘Better Than Expected’.

Signposting and Accommodation: In addition it can

be noted that men are slightly more critical of the

standard of signposting in the county but are slightly

more positive to the price of accommodation.

The 15-29 age group was more likely to report a

‘Better Than Expected’ experience than other age

groups in relation to price of accommodation, range of

activities, and infrastructure.

The 30-44 age group was most likely to report a

‘Better Than Expected’ experience in relation to range/

choice of accommodation, and quality of accommoda-

tion.

The 45-59 age group most likely to report a ‘Better

Than Expected’ experience in relation to quality of

accommodation, range of restaurants, quality of

restaurants, and the availability of TIO. That age group

was however also most likely to report a ‘Worse than

Expected’ experience in relation to traffic congestion.

All age groups expressed dissatisfaction with

restaurant prices. Not surprisingly, given likely

disposable income, the 15-29 age group was most

likely to be disappointed.

One in three people reporting a ‘Better Than Expected’

experience in relation to the friendliness of the people

applies equally to all age groups.

25


The wealthier groups in the sample were more likely

to indicate a ‘Better Than Expected’ experience on all

items except those that are the responsibility of the

local authorities. In relation to those three items -

signposting, traffic congestion, and infrastructure - the

wealthier groups were more likely than others to suggest a

‘Worse Than Expected’ experience.

Those on lower income were least likely to report a

‘Better Than Expected’ experience and most likely to

report a ‘Worse Than Expected’ experience in relation to

entertainment.

QUESTION 31 sought to determine if respondents

would visit Kerry again. The answer to this question is

probably the ultimate measure of how well the industry

is performing. If the customer is sufficiently satisfied to

want to repeat the purchase or to recommend it to

family and friends then the industry’s marketing objec-

tives have been met.

In this regard Kerry tourism is performing particularly

well as the figure below indicates. (See figure 16)

The overwhelming majority of respondents - 94.8%

(828) - said they would revisit Kerry. Only 5.4% or 47

respondents said they would not.

It is particularly interesting that so few tourists will not

return despite the fact that so many tourists perceive

Kerry as offering less than good value for money as

outlined in Table 19. In this context it should be noted

that only one person cited ‘Too Expensive’ as a reason

for not returning.

Of the few who said they will not return 70.5% gave

reasons that are not within the control of the local

tourism industry such as ‘Prefer new places’, ‘being too

old’, or ‘being too far away’. Only 9 respondents (less

than 1% of all those interviewed) offered a negative

reason for not wishing to return to Kerry.

FIGURE 16 WOULD YOU VISIT KERRY AGAIN?

26


TABLE 18REASONS FOR RETURNING TO KERRY

Visiting Friends and Relatives 39 9.6%

Visit every year 15 3.9%

Scenery 148 36.5%

Friendly people 42 10.4%

Relaxing 37 9.1%

More to see 41 10.1%

Wonderful place 50 12.3%

Other 33 8.1%

TABLE 19REASONS FOR NOT RETURNING TO KERRY

Prefer new places 20 64.5%

Too old 1 3.2%

Too far away 1 3.2%

Too expensive 4 12.9%

Not much to see 1 3.2%

Boring 1 3.2%

Rose of Tralee 1 3.2%

Have visited more interesting places 1 3.2%

Poor touring/transport facilities 1 3.2%

98% of respondents would recommend Kerry as a

holiday destination to others. Only 16 respondents

would not recommend the county. Understandably, it

is the few who will not revisit Kerry for negative reasons

who will not recommend it to others.

QUESTION 33 sought to determine the value for

money that Kerry offers to the tourist. 65% of

respondents rate value for money in Kerry as being

‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’. However, the average value of

3.63 indicates that in terms of Value For Money Kerry

is perceived as somewhat less than ‘good’.

The final section of the questionnaire invited the

respondent to offer suggestions to the local tourism

industry in Kerry. Not surprisingly, having completed

a lengthy questionnaire, the vast majority of respondents

chose not to make any suggestion. 250 respondents

however availed of the opportunity. Of all the

comments offered only 20, or 8%, were positive or

complimentary of the county, the industry, or the

facilities. A further 30%, 77 comments, could be

described as advisory, while the remaining 62%, 156

comments, were critical or negative.

27


On average tourists spend 7.64 nights on holiday in

Ireland while those holidaying in Kerry spend an

average of 4.5 nights. People who holiday in Ireland

and who spend part of that holiday in Kerry on average

spend 8.05 nights in Ireland of which they spend 3.04

nights in Kerry. On the other hand people who holiday

in Kerry and visit no other part of Ireland spend 6.09

nights in the county. As an objective the Kerry-based

tourism industry should seek to increase the length of

stay of visitors in Kerry. A marginal increase of one extra

night would increase the tourists’ stay in the county to

50% of their holiday or to a total holiday of seven

nights. This marginal increase of only ‘one night extra’

is in fact an increase of 33% of those who also holiday

elsewhere and of 17% in the case of others. Such a

marginal increase would have a very significant impact

on the tourists’ level of expenditure in the county and

therefore in value to the general economy of the

county. Appropriate consideration should be given by

the industry to the methods by which this extra length

of stay could be achieved.

That 64.5% of respondents reported being on their

first visit to Kerry is a cause for some concern. It is

economically imperative that a business or business

sector generates repeat business. It is the level of care

and attention received by the tourist during his/her

Kerry-experience that determines whether or not s/he

will return to extend the experience. In this context

however it must be noted that 94.6% of respondents

said they would revisit Kerry, while 98.1% said they

would recommend it to a friend as a tourist destination.

That one in four (24%) visitors to Tourist Information

Offices in the county rate ‘knowledge of staff ’ as less

than ‘Good’ is unacceptably high. There is a need to

ensure that there is ongoing training of staff in the

tourists offices throughout the county, not just on the

main tourist attractions but on all aspects of the

county.

It should be noted that the figure for dissatisfaction

with the knowledge of staff increases to 28% in the

case of Tralee Tourist Information Office but decreases

to 11% in the case of the Dingle office. Overall, the

research points to a particular difficulty in relation to

the Tralee Tourist Information Office. This office

received a significantly lower rating in relation to

‘Knowledge of staff ’, ‘friendliness of staff ’ and ‘location

of office’. Given the importance of Tralee and the Tralee

Tourist Information Office to the county’s tourism

industry this issue requires urgent attention.

IMPLICATION OF THE RESEARCH

IMPLEACHTAÍ NA TAIGHDE

IT CAN BE CONCLUDED THAT TOURISM INDUSTRY IN THE COUNTY IS OPERATING TO A

REASONABLY HIGH STANDARD AND THE OUTLOOK IS ENCOURAGING. HOWEVER, THIS

SURVEY HAS IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF ISSUES WHICH REQUIRE CONSIDERATION:

�

�

�

�

Accommodation and restaurant prices are issues for

the industry. 27% of respondents consider price of

their accommodation to be less than ‘Good’. However

when asked to compare it with their expectations only

11.2% reported it to be worse than they expected.

This indicates that they did not find the price

unexpectedly high. Though they consider the price to

be high they knew this in advance. On the other hand

26.8% of respondents found restaurant prices to be

unexpectedly high. Tourists also reported a significant

price differential between North Kerry and South

Kerry, with the latter perceived as being significantly

more expensive.

Over 60% of tourists visiting Kerry have a household

income of less than €40,000. The average household

income is between €35,000 and €40,000. This is

higher, though not substantially so, than the €27,000

average industrial wage in Ireland. However it is only

marginally higher than the average industrial wage in

the United States of America and other European

Union countries indicating that Kerry is primarily

attracting the lower income groups with commensurate

lower spending power. The industry should consider

revising its objectives from a concentration on the

number of tourists to the economic profile of tourists

and the amount of money they can spend.

Tourists who arrive in Kerry through Kerry Airport on

average spend over 30% more time in Kerry than those

who arrive through other arrival points. In addition

those who arrive through the local airport have a

significantly higher average household income implying

that they have more money to spend while in Kerry. It

is apparent from this that the Ryanair initiative of

opening up the Kerry-Germany route should continue

to be encouraged and indeed the initiation of similar

routes should also be supported.

The standard of roads, signposting, and traffic man-

agement were generally criticised by tourists. These

were factors impacting on the tourists’ experience in

Kerry that failed to meet their expectations by a

significant margin. That these issues should continue

to be raised is unfortunate given that they were also

among the most significant negative points raised by

tourists in the County Kerry Tourism Survey - 1997. It

appears that no action has been taken as a result of

that earlier report. A number of recommendations

relating to this area (along with many facets of the

tourism industry) have been addressed as part of the

Kerry Initiative on Tourism and the Environment

(KITE). There is a need to review current progress on

same.

Word of mouth advertising plays an important role in

selling Kerry as a tourism destination and plays a

critical task in supporting the more formal marketing

of the county. The importance of word of mouth

advertising reinforces the importance of delivering a

quality experience to every visitor to encourage

positive feedback and referrals to intending visitors.

�

�

�

�

�

28


29

The research demonstrated that just over one third of

all visitors to Kerry return for a second visit, a statistic

below the national figure of 40%. The delivery of a

quality tourism experience that matches and exceeds

visitor expectations is one of the major mechanisms

to encourage more repeat business to the county.

Thus, the local tourism industry should attempt to

manage tourist expectations more effectively. This is

particularly important in relation to the expectations

of tourists from the more recently developed tourist

markets such as Italy who express a considerably

higher level of dissatisfaction. Tourists from the more

established markets such as the United States of

America and Great Britain tend to report a greater

likelihood of their expectations having been met.

There is an obvious lack of awareness and under-

standing amongst many of the overseas visitors to the

county about the Gaeltacht regions in Kerry. This extends

to Gaelsaoire the organisation set up to promote the

Gaeltacht regions as unique holiday destinations.

Those responsible for marketing the Gaeltacht regions

should consider the current levels of awareness and

any actions which could be taken to increase same.

The survey anticipates difficult times for some of the

county’s visitor attractions. It appears that the long-

term viability of some of these facilities is questionable

due to low visitor numbers. Any future attractions

proposed should be diligently assessed in relation to

market appeal and operational viability.

The report highlights the growing importance of the

internet as a marketing tool to manage the travel

experience. There is a need to ensure that tourism

interests in the county continue to embrace new

technologies in their promotional mix.

The majority of visitors engaged in sightseeing

activities confirming the county’s natural beauty as a

significant attraction for tourists. The susceptibility of

the natural environment is well recognised and this

asset must be constantly monitored and protected.

�

�

�

�

�

The research demonstrated

that just over one third of all

visitors to Kerry return for a

second visit, a statistic below

the national figure of 40%.

30


1. Where is your home?

Country

State/County

Nearest City

2. If visiting from abroad, where was your arrival point in Ireland?

AIRPORT FERRY PORT

Shannon Rosslare

Dublin Dun Laoghaire

Cork Cork

Kerry Dublin

Other (please specify)

3. What County (if any) did you visit immediately before visiting Kerry?

(e.g. Clare, Limerick, Dublin)

4. What county (if any) will you visit immediately after visiting Kerry?

(e.g. Clare, Limerick, Dublin)

5. On this trip did/will you visit any other countries?

Yes No If yes, where?

6. How many nights in total is your holiday? Nights

QUESTIONNAIRE CEISTNEOIR

APPENDIX AGUISÍN

31


7. How many nights will you spend in Kerry? Nights

Please tick this box if this was a day trip

8. How many nights will you spend in Ireland? Nights

9. Are you travelling ...

Independently OR Part of a Package Tour

No. in group No. in group

Please tick one of the following

Family Couple Alone With Friends

10. Age group of respondent

15 - 29 30 - 44 45 - 59 60 or over

11. Household Income:

€ $ £

Less than 20,000

20,001 to 40,000

40,001 to 60,000

60,001 to 80,000

80,000 or above

12. Is this your first visit to Kerry? Yes No

13. What was the primary purpose of your visit to Kerry?

Business Conference VFR Holiday only

Education (please specify what type)

32


14. If ‘Holiday Only’ Please indicate (in order of preference) the 3 primary influences in choosing Kerry

as a destination

A. Recommendation from:

Friends/Relative Irish Resident Tourist Office

Travel Agent Another Tourist

B. Irish Tourist Board Advertising

C. Tour Brochure

D. Feature on a Travel Programme

E. Article in Book/Magazine

F. Internet (please specify)

G. Gael Saoire

H. Other (please specify)

15. Which of the following tourist office(s) did you visit and which did you visit most recently?

Tralee Kenmare

Killarney Listowel

Dingle Waterville

Caherciveen Ballybunion

None

How would you rate the Tourist Office you visited?

Friendliness of Staff No Opinion Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

Knowledge of Staff No Opinion Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

Location of Office No Opinion Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

16. How many nights did/will you spend in each of the following types of accommodation in Kerry?

Hotel Friends and Relatives Guest House

Camping/Caravanning Farmhouse Hostels

Town and Country Home Other (please specify)

33


17. Where did you stay last night and how would you rate it?

Town:

Hotel Friends and Relatives Guest House

Camping/Caravanning Farmhouse Hostels

Town and Country Home Other (please specify)

Efficiency of Staff No Opinion Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

Cleanliness No Opinion Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

Friendliness of Staff No Opinion Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

Quality/Range of Food No Opinion Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

Price No Opinion Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

18. What primary form of transport are you using while in Kerry?

Own Transport: Car Motorbike Bicycle Other

Self Drive hired Car/Minibus

Organised Private Coach

Public Transport

Hired Bicycle


19. What activities did you engage in during your stay in Kerry?

Sightseeing Pony Trekking/Horse Riding

Visiting Historical/Cultural Sites Fishing/Angling

Walking/Hiking Golf

Cycling Water Sports

Genealogy Cruising/Boating

Language Learning: Irish English Shopping


20. What paid attraction(s) did you/will you visit?

Muckross House Geraldine Experience

Aquadome Skellig Experience

Muckross Farms Blasket Island Centre

Dingle Ocean World Crag Caves

Derrynane House Seanchaí (Kerry Literary

National Transport Museum & Cultural Centre)


34


21. Which attraction was most impressive and why?

22. Which attraction was least impressive and why?

23. What night time entertainment did/will you avail of in Kerry?

Siamsa Tíre INEC

Pub Entertainment Other (please specify)

24. Which was most enjoyable and why?

25. Which was least enjoyable and why?

26. Which Cultural aspect of Kerry if any are you particularly interested in? (please tick one)

Irish Language Music

Literature History

Dance None


27. Have you had an opportunity to experience it during your stay in Kerry?

Yes No

If yes, how?

If no, why not?

28. Have you/will you visit a Gaeltacht area?

In Kerry Yes No Don’t Know If yes, please specify

In Ireland Yes No Don’t Know If yes, please specify

29. Please rate your experiences of your visit to Kerry in relation to your prior expectations

Worse than expected As expected Better than expected

ACCOMMODATION

Range/Choice

Quality available

Price

ACTIVITIES

Range/Choice

RESTAURANTS

Range

Quality

Price

Availability of tourist offices

Friendliness of people

Cleanliness of surrounding

Customer Service

Entertainment

Culture and Heritage

Sign posting

Traffic Congestion

Infrastructure

30. On average, how much, in total, are you spending per day in Kerry?

31. Would you visit Kerry again? Yes No

If yes, why?

If no, why not?

32. Would you recommend Kerry as a holiday destination? Yes No

33. Please rate the value for money Kerry offers to the tourist:

No opinion Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

34. Have you any suggestion for the local tourism industry in Kerry?

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NOTES NOTAÍ

The Office of the Director of Community and Enterprise

County Buildings, Rathass, Tralee, Co. Kerry

Tel. 066 7183680

Fax. 066 7183678

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.kerrycdb.ie

The printing of this document was funded by Kerry County Council

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COUNTY KERRY TOURISM RESEARCH TAIGHDE … · 1 county kerry tourism research foreword brollach introduction from the tourism steering group of the kerry county development board this