Each year Tourism New Zealand commissions independent research
to gain a sense of how satisfied our international visitors are
with the holiday experience New Zealand provides.
Making sure that international visitors have an enjoyable
experience is key to the future of the tourism industry. Visitors
that have the experience of a lifetime while on holiday in New
Zealand are more likely to recommend the destination to other
people or return for a second visit themselves.
Conducted annually, the Visitor
Experience Monitor (VEM) provides a benchmark for the New
Zealand tourism industry from which to improve the experiences it
offers visitors.
Summary
Satisfaction with a New Zealand holiday was extremely high among
US visitors in 2010/11. US visitors' satisfaction rating of 9.4 out
of 10 is the highest of all the major markets. This level of
satisfaction is stable compared to a year ago.
Visitors from the US were most satisfied with the activities they
did while in New Zealand and equally satisfied with the New Zealand
environment, rating both of these components 9.4 out of 10. The
area where US visitors were least satisfied was food and beverage
which was given an average rating of 8.2 out of 10. The low score
food and beverage received was primarily led by price especially at
supermarkets and fast food outlets. Quality of food and beverage
did not seem to be an issue, of which US visitors rated relatively
highly.
In terms of determining overall satisfaction, activities had the
largest bearing for US visitors with this component making up 42
per cent of overall satisfaction. The next most important
determinant of overall satisfaction was the New Zealand environment
which makes up 21 per cent of overall satisfaction.
In 2010/11 US visitors travelled to New Zealand for a shorter
amount of time and participated in fewer activities, which has been
driven by smaller travel budgets and also a change in visitor mix
from younger independent travelers to older less independent
travelers.
Reflective of this, hotels and coach tours were more heavily used,
with cheaper forms of accommodation less likely to be used.
For further information on the US market download the US VEM
Market Summary below.