RRC has been a leader in delivering custom travel and visitor data for more than 40 years. We specialize in actionable research that defines:
- Visitor profiles – who are your visitors (demographics and psychographics)?
- Visitor insights – what are visitor travel modes, length of stay, Net Promoter Score (NPS), drivers of destination choice, spending, etc.
- Visitor behavior – what are they doing in your destination?
- Visitor economic impacts – what are the direct, indirect and induced economic impacts from travel spending
- Resident sentiment – what do locals think about tourism and visitor impacts to their quality of life and the local economy
- Impacts of short-term vacation rentals – positive and negative for communities
- Special events – visitor feedback, economic impact and attendee profiles
- Air travel – current role and future opportunities in your destination
Visitor Profile Research
To promote a destination to high value visitors, the first step is to understand who your current visitors are and where they come from. Tools used by the RRC team to customize your visitor research program include:
- Intercept surveys done onsite during trips and special events
- Post-visit online surveys
- Panel studies to pinpoint specific visitor attributes
- Mobility (geolocation) data
- Social media monitoring to gauge visitor sentiments and track what they are posting online
Client Case Studies
RRC has worked with dozens of DMOs and public agencies to better understand their visitor profiles. Learn more by reading a few of our client case studies.
Economic Impacts of Tourism
Visitors are a vital economic engine and measuring the economic impacts of tourism is critical to justify funding and public support for DMOs. RRC’s team of economic experts uses the latest primary and secondary research tools to present direct, indirect and induced economic impacts of visitors in the local and regional economy.
- Intercept and post-visit surveys on visitor spending
- IMPLAN Economic Analysis
- RIMS II Economic modeling
- Local and secondary data resources
Find more information and view examples of our economic impact analysis research.
Resident Sentiment Research
More than ever, DMOs need to be sensitive to visitor impacts on local residents and how tourism affects the quality of life as well as the local economy. The RRC research team are experts at crafting surveys to glean how your residents feel about visitor impacts on:
- Congestion and traffic
- Community character
- The natural environment – trails, open space, beaches, etc.
- Special events and cultural assets in the community
- Housing
- The local economy and jobs, income and tax revenues generated by visitors
RRC has done resident sentiment research in a variety of destinations, including Denver, Sedona, Sun Valley, and Breckenridge.
Special Events Research
Festivals, races, concerts and sports tournaments all drive visitation. Understanding the geographic and demographic reach of events is critical to DMO planning as is quantifying economic impacts and investment ROI. The RRC team can deliver:
- Intercept and post-event surveys
- Attendee profiles – who is the audience and do they fit the target market
- Data on event and destination ratings
- Importance of events in driving visitation
- Spending data and economic impacts of events – direct, indirect and induced
Learn more about our special events research techniques and clients, including Denver, Breckenridge, and Estes Park.
Short-Term Rental Research
RRC is the leading provider of short-term rental (STR) and vacation research in the U.S. Our team has conducted dozens of studies on STR impacts. We use primary and secondary research tools to deliver objective local data on:
- STR economic impacts
- STR profiles and their role in the local lodging market vs. hotels
- Impacts of STRs on local and regional housing prices and supply
- Regulatory impacts on the STR and local lodging market
- Resident sentiments toward STRs (via surveys)
- Likely reaction of owners of vacation rentals to potential changes in STR regulations
- Conclusions on the role and impacts of STRs in local destination markets
Learn more about our short-term rental research and view client examples, including WMRA, Sedona, and Blaine County.
Air Travel User Research
Reliable air travel service is critical to most destinations and DMOs. RRC frequently conducts passenger research for local airport boards, municipalities, and DMOs. Our expert research team uses the data to:
- Evaluate trends and define the local passenger profile
- Assess the economic impact of air travelers in a local economy
- Evaluate opportunities to expand and improve local air service
Learn more about our air travel research.