Town of Provincetown

Visitor’s Survey

Summer 2005 and Spring 2006

DRAFT

Prepared for the MCC Adams Grant Task Force

and the Provincetown Economic Development Council by

This project is funded in part by the
Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

August 2006

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH

CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS

The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Center for Policy Analysis is a multidisciplinary research unit that promotes economic, social, and political development by providing research and technical assistance to client organizations. The Center for Policy Analysis offers custom designed research and technical analysis in the areas of economic development, public management, program evaluation, and public opinion for government agencies, non-profit organizations, private businesses, and educational institutions. The Center for Policy Analysis does not pursue a predetermined research agenda, but is a flexible research organization responding on a timely basis to the problems and issues identified by client agencies.

Clyde W. Barrow, Ph.D., Political Science

Director

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Philip Melanson, Ph.D., Political Science

Chairman of the Board & Senior Research Associate

David Borges, M.P.A., Public Administration Chris Eisenhart, Ph.D., English William Hogan, Ph.D., Economics

Senior Research Associate Senior Research Associate Senior Research Associate

Toby Huff, Ph.D., Sociology Susan Krumholz, J.D., Ph.D., Sociology Spencer Ladd, Ph.D., M.F.A., Design

Senior Research Associate Senior Research Associate Senior Research Associate

Jeffrey Robinson, M.P.A., Public Administration Robin A. Robinson, Ph.D., Social Welfare Gail Russell, M.S., Ed.D., Nursing

Senior Research Associate Senior Research Associate Senior Research Associate

Shawna E. Sweeney, Ph.D., Political Science Paul Vigeant, M.A., Public Administration Luther Wallin, M.R.P., Regional Planning

Senior Research Associate Adjunct Research Associate Senior Research Associate

EXECUTIVE STAFF

David Borges, M.P.A., Public Administration Nina Galipeau, B.A., Sociology

Senior Research Associate Research Associate

Andrea Davis, Sociology

Assistant to the Director

ADJUNCT RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

Jeffrey Robinson, M.P.A., Public Administration Paul Vigeant, M.A., Public Administration

UMass Dartmouth Controller SouthCoast Development Partnership

Correspondence and inquiries should be addressed to: Center for Policy Analysis, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747-2300 (telephone: 508-990-9660; fax: 508-999-8374).

Website URL: www.umassd.edu/cfpa

Principal Authors: David R. Borges, Clyde W. Barrow, and Nina Galipeau

The information and analysis in this report does not represent an official statement or view of the University of Massachusetts.

Polling and Program Evaluation Research Series No. 40

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Table of Contents

Executive Summary.......................................................................................... i

1.00...... Introduction........................................................................................ 1

2.00...... Methodology and Survey Tabulation................................. 2

2.10 Interviewer Training and Supervision............................................................. 2

3.00...... Survey Results...................................................................................... 3

3.10 State of residence/Purpose of Trip......................................................................... 3

3.11..... State of Residence......................................................................................................................... 3

3.12..... What is the purpose of your trip to Provincetown?........................................................... 4

3.20 How did you spend your time since arriving
in Provincetown?.................................................................................................................. 5

3.30 Results of Specific Cultural Offerings and Attractions................ 6

3.31..... Are you aware of the following cultural offerings and did you
visit any of them?......................................................................................................................... 6

3.32..... How important were the following in your coming to Provincetown?..................... 10

3.33..... To what extent did the following activities make your visit to
Provincetown more enjoyable or satisfying?..................................................................... 12

3.34..... As a result of visiting this attraction, are you more likely to
return to Provincetown?........................................................................................................... 14

3.40 How easy is it to get to the places that most
interest you in Provincetown?.............................................................................. 16

3.50 What type of transportation would be helpful
to get to the cultural attractions?.............................................................. 17

3.60 Does the signage in Provincetown help visitors
to find culutral attractions?.............................................................................. 18

3.70 Length of Stay/Lodging Data................................................................................. 19

3.71..... Do you primarily live off-Cape?............................................................................................. 19

3.72..... Are staying overnight in Provincetown?............................................................................ 19

3.73..... Are you staying elsewhere on the Cape?............................................................................ 19

3.74..... In which type of lodging are you staying?......................................................................... 20

3.80 Personal/Spending Information.......................................................................... 21

3.81..... How did you get to Provincetown?...................................................................................... 21

3.82..... Have you visited any other areas outside of Provincetown?........................................ 21

3.83..... What is Your Age?..................................................................................................................... 21

3.84..... Are there members of your party under the age of 18?.................................................... 22

3.85..... What is your approximate household income?................................................................ 22

3.86..... During your visit, how much would you estimate that you
and your party spent on the following?.............................................................................. 23

3.87..... How did you find out about Provincetown?..................................................................... 24

3.88..... Did you consider any alternative destinations when making
your travel plans?...................................................................................................................... 25

3.89..... What sources did you consult to find out more information
about Provincetown?................................................................................................................ 26

3.90 How satisfied are you with the following:............................................... 27

3.91..... What did you enjoy most about Provincetown?............................................................... 29

3.92..... What did you enjoy least about Provincetown?............................................................... 29

3.93..... What would you like to have in Provincetown that you did not find?...................... 29

Appendix A – Survey Instrument............................................................ 30

Appendix B – Respondent by Town......................................................... 39

Appendix C - What did you enjoy most about
Provincetown?................................................................................... 41

Appendix D - What did you enjoy least about
Provincetown?................................................................................... 45

Appendix E - What would you like to have in
Provincetown that you did not find?............................... 49

Executive Summary

The Center for Analysis at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth was retained to conduct a survey of Provincetown’s visitors. Results from the survey will be used to develop marketing strategies that focus on the links between Provincetown’s cultural assets and the goals of increasing participation rates in cultural endeavors and increasing business at local establishments, such as restaurants, lodging facilities, and shops. This report includes data from surveys that were administered in the summer of 2005 (N=253) and spring of 2006 (N=328) . A third survey will be conducted in the fall of 2006.

Results include:

· Respondents reside in twenty-nine different states, Puerto Rico, and eight foreign countries. The highest percentages of respondents from both samples live in Massachusetts, although a much higher percentage of spring respondents (44.1%) are from Massachusetts in comparison to summer respondents (30.1%).

· The highest percentage of respondents from both the spring and summer surveys indicate that the purpose of their trip is for vacation, entertainment/sightseeing, outdoor activities, and visiting friends/relatives. Respondents are least likely to be visiting to take a class, attend a conference/seminar, to conduct business, or for cultural activities. A higher percentage of summer respondents indicate that the purpose of their trip is for vacation (79.4%) in comparison to spring respondents (55.5%).

· Respondents were asked how they have spent their time since arriving in Provincetown. The highest percentage of both spring and summer respondents indicate that they have spent their time in Provincetown dining, shopping, sightseeing, and participating in outdoor activities. A higher percentage of summer respondents indicate that they had gone sightseeing, engaged in outdoor activities, went on a whale watch, and attended the theater in comparison to spring respondents.

Results of Specific Cultural Offerings and Attractions

· Respondents were asked if they were aware of various cultural offerings in Provincetown, if they had visited these attractions, and if the attractions were easy to find. Respondents from both the spring and summer are most aware of Provincetown’s art galleries, the Pilgrim Monument and Museum, and the Provincetown Theater, while they are least aware of Campus Provincetown and Great Music – Sundays at Five. Importantly, a majority of respondents are aware of only three venues of the twelve listed in the survey.

· As one might expect, respondents were most likely to have visited or planned to visit the cultural offerings that they know most about. Similarly, the more popular the cultural offering, the more likely that respondents were able to find it easily.

· Respondents from both the spring and summer surveys indicate that the most enjoyable/satisfying activities were the Pilgrim Monument and Museum, art galleries, the Art Association and Museum, WOMR, the Portuguese Festival, and the Provincetown Theater. Higher percentages of summer respondents indicate that the Art Association and Museum, the Provincetown Theater, and WOMR made their visit more enjoyable and satisfying in comparison to spring respondents. Conversely, higher percentages of spring respondents indicate that Great Music – Sundays at Five, the International Film Festival, and the Truro Center for the Arts made their visit more enjoyable and satisfying in comparison to summer respondents.

· The most important reason for respondents’ coming to Provincetown are Provincetown’s history, the art galleries, the Pilgrim Monument, the Provincetown Theater, and the Fine Arts Work Center. A higher percentage of summer respondents indicate that the Pilgrim Monument and art galleries were more important in their decision to come to Provincetown in comparison to spring respondents. Other differences are within each survey’s margin of error.

· Respondents were asked if they are more likely to return to Provincetown as a result of visiting an attraction. More than forty percent of respondents from both the spring and summer surveys indicate that they are more likely to return to Provincetown because of its art galleries, Pilgrim Monument and Museum, Portuguese Festival, Provincetown Theater, and Art Association and Museum. Higher percentages of summer respondents indicate that they are more likely to return to Provincetown because of the Pilgrim Monument and Museum, Provincetown Theater, Truro Center for the Arts at Castle Hill, and WOMR in comparison to spring respondents. Conversely, higher percentages of spring respondents indicate they are more likely to return because of Great Music – Sundays at Five and the Portuguese Festival.

· More than sixty percent of respondents from both the spring and summer surveys find it very easy to get to the places that most interest them in Provincetown. Only small percentages of respondents indicate that it is not easy to find the places that most interest them.

· More than seventy percent of respondents from both the spring and summer surveys agree that the signage in Provincetown helps visitors to find cultural attractions.

Length of Stay/Lodging Data

· More than eighty percent of both spring and summer respondents live off Cape. More than half of spring respondents (56.1%) and 46.7 percent of summer respondents indicate that they were staying overnight in Provincetown.

· The average length of stay in Provincetown is 9.0 days for spring respondents and 13.5 days for summer respondents. Of respondents who are staying overnight, 93.1 percent of spring respondents and 88.2 percent of summer respondents live off-Cape.

· More than a third (33.9%) of spring respondents and 51.8 percent of summer respondents stayed elsewhere on the Cape. The average length of stay was 3.9 days for spring respondents and 10.8 days for summer respondents. Thus, the majority of survey respondents are either staying in Provincetown or somewhere else on Cape Cod and are not simply visiting the Provincetown or Cape Cod for the day.

· There are significant differences between the spring and summer samples in terms of the types of lodging occupied by respondents. Nearly a third (32.1%) of summer respondents stayed in a hotel/motel, compared to 13.9 percent of spring respondents. In contrast, 41.0 percent of summer respondents stayed in a private home compared to 23.5 percent of spring respondents.

Personal and Other Information

· A majority of respondents from both surveys arrived in Provincetown by motor vehicle, although a much higher percentage of spring respondents (90.1%) arrived by motor vehicle in comparison to summer respondents (79.6%). Summer respondents (7.5%) were more likely to take the ferry in comparison to spring respondents (3.9%).

· A majority of respondents from both the spring (79.6%) and summer (83.5%) surveys have visited an area outside of Provincetown during their stay.

· More than half of respondents from both the spring (55.8%) and summer (55.3%) surveys are between the ages of 35 to 55.