Park County Travel's Claudia Wade revealed the results of 1130 intercept surveys conducted with summer visitors at Monday's (12/12/05) Cody Club meeting. The surveys were completed during June through September and were conducted in various locations in Cody and Yellowstone National Park. The survey was funded by The Park County Travel Council, Buffalo Bill Historical Center and Xanterra Parks & Resorts.
In general, nearly half of all travel parties were couples over 45 years old, with college degrees and annual incomes up to $90,000. An affluent, educated customer is good for our economy but this discovery caused some concern because there are far fewer families visiting our area than had been assumed.
Other revelations:
* 50 percent of all visitors had been to Cody before during the last ten years
* More than half of all visitors enter our area from the West and South entrances of Yellowstone. The next largest number (17%) enter the area from Greybull
* Most travelers arrive in Cody in their own car or RV
* 11% of all Cody visitors arrive in an RV
* 8% of visitors fly right into Cody but most flyers still fly into Jackson or Salt Lake before renting a car and driving to Cody
* The average stay in the Cody/Yellowstone area is 4.93 nights
* 47% of visitors spend at least one night in Cody
* 70% of all Cody visitors researched their trip using the Internet
* 40% of all information gathered by visitors comes from front line staff at lodging, restaurants, merchants and attractions