What kind of traveller are you?

I’m going to take you on a road of self-discovery a road that will lead you to understanding what type of traveller you are and how you make your travel decisions. Gone are the days that tourism operators only market to travellers based on their demographics (age, gender and income); they are now delving deeper into your psychographics. This looks closer at your personal beliefs, social values, and views of the world. This is what can drive you to choose a destination or the activities that are offered.

Where should I eat? Where am I going to spend March break? How much money should I spend on accommodations? These are just a few of the questions a traveller needs to find answers to before spending their hard-earned money on a trip. Well, little did you know that operators, provinces and even countries are targeting you specifically based on your psychographics. One way that operators in Nova Scotia and Canada find this information is through Destination Canada. This is the nation’s lead marketing organization in the country. They are responsible for marketing Canada to the world. And, some time ago they developed a tool called the Explorer Quotient which gathers information about incoming travellers to Canada, what they are looking for, and how they seek it out.

Recently the Nova Scotia Tourism Agency announced that they have adopted this tool to help tourism operators better understand prospective customers. This tool can help enrich tourism products and experiences, which in turn helps operators develop the best marketing and advertising tools to reach their specific target markets … that’s you!

I know, I know it all sounds a bit boring. Here is the fun part of it all. You can take a quiz online that will ask you travel-related questions about your likes and dislikes. In turn it will respond to you through email about what type of traveller you are. It really is interesting as it outlines some of Canada’s special activities and locations that best suit your travel interests. Here is the quiz website https://quiz.canada.travel/caen.

If you take the quiz and you are one of these types of travellers (Free Spirit, Cultural Explorer and Authentic Experiencers), you hit the jackpot here in Nova Scotia. That’s because the Nova Scotia Tourism Agency is targeting these three visitor segments in their new strategic plan. That means lots of great fun activities for you to do.

Free Spirit – They like to feel pampered and enjoy the finer things in life. They love to escape life and see the main attractions. Check out: Trout Point Lodge or Cabot Links.

Cultural Explorer – They want to blend in and share their experiences with others. They love fun but they want to learn as well. Check out: Fortress Louisburg or Amos Pewter.

Authentic Experiencer – They don’t like crowds, and they love to discover things “off the beaten path.” No itinerary needed, they like to do their own thing. Check out: Cape Breton Highland Park or Meander River Farm.

Nicole Robinson is on the faculty of Tourism Management at NSCC Kingstec, and is host of Eastlink’s Nova Scotia’s Best, a travel show highlighting all things awesome in Nova Scotia.