St. Louis-based destination design firm PGAV Destinations has published its latest study, Brand Destinations: The Power of Place.
The nationwide survey explores one of the fastest-growing segments of the tourism market and how these destinations impact long-term customer engagement.
“As companies around the world expand and explore new ways to engage their target markets beyond their 
core products and services, dedicated experiences celebrating those companies are becoming more and more common, ” said Mike Konzen, principal and chair of PGAV Destinations.
“For those who already have their favourite brands, these destinations serve as bucket-list destinations for full-brand immersion; while at the same time, we’re seeing these destinations as tipping points for consumers on the fence regarding their go-to brands.”
The report begins with an interview with Julia Mize, vice president of beer category + community for Anheuser-Busch, which manages over 200 brand destinations around the world.
When asked how brand destinations have impacted Anheuser Busch, Mize responded, “We’re able to pair these guest insights [which we collect at our destinations] along with our lessons from a wide range of brands and continue to perfect new experiences and evolve our cornerstones to create the best places to celebrate friends and beer.”
The report then delves into defining a “brand destination” and breaks it down into four, distinct categories: Brand Experiential Attractions, Brand Experiential Retailers, Embedded Experiences, and Temporary Exhibits. Each of these destinations showcase widely different traits, and demonstrate different levels of guest satisfaction, intent on repeat visitation, and brand conversion rates.
The study proceeds to explore demographic trends regarding guest motivation to visit brand destinations in the first place. Surprisingly, 64% of the study respondents said that they visited a region specifically to attend a particular brand destination, rather than the destination being an after-thought or buried amongst a larger itinerary.
Lastly, the study polled destination-visitors on the most enjoyable and least enjoyable aspects of their recent visit to a brand destination. These insights can prove of significant importance to those companies which already have a dedicated destination and are looking to improve their guest satisfaction and bottom line, while at the same time providing a useful “starter kit” for those companies looking to provide new avenues of entry into their brand portfolios.
Brand Destinations is just the latest study in an ongoing series of published research by PGAV Destinations. By visiting the company’s award-winning website, you can find additional studies regarding Generation Z, Technology at Destinations, Storytelling, STEM Education, The New Destination Visitor, The Art of the Family Vacation, Millennials, and many more. Visit the company’s Insights page to subscribe to their quarterly newsletter, Destinology, to automatically receive the latest research insights.
About PGAV Destinations
PGAV Destinations is a global leader in the planning and design of unique destinations. Now in its fifth decade, the practice has evo¬lved to become the ideal destination-consulting partner, skilled at developing growth-oriented master plans and translating those plans into successful projects. No other firm offers such an integrated approach to destination planning.
PGAV’s key clients include industry leaders such as Delaware North Companies, SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, the Biltmore Companies, Bass Pro Shops, Ameristar Casinos, Universal Studios, The Gettysburg Foundation, the Saint Louis Zoo, and many others. Recent assignments include planning and design at many of the world’s “must see” destinations, including the Grand Canyon, Biltmore Estate, Space Shuttle Atlantis, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, the Georgia Aquarium, the Hoover Dam, and SeaWorld Adventure Parks. www.PGAVDestinations.com
About H2R Market Research
H2R Market Research is a leader in providing consumer insights in the travel & tourism research industry. Since 2001 the company has been helping attractions and travel organizations better understand their visitors, what motivates and inspires action and what drives the visitor experience.
H2R’s primary areas of focus center around guest satisfaction/voice of the customer measurements, concept evaluation studies such as ad testing and new product evaluation, brand health and brand perception as well as contextual marketing measurements such as ad effectiveness studies. And, the company’s key clients include industry leaders such as Coca Cola, Herschend Family Entertainment, Hersheypark, and training camps for both the Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers, a variety of zoos, museums, aquariums; as well as numerous State Travel Offices and Destination Marketing Organization.
