This document summarizes the results of a study analyzing innovation potentials in tourism destinations. Customer needs were identified through expert workshops and consolidated into 112 need statements. An online survey of 1,800 guests and 750 tourism players in 6 regions assessed the importance and performance of these needs. The results showed that tourism players had fewer "blind spots" than guests regarding customer needs. The highest innovation potentials were found in framework processes like transportation and post-trip activities. Information needs were very important to guests but also well-met. The study provides a way for tourism businesses and destinations to focus innovation efforts on important unmet customer needs, reducing innovation "flops."

1. Analysis of Innovation Potentials –
the Application of a Lean Innovation
Tool in Tourism Destinations
Dr. Markus Lassnig

2. Our Background and
Expertise...
An independent, innovation-
driven research and
technology organisation (RTO)
Area: information
technologies (IT) and
innovation research
Provides consulting in
technical IT and innovation
issues and conducts research
in national and international
research programmes and on
behalf of the industry
ca. 70 employees
What is Salzburg Research?
26.2.105
http://etourism.salzburgresearch.at

3. InnovationLab within
Salzburg Research
We reduce innovation by
accident and enable companies
and organisations to have more
impact with less effort.
We detect trends very early by
different (technology-
enhanced) means of analyses.
We measure and understand
customer needs and translate
them into innovation
potentials.

4. Benefit: Reduction of
flops!
Dedicated studies attest that on average the flop
rate is between 60 and 70%!
 More than half of all innovations never
generate growth when entering the market.
 In history, flop rate has been growing
steadily.
(cf. Willy Schneider & Alexander Hennig; Lexikon Kennzahlen für Marketing und Vertrieb)

5. Applied analysis of
innovation potentials

6. Research questions
How can tourism companies as well as whole
destinations innovate even closer to the market and
the needs of customers/guests?
Which areas in rural Alpine tourism in Upper Bavaria
and Salzburg provide the biggest probability for
successful innovations?
Where and how does the assessment of needs differ
between customers/guests on the one hand and
suppliers/tourism players on the other hand?

7. Methodology
Identification of customer needs
in expert workshops
 Structured along the customer journey
 Generation of 307 unique need
statements
Sorting out needs which
 are unfulfillable,
 can be considered minimum standard
in industry,
 are already covered in different form.
Consolidation into 112 need statements by expert prioritisation system
Online survey for relevance and performance regarding these 112
needs at demand and supply side in tourism
Prioritisation of innovation potentials according to customer needs

8. Customer journey in 8
phases:
1. Inspiration for a destination
2. Information
3. Selection & booking
4. Pleasant anticipation
5. Transport
6. Accommodation & catering
7. Activities in the destination
8. Post-processing

9. Sampling
Period of online survey: Dec 2013 – Apr 2014
6 tourism regions, 2 groups of respondents,
questionnaire in 2 parts = 24 online surveys in parallel
Sampling via destination homepages, newsletter, social
media; n = 1,800 completed surveys from guests plus
n = 750 completed surveys from tourism players
Lion share (~81%) of responding customers already
were on holiday in the destination
27% summer guests, 25% winter guests and 29%
guests who have already been in the region in summer
and in winter

10. Innovation map
Importance
Performance
Reduction?
Low priority
Balance
Customer needs with importance
above average and performance
below average = focus of
innovation!

11. Selected results

12. Tourism players are more
critical than guests
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Performance
Importance
Guests
Tourism players
Ø Importance guests
Ø Performance guests
Ø Importance tourism players
Ø Performance tourism players
Linear (Guests)
Linear (Tourism players)

13. Needs with high
innovation potential for
guests, but blind spots for
tourism players
No fixed dates by hotels (e.g. arrival
and departure only on Saturdays)
Accommodating rules for
cancellation
Reservation without pre-payment
 Otherwise nearly no blind spots by tourism
players, but quite good assessment of customer
needs!

14. Needs per phase of travel
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Performance
Importance
Ø Importance guests
Ø Performance guests
Inspiration for a destination
Information
Selection & booking
Pleasant anticipation
Transport
Accommodation & catering
Activities in the destination
Post-processing

15. Information needs
extremely high, but very
well covered
Highest importance and high
performance at
 Information must be absolutely credible
(e.g. authentic photos from the
accommodation, activities on offer etc.)
 Information must be easy to find, quick
and target-oriented
 Information from the Internet (from
different sources)
 Contact persons must be easy to find
Preferred sources of information
 Hotel / accommodation
 Tourism association
 Online travel agencies rank far behind
© Ingimage.com

16. Core results
Tourism players in the 6 regions sparsely have blind
spots, they are very open and oriented towards guest
needs.
Highest innovation potentials in framework processes
(pleasant anticipation, transport, post processing)
Guests would prefer more freedom in booking hotels
The smoking regulation in Austria is a mess.
The optimum of innovation activities is a mix of areas
of needs that are important in every season as well as
special needs for summer or winter tourists.

17. Benefit of the analysis of
innovation potentials
Focused insight in which aspects products / services should be
innovated.
Better understanding of real, sustainable guest needs.
Lean innovation: Innovate efficiently by systematically focussing of
innovation activities.
Higher return-on-innovation-rate, i.e. less innovation flops!
Extension of the individual perspective of tourism companies with an
overall view at the level of the destination plus the perspective of
guests  coverage of the whole tourism value chain!
Assessment and prioritisation of guest needs according to statistical
analysis.
Alignment of the perspectives of guests and the supply side in tourism

18. Thank you!
Dr. Markus Lassnig
InnovationLab | Competence field e-Tourism
Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft mbH
Jakob Haringer Straße 5/3 | 5020 Salzburg, Austria
T +43.662.2288-302
markus.lassnig@salzburgresearch.at
http://etourism.salzburgresearch.at