Byway Consumer Research
In 2006-2007, FHWA and the America’s Byways Resource Center funded the "Marketing: America’s Byways Consumer Research," conducted by Longwoods International, to develop a better understanding of the market for byway travel.
General Travel Profile
The study looked at typical patterns for American travelers since the development of the National Scenic Byways Program. In particular, the Consumer Research study focused on three recognized travel purposes relevant, but not specific, to the byways market:
- Touring: Travel by car, bus, or train through areas of scenic beauty, cultural, or general interest. The traveler may have flown to a destination to begin the tour.
- Outdoors: Travel that is undertaken to experience the natural environment and activities such as camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, rafting, snowboarding, viewing wildlife, eco-touring, or outdoor educational activities.
- Special Event: Travel that is undertaken primarily for the purpose of attending an event such as a fair, festival, pageant, or sporting event.
These three categories of travel represent more than half of all "marketable trips" (pleasure trips taken by car, recreational vehicle, or motorcycle) in 2006, touring trips accounted for 19 percent of marketable trips, outdoor travel accounted for 18 percent, and special event travel accounted for 14 percent. As Table 3 shows, each of these categories has been steadily growing over the past decade, with special event trips growing at 2.7 percent per year.
| Year | Touring | Outdoors | Special Event | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 85 | 78 | 78 | 241 |
| 1996 | 88 | 69 | 82 | 239 |
| 1998 | 100 | 81 | 98 | 279 |
| 2000 | 110 | 78 | 98 | 286 |
| 2002 | 118 | 79 | 100 | 297 |
| 2004 | 114 | 86 | 108 | 308 |
| 2006 | 112 | 91 | 112 | 315 |
| % Change, 1996-2006 | 27% | 32% | 37% | 32% |
| Annual Growth | 2.0% | 2.3% | 2.7% | 2.3% |
