Agatha Christie Festival Evaluation 2011 Final Report

1. The South West Research Company Agatha Christie Festival Evaluation 2011 Final Report Produced for and on behalf of the English Riviera Tourism Company by The South West Research Company Ltd January 2012

2. Contents Page Executive Summary 3 Conclusions and Recommendations 15 Introduction 19 Attendance Estimates 24 Economic Evaluation 30 Appendix 1 – Attendee Surveys Results 54 Appendix 2 – Business Survey Results 86 Appendix 3 – Stakeholders Survey Results 97 Appendix 4 – Cambridge Model 110 Appendix 5 – Open ended responses (separate documents)

3. The South West Research Company Agatha Christie Festival Evaluation 2011 Executive Summary

4. Executive Summary - Methodology • The South West Research Company were commissioned by the English Riviera Tourism Company to conduct an economic evaluation of the Agatha Christie Festival 2011. The basis for this study and the outputs provided are shown below; • Attendee Surveys – 276 on site face-to-face interviews and 60 post event online survey responses received. • Business Survey – 55 responses were received from English Riviera businesses. • Stakeholders Survey – 13 responses received from key stakeholders involved with the festival. • Attendee estimates – Achieved through ticket sales figures and estimates of attendees at non-ticketed events. • Economic Modelling – Applying survey data to attendee numbers to estimate economic outputs.

5. Executive Summary – Key Points • The 2011 Agatha Christie Festival was held on the English Riviera in South Devon between the 11th and 18th September. • The festival attracted approximately 7,725 unique day visitors, 4,270 of whom were directly influenced to visit the English Riviera as a result of the festival taking place. • An estimated £430,972 expenditure was generated on the English Riviera by those attending the festival. • A further £194,560 was spend on accommodation during the festival week by those attendees staying overnight on either the English Riviera or elsewhere in Devon. • £99,163 additional expenditure was generated by visitors to the festival staying elsewhere in Devon. • Total all festival related spend was therefore estimated at £724,695. • An estimated £238,239 of the total festival expenditure above was influenced by the presence of the festival, as well as a further £70,403 of the total spend on accommodation and £32,880 of the additional expenditure elsewhere in Devon. • The total influenced festival related spend is therefore estimated at £341,523.

6. Executive Summary – Economic Impact • This summary provides an overview of the economic impact of the Agatha Christie Festival on the English Riviera and elsewhere in Devon in two stages; • Firstly, the economic value of the event and associated spending for all attendees during their visit to the English Riviera. This is referred to as all festival spend. • Secondly, the economic value of the festival and associated spending for all attendees whose visit to the English Riviera or Devon was influenced by the festival and who would not have visited somewhere else had the festival not taken place. This is referred to as influenced festival spend. • Other terms referred to include;

7. Executive Summary – Economic Impact

8. Executive Summary – Economic Impact

9. Executive Summary – Attendee Surveys • 53% of all attendees to the festival were Devon residents. • Almost all festival attendees (98%) were visiting the festival in adult only groups. Average total group size was 2.10 people. • Festival attendees were most likely to be female (64%) and fall into the older (55+) age groups (62%). • Two thirds of attendees fell into socio economic group ABC1 based on the occupation of the highest earner in their household. • 14% of festival attendees had some form of disability. • Two fifths of attendees were on holiday staying overnight on the English Riviera. • Over three quarters of attendees staying overnight on the English Riviera at the time of their interview were staying in serviced accommodation on the resort (76%). • Average duration of stay for those attendees staying overnight on the English Rivera during the festival was 6.1 nights. Average spend per person per night on all types of accommodation was £29.48 and £43.23 for those attendees staying in serviced accommodation only.

10. Executive Summary – Attendee Surveys • Two fifths of all those attendees on holiday staying overnight on the English Riviera/elsewhere in Devon indicated that the Agatha Christie Festival was the main reason for them choosing to visit the English Riviera/Devon on this particular occasion. • Around three fifths (61%) of respondents indicated that 2011 was the first year they had attended the festival. The average number previous visits to the festival was 2.61. • 74% of all respondents indicated that the Agatha Christie Festival was the main reason for them choosing to visit the English Riviera on the day they were interviewed/attended an event. • Overall, 59% of attendees indicated that they would not have gone out on the English Riviera anyway had the festival not been taking place. • The largest proportion of respondents (53%) had found out about the festival via the internet/a website including the Agatha Christie and English Riviera websites. • Approximately two thirds of all attendees (64%) had travelled to the festival by car, van, motorcycle etc. • 26% of respondents who travelled to the festival by car, van, motorcycle etc. used a town centre car park whilst around a third (32%) had parked on the street.

11. Executive Summary – Attendee Surveys • The most popular day for attending the festival was Thursday 15th September when 55% of all attendees had visited a festival event. • The largest proportion of respondents (64%) considered the festival to be of great importance to the local communities of the English Riviera whilst the same proportion also considered it to be of great importance to the image of the resort. • Levels of agreement were highest with the statements “The Agatha Christie Festival should have a place in the English Riviera events calendar for years to come” and “I look forward to attending the Agatha Christie Festival in the English Riviera” (95% agreement level for each) and lowest with the statement “Children/young people benefit from involvement with the Agatha Christie Festival” (58% agreement level). • On the whole, attendee satisfaction levels were high with the majority of the indicators explored about the festival. The highest ranked indicator in terms of satisfaction was overall enjoyment of visit (4.68) and the lowest was for the cost of car parking (3.22) during the festival. • Overall the festival gained an average Net Promoter Score (NPS) of +52%, indicating that good proportions of attendees are likely to recommend the festival to others. • The largest proportion of attendees (47%) indicated that they would still visit the festival regardless of the time of year when it takes place.

12. Executive Summary – Attendee Surveys • Around three fifths (61%) of attendees (who indicated that they would visit regardless of the time of year when the festival takes place) indicated that they visit both the main festival event in May and the birthday celebration in September. • Around two fifths (42%) of festival attendees who indicated that they would not visit the festival if the date changes to May indicated that they would visit the birthday celebration in September. • Around two fifths (41%) of respondents indicated that they had attended other events/festivals over the last 12 months.

13. Executive Summary – Business Survey • 72% of the businesses responding to the survey were accommodation providers. • Only 4% of businesses had extended their opening hours as a result of the festival taking place. • 25% of businesses indicated that the event had impacted on their business turnover. • One fifth of businesses indicated that they had increased their levels of staff during the festival. • Two fifths of businesses felt that the festival was of great importance was to the general economy of the English Riviera. • 98% of businesses felt that the festival was of great importance (51%) or of some importance (47%) to the overall image of the English Riviera. • 22% of businesses felt that the festival was of great importance to the local communities of the English Riviera and a further 55% of some importance. • Around a third of businesses (36%) indicated that the festival would have no impact on their business regardless of the time of year when it takes place. • 22% indicated that moving the main festival to the month of May would have a greater impact on their business levels and a further 9% a lesser impact by doing so. • Around a third of businesses (36%) indicated that they would be likely to get involved in the festival regardless of the time of year when it takes place.

14. Executive Summary – Stakeholders Survey • 38% of the stakeholders responding to the survey were businesses. • More than three quarters of stakeholders (77%) felt that the festival was of great importance to the general economy of the English Riviera and a further 85% that it was of great importance to the overall image of the English Riviera. • 46% of stakeholders felt that the festival was of great importance to the local communities of the English Riviera and 54% of some importance. • Levels of agreement were highest with the statements “The Agatha Christie Festival should have a place in the English Riviera events calendar for years to come” and “I look forward to attending the Agatha Christie Festival on the English Riviera”. Levels of agreement were lowest with the statements “Children/young people benefit from involvement with the Agatha Christie Festival” and “The Agatha Christie Festival engages the local communities”. • On the whole, stakeholder satisfaction levels were good for twelve out of the twenty indicators explored about the festival. • Around three fifths of stakeholders (62%) indicated that they would be likely to get involved in both the main festival in May and the birthday celebration in September. • The majority of stakeholders (54%) thought the introduction of a central booking point would be a good idea for future festivals.

15. The South West Research Company Agatha Christie Festival Evaluation 2011 Conclusions & Recommendations

16. Conclusions • The results of this survey clearly highlight the importance of the Agatha Christie Festival in the annual English Riviera events calendar. A highly regarded and well supported festival enjoyed by both local residents and visitors from outside the area, it is clear from the findings of this evaluation that the festival attendees, local businesses and festival stakeholders consider it to be of great importance to the general economy and overall image of the resort. • Whilst there is always potential to grow events and attract larger numbers of visitors the current format of the Agatha Christie Festival would appear to have a positive economic impact on the English Riviera, enhancing the tourism offering during September without negatively impacting upon tourism businesses not actively engaged with the event. • The Agatha Christie Festival; • Is predominantly an event for English Riviera/Devon communities, but also attracts a good proportion of visitors to the county including those from overseas. • Attracted approximately 4,200 actual attendees during the festival week. • Influenced in excess of £340,000 expenditure to the local and wider economy, the majority of which is assumed to be additional expenditure largely falling within the English Riviera, above and beyond what would normally occur. • Is a well supported event with high levels of satisfaction amongst attendees and stakeholders alike. • The influenced visitor expenditure provided a return of £22.77 for every pound invested to hold the festival. 16

17. Recommendations • Whilst the results of this evaluation are, on the whole, very positive, there is always room for improvement in the delivery of such festivals and the scope to appeal and attract more people to attend. • To ensure the Agatha Christie Festival retains it’s level of popularity and appeal to as wide a range of people as possible, it is essential that the event organisers strive for continuous, year on year improvements to the festival programme to ensure the high level of satisfaction and support for the festival remains amongst attendees and stakeholders alike. • The festival appears to currently attract quite a select, ageing audience but for the long term future of the festival it will also need to evolve and find ways of attracting a new, younger audience. Introducing a wider, more varied range of events and improving publicity and promotion of the festival both locally and nationally may allow the scope to do this. • Likewise, local business and community engagement and involvement in the festival should remain a focussed objective for the future. In particular, ensuring early input into the festival at the planning stage and well in advance of the actual event taking place will ensure everyone has plenty of time to prepare and get involved. • The results from the survey show that opinions are mixed over the possible change in the time of year when the festival is held in the future with many respondents unsure at this stage of the impact that changing the main festival to the month of May from 2013 would have on either their decision to visit or their business levels. The festival organisers therefore, may need to consider undertaking further focussed research amongst attendees, local businesses and key stakeholders to explore the possible options for the delivery of the festival in the future and the time of year when it takes place. • The festival organisers may also wish to further explore the possibility of introducing a central booking point for the festival events in the future which the majority of festival stakeholders considered would be a good idea (albeit a relatively small sample size of respondents). 17

18. Recommendations • The Agatha Christie Festival should in future consider; • Continued monitoring and evaluation of future festivals to build upon the baseline data gathered through this project. • Using the REAP Model (which is freely available) to identify the environmental impact of the festival and provide an environmental baseline to help inform future festival planning. This would help to reduce the carbon footprint and impact of the festival on the local environment. • Using the data gathered through this evaluation to help focus efforts on those areas which are in need of improvement and to help inform the development of future festivals. Particular areas for improvement highlighted by the survey findings include; the availability and cost of car parking during the festival, the cost of public transport, the availability of tickets for the paid festival events, the availability of festival information and the range and type of events held during the festival week. • Improving future promotion and communication of the festival and the various events taking place during the course of the week to attract higher numbers of attendees in the future. The profile of attendee origins suggests that there is scope to do this. 18

19. The South West Research Company Agatha Christie Festival Evaluation 2011 Introduction

20. Introduction • The world-famous annual Agatha Christie Festival once again took place on the stunning English Riviera, South Devon, from 11th-18th September 2011. The festival is growing year by year and had a spectacular programme of events such as trips on an original 1940's bus or a river voyage to Greenway House where you could take a tour of Christie's holiday home. Other events included the Murder Mystery Dining Train, a Tea Dance at Oldway Mansion, Agatha Christie Mystery Shopping and a production of Agatha Christie's Verdict? The festival had something for everyone. • The English Riviera Tourism Company were keen to explore the economic and social impact that the Agatha Christie Festival has on the English Riviera, in terms of the volume and value of the visits it generates and the effects on local businesses, as well as the socio-cultural impacts generated by the event. • The English Riviera Tourism Company therefore appointed The South West Research Company Ltd. to undertake an economic and social impact evaluation of the event including an on-site face to face survey with attendees to Agatha Christie’s Verdict at the Princess Theatre in Torquay, a post event on line survey amongst festival attendees, a survey amongst local businesses based on the English Riviera and all key stakeholders in the festival. • The overall objective of the study was to provide detailed and statistically robust evidence for the economic impact that the Agatha Christie Festival has on the English Riviera and other parts of the county, in terms of the volume and value of visits generated and effects on local businesses and; to provide evidence of the socio-cultural impacts generated by the event. The specific objectives of the research are detailed overleaf.

21. Research Aims & Objectives • The specific aims and objectives of the evaluation were as follows: • To estimate, through event ticket sales and estimates, the number of attendees to the festival. • To calculate, through a programme of attendee interviews, the expenditure per attendee and the additionality effect (i.e. the proportion of trips to the English Riviera and its surrounding area generated specifically by the festival which otherwise would not have taken place). • To produce, through simple modelling, the overall volume and value generated, plus the cost per trip induced and value produced per £1 spent. • To ascertain, through a questionnaire programme of businesses on the English Riviera, the impact that the festival has on the turnover and operation of food & drink, retail, tourism and other commercial businesses in the resort. • To provide, through attendee interviews, demographic profiles of both the type of attendee and the nature of the trip. • To confirm, through a programme of interviews with all stakeholders, the level of satisfaction, community pride and local valuation of the festival.

22. Methodology The methodology for the study comprised of the following key components: Attendee Surveys A face to face survey amongst a sample of 276 attendees to The Princess Theatre to watch Agatha Christies Verdict was undertaken during the festival period. In addition to the face to face interviews, a total of 5,000 flyers directing attendees to an online questionnaire were also included in the programmes for Agatha Christies Verdict and at the various events taking place during the festival week. A total of 60 questionnaires were completed online in the month following the festival. Both the face to face and online Attendee Surveys explored visitors’ demographic profiles, whether the festival was the main reason for their visit to the town and, in particular, attendee’s spending patterns. The post-festival online survey also explored attendees’ views and opinions of the festival. Full details of the results of the Attendee Surveys can be found in Appendix 1 of this report. Business Survey In addition to the face to face and on line Attendee Surveys, an online business survey amongst local businesses on the English Riviera was also conducted. The questionnaire focused on their trading patterns and the impact of the festival upon their staffing and turnover. A total of 55 responses were submitted. Full details of the results of the Business Survey can be found in Appendix 2 of this report.

23. Methodology Stakeholders Survey An online survey amongst key stakeholders involved with the Agatha Christie Festival was also undertaken. The English Riviera Tourism Company contacted all the event organises involved with the festival by email asking them to complete an online post event questionnaire which explored, amongst other things, it’s impact on the local economy and importance to the resort and the social and cultural impacts the festival has on local communities. A total of 13 stakeholder questionnaires were completed online. Full details of the results of the Key Stakeholders Survey can be found in Appendix 3 of this report. Attendee Estimates Using ticket sales for the various events taking place as part of the festival and estimates for non-ticketed events, a total estimate of attendees to the festival was calculated. Economic Modelling Using the data derived from each of the above components, estimates of the overall economic impact of the Agatha Christie Festival 2011 on the local and wider economy have been calculated and this data forms the main content of the report to follow.

24. The South West Research Company Agatha Christie Festival Evaluation 2011 Attendee Estimates

25. Attendee Estimates A number of ticketed and non-ticketed events took place as part of the Agatha Christie Festival week on the English Riviera. For the ticketed events, ticket sales/attendance figures have been obtained from the individual event organisers but where events were non-ticketed, such as the opening fete on Sunday 11th September, an informed an estimate as possible for attendee numbers has been made based on anecdotal evidence by the festival organisers for the event in question. Based on ticketed and non-ticketed event estimates, a total of 10,572 visitors were in attendance during the festival week. This equates to a total of 7,725 unique day visitors i.e. some of the 10,572 visitors would have attended more than one festival event.

26. Attendee Type Estimates The total of 7,725 unique day visitors to the festival referred to in the previous slide has been used for all the economic calculations to follow in this report. The unique day visitors count below shows the total number of individuals attending over the festival period by visitor type. Total attendance for the festival is actually higher than this (10,572 – see previous slide) but some individuals attended more than one event in a day, hence why the unique day visitors figure is smaller.

27. Establishing Influence To establish the influence of the festival, the Attendee Surveys first asked staying visitors if the Agatha Christie Festival was the main reason for their entire visit to the English Riviera. Secondly, all visitors were asked if the Agatha Christie Festival was the main reason for their visit to the English Riviera on that day. Lastly, respondents were asked if they would have been visiting somewhere else on the English Riviera if the festival were not taking place (including English Riviera residents gong out in their place of residence). From these three questions the overall influence of the festival can be calculated. Whilst the survey data collected has been used to segregate people into different visitor types the analysis for influenced staying visitors works on two levels: Firstly, all staying visitors that were either influenced to visit the festival on the day or whose whole trip was influenced by the festival have their festival spend included in the influenced festival spend figures. Secondly, all staying visitors whose whole trip was influenced by the festival have their accommodation spend for the duration of their trip and spend for the days when they weren’t attending the festival included as influenced.

28. Establishing Influence • For example; • A staying visitor on the English Riviera whose main reason for holidaying in the resort was the Agatha Christie Festival has had their spending included for the length of their visit. • A staying visitor on the English Riviera whose main reason for holidaying in the resort was not the Agatha Christie Festival, but who had visited for the day as a result of the event has been treated as a day visitor for evaluation purposes. • Attendees that were not influenced to visit the English Riviera for a holiday and were also not influenced to visit as a result of the Agatha Christie Festival have not been included in the final spend figures for this evaluation. This spend would have occurred anyway (deadweight). • Attendees who were influenced to visit the English Riviera for the day as a result of the Agatha Christie Festival, but who would have visited somewhere else had the festival not taken place have not been included in the final spend figures for this evaluation. Their spend on the English Riviera is likely to mean that another town/resort in Devon has seen reduced spend (displacement). • Using this calculation results in a total of 4,270 influenced attendees as a result of the festival.

29. Establishing Influence The numbers of influence attendee types to the festival are shown in the table below: In addition to this 390 staying visitors whole trip to the English Riviera/Devon was influenced so accommodation spend for the duration of their trip and spend for days when they weren’t visiting the festival are also included in the influenced spend figures to follow. Using these figures we can then start to estimate the economic impact of the festival in the chapter to follow.

30. The South West Research Company Agatha Christie Festival Evaluation 2011 Economic Evaluation

31. Economic Impact Estimates • Introduction • This chapter provides an overview of the economic impact of the Agatha Christie Festival on the English Riviera and elsewhere in Devon in two stages; • Firstly, the full economic value of the festival and associated spending for all attendees during their visit to the English Riviera/Devon. This is referred to as all festival spend. • Secondly, the full influenced economic value of the festival and associated spending for all attendees whose visit to the English Riviera or Devon was influenced by the festival and who would not have visited somewhere else had the festival not taken place. This is referred to as influenced festival spend. • Economic estimates for those events for which attendee numbers and additional survey data was gathered are shown in the slides to follow. 31

32. Economic Impact Estimates Further economic outputs contained within this chapter for business turnover and employment supported by visitor spend have been calculated using multipliers from the Cambridge Model. The Cambridge Model is a computer-based model developed to calculate estimates of the volume, value and economic impact of tourism on a County or District basis. It draws on the combined experience of PA Cambridge Economic Consultants Ltd, Geoff Broom Associates and the Regional Tourist Boards and utilises a standard methodology capable of application throughout the UK. It therefore offers the potential for direct comparisons with similar destinations throughout the country. The approach was the subject of independent validation (R.Vaughan, Bournemouth University) in December 1994. The Model was judged robust and the margins of error acceptable and in line with other modelling techniques. The multipliers used for this economic evaluation are the same as those used to calculate Torbay Unitary Authority data in the Value of Tourism report. For further details of the Cambridge Model see Appendix 4. 32

33. Economic Impact Estimates Further economic outputs contained within this chapter for business turnover and employment supported by visitor spend refer to the following terms which are explained below; 33

34. Economic Impact Estimates All festival spend The spend figures contained within this section relate to the total number of attendees at the Agatha Christie Festival during their visit to the English Riviera/Devon, whether influenced to visit by the festival or not. The average spend per person calculations by visitor type, as well as the attendee counts by visitor category are shown in the table overleaf. ALL FESTIVAL SPEND WAS ESTIMATED AT £724,695

35. Economic Impact Estimates All festival spend Attendee numbers and staying visitor nights used in the calculations are as shown in the table below and overleaf.

36. Economic Impact Estimates All festival spend Of the total number of staying visitors at the festival staying overnight on the English Riviera or elsewhere in Devon (see previous slide) further analysis was necessary to ensure only ‘unique’ day visitors to the festival were included in the analysis i.e. some of these visitors attended several festival days. Therefore the total number of staying visitors to the festival was recalculated based on the average number of festival days they had attended. Average length of stay data was then applied to these revised visitor figures to calculate the total visitor days.

37. Economic Impact Estimates

38. Economic Impact Estimates

39. Economic Impact Estimates Staying visitor spend elsewhere in Devon Average spend data for staying visitor spend away from the main festival days has been calculated using the Torbay Unitary Authority section of The Value of Tourism report 2010 (Source; South West Tourism Alliance) as follows:

40. Economic Impact Estimates

41. Economic Impact Estimates

42. Economic Impact Estimates

43. Economic Impact Estimates Influenced festival spend The spend figures contained within this section relate to the total number of attendees that were influenced to visit both the English Riviera and Devon by the presence of the Agatha Christie Festival. Influence has been calculated using data gathered from the Attendee Surveys as explained previously in this report. The average spend per person calculations by attendee type, as well as the INFLUENCED attendee counts by attendee category are shown in the table overleaf. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE FESTIVAL INFLUENCED £341,523 ASSOCIATED SPEND.

44. Economic Impact Estimates Influenced festival spend Attendee numbers and staying visitor nights used in the calculations are as shown in the table below and overleaf.

45. Economic Impact Estimates Influenced festival spend Of the total number of visitors at the festival who were staying overnight on the English Riviera or elsewhere in Devon (see previous slide) some were only influenced to visit the English Riviera for the day. The figures below show the numbers for whom their whole visit to the English Rivera was influenced

46. Economic Impact Estimates Influenced festival spend

47. Economic Impact Estimates

48. Economic Impact Estimates Influenced staying visitor spend elsewhere in Devon Average spend data for staying visitor spend away from the main festival days has been calculated using the Torbay Unitary Authority section of The Value of Tourism report 2010 (Source; South West Tourism Alliance) as follows:

49. Economic Impact Estimates

50. Economic Impact Estimates