Southeastern Wildlife Exposition 2006 Attendee Profile Study
Prepared by:
The Center for Business Research, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
2750 Speissegger Drive, Suite 100, Charleston, SC  29405

Purpose:
Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE) has been held each February for nearly 25 years, and is the largest event of its kind.  Since 1993, the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Center for Business Research has conducted periodic visitor surveys for SEWE.  This is the fifth such survey which measures both visitors and resident attendees to obtain economic, demographic and attendee perspectives on the exposition. For purposes of analysis, comparisons were made with the 1996, 1998, and 2002 surveys.

Methodology:
The 2006 SEWE attendee profile was conducted February 16 – 19 at Charleston Place and Gaillard Auditorium.  Attendees were asked to participate in the survey as they walked by the survey booth.  Persons filling out the survey were not given answers to questions or prompted in any manor as to the correct response.  Of a total of 304 surveys, 68 percent were non-residents, while 32 percent were from within the three county region of Charleston. All 304 surveys were analyzed for this report.  There were 31 questions on the non-resident survey and 10 questions on the resident survey.

Estimated Economic Impact:
Direct expenditure information for accommodations, food and beverages, tickets, souvenirs, entertainment and sightseeing for SEWE’s out-of-town visitors is obtained through the surveys.  Direct expenditures of out-of-town visitors attending the 2006 Expo is estimated at over $31 million (compared to that of the 2002 Expo which totaled over $26 million).  Visitors to the 2006 SEWE had a $67.0 million total economic impact on the Charleston region.  Using the REMI model, SEWE generated an estimated $2.8 million in state and local taxes.

2006 SEWE Resident Survey Results

Resident Characteristics:
The top three areas of origin for residents were West Ashley (26%), Mt. Pleasant (25%), and Summerville (13%).  Other questions for residents included advertising/promotion and most frequently red periodicals – the results of which are listed below. 

Resident Demographics:
Residents surveyed said the median size of their party was 2, and only 1 in 13 parties included children under 18 years old.  The typical area resident attending the 2006 Expo was highly educated: 72.6% have a college education, 30.6% of which are post-graduate degrees.  They are also typically employed full-time (61.4%) and have an annual household income of $75,000 or greater (81.5%).  Further, nearly one out of two respondents has a household income of $100,000 or greater per year (47.7%).

2006 SEWE Visitor Survey Results

Trip Planning:
The 2006 SEWE attendee was a repeat visitor, with two thirds reporting they had attended the event an average of 7.5 years in a row.  Of the 33% of first-time SEWE attendees, the most often reported factor that made them decide to attend this year was family and friends (58.1%).

Corporate Sponsorships:
71% of visitors stated they noticed the names of corporate sponsors associated with the 2006 Expo.  Nearly half (46%) said they would be likely to patronize a sponsor as a result of their participation in the Expo.

Trip Characteristics:
More than half of the visitors (58.7%) surveyed indicated they stayed in paid lodging.  In addition 19.7 percent indicated they stayed with friends and/or relatives and approximately 13.5 percent were day-trippers.  Half (50.2%) of Expo visitors indicated they took at least one paid/guided tour while they were here, with the most popular being walking and carriage tours.  The South Carolina Aquarium again made the top of the list of paid-admission attractions attended by SEWE visitors in 2006.

Visitor Spending:
The median number of nights visitors were staying in the Charleston area was two, and the median party size of was two people and typically did not include children (only 9.4% of respondents said they brought children).  This is very consistent with previous surveys.

Please note:  Individual categories for the 2002 survey do not add to “Total” because each expenditure category and “total trip expenditures” were asked as separate questions.  Some respondents provided categorized expenditures, while others provided an estimated total trip expenditure.

Demographics:
The average SEWE visitor is married, has a college degree or higher, is employed full-time, and has an annual household income of $75,000 or more. 
Top Five States of Origin