Case Study

The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau wanted to better understand their target population, in order to more effectively market the Greater Des Moines area. They also wanted to understand what Des Moines has to offer to its visitors, with the ultimate goal of identifying opportunities where visitors will spend at least one overnight stay.

Quester conducted over 450 in-depth, qualitative interviews discussing the potential activities that would drive them to visit the Greater Des Moines area for an overnight stay.  Respondents both in the state of Iowa and in the surrounding 9 Midwest states were asked to discuss typical vacations, recent visits to Iowa and the Greater Des Moines area, as well as their perceptions of the state and the Des Moines area.

The Greater Des Moines area is a less expensive and more family friendly destination compared to its fellow Midwestern cities.  When deciding on a vacation destination, travelers need a single reason to visit a specific destination. Once this reason is chosen, the trip then revolves around that purpose or activity. Also, the Greater Des Moines area is the shopping hub for instate residents.  The Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau can market singular trip events to drive more visits to the area.  Included in the marketing should be the unique differentiators of the area, namely that the Des Moines area is safe, friendly and less expensive than other Midwestern cities.  This information was more recently supported by Forbes magazine after naming Des Moines as the number one area for economic opportunity.

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