|
|
| Australia is the Favourite Holiday Spot of Americans, Italians and the British |
Spain also scores high marks as a vacation destination when cost is no object
ROCHESTER, N.Y. and LONDON, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- If money were no
object, Americans, Italians and the British would pack their bags and head to
Australia for their holiday, according to surveys conducted recently by HI
Europe, a London-based market research firm, and Harris Interactive(R), its
US-based parent company.
"That the land down under came out on top is no small achievement," stated
George Terhanian, President of HI Europe. "Spain is the only other country to
join Australia on the American, Italian, and British top-ten lists."
Additional Key Findings:
-- New Zealand, Egypt, France, Japan and Maldives appeared on the top-ten
lists of two of three countries.
-- Canada, Barbados, Brazil, China, Germany, Ireland, Cuba, Greece, and
Mexico rated among the top-ten in one of three countries.
-- Italy and Great Britain placed second and third, respectively, after
Australia on the US top-ten list.
-- The British named the US (2nd) and Italy (5th) to their top-ten list.
-- Among Italians, the US was runner-up to Australia but Great Britain did
not make the cut.
"These findings, albeit fascinating, should by no means encourage
Australia's Minister of Travel and Tourism to begin preparing for an enormous
influx of vacationers," Terhanian concluded. "Money is almost always an
object."
TABLE 1
FAVOURITE COUNTRIES FOR VACATION/HOLIDAY - IF COST IS NOT A ISSUE
"If you could spend a vacation/holiday in any country in the world (other than
the country in which you live), and you would not have to worry about the
cost, what one country would you choose?"
Base: All Adults*
Rank United States Great Britain Italy
1 Australia Australia Australia
2 Italy United States United States
3 Great Britain New Zealand Mexico
4 France Canada Egypt
5 Ireland Italy Brazil
6 Germany Egypt China
7 New Zealand Japan France
8 Japan Barbados Maldives
9 Spain Spain Spain, Cuba (tie)
10 Greece Maldives
* See methodology statements below for individual country respondent
bases.
Methodology for the HI Europe Italy Poll
This HI Europe survey was conducted online within Italy between October
6th and October 13th, 2003 among 839 Italians, aged 18 and older. Figures for
age, sex, education, income and region were weighted where necessary to bring
them into line with their actual proportions in the population. "Propensity
score" weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be
online.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95
percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or
minus 3.3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult
population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are
several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are
probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They
include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and
question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that
may result from these factors. This online sample is not a probability sample.
Methodology for HI Europe Great Britain Poll
This HI Europe survey was conducted online within Great Britain between
October 6th and October 13th, 2003 among 1,296 Britons, aged 18 and older.
Figures for age, sex, education, income and region were weighted where
necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the
population. "Propensity score" weighting was also used to adjust for
respondents' propensity to be online.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95
percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or
minus 2.7 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult
population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are
several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are
probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They
include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and
question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that
may result from these factors. This online sample is not a probability sample.
Methodology for the Harris Interactive US Poll
The Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States between
July 14 and 20, 2003 among a nationwide cross section of 2,215 adults (ages
18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and income were
weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions
in the population. "Propensity score" weighting was also used to adjust for
respondents' propensity to be online.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with
95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or
minus 2 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population
had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other
possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more
serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals
to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, and
weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these
factors. This online survey is not a probability sample.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the US
National Council on Public Polls.
About HI Europe
HI Europe (http://www.hieurope.com) is a market research and consulting firm
known for its expertise in strategic business and consumer research,
particularly in the IT and telecom industries. HI Europe plays a major role in
solving its clients' complex business problems through thoughtful application
of innovative methodologies and sophisticated technologies, focusing on those
that are Internet-based. Headquartered in London, HI Europe is a subsidiary of
US-based Harris Interactive(R), one of the world's largest market research
companies, known for its pioneering use of the Internet to conduct
scientifically accurate market research.
About Harris Interactive(R)
Harris Interactive (http://www.harrisinteractive.com) is a worldwide market
research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll(R), and for
pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market
research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, U.S.A., Harris Interactive
combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in
predictive, custom and strategic research. The Company conducts international
research through wholly owned subsidiaries -- London-based HI Europe
(http://www.hieurope.com) and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan -- as well as
through the Harris Interactive Global Network of local market- and opinion-
research firms, and various U.S. offices. EOE M/F/D/V
To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to
participate in future online surveys, visit http://www.harrispollonline.com.
Press Contacts:
Carole Holland
HI Europe
+44 (0) 20-8263-5268
cholland@hieurope.com
Nancy Wong
Harris Interactive
USA 585-214-7316
nwong@harrisinteractive.com
SOURCE Harris Interactive; HI Europe
back to topRelated links:
CONTACT:
Carole Holland, HI Europe, +44-20-8263-5268,
cholland@hieurope.com; Nancy Wong, Harris Interactive, USA,
+1-585-214-7316, nwong@harrisinteractive.com
