Mobile technology has been a game changer for the tourism industry, through the collection of higher quality customer data and many other benefits. Mobile surveys can be easily deployed on smart phones and tablets, allowing for on-site interaction with visitors at events, information kiosks, displays, and more. They offer several advantages over paper-based surveys and are a more environmentally friendly option.

Simple and practical for volunteers

Using a tablet in the field is far more manageable than carrying a stack of paper surveys and extra pens. Most people are comfortable with using a smart device, so staff and volunteers can learn to input survey responses with minimal training.

No internet? No problem

Mobile surveys can be deployed anywhere, even in locations without internet coverage.

Save time and reduce human error

Data collected in mobile surveys is saved on the device and can be downloaded and analyzed instantly. The process saves hours of time spent on manual data entry and reduces double entry errors common to paper-based surveys.

Storage safety

Paper can be easily misplaced, discarded or destroyed, especially in a busy environment of outdoor location. Mobile survey data is stored on the device or in the cloud, which can be password-protected, copied or backed up for secure future access.

Case Study: Waskesiu Lakeside Music Festival

Comfortable and Intuitive for Respondents

Most people interact with touch screens daily, so completing a mobile iPad survey feels natural and familiar rather than a hassle. The streamlined survey-taking experience keeps responses quick and focused, allowing respondents to provide valuable insights in 90 seconds or less.

In 2019, the Waskesiu Lakeside Music Festival found themselves at a crossroads – they were bringing in thousands of people to the area, but there was a huge gap in their knowledge of the attendee base. They knew people were showing up to the townsite in Prince Albert National Park, but didn’t know who, from where, and what drove them to attend.

The team reached out to Tourism Saskatchewan to deploy a mobile survey to help answer key questions and gain a better understanding of the origin and make-up of Festival attendees. Tourism Saskatchewan was able to supply volunteers with online training, and three iPads pre-loaded with a short survey designed to better understand the attendee profile. During the Festival, attendees were offered a small incentive to participate in the survey.

“We started with offering a choice of a two-for-one certificate – for either mini golf or ice cream,” Festival organizer Jim Kerby said. “After those ran out, we just asked people to participate. We were always very well received and hardly ever turned down.”

Over the years, this survey has evolved into a key tool for leaders, as it now helps provide direction on preferred genres, potential for local partnerships, net promoter score, and more. The survey data collected enabled Tourism Saskatchewan to build a demographic profile of the typical Festival-goer, and reveal the marketing tactics with the greatest impact. Kerby is a strong advocate for the technology. “We are big fans of the iPads for the survey – they worked really well, and we got lots of responses,” he said.