The completion of Indexperience visitor surveys has been put on hold for a year.
According to the Town of Banff’s second quarter financial statements, contracted services are forecast at $52,000 under budget in general government.
Officials say that’s largely due to the completion of Indexperience being postponed, which was expected to cost Banff taxpayers approximately $25,000 this year.
Mayor Karen Sorensen said she believes the study is simply being put off for one year.
“I see huge value in Indexperience because it is factual, measurable information as opposed to anecdotal,” Sorensen said.
“Certainly, we not only review and consider the results of Indexperience, but we try and act on it accordingly.”
Indexperience surveys in summer 2008 and winter 2009 showed visitors to Banff generally have a fantastic experience in the mountain tourist town.
But, according to the surveys, the vast majority of visitors do not believe they are not getting enough bang for their buck at shopping, dining, hotels and tourist attractions.
The strengths of the experience in Banff centred on cleanliness, aesthetics and entertainment, while value for money and the welcoming experience, such as the impression of an authentic mountain town, did not rate so well.
In addition, many visitors did not appear to be overly satisfied with downtown parking, signage to help them find their way around town, or the availability of public washrooms.
The Indexperience benchmark, developed by Quebec-based Zins Beauchesne and Associates, is a tool designed to measure the experience offered by a tourist destination and the perceived experience of visitors.
Almost three-quarters of survey respondents plan to come back to Banff National Park in the next five years, and close to 85 per cent would definitely recommend a visit to family and friends.
The surveys have indicated the main reason visitors come to Banff was to experience the national park itself, at 66.5 per cent.
In addition, Indexperience revealed that most people prefer restaurants, shops and boutiques that are unique and locally owned, but they do believe there is presently a good balance of local shops, restaurants and chains.
