The Business Question:

How can a beach destination more effectively reach their target market, carve out a distinctive, compelling position, and ultimately attract more visitors?

Our client was interested in understanding more about their visitor types to support rebranding work. 

What Were We Looking For?

Specific objectives include:

• Measure awareness of the beach, and the knowledge and perceptions of its nickname
• Explore prior visitation to beaches and interest in visiting the beach in the next 2 years
• Understand and measure sources of information used to select a beach destination and plan a beach trip
• Develop and measure importance of a series of beach travel attributes
• Measure performance on the same set of beach travel attributes for the client beach and its competitors

How Did We Do It?

MDRG performed segmentation work to identify potential visitors and determine the most effective way to communicate with them.

This study used mixed methodologies to identify positioning attributes and then validate them. 

We started with qualitative research and held several focus groups to brainstorm,
develop messaging and positioning attributes.

We followed up with a quantitative online survey to evaluate the beach travel attributes and measure the client beach on each attribute relative to competitive

What Did We Deliver?

The research revealed strong brand recognition and high past visitation for the client destination, providing a solid foundation for efficient marketing. However, it underperformed on the most important decision-driving attributes compared to a key competitor, signaling a need for sharper brand positioning.

While overall interest in the destination is declining, its familiarity—especially among nearby markets—means efforts can focus on improving perception rather than building awareness. The study also informed a targeted media strategy by identifying the most influential trip-planning sources and key positioning opportunities.

The insights we presented helped sharpen the client's brand strategy and gave a clear, focused path to reconnect with travelers and drive future visitation.