1994 Yukon Visitor Exit Survey

The Yukon enjoyed another strong year for visitation during the peak summer period of June through September, 1996. Border crossing statistics for that period indicated a nominal 2.5% decrease compared to 1995's record-setting year.

From June to September of 1994 a major survey of visitors was undertaken by the Yukon Bureau of Statistics on behalf of the Yukon Government's Department of Tourism. This survey, referred to as the Visitor Exit Survey (VES), sought answers from visitors on a wide variety of questions relating to their Yukon visit. A similar survey was run in 1987.

The VES was administered to visitors as they left the Yukon for the last time.

A brief report of the VES survey results was released early in 1995.

The current report will provide more detailed results from the VES and parallel the series of nine reports already released on the Yukon's tourist regions (Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Klondike, Kluane, Campbell, Carcross/Southern Lakes, Silver Trail, North Yukon and Teslin). As appropriate, this report will include comparisons between the results from the 1994 VES and the 1987 VES.

Other reports from the 1994 VES report series include a comparative summary of the nine regional reports, a report on the Daily Diary (a survey of expenditures and activities over a two-week period as recorded by the visitor) and a technical paper describing the methodology used in the surveys.

Highlights of the 1994 Survey

• 50% of visitors rated their Yukon visit as "excellent" ... a further 39% gave their visit a rating of "good"
• 9 out of 10 visitors felt that their Yukon visit represented "value for their money"
• Over half of all visitors reported that "visiting attractions" was their number 1 activity during their Yukon visit
• 13,100 more visitors came to the Yukon in 1994 compared to 1987 ... this is an increase of 7% ... the greatest change occurred in the "overseas" category which increased 152% over 1987
• In real terms, total visitor spending actually increased about half a percent when comparing 1987 to 1994
• Comparing 1987 to 1994, travel by private vehicle increased 26% ... motor coach traffic declined 33% and air traffic was up 45%
• Comparing the 1987 survey with the 1994 survey, R.V. traffic increased 64%
• On average, Canadian and overseas visitors to the Yukon stayed almost 3 times as long as American visitors