Student ArtPrize survey tracks spending

A survey conducted by Grand Valley State University students tracked how long ArtPrize 2010 visitors stayed in the area and how much money they spent.

Economics and hospitality and tourism management students surveyed about 850 people in downtown Grand Rapids during ArtPrize 2010. Experience Grand Rapids helped coordinate the data. The results indicate:

• 50% of attendees at ArtPrize were local Grand Rapids residents, while almost 6% came from outside Michigan. 88% of those surveyed indicated that ArtPrize was their primary purpose to visit downtown Grand Rapids.

• Visitors who came from outside of Grand Rapids (50%) stayed in Grand Rapids for two days on average. Approximately 33% of non-locals stayed multiple days. The average number of days visiting for those who stayed multiple days was about 3.3 days.

• Approximately 10% of non-local attendees stayed in a hotel/motel or bed and breakfast (21% stayed with a friend or relative).

• 55.6% of respondents registered to vote. More than half of them (56.1%) attended ArtPrize last year.

• The average spending by local groups or parties was $72.31, whereas groups from outside of Grand Rapids spent an average of $156.22.

• The average spending by respondents who traveled less than 50 miles was $67.79, whereas those who traveled 50 miles or more spent an average of $273.49.

Grand Valley students, with guidance from economics and hospitality and tourism management faculty, will develop estimates of the total economic impact of ArtPrize 2010 using the data collected from this survey. The results of this project will be released later this fall.

For more information, contact Paul Sicilian in Grand Valley’s Department of Economics at (616) 331-7425, or Seohee Chang in Grand Valley’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management at (616) 331-8868.