Illustrative engagement. A representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work in leisure. It does not describe a specific client; outcomes are described qualitatively.
Industry overview
What is shaping leisure
Leisure and recreation businesses compete for limited free time and holiday budgets. Visitors and members want value, convenience and memorable experiences.
- Holiday planning starts online, months ahead
- Memberships need visible value to renew
- Local tourism depends on infrastructure and cleanliness
Client background
A cruise line, working in India. This is an illustrative engagement: a representative scenario showing how we approach this kind of work, not a named client project.
- Organisation
- A cruise line
- Sector
- Leisure
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Qualitative research, Consumer panel, Online surveys
Client challenge
Interest in cruises was growing, but many people hesitated to book.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: understanding first-time cruise travellers.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of travellers.
- Measure how widespread each pattern is, and explain the reasons behind it.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 5 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 1,200 travellers.
- travellers1,200
Audiences we typically reach in leisure
Visitors and touristsMembersFamilies planning holidaysLocal businessesTourism boards
Geographic coverage
Coverage: India. Market: India.
- India
Research methodology
A mixed-method design: structured research measured how widespread each pattern was, and qualitative conversations explained why.
- 1Brief
- 2Group discussions
- 3Online survey
- 4Insight
We explored perceptions of cruises in groups and measured barriers in an online survey.
Qualitative researchConsumer panelOnline surveys
Sampling strategy
- travellers
- 1,200
- Online respondents were drawn from verified panel members who matched the screening criteria, with quotas on key profile attributes.
- Qualitative participants were recruited purposively to cover the full range of experiences that mattered, rather than for statistical representation.
Data collection
- groups
- 8
- The online survey was mobile-friendly and offered in respondents' languages.
- Interviews and discussions were led by experienced moderators using a guide agreed with the client.
Data quality & validation
- Digital fingerprinting and duplicate checks
- Attention, speed and straight-lining checks
- Review of open-ended answers
- Recordings and transcripts for every session
- Re-screening of qualitative recruits
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
- Thematic coding of interviews and discussions
- Journey and decision mapping
Key findings
- First-timers worried about food and seasickness.
Address worries before selling features.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: address worries before selling features.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: first-timers worried about food and seasickness.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The cruise line created reassurance content on both.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Interview summaries and key verbatims
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: why do members renew or leave?