Research

Evidence on how places are experienced, perceived, and chosen by visitors, residents, and industry.

Research illuminates gaps between perception, lived experience, and aspiration. It shows where signals conflict, where coherence is breaking down, and where change is already underway, so leaders can decide with better judgment.

What we do

Brand health & perception tracking
Market & audience segmentation
Resident & stakeholder sentiment
Visitor & demand analysis
Competitive benchmarking

Our offerings

We build our own tools because borrowed ones answer someone else’s questions.

Two we use most: Vibe, which scores how a destination feels, and Survey Studio, which hears what residents and stakeholders actually say.

Vibe

The Destination Vibe Quotient: how a place feels, scored.

Travel and tourism outcomes depend on how a place feels: its energy, coherence, cultural signals, and the lived experience it offers residents and visitors alike. People discuss these qualities informally, yet they play a decisive role in how places are understood, valued, and chosen over time.

Vibe reads how a place feels through identity, energy, and perception coherence. It helps explain why places with similar fundamentals diverge in relevance, demand, and resilience.

The inaugural Destination Vibe Report applies the framework to leading global cities and is free at exploredvq.com.

Score four dimensions: Authentic, Rebellious, Original & Vibrant
Place destinations on a four-quadrant matrix: Grounded, Vibrant, Dormant & Oversold
Scale from the free Vibe Check to full Vibe Works

Read the report Take the free Vibe Check

Four-quadrant matrix: Grounded, Vibrant, Dormant, Oversold

Survey Studio

AI-assisted community and stakeholder surveys that probe deeper into every answer.

Ask AI follow-up probes on open answers
Run resident, business & partner modules
Deliver in multiple languages, with live theme coding

Ask about Survey Studio

Resident survey question, answer and AI follow-up probe

From our experience · Egypt markets, segments & brand

Egypt already had the world’s most famous story; the research showed who to tell it to, nationally and at St. Catherine.

Context

Egypt needed to know which travelers to pursue, in which markets, and with what story, as it moved its brand beyond legacy imagery. St. Catherine, where three faiths meet, needed the same clarity for a new spiritual destination.

What our team did

Ran in-depth market studies, surveying travelers across 12 major source markets (2021-2022)
Built a segmentation model to identify high-value traveler segments
Mapped how destination attributes drive brand and reputation, adding real-time social analysis
Defined faith and cultural travel segments for St. Catherine across Christianity, Islam & Judaism (2022-2023)
Engaged the Mayor, Monastery leaders, two ministries & the Bedouin community

Results

Clear priority markets and segments, and a culturally grounded brand to reach them
Marketing and product development aligned around one evidence-based vision
A new cultural asset, with community-based tourism and jobs in mountain and desert areas

Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities & Egyptian Tourism Authority, 2021-2023. Delivered by team members in previous roles.