Your Thoughts on What River Valley Provides – Survey Results
Firstly, I would like to thank everyone, several hundred; in fact, who contributed to the recent survey we put up.
The purpose of the survey was to help us understand better what you, our guests and customers, really valued about a River Valley experience, but also for us to gain an insight into what you did not value.
We always intended that in the interests of transparency, we would share the summary. By the way, many many comments were very heartwarming and reinforced for us the bond that many of you feel to River Valley. To read some of these comments was very humbling.
To understand what you shared with us, we went through each answer you provided and in effect gave each item you mentioned a vote. For instance, if you said the scenery and the guides were especially memorable and valuable, for say horse trekking, then both guides and scenery would get a vote. The same system was used for the parts of the experience you valued least.
Set out below are only the responses from those people who had visited River Valley in the past, and do not include the responses from those yet to visit.
What I have included is both the part of each individual experience that you voted as being the most valuable, and what you voted as being the least valuable.
River Trips
We will start with Rafting and river experiences in general – this includes white water rafting, dories, inflatable kayaks, multi-day river trips etc.
The two things you valued most were:
- The Whole Experience of being on the river – 41 responses
- The Guides and staff – 38 responses
The one thing (there are two in this instance as they were tied) you valued least was:
- Leaving or getting off the river – 6 responses
- The river being low when you took part in your experience – 6 responses
Horse Riding and Trekking – this includes treks and horse riding holidays from 2 hours to 8 days
The two things you valued most were:
- The scenery – 26 responses
- The Guides and staff – 19 responses
The one thing you valued least was – again we have a tie:
- Not being able to undertake a multi-day ride but would like to – 3 responses
- The ride was too short (shorter than advertised) – 3 responses
- The price – 3 responses
Meals and Food
The two things you valued most were (the second and third items were tied) :
- The food was delicious – 41 responses
- The food was fresh and homemade – 19 responses
- Meal variety – 19 responses
The one thing you valued least was (again a tie):
- Too repetitive/not enough variety – 4 responses
- Waiting time/slow service – 4 responses
Overall experience including accommodation:
The two things you valued most were:
- Staff and customer service – 79 responses
- Location and scenery – 63 responses
The one thing you valued least was:
- Leaving or not being able to stay longer – 13 responses
Where to from here?
From the insights you have provided us with, we intend to strengthen further what you identified as being most valuable, with staff and guides figuring very prominently here, and where possible address those areas that you thought needed some work.
As we move further into a COVID effected world, your feedback will help us in preparing to meet the challenges this new reality presents. We already have some plans around what that will look like, and will introduce those in due course.
By the way, we are now taking bookings for accommodation, meals, rafting and horse trekking for arrival dates after the 1st October. We are also looking at opening for groups of up to 10 guests over the winter (however, there will be no activities such as rafting or horse riding available)—more details on this next week.
Thanks again for sharing with us.
Brian Megaw
