TravelScope®/DIRECTIONS® Methodology

Data Reliability

Statistical reliability of the TravelScope®/DIRECTIONS® study is excellent. With over 60,000 traveling households measured each year, the national results have a margin of error of +/-0.4 percentage points at the 95% the confidence interval.

Overview of Data Collection

The TravelScope®/DIRECTIONS® survey utilizes a consumer mail panel sample of nearly 1.5 million households (U.S. census balanced).

        • Each mailing goes to an average of 45,000 different            households per month (12 times per year).
        • In 2005 approximately 60,000+ traveling households            in the mail panel responded.
        • In 2005 DKS&A captured an additional 16,000                        traveling household via the Synovate Internet panel.
        • As a result of continued data collection and testing,             DKS&A has developed the ability to integrate and                   properly weight the data from the mail and internet               panels.

Returned Questionnaires: Demographic Re-balancing

The 45,000 average monthly mail-out is demographically balanced to the United States population. Returned sample is also demographically re-balanced to ensure that it is representative of, and truly reflects, the U.S. population. Key measures for re-balancing are:
        • Origin State (household of respondent)
        • Age
        • Household Income
        • Gender
        • Household Size (number of adults in household)
        • Education Level

Population figures are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Population Survey.


For more information on the TravelScope®/DIRECTIONS® program, contact TIA at 202-408-2159 or email us.