A Thematic Analysis of the Expectations and Experiences of the Great Smoky Mountain Visitor
Van Cleave RL, Franz CP, Franz DL, Van Cleave AK. 1991. A Thematic Analysis of the Expectations and Experiences of the Great Smoky Mountain Visitor. Pages 19-27. In Proceedings 1990 Southeastern Recreation Research Conference Volume 12. Asheville, North Carolina. February 14-16, 1990
ABSTRACT: The motivations involved in choosing a particular place to visit are reflected in the types of experiences and sensations that an individual expects to have. Within the entire Great Smoky Mountain region the potential for a person to express diversity in these motivations is great. Opportunities in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park include a variety of "nature" experiences like camping and hiking. Gatlinburg, TN, on the border of the Park, is a community primarily oriented toward tourism. In this community there exist opportunities for shopping, dining, and amusement activities. Forty-seven adults were interviewed to examine the expectations and experiences of visitors to these different locales. Semi-structured phenomenological interviews were conducted that included descriptions regarding the visitor's expectations, best and worst experiences, activities engaged in, and elements of the experience that were figural in the person's awareness. Thematic analysis revealed that individuals who visit primarily for either a "nature-oriented" or "tourism community-oriented" experience possessed differing expectations and perceptions of the region. These two groups also differed in the sensory modality they found to be most figural. Other comparisons and contrasts between these groups are also discussed within this paper.
- Type
- Conference Proceeding Paper
- Authors
- Van Cleave, Rebecca; Franz, Cynthia; Franz, David; Van Cleave, A
- Date of Issue
- 1991
- Units
- GRSM
- Keywords
- APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, GRSM, recreation, SER, social science, Southeast Region, visitor use