Visitor Satisfaction and Visitor Understanding of the Significance of Acadia National Park: 2000: Meeting the Requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act

Jacobi, Charles

A description of visitor satisfaction and visitor understanding of the significance of Acadia National Park. A portion of the Abstract: In 2000, the National Park Service measured visitor satisfaction and visitor understanding of the significance of the park they were visiting through a brief visitor survey. Acadia National Park participated in this survey, which was intended to meet the requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). In a brief report, the University of Idaho Cooperative Park Studies Unit presented the results of visitor evaluations of park facilities, services and recreation opportunities (GPRA goal Hal) at Acadia. Ninety-six percent of visitors were satisfied with the overall quality of visitor facilities, services, and recreation opportunities offered by Acadia, an amount above the GPRA servicewide goal of 95%. Responses to questions about the quality of specific facilities or services showed there· is room for limited improvement. Visitor responses to the question about the significance of Acadia National Park (GPRA goal IIbl) were compared to significance statements identified in the park's GPRA plan. According to servicewide standards for evaluating answers to this question (visitor identification of at least one park significance item), 91 % of Acadia visitors understand something about the significance of Acadia. This is well above the servicewide standard of 62%. Three quarters of visitors knew Acadia was significant for its scenery and one third knew it was significant for its recreation opportunities. Compared with previous years, more visitors mentioned cultural heritage (15%) and natural resources (14) as significant to Acadia. When given the opportunity to make other comments, visitors mentioned the need for improvements to restrooms, trail signing and maps, and enjoying the new Island Explorer bus service (fifteen comments). Six respondents specifically mentioned crowding or congestion as a problem. /STUDY LOCATIONS:/ /MOUNT DESERT ISLAND/Echo Lake/Ship Harbor/Wonderland/Jordan Pond/Seawall/Blackwoods/Beehive/Bowl/Carriage Roads/Park Loop Road/

Visitor Satisfaction and Visitor Understanding of the Significance of Acadia National Park: 2000: Meeting the Requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act

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