Visitor Satisfaction and Visitor Understanding of the Significance of Acadia National Park: 2002: 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 The abstract: "In 2002, the National Park Service measured visitor satisfaction and visitor understanding ofthe 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). The response rate for the survey was 23%. 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 IIa1) at Acadia. One hundred percent of visitors were satisfied with the overall quality of visitor facilities, services, and recreation opportunities offered by Acadia. This was 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 IIb1) 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), 93% of Acadia visitors understand something about the significance of Acadia. This is well above the servicewide standard of 84%. Sixty-seven percent of visitors knew Acadia was significant for its scenery and 34% percent knew it was significant for its recreation opportunities. Fourteen percent of visitors knew Acadia was significant for its cultural heritage and 12% knew it was significant for its natural resources. When given the opportunity to make other comments, visitors offered the following ideas more than once: not enough ranger programs; friendly, helpful staff; water: fountains needed; showers needed in campgrounds; love the buses. There were few comments about crowding and congestion or resource management activities . Two comments stated that trail work at Ship Harbor and Jordan Pond was too much/too intrusive. One visitor apparently was quite lost, saying "Great job, Canada." /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: 2002: Meeting the Requirements of the Government Performance and Results Act

Collections