Visitor Satisfaction and Visitor Understanding of the Significance of Acadia National Park: 2001 Meeting the Requirements of the Government Performance of Results Act

Jacobi, Charles

A description of visitor satisfaction and visitor understanding of the significance of Acadia National Park. The Abstract: "In 2001, 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 IIal) at Acadia. Ninety-eight 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 lIb I) 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), 94% of Acadia visitors understand something about the significance of Acadia. This is well above the servicewide standard of 84%. Eighty-two percent of visitors knew Acadia was significant for its scenery and twenty-nine percent knew it was significant for its recreation opportunities. Ten percent of visitors knew Acadia was significant for its cultural heritage and 8% knew it was significant for its natural resources. When given the opportunity to make other comments, visitors mentioned the need for improvements to restrooms, better signing on auto roads, carriage roads, and trails, and showers in the campgrounds. Only a few people made mostly positive comments on the Island Explorer bus. There were also few comments about crowding and congestion." /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: 2001 Meeting the Requirements of the Government Performance of Results Act

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