Visitor Voices Project 2008

Coble, Theresa

Assessing interpretive outcomes in the Intermountain Region. To identify patterns that exist in the connections visitors make, it is vital to understand how visitor connections are influenced by such variables as age, education, race and ethnicity, income, gender, groups size and composition, previous knowledge and experiences, and motivations. The NPS strives to make its programs accessible and relevant to diverse populations. An NPS report entitled, “Renewing our Education Mission,” emphasized the agency’s commitment 2 to “reflecting our diverse society by providing unique opportunities for all people to understand, appreciate, and participate in preserving our natural and cultural heritage” (USDI National Park Service, 2003, p. 5). This study represents an initial effort to assess how successful the NPS is in achieving this stated goal with respect to one program objective: facilitating connections to resource meanings. This report details the findings obtained through the analysis of the survey responses provided by 272 visitors to SAAN in December 2006.