SBNMS Passenger Full Survey

Corresponding Survey Version_____________________ Today’s Date________________________

Your participation in this recreation expenditure survey is GREATLY APPRECIATED.

Dear Valued Visitor,

During your recent trip to the New England region you participated in an on-site survey during a wildlife viewing tour and indicated that you would be willing to complete this questionnaire. It is very important that the same person who participated in the on-site survey completes this questionnaire. Your cooperation in this effort is greatly appreciated.

The questionnaire will take about 20 minutes to complete. Instructions and an example response are provided below for your convenience. Please print answers accurately and legibly. Your participation is voluntary and your responses will remain confidential. After the completion of the project all materials identifying you as an individual will be destroyed. To mail back your completed questionnaire, reverse-fold it so that our return address is facing out, and seal with tape or a staple before placing in mailbox. No postage is needed.

We thank you again for your participation as this information is valuable to further improve management in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.

Sincerely,

Interview Number: ___________________________

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 20 minutes including time for reviewing instructions, gathering the information needed and to complete the survey. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to U.S. Department of Commerce, Clearance Officer, Office of Chief Information Officer, Rm. 6625, 14^th and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC 20230.

Privacy Act Statement

Authority: The collection of this information is authorized under 5 U.S.C. § 301, Departmental regulations and 15 U.S.C. 1512, Powers and duties of Department.

Purpose: Your e-mail address may be collected for those requesting data. The purpose of this information collection is to obtain the information necessary to calculate estimates and build tools that can be used by natural resource managers at the SBNMS to evaluate the value of whales, pinnipeds, sea otters, and seabirds within the sanctuary, as well as estimating potential impacts of alternative management options on the local tourism industry. Socioeconomic data will be gathered from commercial whale and marine wildlife observation passengers and will be used to develop social and demographic profiles of passengers. Importance/satisfaction information and expenditure data to understand how passengers rate their experiences and how their activity contributes to the local economy.

Routine Uses: Disclosure of this information is permitted under the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. Section 552a) to be shared among Department staff for work-related purposes. Disclosure of this information is also subject to all of the published routine uses as identified in the Privacy Act System of Records Notice COMMERCE/NOAA-11, Contact Information for Members of the Public Requesting or Providing Information Related to NOAA’s Mission

1. On your most recent trip to New England (defined as Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island), how many days did you spend there? Count partial days as whole days. _______days

2. On your most recent trip to New England, how many days did you spend wildlife viewing? Count partial days as whole days. _______days

3. On your most recent trip to New England, how many times did you go out on a for-hire charter operations, such as a whale watching boat tour? _______days

4. Including your most recent trip, in the past 12 months how many trips have you taken to New England to go wildlife viewing? _______trips

5. On your most recent trip, what month did you go wildlife viewing?

• January

• February

• March

• April

• May

• June

• July

• August

• September

• October

• November

• December

6. While visiting New England what was the primary purpose of your visit or trip? _______________________________________________________________________________

7. The next set of questions refer to the wildlife viewing boat tour you took while in New England. Please also indicate the primary type of animals or animal group, you were trying to view on the tour. Please check only one primary animal or animal group.

   1. Did you see whales? _____Yes _____No _____Primary Animal

   2. Did you see seals? _____Yes _____No _____Primary Animal

   3. Did you see dolphins or porpoises? _____Yes _____No _____Primary Animal

   4. Did you see birds? _____Yes _____No _____Primary Animal

   5. Did you see sharks? _____Yes _____No _____Primary Animal

   6. Did you see other wildlife? _____Yes _____No _____Primary Animal

8. Now we’d like to ask some questions about Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS). SBNMS is a marine protected area located off the coast of Massachusetts in the Atlantic Ocean.

   1. While on your wildlife viewing tour (from when you were asked to participate in this survey) did you visit the sanctuary? ____Yes ____No ___Unsure

2. While on your wildlife viewing tour (from when you were asked to participate in this survey), did staff on the boat talk about the sanctuary?

____Yes ____No ___Unsure

3. While on land during your visit to New England, did you see signage, exhibits, literature or information about the sanctuary? ____Yes ____No ___Unsure

4. Did you choose your wildlife viewing tour (from when you were asked to participate in this survey) because it visits the sanctuary? ___Y ___N ___Un

9. If you were to visit the region again and go wildlife viewing, how likely are you to use the same wildlife viewing company (from when you were asked to participate in this survey)?

Very Likely Somewhat Likely Unsure Somewhat Unlikely Very Unlikely

9a. Please explain__________________________________________________________________

10. For each marine animal listed below, please indicate how much you like or dislike it, or indicate that you are not familiar with the animal.

Marine Animals	Strongly Dislike	Dislike	Slightly Dislike	Neither like or dislike	Slightly Like	Like	Strongly Like	Don’t know this animal
Humpback Whales
North Atlantic Right Whales
Minke Whales
Fin Whales
Sei Whales
Dolphins and Porpoises
Seals
Basking Sharks
Other Sharks
Ocean Sunfish
Sea Turtles
Shearwaters
Seagulls
Northern Gannets
Other Seabirds

11. Below is a list of items that may have influence on how you choose your wildlife viewing tour (from when you were asked to participate in this survey). For the following items please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with their influence on your choice.

Item	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Slightly Disagree	No Impact	Slightly Agree	Agree	Strongly Agree	Don’t know
Ticket Price
You had a coupon or other discount
The operation was near my hotel
The operation was near my house
The operation was targeting animals I wanted to see
I saw an advertisement online
I saw an advertisement in a travel publication
I saw an advertisement at the hotel
I saw an advertisement on social media
I saw an advertisement at a restaurant
I used a travel agent
I recognized or researched Whale SENSE
I relied on consumer reviews on Yelp, Trip Advisor, or other review service
The amount of time for the trip met my requirements
Size and speed of the vessel
There was parking nearby
They had tours at the time of day I wanted to go
The boat permitted smoking onboard
The boat prohibited smoking
I relied on recommendations of family/friends
I relied on recommendations made by my hotel
The company is recognized for sustainable operations and/or conservation efforts
I preferred/liked the company’s website

Importance and Satisfaction:

12. Please read each statement and rate the importance of each item as it pertains to your wildlife viewing experience (from when you were asked to participate in this survey) in the New England region on the dates listed on the first page. If an item does not apply, indicate by checking “N/A” (not applicable). Likewise, if you don’t know, check “Don’t Know.”

		N/A	Don't Know	Not Important	Somewhat Important	Important	Very Important	Extremely Important
Items During your Wildlife Viewing Experience
	Clean water (little to no pollution)
	Clean air (little to no pollution)
	A large number of whales
	Different types of whales
	Opportunity to see whales
	Opportunity to see sharks
	A large number of seals
	A large number of birds
	Many types of birds
	Whale breaching the surface
	Whale bubble net feeding
	A knowledgeable naturalist on board
	The naturalist available to answer questions
	Educational exhibits or activities available onboard the vessel when wildlife is not present
	Clean restrooms on the boat
	The staff was friendly and helpful
	Operator offered a discount
	Operator offered a group rate
	The boat offered recycling
	The boat offered locally sourced food
	Availability of food and non-alcoholic beverages on the wildlife viewing vessel
	Availability of alcoholic beverages on the wildlife viewing vessel
Items Experienced on Land During your Trip
	Educational posters, signs, exhibits & brochures
	Marina facilities, boat ramps & launching facilities
	Availability of parking
	Availability of a gift shop
	Availability of public restrooms

13. Please read each statement and rate how satisfied you were with each item as it pertains to your wildlife viewing experience (from when you were asked to participate in this survey) in the New England region on the date listed on the first page. If an item does not apply, indicate by checking “N/A” (not applicable). Likewise, if you don’t know, check “Don’t Know.”

		N/A	Don't Know	Not Satisfied	Somewhat Satisfied	Satisfied	Very Satisfied	Extremely Satisfied
Items During your Wildlife Viewing Experience
	Clean water (little to no pollution)
	Clean air (little to no pollution)
	A large number of whales
	Different types of whales
	Opportunity to see whales
	Opportunity to see sharks
	A large number of seals
	A large number of birds
	Many types of birds
	Whale breaching the surface
	Whale bubble net feeding
	A knowledgeable naturalist on board
	The naturalist available to answer questions
	Educational exhibits or activities available onboard the vessel when wildlife is not present
	Clean restrooms on the boat
	The staff was friendly and helpful
	Operator offered a discount
	Operator offered a group rate
	The boat offered recycling
	The boat offered locally sourced food
	Availability of food and non-alcoholic beverages on the wildlife viewing vessel
Items Experienced on Land During your Trip
	Educational posters, signs, exhibits & brochures
	Marina facilities, boat ramps & launching facilities
	Availability of parking
	Availability of a gift shop
	Availability of public restrooms
	Educational posters, signs, exhibits & brochures

14. Some people may have expectations about an activity or event before it happens. Please read the list of items below and rate your expectations (prior to the wildlife viewing tour) for each of the following. If an item does not apply select n/a. Likewise, if you don’t know, select Don’t Know.

	n/a	Don't Know	Did not Expect	Small Expectations	Moderate Expectation	Large Expectation	Big Expectation
Clean water (little to no pollution)
Clean air (little to no pollution)
A large number of whales
Different types of whales
A large number of seals
A large number of birds
Many types of birds
Whale breaching the surface
Whale bubble net feeding
A knowledgeable naturalist on board
Clean restrooms on the boat
Operator offered a discount
Operator offered a group rate
The boat offered recycling

15. Now, please read the list of items below and rate how they met your expectations (after the wildlife viewing tour (from when you were asked to participate in this survey)) for each of the following. If an item does not apply select n/a. Likewise, if you don’t know, select Don’t Know.

	n/a	Don't Know	Completely Did not meet my Expectations	Slightly Met my Expectations	Met my Expectations	Slightly Exceeded my Expectations	Completely Exceed my Expectations
Clean water (little to no pollution)
Clean air (little to no pollution)
A large number of whales
Different types of whales
A large number of seals
A large number of birds
Many types of birds
Whale breaching the surface
Whale bubble net feeding
A knowledgeable naturalist on board
Clean restrooms on the boat
Operator offered a discount
Operator offered a group rate
The boat offered recycling

Expenditures:

We would like to ask you about the expenses related to your recent trip as it pertains to your whale watching or wildlife viewing experience in the New England region. We are interested in expenses made only for the trip associated with the trip from when you were asked to participate in this survey.



Example Expenditure Response
ITEMS	Total amount spent	Total amount spent in the study area	Number of people covered
Scenic Tours
Whale watching tour	250	250	4
Please list company: Example Whale Watching Company
Other wildlife tour
Please list company: Example Wildlife Watching Company
Sailing charters	300	100	2
Sunset cruises



Please estimate how much money, rounded to the nearest dollar, your party spent on the following items and the number of people it covered. If no money was spent for any item, please place a zero in the corresponding box. Please use the map to identify the total amount spent within the study area.

ITEMS	Total amount spent	Total amount spent in the study area	Number of people covered
Scenic Tours
Whale watching tour
Please list company _______________________________________
Other wildlife tour
Please list company _______________________________________
Sailing charters
Sunset cruises
Other, please specify:_________________________________________
Sightseeing
Land-based Sightseeing Tours
Admission to amusement, festivals, and other attractions (e.g., zoos, aquariums,
and museums)
Other, please specify:_____________________________________________

ITEMS	Total amount spent	Total amount spent in the study area	Number of people covered
Other Activities
Rental fee for recreation equipment (e.g., bicycles, golf carts, kayaks, and paddle boats)
Guided service tours (not listed above)
Tickets for motion pictures, theaters, musical performances, concerts, etc.
Wine Tour
Other, please specify: _____________________________
Lodging
Hotel/motel
Bed & Breakfast
Cabin
Cottage/Condo/Rental Home
Other, please specify: _____________________________
Food & Beverages
Food purchased at a grocery store (e.g., farmers market)
Food and drinks bought at restaurants and bars
Food and drinks consumed on a wildlife viewing vessel
Other, please specify: _____________________________
Transportation
Rental automobile, motor home, trailer, motorcycle, etc
Gas & oil for automobile or RV
Automobile or RV parking fees & tolls
Taxi fare
Ferry
Train
Bus fare (e.g., day passes and package tours)
Airline fare
Other, please specify: _____________________________
Miscellaneous Expenditures
Camera and supplies – film, batteries, memory stick, film development
Footwear
Binoculars
Clothing (including foul weather gear, hats, sweatshirts, etc.)
Sunblock and other sundries
Souvenirs and gifts (not including clothing)
Other, please specify: _____________________________

Demographics:

1. What is your country of residence? _________________________________________

2. If you live in the United States, what is your zip code? ___________________________

3. What is your age?

• 18-30

• 31-40

• 41-50

• 51-60

• Over 60

4. What is your sex?

• Female

• Male

• Other______

5. Are you Hispanic or Latino? _______Yes _______No

6. What is your race? Please check all that apply?

• White or Caucasian

• Black or African American

• Asian

• American Indian or Alaskan Native

• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander

• Other__________________

7. What is your employment status? Please select the best one.

• Unemployed

• Employed full-time

• Employed part-time

• Self-employed

• Retired

• Student

• Homemaker

• None of the above

8. How many adults, age 18 and over, live in your household? ___________________

9. How many children, under the age of 18, live in your household?_______________

10. What is your household income?

• Less than $5,000

• $5,000 to $9,999

• $10,000 to $14,999

• $15,000 to $19,999

• $20,000 to $24,999

• $25,000 to $29,999

• $30,000 to $34,999

• $35,000 to $39,999

• $40,000 to $44,999

• $45,000 to $49,999

• $50,000 to $59,999

• $60,000 to $74,999

• $75,000 to $99,999

• $100,000 to $149,999

• $150,000 to More

Thank you for completing this questionnaire. Your responses will help improve management in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary.  Please see front page of booklet for instructions to send back your completed questionnaire.

OMB Approval # 0648-XXXX Expiration Date: XX/XX/2021