Visitor Survey to Inform Park Planning at Bryce Canyon National Park

OMB CONTROL NUMBER: 1024-0224

Expiration Date: XX/XX/2021

BRYCE CANYON Post-Trip

Visitor Survey

PAPERWORK REDUCTION and PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT: The Paperwork Reduction Act requires us to tell you why we are collecting this information, how we will use it, and whether or not you have to respond. We are authorized by the National Park Service Protection Interpretation and research in System (54 USC §100702) to collect this information. The routine uses of this information will be for the benefit of NPS Managers and Planning staff in Bryce Canyon National Park (BRCA) in future initiatives related to the visitor use and resource management within the site. The data collected will be summarized to evaluate visitor uses and expectations during their visit at BRCA. Your responses to this collection are completely voluntary and will remain anonymous. You can end the process at any time and will not be penalized in any way for choosing to do so. All contact information collected for the purpose of the follow-up survey will be destroyed at the end of the collection period and no personal identifiable records will be maintained or stored for any purposes. Data collected will only be reported in aggregates and no individually identifiable responses will be reported. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number (####-####).

Burden Estimate Statement: We estimate that it will take about 15 minutes to complete this on-site questionnaire. You may send comments concerning the burden estimates or any aspect of this information collection to: Dr. Zach Miller, Utah State University, [email protected] (email); or Phadrea Ponds NPS Information Collection Coordinator at [email protected] (email).

Cover Letter

Dear [Name],

On your recent trip to Bryce Canyon National Park, we asked you to participate in the first phase of a visitor survey for the National Park Service. First, we would like to thank you for agreeing to participate in that initial phase of onsite data collection.

The second phase of the survey is this mail-back questionnaire which we kindly ask you to fill out after you get home and send back to us in the pre-paid envelope provided. You can also answer these questions online, if it is easier for you (link: XXX). We selected only a small number of visitors to participate in this study; therefore, the return of each questionnaire is very important. The information you provide will help us better understand visitor spending details, travel patterns, and perceptions of your visit. It will also help us manage Bryce Canyon National Park and other units of the National Park Service, and better serve you, our visitor.

If you have any questions regarding this questionnaire, please contact the Social Science Branch Chief, National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship & Science, Environmental Quality Division, Social Science Program, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO, 80525.

Thank you for your help with this important study. Your opinions matter, and we appreciate you sharing them with us. They will help us improve the management of the National Park Service.

Sincerely,

Linda Mazzu

Superintendent, Bryce Canyon National Park

Contact #2 Post Trip Reminder Letter

Dear [Name],

About a month ago, after your recent trip to Bryce Canyon National Park, we asked you to participate in the second phase of the survey and fill out this mail-back questionnaire. We selected only a small number of visitors to participate in this study; therefore, the return of each questionnaire is very important. The information you provide will help us better understand visitor spending details, travel patterns, and perceptions of your visit. It will also help us manage Bryce Canyon National Park and other units of the National Park Service, and better serve you, our visitor.

If you have already returned this questionnaire, we would like to thank you. However, if you have not, we are asking you to please return it by mail as soon as possible. Since we have not received yours as of the date we mailed this letter, we have included a replacement questionnaire for your convenience, along with a postage paid envelope.

If you have any questions regarding this questionnaire, please contact the Social Science Branch Chief, National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship & Science, Environmental Quality Division, Social Science Program, 1201 Oakridge Drive, Fort Collins, CO, 80525.

Thank you for your help with this important study. Your opinions matter, and we appreciate you sharing them with us. They will help us improve the management of the National Park Service.

Sincerely,

NPS Director

Contact #3 Post Trip Postcard

Respondents from the United States

Dear National Park Visitor,

About two weeks ago we contacted you to participate in a visitor use survey for the National Park Service. On your recent trip to Bryce Canyon National Park, you spoke with one of our survey administrators and received a survey questionnaire with a postage-paid envelope. If you have already sent in your survey or completed it online using the provided online link, we thank you!

However, if you have not yet had the opportunity to complete the survey we would greatly appreciate you doing so. A select number of people were contacted for this study, so your opinions are very important to us! Please complete the survey online or return the questionnaire at your earliest convenience. (ONLY FOR MAILED SURVEYS - If you have lost the questionnaire and wish to complete a paper copy of the survey, another questionnaire will be mailed to you in approximately two weeks.)

Thank you,

The National Park Service

International Respondents

Dear National Park Visitor,

About two weeks ago we contacted you to participate in a visitor use survey for the National Park Service. On your recent trip to Bryce Canyon National Park, you spoke with one of our survey administrators and received a survey questionnaire with a postage-paid envelope. If you have already sent in your survey or completed it online using the provided online link, we thank you!

However, if you have not yet had the opportunity to complete the survey we would greatly appreciate you doing so. A select number of people were contacted for this study, so your opinions are very important to us! Please complete the survey online or return the questionnaire at your earliest convenience. If you have lost the questionnaire and wish to complete a paper copy of the survey or need additional postage to mail it to the US, another questionnaire will be mailed to you in approximately two weeks and will include a return envelope with international postage.

Thank you,

The National Park Service

Trip Description

First, we’d like to ask some questions about your trip away from home when you visited Bryce Canyon National Park.

1. From the list below, select all forms of transportation you personally used to travel from your home to Bryce Canyon on this trip. Please mark (●) all that apply

• Car, truck, or SUV

• RV or motorhome

• Airplane

• Commercial tour bus

• Commercial tour van

• Private tour van

• Church, school, or similar group bus/van

• Taxi/Other rideshare options (e.g., Uber, Lyft, etc.)

• City bus or subway

• Train or long-distance passenger bus

• Water-based transportation (mark all that apply)

  • Cruise ship

  • Ferry

  • Tour boat

  • Personal boat

  • Motor boat

  • Sail boat

  • Canoe/kayak

  • Other (please specify)

• Bicycle

• Electric bicycle

• Motorcycle

• Walk/hike

• Other (Please specify)

2. What type of group were you with, during your visit to Bryce Canyon on the day you were contacted for this survey?

Please mark (●) one

• Alone

• Significant other/spouse

• Friends

• Family

• Family and friends

• Other (Please specify)

Expenditures

The National Park Service is interested in the relationship between parks and their local economies. In this section, we ask about goods and services that you and your personal group purchased in both Bryce Canyon’s local area and elsewhere in the US (outside Bryce Canyon’s local area) during this trip away from home.

Throughout this section, please refer to the following map when asked about the local area around Bryce Canyon. The local area includes all communities within the highlighted region

3. How many days did you spend away from home (or your local/seasonal residence) on this trip that included your visit to Bryce Canyon?

__________number of days

4. Of these days spent away from home, how many days were spent in the local area (including [NPS Site]) shown on the map?

__________number of days

5. Please estimate how much money the group you shared expenses with (or covered expenses for) spent in the following areas during your trip away from home: (1) Bryce Canyon and the local communities surrounding Bryce Canyon, and (2) elsewhere in the U.S. outside Bryce Canyon’s local area. If you did not spend anything in a category, please enter “0”.

Local Area Residents: If you are a permanent or seasonal resident, please only include local area expenditures that were directly related to your trip to [NPS site] when you received this survey.

Package vacationers: For this question, don’t include any expenditures that were included as part of your package vacation cost (that you reported when interviewed at Bryce Canyon).

Expenses	Amount spent in Bryce Canyon and nearby communities (shown on map)	Amount spent elsewhere in US during your trip (expenses outside local area)
National Park entrance fee or annual parks pass
Gas and oil (e.g., auto, RV, boat, etc.)
Rental car
Taxis, ride shares, shuttles, parking, and public transportation
Restaurants and bars
Groceries and convenience foods
Hotels, motels, resorts
Specialty lodging (e.g., B&Bs, hostels, cabins, vacation rentals)
Camping fees (tent, RV)
Recreation and entertainment expenses (e.g., movies, bowling, miniature golf, etc.)
Souvenirs, clothing, supplies, other retail
Equipment rental
Guides and tour fees
Other expenditures (Please describe below) _______________________________________________
Airline tickets from home (Which airport did you fly into?) ________________________

6. How many people, including yourself, were covered by the spending estimates you provided above?

__________number of people (adults and children)

7. If you did not list your expenditures, please indicate why you did not answer.

Please mark (●) one

• Did not spend any money on this trip

• Do not know how much money was spent (don’t remember / didn’t keep track)

• Prefer to not answer the question

8. On this trip to Bryce Canyon, which one of the following entrance fees applied to you personally?

Please mark (●) one

• Did not pay a fee or use a pass to enter the park

• 7-day entrance pass

• Annual pass for Bryce Canyon

• America the Beautiful-National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands

• Senior Pass, Access Pass, or Military Pass

• Fee included in Tour Package

• One-day fee (e.g., single-day entry fee)

• Don’t know/Unsure

• Other (Please specify)

9. On how many different days did you enter Bryce Canyon on this trip?

___ Different Days Entered Bryce Canyon

10. Did you visit any of the following parks on this trip away from home?

Please mark (●) all that apply

• Arches National Park

• Canyonlands National Park

• Capitol Reef National Park

• Cedar Breaks National Monument

• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

• Grand Canyon National Park – North Rim

• Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

• Pipe Spring National Monument

• Utah State Parks (e.g., Coral Pink Sand Dunes, Kodachrome Basin, Sand Hollow, Snow Canyon)

• Zion National Park

11. Considering your most recent trip to Bryce Canyon, did you visit any of the following locations: Please mark (●) all that apply

• Mossy Cave

• Rainbow Point

• Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive (the main road through the park)

• Sunrise Point

• Sunset Point

• Bryce Point

• Navajo Loop

• Under the Rim trail

• Fairyland trail

• Peek-A-Boo trail

• Queen’s Garden trail

12. Did you use a personal electronic device while in [NPS Site] to do any of the following actions? Please mark (●) one box per row

	Yes	No	Don’t know
Make/receive cell phone call			
Send/receive text message			
Search the internet / email			
GPS/Navigation			
Share pics/videos/audio via social media			
Listen to/use an NPS podcast			
Other (Please specify) ___________________________________			

13. How important to you was it during your visit to Bryce Canyon to use personal electronic devices to do each of the following, and how would you rate the quality of the service to do each? For each item, please mark (●) one for importance and one for quality of service.

.

A) IMPORTANCE

B) QUALITY OF SERVICE

Not at all important

Slightly important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

No Service at all

Poor

Average

Good

Very good

Not appicable

Make/receive cell phone call

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Send/receive text message

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Search the internet / email

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GPS/Navigation

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Share pics/videos/audio via social media

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Listen to/use an NPS podcast

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Other (Please specify) ___________________________________

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14. Bryce Canyon managers are interested in social media's potential as a tool to communicate with visitors. How often do you use the following social media platforms?

	Daily	Every other day	Weekly	Monthly	Less often than monthly	Never
Facebook						
Twitter						
YouTube						
Snapchat						
Instagram						
Pinterest						
TikTok						
All Trails						
Other (what……)						

15. We would like to know what sources of information you used for your trip. For each source used, how did you use the information? (Check all that apply)

    	Types of information			Use of information
    	Used before arriving in Bryce Canyon	Used while in Bryce Canyon	Did not use	Used to determine where to go in Bryce Canyon	Used to learn about activities available in Bryce Canyon
    Bryce Canyon Newspaper					
    Bryce Canyon map/brochure					
    National Park Service website					
    State or regional tourism website					
    Social media					
    Other websites					
    Word of mouth from friends or family					
    Talking with non-park service staff from local businesses					
    Talking with park personnel					
    Participating in an interpretive activity led by park personnel					
    Reading wayside signs off the road					
    Visiting an information center					
    Specialized recreation shops/companies					
    Conservation organization publications					
    Newspapers/online news outlets					

16. To what extent do you disagree or agree with each of the following statements regarding the posts or videos you see on social media?

	Strongly disagree	Disagree	Neither	Agree	Strongly agree
The posts and videos I see on social media influence which national park units I visit	1	2	3	4	5
The posts and videos I see on social media influence the sights and experiences I seek out once I am in a national park	1	2	3	4	5
The posts and videos I see on social media influence the national park sights and experiences I want to have in the future	1	2	3	4	5
The posts and videos I see on social media have increased my awareness of the value of national parks	1	2	3	4	5
People I follow on social media influence my behavior more than information I receive from the National Park Service	1	2	3	4	5

17. A) Did anyone on your personal group have a physical condition that made it difficult to access or participate in park activities or services, during your visit to Bryce Canyon? Please mark (●) one

• Yes

• No ->Go to Question 18

B) What activities, services, or facilities did the person(s) have difficulty participating in or accessing? Please be specific.

Please describe______________

C) Because of the physical condition, which specific difficulties did the person(s) have. Please mark (●) all that apply

• Hearing (difficulty hearing ranger programs, bus drivers, audio-visual exhibits or programs, or information desk staff even with hearing aid)

• Visual (difficulty seeing exhibits, directional signs, visual aids that are part of programs even with prescribed glasses due to blindness)

• Mobility (difficulty in accessing facilities, services, or programs even with walking aid and/or wheelchairs)

The following two questions identify the strengths and weaknesses in the site’s visitor experience. Bryce Canyon managers rely on this information to make decisions that benefit the general public.

18. What did you like most about your visit to Bryce Canyon?

1.________________________________________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________________________________________3.________________________________________________________________________________

• Not applicable

19. What did you like least about your visit to Bryce Canyon?

1._______________________________________________________________________________

2._______________________________________________________________________________3._______________________________________________________________________________

• Not applicable

20. Did your visit to Bryce Canyon meet your expectations?

• Yes

• Not entirely (Please explain)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Not at all (Please explain)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

NPS Site Management

21. To what extent do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?

	Strongly Disagree	Somewhat Disagree	Neither agree nor Disagree	Somewhat Agree	Strongly Agree
Bryce Canyon is a safe place to visit	1	2	3	4	5
Bryce Canyon is too crowded	1	2	3	4	5
Natural resources in Bryce Canyon are in pristine condition	1	2	3	4	5
The entrance fee for Bryce Canyon is too high	1	2	3	4	5
Bryce Canyon is not accessible to persons with physical disabilities	1	2	3	4	5
Historical and cultural features in Bryce Canyon are well maintained/preserved	1	2	3	4	5

22. Did you [and your personal group] use the Bryce Canyon shuttle during your visit?

    • Yes

    • No

23. Please select one answer for each statement that best describes how problematic each of the following issues was for you at this site.

	Not a problem	Small problem	Moderate problem	Big problem	N/A
Wait time to enter Bryce Canyon	1	2	3	4
Availability of parking	1	2	3	4
Shuttle wait times at Visitor Center	1	2	3	4
Shuttle wait times within Bryce Canyon Canyon (e.g., Bryce Canyon Lodge, The Grotto, etc.)	1	2	3	4
Shuttle wait times leaving Bryce Canyon Canyon	1	2	3	4
People walking on, across, or along the road	1	2	3	4
Too many people in the park	1	2	3	4
Traffic congestion	1	2	3	4
Cleanliness of restrooms	1	2	3	4

24. Overall, how acceptable was the number of people you encountered on your trip to Bryce Canyon?

Very unacceptable	Moderately unacceptable	Slightly unacceptable	Neutral	Slightly acceptable	Moderately acceptable	Very acceptable
-3	-2	-1	0	1	2	3

25. If you used the Bryce Canyon Canyon Shuttle, how would you rate your overall travel experience on your trip?

• Excellent

• Good

• Fair

• Poor

• Very Poor

• Did not use shuttle

26. Please rate how much you disagree or agree with each statement below:

The following planning tool or service, if available, would help me better plan a future trip to Bryce Canyon NP.

	Strongly disagree	Somewhat disagree	Neutral	Somewhat agree	Strongly agree	Don’t know/not sure
Ability to obtain tickets for a seat on the shuttle	1	2	3	4	5	o
Availability of a guided, fee based, interpretive commercial tour	1	2	3	4	5	o
Information showing the average time of day when parking lots are full	1	2	3	4	5	o
Online itinerary builder for Bryce Canyon	1	2	3	4	5	o
Information about busy times of the year and/or days of the week and/or times of the day	1	2	3	4	5	o
Information about other recreation areas and historic sites throughout the region	1	2	3	4	5	o
Ability to reserve a backcountry permit online	1	2	3	4	5	o
Other tools that could improve your planning (please specify):	1	2	3	4	5	o

Background/Demographics

27. What is your zip code, or home country if not US?

OR ________________________________________

28. What is your age? Years

29. What is your gender? ______________

30. Are you of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish Origin? Please mark (●) one

• Yes

• No

31. What is your race? Please mark (●) all that apply

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Asian

• Black or African American

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• White

32. What is the highest degree or level of school you have completed? Please mark (●) one.

Less than high school/some high school High school graduate Vocational/trade school certificate Some college Associate Degree (AA, AS, etc.)

Bachelor’s Degree (BA, BS, AB, etc.) Master’s Degree (MS, MA, MEd, etc.) Professional Degree (MD, DD, etc.) Doctorate Degree (PhD, EdD, etc.)

33. Which category best represents your annual household income? Please mark (●) one.

Less than $25,000 $25,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $74,999 $75,000 to $99,999

$100,000 - $149,999 $150,000 - $199,999 $200,000 or more Do not wish to answer

34. Including yourself, how many people contribute to your annual household income?

People

35. Including yourself, how many people are in your household?

People

36. When visiting an area such as Bryce Canyon, what language do you prefer to use? Please mark (●) one for speaking and one for reading.

	Speaking	Reading
English		
Spanish		
Other (Please specify: ____________________________)		

37. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about Bryce Canyon’s facilities, services, or recreational opportunities?

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