Socioeconomic Monitoring (SEM) Pilot Survey: Phase Two

OMB CONTROL NUMBER: 1024-XXXX

Mail-Back 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 [NPS Site] 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 [NPS Site]. 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 (1024-####). We estimate that it will take about 20 minutes to complete this questionnaire. You may send comments concerning the burden estimates or any aspect of this information collection to: Dr. Jake Jorgenson, RRC Associates, at [email protected] (email), or Bret Meldrum Chief of Social Science Program at [email protected] (email).

Mail Back Based Questions

On your recent visit to [NPS Site] you agreed to participate in a survey from NPS about your trip. Please have the adult in your group (at least 18 years old) having the next birthday complete this questionnaire. In this questionnaire, your personal group is defined as you and anyone whom you visited [NPS site] with on this trip, such as a spouse, family, friends, etc. This does not include the larger group that you might have traveled with, such as a school, church, scout, or tour group.

A visit is defined as the day in which you were contacted to complete the questionnaire. A trip is defined as the total extent of time away from your personal residence that could include multiple visits to [NPS Site].

Trip Description

1. Prior to this trip, how did you obtain information about [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) all that apply.

• Did not obtain information prior to this visit

• Previous visits

• Friends/relatives/word of mouth

• Inquiry to park via phone, mail, or email

• Official [NPS Site] website [(nps.gov/xxxx)]

• Other website (Please specify) ______________________

• Local businesses (hotels, restaurants, etc.)

• Maps/brochures

• Newspaper/magazine articles

• Other units of the National Park System (NPS)

• School class/program

• Social media (such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

• State welcome center/visitor bureaus/chamber of commerce

• Television/radio programs/DVDs

• Travel guides/tour books (such as AAA, etc.)

• Online travel agent

• Cruise ship

• Live here / Grew up here

• Other (Please specify)_______________________________

2. Did you have the information about [NPS Site] you needed on this trip? Please mark (●) one.

• Yes

• No (Please specify the information you needed but didn’t have on this trip)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Please list all forms of transportation you personally used to travel from your home to [NPS Site] on this trip. Please mark (●) all that apply.

   • Car, truck, or SUV

   • RV or motorhome

   • Airplane

   • Commercial tour bus

   • Commercial 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

   • Motorcycle

   • Walk/hike

   • Other (Please specify)

4. What type of group were you with, during your visit to [NPS Site] 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 [NPS Site]’s local area and elsewhere in the US (outside [NPS Site]’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 [NPS Site]. The local area includes all communities within the highlighted region

[INSERT LOCAL AREA MAP]

5. How many days did you spend away from home (or your local/seasonal residence) on this trip that included your visit to [NPS Site]?

__________number of days

6. 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

7. 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) [NPS site] and the local communities surrounding [NPS Site], and (2) elsewhere in the U.S. outside [NPS Site]’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 [NPS Site]).

Expenses	Amount spent in [NPS Site] 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?) ________________________

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

__________number of people (adults and children)

9. If you did not list any expenditures for local area or elsewhere, please indicate why you did not answer.

(Please mark one for each row)

	I did not spend any money	I do not know or remember	Prefer not to answer	N/A
A. In the Local Area
B. Elsewhere in the US

10. On this trip to [NPS Site], 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 [NPS Site]

• America the Beautiful-National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands

• Senior Pass, Access Pass, or Military Pass

• Fee was included in Tour Package

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

• Don’t know/Unsure

• Other (Please specify:) _______________________________

11. On how many different days did you enter [NPS Site] on this trip? (Enter 1 if you only were in the site for one day).

Different Days Entered

Trip Planning and Motivations

12. Did you visit any other National Park Service sites on your trip away from home? Please mark (●) one.

• Yes (Please specify)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• No

13. On this trip, in which of the following activities did you personally participate in while visiting [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) all that apply.

• 1) Viewing wildlife

• 2) Viewing scenery, natural features, wildflowers, etc.

• 3) Creative arts (photography, drawing, painting, writing)

• 4) Visiting a cultural or historic site

• 5) Nature study

• 6) Driving for pleasure

• 7) Walking short distance (less than 1 hour)

• 8) Day hiking (1 hour or more)

• 9) Bicycling

• 10) Running/jogging

• 11) Fishing

• 12) Non-motorized water travel (rafting, kayaking, canoeing, tubing, etc.) Please specify:

• 13) Motorized water travel (boating, jet skiing, etc.) Please specify:

• 14) Camping in developed sites

• 15) Overnight backpacking

• 16) Overnight in resort, cabin, or other accommodations in [NPS Site]

• 17) Family gathering (e.g., reunion, wedding)

• 18) Picnicking

• 19) Water play (swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, etc.) Please specify:

• 20) Rock climbing/bouldering

• 21) Mountaineering

• 22) Commercial filming

• 23) Hunting/trapping

• 24) Foraging/collecting edibles (e.g., mushrooms, truffles)

• 25) Horseback/mule riding

• 26) Tour/helicopter tour/facility tour

• 27) Other (Please specify) _______________________

• 28) Other (Please specify) _______________________

• 29) Other (Please specify) _______________________

14. Of the activities listed in Question 13, which was your primary activity during your visit to [NPS Site] on the day you were contacted for this survey?

#______________________

OR

• I did not have a primary activity on this trip to [NPS Site].

1. People are motivated to visit a National Park Service site for a variety of reasons. How important to you were each of the following reasons or motivations for visiting [NPS Site] on this trip? Please mark (●) one for each row.

	Not at all important	Slightly important	Moderately important	Very Important	Extremely Important
1) To visit a National Park Service site	1	2	3	4	5
2) To experience solitude	1	2	3	4	5
3) To hear the sounds of nature/quiet	1	2	3	4	5
4) To learn more about nature	1	2	3	4	5
5) To learn more about American history and culture	1	2	3	4	5
6) To spend time with family/friends	1	2	3	4	5
7) To get physical exercise	1	2	3	4	5
8) To view wildlife or natural scenery	1	2	3	4	5
9) To relax	1	2	3	4	5
10) To view dark night sky/stars	1	2	3	4	5
11) Other (Please specify) __________________________________	1	2	3	4	5

16. Of the reasons listed in Question 15, which was the most important reason for you to visit [NPS Site] on this trip?

___ Number most important reason from Q13.

Park Activities, Programs, and Services

17. On this trip, in which of the following programs and services did you personally participate within [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) all that apply.

• Attending a ranger-led activity, such as a tour or talk

• Talking informally with a ranger

• Viewing outdoor exhibits

• Viewing indoor exhibits

• Attending a cultural demonstration or performance

• Reading the park brochure or newspaper

• Going to the visitor center

• Watching movies or videos about the park

• Participating with a child in your group in the Junior Ranger program

• Obtaining a National Park passport stamp

• Listening to an audio tour or podcast

• Using a smartphone app specific to [NPS Site]

• Other (Please specify)

18. On this visit to [NPS Site], did you learn anything from park staff, programs, and/or exhibits about American history, nature, and/or culture? Please mark (●) one.

• Yes (Please specify subjects you learned about.)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• No

19. If you were to visit [NPS Site] in the future, are there specific subjects you would like to learn about? Please mark (●) one

    • Yes (Please specify subjects you would like to learn about.)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• No

20. 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) __________________________________

21. How important to you was it during your visit to [NPS Site] 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

Extremely Important

Very Important

Moderately Important

Slightly Important

Not at all Important

Very Good

Good

Average

Poor

No Service at All

Not Applicable

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) _________________________________

22. A) Did anyone in your personal group have a physical condition that made it difficult to access or participate in park activities or services, during your visit to [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) one.

• Yes

• No  Go to Question 23

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

Open entry______________

C) (If difficulty = Yes) 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 or 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. Park unit managers rely on this information to make decisions that benefit the general public.

23. What did you like most about your visit to [NPS Site]?

1.________________________________________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________________________________________3.________________________________________________________________________________

• Not applicable

24. What did you like least about your visit to [NPS Site]?

1._______________________________________________________________________________

2._______________________________________________________________________________3._______________________________________________________________________________

• Not applicable

25. Did your visit to [NPS Site] meet your expectations? Please mark (●) one.

    • Yes

    • Not entirely (Please explain)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Not at all (Please explain)

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

26. 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	Don’t Know/Not Sure
[NPS Site] is a safe place to visit	1	2	3	4	5	X
[NPS Site] is too crowded	1	2	3	4	5	X
Natural resources in [NPS Site] are in pristine condition	1	2	3	4	5	X
The entrance fee for [NPS Site] is too high	1	2	3	4	5	X
Vandalism and crime are not a problem in [NPS Site]	1	2	3	4	5	X
[NPS Site] is not accessible to persons with physical disabilities	1	2	3	4	5	X
Historical and cultural features in [NPS Site] are well maintained/preserved	1	2	3	4	5	X
Development of adjacent areas detracts from visitors' experience at [NPS Site]	1	2	3	4	5	X

27. How would you rate the quality of the park facilities, visitor services, and recreational opportunities in [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) one for each row.

	Very Poor	Poor	Average	Good	Very Good	Not Used or Not Available
Park Facilities
Visitor center	1	2	3	4	5	X
Exhibits (indoor and outdoor)	1	2	3	4	5	X
Restrooms	1	2	3	4	5	X
Walkways, trails, and roads	1	2	3	4	5	X
Campgrounds and/or picnic areas	1	2	3	4	5	X
Visitor Services
Assistance from park employees	1	2	3	4	5	X
Park map or brochure	1	2	3	4	5	X
Ranger programs	1	2	3	4	5	X
Value for entrance fee paid	1	2	3	4	5	X
Commercial services in the park (food, lodging, gifts, rental, etc.)	1	2	3	4	5	X
Other services (Please specify:______________________)	1	2	3	4	5	X
Recreation opportunities
Learning about nature, history, or culture	1	2	3	4	5	X
Outdoor recreation (sightseeing, camping, bicycling, boating, hiking, etc.)	1	2	3	4	5	X

28. Overall, how would you rate the quality of the park facilities, visitor services, and recreational opportunities in [NPS Site]? Please mark (●) one.

    • Very good

    • Good

    • Average

    • Poor

    • Very poor

29. This park was established because of its significance to the nation. In your opinion, what is that national significance of this park?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Background/Demographics

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

OR ______________________________________

31. What is your age?

Years

32. What is your gender? Please mark (●) one

• Male

• Female

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

• Yes

• No

34. 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

35. 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.)

36. 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

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

People

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

People

39. When visiting an area such as [NPS Site], what language do you prefer to use? Please mark (●) one for speaking and one for reading.

	English	Spanish	Other
Speaking language
Reading language

40. (If “other language” is selected) Which language do you prefer to use?

______________

41. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about [NPS Site]’s facilities, services, or recreational opportunities?

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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