Abstract

The mission of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) is increasingly challenged by underrepresentation of visitors from low-income and racial/ethnic minority backgrounds. To better understand attributes of Americans who do and do not visit national parks, we used data from a national general population survey (N = 4,103) to examine the sociodemographic characteristics, constraints to visitation, and vacation preferences among three groups of NPS visitors (recent visitors, past visitors, and non-visitors). Results revealed significant differences in constraints and preferences among the three groups. Black, Hispanic, and lower-income respondents were least likely to visit NPS sites. Compared to White respondents, they were also less aware of NPS units, more concerned about safety, and more likely to prefer alternative vacations such as sporting events, theme parks, and socially and culturally oriented destinations. Results underscore the need for the NPS to enhance relevancy and diversity by providing attractive and accessible recreation opportunities for historically marginalized groups.

摘要

美国国家公园管理局 (NPS) 的使命越来越受到来自低收入和种族/少数民族背景的游客人数不足的挑战。为了更好地了解去和不去国家公园的美国人的属性，我们使用了来自全国总人口调查的数据（N = 4,103) 来检查三组 NPS 游客（近期游客、过去游客和非游客）的社会人口特征、访问限制和假期偏好。结果显示，三组之间的约束和偏好存在显着差异。黑人、西班牙裔和低收入受访者最不可能访问 NPS 网站。与白人受访者相比，他们也不太了解 NPS 单位，更关心安全，更有可能更喜欢体育赛事、主题公园以及以社会和文化为导向的目的地等替代假期。结果强调了 NPS 需要通过为历史上被边缘化的群体提供有吸引力和可获得的娱乐机会来增强相关性和多样性。