Socioeconomic Monitoring Visitor Surveys

Visitors at Martin Luther King JR Memorial amidst cherry blossoms

NPS Photo/Rachel Hendrix

Why Is This Needed?

The NPS lacks comprehensive, up to date visitor data. Many parks lack recent or any data on visitors.

Locally, Socioeconomic Monitoring (SEM) Visitor Surveys equip park managers for decision making based on current information about visitors- who they are and what they expect. Over time, regional trends will emerge to show diverse or similar expectations, experiences, and perceptions. Nationally, this project provides yearly tracking of trends and visitor perceptions to improve management decisions. SEM Park Selection is designed so that each year's park units combine to form a representative sample of the park system as a whole. Also see the more detailed Visitor Survey Process Visualization.

Data types from the Socioeconomic Monitoring Visitor Surveys

NPS Social Science Program

Areas of Inquiry

Focal areas for SEM Visitor Surveys feed into one another and help increase the accuracy of other components of the Social Science Program, such as Economics (namely Visitor Spending Effects), Visitor Use Statistics (including Annual Visitation Highlights), and other park surveys, as seen in the corresponding visual.

Survey Outputs

SEM Visitor Surveys produce annual data for analysis at park and national levels. Over time, these data will reveal long term trends. Findings will be delivered through the following: annual reports to parks, annual national reports, and an interactive data dashboard.

Resources

(2023) Socioeconomic National Report

(2023) Socioeconomic Park-Level Reports

(2018) The Need for a Comprehensive Socioeconomic Research Program for the National Park Service

(2010) NPS Socioeconomic Monitoring Needs Assessment