Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Commons^™

Understanding Job Satisfaction In The National Park Service, The Needs Of Black Employees, And The Decision-Making Of Managers, Akiebia Hicks

All Dissertations

According to the 2020 U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, the National Park Service (NPS) was ranked the 353rd best place to work out of the 411 government agencies surveyed, with an engagement score of 61.3%, which was lower than the 69.0% average amongst government agencies. This survey is performed annually and asks employees to score their employer in the following categories: leadership, empowerment, pay, teamwork, innovation, recognition, response to COVID-19, and work-life balance. The scores are divided by a quartile key. In every category except “innovation,” the NPS landed in the lower quartile, causing the need …

Park Equity Modeling: A Case Study Of Asheville, North Carolina, Anisa Young

All Theses

Parks and greenspaces are publicly available entities that serve the vital purpose of promoting multiple aspects of human welfare. Unfortunately, the existence of park disparities is commonplace within the park setting. Specifically, marginalized individuals encounter limited park access, insufficient amenity provision, and poor maintenance. To remedy these disparities, we propose a process in which we select candidate park facilities and utilize facility location models to determine the optimal primary parks from both existing and candidate sites.

We note that platforms currently exist to identify the geographical areas where residents lack sufficient access to parks. However, these platforms do not yet …

Managing The Environmental Crisis Amidst A Health Crisis: An Exploratory Study Of Alternative Sustainable Strategies For Tourism Destinations, Lauren Townson

All Dissertations

The responsibility of protecting the natural environment, and limiting the negative environmental impacts, often falls on the local community (Streimikiene et al., 2021). The impact of communities relying more on the tourism industry as an economic driver for continued development (Streimikiene et al., 2021) is of special interest to this dissertation as the United States (U.S.) manages the COVID-19 global pandemic. Tourism can both locally benefit a community and its residents, while simultaneously contribute to global environmental impacts (Gössling & Hall, 2006). As destinations attract more visitors into a physical space, data continues to reveal the continued destruction of natural …

Outreach As Dialogue: Lessons From University Forests, Kelly M. Alvidrez

All Theses

University and school forests are managed for a unique set of multiple uses from research and teaching to recreation and forestry. Understanding how outreach is employed in these settings as a component of their land management strategy can offer insights to school forests generally as well as other complex land management efforts. Using outreach, a forest can facilitate communication as a dialogue, connecting to forest participants and stakeholders. This qualitative research study uses a multi-scale case study approach to examine a recent harvest and outreach efforts at the Clemson Experimental Forest, as well the outreach efforts at eight other university …

Covid-19 And Canine Travelers: Determining Likelihood To Travel With Dogs, Angela Rowan

All Theses

During the Covid-19 pandemic, dog adoption rates skyrocketed, restaurants focused on outdoor seating, and travelers pivoted away from tightly packed planes out of safety concerns. This study surveyed dog owners in the United States to determine whether pet attachment levels could predict dog owners’ likelihood of traveling with their dogs. In addition, it used Um and Crompton’s (1992) facilitators and inhibitors to establish how different factors affect a dog owner’s likelihood of traveling with their dog. These facilitators and inhibitors were split into three dimensions: needs satisfaction, social agreement, and travelability. Finally, this study sought to learn what effect the …

“You Can’T Hide Behind Being A House”: Examining The Policy Process, Design, And Implementation Of Short-Term Rental Regulations, A Case Study Of Nashville, Tn, Jamie L. Cathey

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Following the economic crash of 2008, the rapid expansion of platform capitalism and the recruitment of others to work for themselves using a company’s platform, has led to a ‘paradigm shift’ in which a sharing economy business model has enabled small entrepreneurial endeavors to become industry giants (Srnricek, 2017). One such platform, Airbnb, has created a new, informal tourism accommodation sector that is bringing with it questions of regulation and community impact. Airbnb regulation thus is a growing national and international trend affecting cities of all sizes and forcing policy response and change at the local government level. Current trends …

An Investigation Of The Applicability Of The Uses And Gratifications Theory For Providing Insight Into E-Tourists’ Use Of Smartphones, Jang-Won Moon

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Despite the previous smartphone research in the context of travel and tourism, there is limited research based on a strong theoretical background that seeks to understand how tourists are motivated and satisfied via smartphone use. This study extended previous studies by systematically investigating and quantitatively measuring how and to what extent tourists are gratified (satisfied) by the use of smartphones during their trips based on the Uses and Gratifications Theory.

According to this theory, individuals choose a media platform with the anticipation that it will aid them in realizing a specific intention, the satisfaction of this need being referred to …

The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Psychosocial Health In Adolescent Girls And Their Mothers, Kellie Walters

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In most western countries, obesity and sedentary behavior are a major health concern. Research demonstrates a clear connection between one’s physical and emotional health (e.g., body image) and as such, many community programs now focus on the “whole person” rather than just physical wellbeing. When looking at the population as a whole, the most health disparate group is adolescent girls. Compared to any other cohort, adolescent girls are the most sedentary, obese, and likely to suffer from psychosocial distress such as anxiety and/or depression. As a result, there is a need for further research into adolescent girls’ physical and emotional …

Therapeutic Riding And Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Program Evaluation, Brenna Goodwin

All Theses

Therapeutic riding is a commonly used therapeutic approach for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Research supports therapeutic riding for children with ASD; however, the effect of specific sub-types of therapeutic riding (e.g., therapeutic riding drill team) has been under investigated. Furthermore, the role of self-efficacy and other programmatic components (e.g., interaction with horses, interaction with other participants, etc.) of therapeutic riding programs have not been studied, especially among children with ASD. This study evaluated a therapeutic riding drill team for children with ASD to determine if and to what extent self-efficacy and other program components were present. Three forms …

Examining The Space-Time Constraints Concept On Tourist Behavior For Visitors To The South Carolina Coastal Area Of The United States, Sanghoon Kang

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This dissertation explored three themes with regard to the spatial aspects of tourist behavior, conducting three independent analyses. For these analyses, this dissertation research adapted Shoval's (2012) definition of the space-time constraints concept developed by Hagerstrand (1970): the purpose of trip (i.e., authority constraints), the length of visit (i.e., capability constraints), and the composition of travel party (i.e., coupling constraints). The purposes of the three analyses were to examine the relationships 1) between the space-time constraints and the spatial patterns of travel; 2) between ICT use (i.e., smartphones) and the spatial patterns of travel, space-time constraints, tourists' unplanned destination visits, …

Leisure, Obesity And Weight Loss: An Exploration Of Leisure, The Public Health Ecological Model Of Obesity And Identity Theory, Weber Player

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Obesity is a global health crisis with complex causal relationships. From the mid 1990s to 2010, obesity related research in the clinical and social sciences has exploded. This expansion has resulted in a proliferation of obesity-related articles published in top-tier journals and the creation of new journals solely devoted to obesity research. In contrast within leisure scholarship, a review of leisure journals reveals that published research on the relationship of leisure, obesity and weight loss is minimal. However, numerous leisure scholarship/theory principles are relevant to obesity prevention and treatment. Similarly, public health officials have developed numerous systems-oriented multilevel framework models …

Identifying The Importance And Performance Perceptions Of Positive Youth Development Features In Camps Worldwide, Chelsea Marie Schwabe

All Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine international camp professionals' perceptions of the importance and performance of Eccles and Gootman's (2002) Eight Features that Maximize Positive Youth Development. Members of the International Camping Fellowship, ages 18 and older and of different demographic backgrounds, were asked for their perceived importance and performance ratings of the eight features on a five point Likert scale. The data were used to create importance-performance matrices using Martilla and James' (1977) Importance-Performance Analysis technique in order to create visual depictions of the recorded perceptions. This cross-cultural, cross-sectional study utilized Importance-Performance Analysis to create a snapshot …

Assessment Of The Effect Of Sustainability Practices On Financial Leakage In The Hotel Industry In Jordan, Nidal Alzboun

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ABSTRACT Tourism revenues are not an accurate indication of the financial impact of this industry because in some cases a proportion of the profits leaves the host country for various reasons, resulting in what is referred to as leakage. The research reported here investigates this issue in connection with the sustainability practices of hotels in Jordan, one of the strategies firms and governments can adopt to enhance performance and to address problems related to environmental, community, and economic development adding a novel contribution to the tourism literature. A mixed method approach was used to collect and analyze the data obtained …

Sustainable Heritage Tourism: A Tourist-Oriented Approach For Managing Petra Archaeological Park, Jordan, Mohammad Alazaizeh

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Although sustainability of heritage tourism has become a major concern from the perspectives of both academics and practitioners, the majority of research and studies have tended to understand the cultural and educational issues of heritage tourism rather than focusing on the application of sustainability in a practical context. To achieve sustainability in heritage tourism, heritage sites should be managed effectively in a way that ensures preservation of heritage resources and provides quality experiences to the tourists. Traditionally, heritage tourism planning and management relied on a top-down, professional-led approach that ignores the interests of different stakeholders (e.g., heritage tourists) in heritage …

Investigating The Influence Of Interpretation On Children's National Park Stewardship Behaviors Using The Elaboration Likelihood Model, Susan Vezeau

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Interpretation efforts are commonly used in park and protected area management to communicate information about a place to visitors, and in some cases, are also intended to persuade visitors to engage in stewardship behaviors. The National Park Service (NPS) Junior Rangers (JR) programs are intended to develop a sense of stewardship within participating children; however, few studies have explored the effectiveness of these programs. In addition, despite considerable research investigating interpretation and its influence, further exploration of the factors that influence stewardship behaviors in participants of interpretation are needed. The purpose of this Dissertation research was to: 1) develop scales …

Examining A Pre-College Wilderness Orientation Experience And Its Role In Facilitating Transitions To College, Michael Willett

All Theses

Beginning a college career can be an intimidating and rewarding experience. New student stress can be traced back to increases in academic loads and loss of comfortable social circles and habits (Vlamis, Bell, & Gass, 2011). As a preventative measure to these stressors, universities have increased the number of orientation programs available to incoming students to help ease their transition (Vlamis et al., 2011). Some universities have also taken steps to implement outdoor experiences into their orientation offerings. These programs generally take the form of extended wilderness trips with varying goals and are increasing at a rate of approximately 10 …

Development And Application Of A Nostalgia Scale For Sport Tourism: A Multilevel Approach, Heetae Cho

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Nostalgia is best described as a sentimental and bittersweet yearning for a positive and pleasant past, particularly when juxtaposed with an unsatisfying present and uncertain future. One's positive memories surely influence the evocation of nostalgia, and an individual's negative feelings for the present or future are also related to nostalgia, since a person cannot return to the past. In other words, both positive and negative feelings are associated with nostalgia, and it is called a bittersweet emotion. In many cases, people are influenced by their past memories when they decide to attend sports events. As a result, individuals have their …

An Examination Of Cultural Motives, Festival Motivator Attributes, Desired Experiences And Authenticity In Tourists To Oktoberfest In Helen, Georgia, Janet Marie Gunnels

All Theses

Helen, Georgia is nestled in a valley of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains along the Chattahoochee River in northeast Georgia. Originally a logging community serving as a stop for tourists to Anna Ruby Falls, Helen is now a faux-Bavarian town and the third largest tourist draw in the state. Research exists on 'theme towns' paying tribute to their cultural background by hosting seasonal events to boost tourism. There are also studies on residents of a town with an Oktoberfest, but little research exists concerning places using a not-native history to accomplish similar goals of producing cultural events that tourists see …

Beyond Health: The Meaning Of Recreation Participation For Injured Service Members, Catherine Munroe

All Theses

The Global War on Terrorism and the ongoing contingency operations have resulted in a large number of service members returning home with life changing traumatic injuries. As a result, there has been a surge of programs designed to facilitate transition into life with a disability and promote recovery from injury, including programs providing recreation and sports. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the effects of recreation and sport participation on injured service members' recovery and enhancement of health. Health is investigated using the World Health Organization's definition which includes physical, mental, and social well-being. Interviews were conducted …

Birding By Ear: A Study Of Recreational Specialization And Soundscape Preference, Zachary D. Miller

All Theses

Soundscapes have become recognized as an important natural resource. The traditional human-made versus natural soundscape comparison currently used in recreational resource management is challenged by borrowing soundscape components (i.e., biophony, anthrophony, and geophony) from soundscape ecology. This study is designed to evaluate the soundscape preference of birders. A three-component model of recreational specialization was used to evaluate how recreationists may differ in their preference for soundscape components. Data from in-person surveys collected at The Audubon Center and Sanctuary at Francis Beidler Forest in Harleyville, South Carolina were used in combination with surveys from online birding list servers to obtain a …

Understanding The Motivations To Attend The Blue Ridge Gay Pride Festival In Asheville, North Carolina, Denise Adams

All Theses

Local festivals and events are important tourist resources for a destination. They enhance economic benefits of the host area, improve the sense of community, and provide unique experiences to residents and tourists (Getz, 1997). Economically, tourism itself is recognized as the largest export earner in the world and an important provider of monetary exchange and employment, and over the last decades has sustained growth and increased diversification of product offerings (WTO, 2004). With this broadening of the market, various niches have emerged within the tourism sector including gay tourism. Gay consumers are deemed to be of special interest for the …

An Examination Of Twitter's Role In The Formation Of Collegiate Sport Fans' Allegiance Using The Revised Psychological Continuum Model (Pcm), Sukjoon Yoon

All Theses

Allegiance has long been considered one of the most notable research topics in sport studies (Funk & Pastore, 2000; Wann & Branscombe 1990). Allegiant fans are those who have formed strong connections to their favorite team, and these attitudes strengthen their psychological involvement. Twitter has grown dramatically since its inception in 2006, totaling more than 500 million users as of early 2013 (Gupta, Goel, Lin, Sharma, Wang, & Zadeh, 2013). Twitter is one of the most popular communication technologies used by both fans and sport organizations (Clavio, 2011), and allows individuals, organizations, and other social groups to connect with one …

Fair Trade Tourism: Conceptual Evolution And Potential Market Projection, Dongoh Joo

All Theses

Fair trade tourism commonly refers to any attempts to ensure and maximize the benefits from tourism for stakeholders in destination areas (Tourism Concern, online; FTTa, online). It is drawing recent attention as a means of reducing associated economic and social costs that undermine the validity of tourism as a development tool, and to make tourism more sustainable. To achieve these goals, the principles of the commodity-based fair trade movement (a set of well-established efforts designed to result in a more equitable distribution in product markets) are introduced to tourism. However, both the nature of tourism - as intangible and destination-oriented …

An Examination Of Service Quality And Satisfaction In A Religious Tourism Setting, Mohamed Darfoon

All Dissertations

Since the beginning of time, people have traveled far and wide seeking to gain affirmation of their faith, and to honor the lands where their religious beliefs originated. Faith tourism, or religious tourism, is a pilgrimage that is exclusively or strongly motivated by religious reasons. The pilgrimage to Mecca, known as Hajj, is an Islamic pilgrimage where Muslims travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to attend one of the largest religious events in the world, with participation from about 3 million people on certain days every year. Despite its spiritual and economic importance, little attention has been paid to Hajj …

Lions On The Beach, Whales In The Jungle: A Study Of Social Segmentation And Socialization In Rock Climbers, Christopher Starker

All Theses

Rock climbing, as a sport, began as a definitive style in the pursuit of attaining mountain peaks. However, over time, it has evolved into several different styles with varying rules and different goals, and can be experienced in a variety of settings. The growing popularity of the indoor gym climbing as both a practice space for more serious climbers and as an introductory venue for beginning climbers may have changed the way climbers develop attitudes, skills, and ethics that influence the role of managers of climbing areas. Information on how climbers may or may not be similar in terms of …

Development And Execution Of Coaching Philosophies Among Competitive Youth Sport Coaches, Evan Schreiner

All Theses

Coaching in the field of youth sports consists of many different approaches and philosophies. While some, when executed correctly, work well at keeping youth engaged and competing at a high level, there are other philosophies that are not implemented correctly at that high performance level. Past experiences have made coaches examine their philosophies in a different way or even change their perspective altogether. Although there are many different coaching styles and beliefs, little is known about how the philosophies of youth coaches are executed. This research is intended to define the core elements in a coaching philosophy, and determine how …

Integrating Spatial Modeling Into Recreational Planning In Parks And Protected Areas, John Beeco

All Dissertations

Understanding the utility of space in natural area resources is of growing importance as recreation in these areas increases and availability of land remains stagnant. Space utility is of particular importance to multiple use forests which may have multiple recreation demands, minimum acceptable levels of biophysical impacts, sensitive ecological areas, and/or timber harvesting and mineral extraction strategies for the generation of revenue. In order to holistically consider space and protected area management, three factors must be better understood: a) methods and spatial analysis tools that can help with managerial and planning decisions, b) how space affects the relationship between use …

The Impact Of Place Attachment On Camp Counselor Retention In Summer Camps, Kaitlin Nichols

All Theses

Summer camps employ over one million staff members every summer, most of whom fall between the age range of 18-25 (ACA, 2012). Surveys done by the American Camp Association show that approximately 50% of camps have a 48% rate of return for counselors each summer, yet little research has been conducted to focus on what impacts staff retention (ACA, 2011). The theory of place attachment proposes that people form and retain bonds to physical locations by means of place dependence, place identity, social bonding, and affective attachment (Kyle, Mowen, & Tarrant, 2004; Milligan, 1998; Scannell & Gifford, 2010). Place attachment …

Tourist Intentions To Continue Poverty Alleviation Actions After Participating In Microfinance Tourism, Michelle Nance

All Theses

The tourism industry has begun to incorporate microfinance into a new type of niche tourism that integrates local entrepreneurs and tourists. This type of tourism is called microfinance tourism. The study investigates the tourist role in poverty alleviation using the Theory of Planned Behavior to explore how attitude, perceived behavioral control, and social norms impact intention to continue investment and/or donation to microentrepreneurs and microfinance organizations. The study was conducted in conjunction with Investours, a non-profit organization that offers `microfinance tours' in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The study found perceived behavioral control and attitude to be …

Exploring Group Cohesion In A Higher Education Field Experience, Brian Malcarne

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gain understanding into the experience of group cohesion for university students participating in an academic field experience. A mixed methods approach was used following a two-phase, sequential research design to help provide a more complete explanation of how group cohesion was impacted by the field experience. The sample consisted of 112 undergraduate students involved in a 3-day academic field experience. The initial quantitative phase gathered pre- and post-test data on group cohesion using the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) modified for an academic context. Findings demonstrated significant positive change in the domain of social …