Leisure Studies Commons^™

The Road To Montana: Exploring The Decision Paths To Visiting Montana, Kika Bradford, Glenna Hartman, Matthew Pettigrew, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Montana’s big skies, outdoor recreation, and cultural heritage attract millions of visitors each year. However, a segment of potential travelers remains unaware and/or disengaged from the state’s tourism market. This study identifies barriers and opportunities in engaging travelers who have never been to Montana.

Hospitality Operators And Cannabis Tourism In The South: Insights On Policy & Regulations, Nick E. Johnston, Kelly Way, Chloe Tyner, Betsy Garrison

ICHRIE Research Reports

Cannabis tourism offers new opportunities for U.S. hospitality, although regional adoption is limited and complex due to diverse legal frameworks. Through qualitative document analysis (QDA) of regulatory frameworks in 14 Southern U.S. states, this study compares policies on consumption, sales, and employment in states with limited or emerging cannabis programs. Findings reveal that hospitality operators can enhance guest experiences by creating private, wellness-focused cannabis environments and advocating for gradual policy adjustments. However, compliance with strict consumption, licensing, and workplace rules is essential to mitigate legal risks. This study highlights the South's cannabis tourism potential within politically conservative markets, suggesting that …

Gambling-Related User-Generated Content: An In-Depth Analysis Of Slot Machine Vlogs On Youtube, Tiange Xu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The growing popularity of social media platforms has transformed how gambling content reaches audiences, with gambling vlogs now attracting millions of viewers outside traditional marketing channels. Despite their reach and potential influence, these user-generated videos remain understudied in gambling research. This study sought to analyze slot machine vlogs by examining their portrayal of gambling experiences, assessing viewer engagement patterns, and identifying the video features associated with higher engagement metrics. Using a comprehensive mixed-methods approach, I analyzed 170 popular YouTube slot machine vlogs and 43,837 viewer comments through advanced analytical techniques. Latent Dirichlet Allocation topic modeling identified four themes in gambling …

Breaking Barriers: Exploring The Impact Of Social Media On Women's Behaviors, Attitudes, And Barriers In The Free-Weights Room, Kate Jensen

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine social media’s impact on women’s habits and attitudes on the weight-room area of a college recreation center. Using non-experimental quantitative methods, the frequency and type of weightroom use by women was measured, as well as the type and frequency of fitness-focused social media use.

Orick Rising: Assessing The Tourism Potential Of Orick, California, Mikel Ash, Zac Claus, Matt Cherovsky, Sophie Collins, Lavender Deng, Teddy Goyette, Keegan Henry, Nancy Nazario, Ara Pachmayer, Mike Sanchez

Recreation Tourism

This project explores the current landscape and future potential for recreation and tourism development in Orick, California. It highlights how natural, built, cultural and economic systems shape a community’s identity, functionality and appeal for residents and visitors. Findings reveal that effective integration of natural and built systems, combined with strong governance, cultural stewardship and tourism planning is essential for sustainable growth, enhancing resident well-being and leveraging tourism as a key economic driver while preserving environmental and cultural assets.

Book Review: Hiking Intown Atlanta's Hidden Forests: Inside And On The Perimeter, Sarah Grace Glover

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

“It’S What Scares Me To Death In The Industry Right Now:” Contextualizing The Impacts Of Climate Change On Out-Of-School Time Programs, Kathleen Thurson

All Dissertations

This dissertation examines the impacts of climate change on out-of-school time (OST) programs in the U.S., focusing on summer camps. As climate change poses increasing risks to these programs, many OST settings lack the resources or preparedness to address them. This dissertation is structured into three studies, each contributing to an understanding of how climate change affects OST programs and informing strategies for adaptation. The first study explores the portrayal of climate change and related events in the media, analyzing over 14,000 news articles published between 2022 and 2024. Through the identification of three core themes: Crisis & Response, Pop …

The Impact Of Social Media On Fan Engagement In College Sports: A Focus On Student Fan Interaction, Lindzy K. Cortés

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

In the digital age, social media has become an essential tool for shaping how college students interact with their university sports teams. This study explores the role of social media in influencing student fan engagement at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), with a focus on perceptions, behaviors, and platform preferences. Using a mixed-methods approach, data was collected through a campus-wide survey (n=122) and ten in-depth interviews with student fans and athletes. Results indicate that Instagram and TikTok are the most effective platforms for capturing student attention, particularly when content includes behind-the-scenes access, humor, and player-led storytelling. Students who …

Operationalizing Quality Youth Leadership Programs Within The Context Of Summer Camps, Leslie E. Heffington

All Dissertations

Positive youth development (PYD) exists in a variety of out-of-school time settings. Research has demonstrated that PYD occurs when there is an alignment between ecological assets and individual capabilities (Lerner et al., 2005). Participation in youth programs can be a successful strategy for promoting PYD because they can offer youth relationships with supportive adults (Henderson, 2007) who provide opportunities for skill building and community connection (Lerner, 2004). More specifically, the camp setting has been shown to offer a variety of positive outcomes for youth by providing developmental opportunities across social, physical, cognitive, and spiritual domains of adolescent development (Garst et …

An Examination Of The Role Of Recreational Therapy In Forensic And Correctional Settings, Sarah R. Fischer

All Dissertations

The estimated prevalence of adults, age 18 and older, with serious mental illness (SMI) in the United States is approximately 6% (NIMH, 2022a). Having a mental illness places individuals at higher risk for arrest and incarceration (NAMI, n.d.b) where they receive treatment, including recreational therapy (RT) in state hospitals, jails or prisons. The purpose of this multi-method study was to gain a better understanding of the role of RT in treating adults with SMI in forensic and correctional settings. A non-standardized 122-item cross-sectional survey (n=49) was used to identify what interventions recreational therapists are using, for what intended outcomes; and …

2024 Estimates - Nonresident Visitation, Expenditures, And Economic Contribution, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

This report is a collection of estimates of 2024 nonresident visitation to Montana, expenditures by nonresident travelers in the state, and the contribution to Montana's economy of that traveler spending. Included are estimates by full year, quarter, trip purpose, and other visitor segments.

Montana Residents' Attitudes Towards Tourism - 2024, Carter Bermingham, Megan Schultz, Matthew Pettigrew, Jayce Beck

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

A summary of Montana residents' attitudes towards tourism from the 2024 season. Overall, results from this study show that, in general, Montana residents hold a positive yet balanced attitude towards tourism within the state. For example, a majority of residents feel that the benefits of tourism outweigh the negative impacts, while also being in strong agreement that tourism promotion by the state provides an economic benefit to their community. At the same time, over 40% of respondents felt that the state was becoming overcrowded because of the number of tourists, while close to half felt that their community was dealing …

The Montana Travel Industry - 2024 Summary, Melissa Weddell

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

2024 summary infographic of the Montana travel and recreation industry.

Harnessing Data To Shape Montana's Tourism Narrative – 2024 Montana Governor's Conference, Melissa Weddell, Kara Grau, Megan Schultz

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

No abstract provided.

Montana Hot Springs 2024 – Insights From Mobile Location Data, Kika Bradford

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Research note presenting insights into activity at Montana’s commercial hot springs based on mobile location data. Drawing from data provided by Azira and visualized through Rove dashboards, the analysis reveals seasonal trends, average visitor stay durations, peak visiting times, and more.

Live Music Events: The Lived Experiences For People With Disabilities, Miya Y. Rodriguez, Susan Macdermott

Spring 2025 OTD Capstone Symposium

Live music events present barriers to people with disabilities, limiting participation and full engagement at these events. This capstone project aimed to understand the lived experience of people with disabilities at live music events. A mixed methods research study and optional interview to gather data were used. Through thematic analysis, three themes were presented: physical barriers, more than just music, and the lack of education on invisible disabilities. These outcomes from the research express additional accommodations centered around physical barriers, an understanding that there are more occupations at these events besides just the music, and a need for more inclusion …

Território Brincapé: The First Adventure Playground Experience In Portugal, Rita Frade, Ana Rita Fonseca, Frederico Lopes, Sandra Nascimento

International Journal of Playwork Practice

Território Brincapé (TB) - Community Space for Free Play was a seminal project in Lisbon designed to deliver weekly play sessions to 112 children between 6 and 10 years old, for 1.5 hours during school time, at a private sandpit just outside a school. TB was developed under the ethos of playwork practice and was conceptualised as an adventure playground. This is a report of how we navigated this endeavour, focusing mainly on the perspective of the playwork practitioners. Specifically, it documents the questions that we dwelled upon through reflection and which aspects of this process we focused on. We …

49 - Speaking Through Art: Leisure As An Act Of Resistance For A Leader, Rowan Williams, Dejaune (Deja) K. Thompson

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Literature and anecdotal experience often depict leadership roles as high-stress positions, in which individuals can neglect the importance of leisure activities for personal development and well-being. This proposed study draws from Laura Ellingson's conceptual framework of crystallization (Ellingson, 2014; Ellingson, 2017) which acknowledges the multifaceted, dynamic nature of human experiences and identities. Additionally, crystallization can provide a rich and contextually sensitive approach to exploring how art is a multidimensional tool for personal reflection, storytelling, and resilience.

This study explores the intersection of leisure, art, and leadership, explicitly examining artistic practices' role in enhancing leaders' mental health, resilience, and identity formation. …

Friendship With Violence: The Boffer Larping Community, Cassandra Ralston

INSPIRE Student Research and Engagement Conference

What is boffer LARPing?

• Live Action Role Play
• Boffer is a term used for foam weapons
• Subsets within community
• Studied active fighters

The Experiences Of Disabled People In Physical Education, Wesley J. Wilson (Editor), Justin A. Haegele (Editor)

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Books

Bringing together a set of first- person accounts of physical education from the perspectives of disabled children and adults, this book puts disabled people’s voices in the foreground.

The book provides a rich set of case study material that deepens our understanding of the experiences of disabled people and challenges students, researchers, and practitioners to reflect critically upon their own positionality. The first part of the book discusses the ways in which disability has been conceptualized, how the voices of disabled people have sometimes been marginalized, and how nondisability power has historically framed the narratives of disabled people in physical …