![Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial](/subjects/socialscience/images/MLK-1-cropped.jpg?maxwidth=1300&maxheight=1300&autorotate=false)
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.
![Survey Results Data Types A wheel shaped graphic showing the interaction between different areas of interest for SEM Visitor Surveys. These include trip characteristics and planning, visitor experience evaluations, visitor stats and spending updates, and demographics.](/subjects/socialscience/images/Survey-Results-Data-Types.png)
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
Last updated: August 21, 2023