The impact of spatial accessibility and perceived barriers on visitation to the US national park system

• Published in: Journal of transport geography Vol. 68; pp. 205 - 214
• Main Authors: Xiao, Xiao, Aultman-Hall, Lisa, Manning, Robert, Voigt, Brian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-04-2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Accessibility; Data processing; Discrimination; Metropolitan areas; Minority & ethnic groups; National parks; Perceive barriers; Population weighted distance; Public access; Racial discrimination; Racial/Ethnic minority group; Rural areas; Social exclusion; Spatial accessibility; Spatial analysis; Spatial data; United States > US; National parks; Population weighted distance; Racial/Ethnic minority group; Spatial accessibility; Perceive barriers
• ISSN: 0966-6923; 1873-1236
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2018.03.012

Visits to the US national park system continue to increase, but racial/ethnic minorities are consistently underrepresented among national park visitors compared to Whites. Research suggests several reasons for historic underrepresentation of racial/ethnic minorities, including limited spatial accessibility, marginality, subcultural differences, and discrimination. This study uses spatial analysis of survey data collected in a range of geographic locations across the US, to assess the spatial accessibility of three racial/ethnic groups to units of the national park system. The study also considers the relationships between spatial accessibility and measures of marginality, subculture, and discrimination. Results show that access to national parks varies greatly between geographic areas: residents of large metropolitan areas have better access to units of the national park system than residents of rural areas. The effect of spatial accessibility on visitation varies among racial/ethnic groups. The study also highlights the importance of culturally-oriented parks, provides information about park accessibility in order to enhance relevancy, and informs management strategies that can encourage visitation across different geographic areas and more diverse populations.
•Spatial accessibility to the US national parks by racial/ethnic group is assessed.•Access to different types of NPS units is varying among racial/ethnic groups.•Spatial accessibility is a limited factor impacting visitation to NPS units.•Visitation to NPS units is impacted by barriers of three-hypothesis theory.