Up to 10 in-depth visitor studies have been conducted each year since 1988. VSP in-depth visitor study questionnaires are customized to allow park managers to ask visitors questions about the most important issues facing the park. The questionnaires gather standardized demographic information, and customized information about trip planning, opinions about park visits, park issues, and feedback on individual and overall service quality. This direct and collective feedback from visitors is valuable information for park managers, who can use it to make operational changes or better plan for the future, ultimately benefiting the visitors. Recent VSP in-depth visitor studies reveal some interesting information about visitors' views on natural and cultural resources and use of those resources in the parks.
Some comments show visitors' increasing awareness and concern for park resources.
Several examples follow. Crowding A number of VSP visitor studies have addressed visitor opinions about crowding in parks. Resource management objectives Visitors have occasionally been asked whether they support particular resource management objectives in parks. Impact of modern conveniences on historic setting Park managers may be interested in finding out if visitors perceive certain resource-related issues as problematic.