Visitor Sentiment Survey Quantifies Visitor Satisfaction & Identifies Opportunities

A study funded by the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board (JHTTB) and conducted by University of Wyoming’s WORTH Initiative found 92% visitor satisfaction in Jackson as a destination and ranked Jackson 7.7 out of 10 in perception for a sustainable destination. The visitor satisfaction study was conducted in winter 2023-2024 and summer 2024 and the findings are now available to public.

Purpose & Background

This “visitor sentiment” survey was conducted in winter 2023-2024 and summer 2024 to “assess visitor satisfaction in Teton County, WY and the impact of responsible visitation messaging.” The survey was funded by the Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board in an effort to complete action items of the Sustainable Destination Management Plan (SDMP) to measure the impact of tourism on Teton County and tell the complex story of travel to Jackson in an accessible way.

Survey Overview

The visitor sentiment survey was conducted over 3 weeks in winter 2023-2024 and 6 weeks in summer 2024, intercepting 1,996 individuals. Of these interceptions, 1,422 were visitors and 828 provided responses to the survey. Respondents were primarily overnight visitors with an average stay of 7.7 nights. Additionally, there was an equal split between first-time and repear visitors.

Visitor Satisfaction and Liklihood to Return

One of the key findings to the visitor sentiment survey, Jackson ranked very high for visitor satisfaction and liklihood to return.

• 92% were “very” or “somewhat” satisfied with their experience.
• 91% were “very” or “somewhat” likely to return.

Areas of the visitor experience that performed highest include unique character, pristine environment, sense of adventure, feeling of wildness, authentic history & cultute, friendliness of residents, availability of visitor information, safety, destination sustainability, ease of trip planning, things for families to do, something to post on social media, and quality restaurants.

Opportunities for Improvement

Key areas of concern that ranked poorly for visitor satisfaction include price, value for money, and parking. These areas were also identified as important to the visitor.

Areas of the visitor experience that were less important to the visitor but still rated poorly for Jackson include lack of traffic, variety of lodging, availability of Airbnb/VRBOs, net zero climate goals, alternative transportation options, and entertainment options.

Responsible Visitation Messaging

The survey also sought to measure visitor’s reception to responsible visitation education efforts. The Jackson Hole Travel & Tourism Board markets Jackson as a sustainable destintion and seeks to educate visitors on responsible visitor behavior before and during their stay. This section of the survey was meant to measure the success of these education efforts and understand visitor’s perception of Jackson as a sustainable destination.

Overall, visitors rated Jackson 7.7 out of 10 for sustainability. 58% of respondents stated they did not notice responsible visitation messaging during their visit. For those who did, most recall seeing this messaging at trailheads and visitor centers.

The majority of respondents did acknowledge support for responsible visitation messaging (89%) and saw a need for it (73%).

Next Steps

The results of the visitor sentiment survey will be communicated in the JHTTB’s tourism dashboard. A similar survey will be conducted in two years to begin to establish benchmarks and measureable comparisons in visitor satisfaction.