Exploring Outdoor Recreation in Western North Carolina
Public Deposited- Creator
-
Ahman, Brian F.
- Other Affiliation: Researcher, Natural Resources Division of Western Carolina University's Center for Improving Mountain Living
- Abstract
- Recreation and the great outdoors are a combination made in heaven and brought to Earth in western North Carolina (WNC). Estimates are that travel and tourism in the region will grow from the 1987 level of 8.0 percent of the region's total employment to 9.7 percent by 1995. Furthermore, the North Carolina Division of Travel and Tourism calculated that tourism spending in WNC was S862.6 million in 1991. With hundreds-of-thousands of acres of public and private recreational lands available, outdoor recreation is a significant component of this mountainous region's economy. A recent study conducted by the Mountain Outdoor Recreation Alliance (MORA) shows that, in general, outdoor recreationalists using private lands in western North Carolina seek conveniently located destinations of natural beauty that also maintain a sense of 'getting away from it all. Most outdoor recreationalists are visitors to the mountain region, either travelling together as a single family or as a group of unrelated friends, with the vast majority coming from states in the Southeast- North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina and Georgia. The most commonly identified factors which drew these visitors and keep them coming back are the scenic beauty and natural features in the region, the condition of recreational facilities and the helpfulness of employees. Given the importance of travel and tourism to the economy of WNC, it is essential to support outdoor recreation by maintaining the natural splendor of the region, preventing overuse and overcrowding of facilities, and improving travel to and within the region.
- Date of publication
- 1993
- DOI
- Resource type
- Article
- Rights statement
- In Copyright
- Journal title
- Carolina Planning Journal
- Journal volume
- 18
- Journal issue
- 2
- Page start
- 41
- Page end
- 43
- Language
- English
- Digital collection
- Carolina Planning Journal
Relations
- Parents:
- In Collection:
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