Visitor satisfaction with DOC’s Short Walks and Day Hikes
This measure relates to indicator 3.2.2 – Opportunities, facilities and services provided meet customer expectations and preferences.
Background
DOC’s branded Short Walks and Day Hikes portfolios were launched in October 2017 to encourage people to visit new areas and to connect more people with New Zealand’s natural and cultural heritage. DOC conducted a Short Walks and Day Hikes evaluation programme over three summer seasons to assess the success of these portfolios and their branding and to identify opportunities for improvements to, or expansion of, the network.
79% of Short Walk visitors and 80% of Day Hike visitors are loyal enthusiasts.
What did we measure?
A network of 12 Short Walks that take less than 3 hours to complete and 4 Day Hikes with a duration of 3–8 hours was established in October 2017 (see Figure 5 – Maps) using criteria developed through extensive customer research on the preferences and expectations of visitors for their ‘walking in nature’ experiences. Hard-copy questionnaires were distributed to a sample of visitors aged 18 or older who traversed these Short Walks and Day Hikes in full or in part, using a random probability sampling technique in which surveyors intercepted the ‘next available’ visitor. The questionnaires were self-completed, with help from the surveyors as required.
Each questionnaire contained 14 questions and collected data on the visitor and their visit and included ratings of ‘Facilities and services’ and ‘Expectations and preferences’ using weighted 5-point uni-polar rating scales (0–4). ‘Facilities and services’ were measured by rating the quality of delivery of a standard set of attributes monitored by DOC that relate to key infrastructure and its maintenance. ‘Expectations and preferences’ were measured by rating the level of agreement with statements relating to delivery of the visitor experience attributes for which the various Short Walks and Day Hikes were selected. Overall visitor satisfaction was then measured using the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is a widely used standard for measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty.
In the 2019/20 season, surveying was conducted between December 2019 and March 2020 and a total of 2,296 Short Walks questionnaires and 967 Day Hikes questionnaires were completed.
What did we find?
- Visitor satisfaction: In 2019/20, very high NPS values were obtained for both Short Walks (76) and Day Hikes (78), indicating that the large majority of visitors were willing to actively promote these opportunities to friends and colleagues (Figure 1). These scores also confirm that visitors had outstanding experiences overall and were very satisfied with their visit. High NPS values were also obtained in the previous two seasons (Figure 2 & Table 1), suggesting that visitor satisfaction with the portfolios has been consistently high and maintained over the three seasons.
- Visitor facilities and services: Ratings were high across all attributes, with most scoring above 3.0 (rating scale: 0 = ‘Terrible’ to 4 = ‘Excellent’) (Figure 3 & Table 2). The lowest performing dimensions across both portfolios were the provision of information about the location and the provision and maintenance of toilets. All ratings were consistent across the three seasons.
- Visitor expectations and preferences: Average ratings of agreement with statements about experience attributes (rating scale: 0 = ‘Do not agree at all’ to 4 = ‘Agree totally’) were > 3.4 for all attributes in 2019/20 (Figure 4 & Table 3). This is consistent with the findings for the previous two seasons, indicating that visitor expectations and preferences are consistently being met or exceeded.
Figures
Figure 1: Short Walk and Day Hike proportion of Net Promoter Score ratings in 2019/20.
Figure 2: Changes in the Short Walk and Day Hike Net Promoter Scores from 2017/18 to 2019/20.
Figure 3: Visitor satisfaction with facilities and services on Short Walks and Day Hikes in 2019/20.
Figure 4: Degree to which Short Walks and Day Hikes met visitors’ expectations and preferences in 2019/20.
Maps
Figure 5: Locations of DOC’s 16 Short Walks and Day Hikes.
Tables
| Response category | Short Walk 2017/18 | Short Walk 2018/19 | Short Walk 2019/20 | Day Hike 2017/18 | Day Hike 2018/19 | Day Hike 2019/20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detractors (0–6) | 5% | 5% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 2% |
| Passives (7–8) | 23% | 24% | 18% | 21% | 17% | 18% |
| Promoters (9–10) | 72% | 71% | 79% | 74% | 80% | 80% |
| Net Promoter Score | 67 | 66 | 76 | 70 | 77 | 78 |
| Short Walk 2017/18 | Short Walk 2018/19 | Short Walk 2019/20 | Day Hike 2017/18 | Day Hike 2018/19 | Day Hike 2019/20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Car parks | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.3 |
| Information (about nature, Māori culture, local history) | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.9 |
| Safety information & structures (signs, bridges, boardwalks) | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.6 |
| Condition of tracks/paths | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Condition/cleanliness of toilets | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 3 | 2.9 | 2.8 |
| Number of/distance between toilets | 3.2 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.3 |
| Overall standard of maintenance/presentation | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Short Walk 2017/18 | Short Walk 2018/19 | Short Walk 2019/20 | Day Hike 2017/18 | Day Hike 2018/19 | Day Hike 2019/20 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Is suitable for my level of fitness | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Has outstanding landscapes and scenery | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| The time it takes to complete is right for me | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
| I could walk in the time I had available today | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 |
| Has terrain that is easy for me to walk | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| Has unique experiences to see and do | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| Has all the facilities I need | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Getting here today took little time/was convenient | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.6 |
| Is easy to find | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.8 |
| Is safe for people like me | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
Data quality
This measure is classified as a partial measure and complies with the data quality guidelines used in the Environmental Reporting framework.
The samples of 2,296 Short Walks questionnaires and 967 Day Hikes questionnaires that were completed in 2019/20 had margins of error of 2.0% and 3.2%, respectively, at the 95% confidence level.
During the survey period (December 2019 to March 2020), each site was surveyed over three rotations to capture a representative sample of the demographic variation that is known to exist across the summer season. Up to 150 completed questionnaires were collected over each 1.5-day (12-hour) rotation to capture up to 450 responses per walk or hike. However, it was not possible to complete three rotations at some sites due to timing or access issues – for example, weather-related track or access closures. It should also be noted that two of the 14 Short Walks (Charming Creek Walkway and Fox Glacier Valley Walk) were not surveyed in 2019/20 due to a landslip and weather event, respectively.
Glossary of terms
Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a widely used surveying tool for measuring customer satisfaction and loyalty. Based on their responses, customers fall into one of three groups.
- Promoters (score 9–10) are loyal enthusiasts who will stay with a product or brand and urge their friends and colleagues to do the same.
- Passives (score 7–8) are satisfied but unenthusiastic customers who can be easily wooed by the competition.
- Detractors (score 0–6) are unhappy customers who have the potential to damage a brand.
NPS can range from –100% (all ‘Detractors’) to 100% (all ‘Promoters’) and is calculated using the following equation:
(Number of Promoters – Number of Detractors) / (Number of Respondents) × 100
NPS is claimed to go beyond testing how satisfied a customer is. It tests if someone likes a product or brand enough to recommend it to others with whom they have a valued relationship. In other words, the customer is not merely satisfied with the product but rather becomes an advocate who effectively promotes the product or brand. Numerous research studies have shown that the NPS metric correlates with business growth and allows an organisation to benchmark its results against others in the sector.
Probability sampling is the random selection of a sample (in this case visitors) from a larger population.
Unipolar rating scale is a surveying tool that captures a respondent’s assessment of the degree to which attributes or qualities are absent or present. The rating scales used in the Short Walks and Day Hikes evaluation and monitoring programme included the:
- quality of attributes: scale 0 = ‘Terrible’ (fully absent) to 4 = ‘Excellent’ (fully present)
- degree of agreement: scale 0 = ‘Do NOT agree at all’ (fully absent) to 4 = ‘Agree totally’ (fully present).
The attribute or quality is presented as a proposition or statement – e.g. ‘How would you rate the facilities and services at [Short Walk/Day Hike]?’ The consistent range, gradation and weighting of the absence/presence scales used allows meaningful comparisons to be made across a diverse set of attributes or qualities. The rating scales are weighted, such that the value increment between each point is not consistent but rather each additional point on the rating scale is increasingly valuable. For example, a rating of ‘4’, which is the ultimate high score, has an analytical value more than twice that of a rating of ‘2’, which in turn is more than twice that of a rating of ‘1’. Ratings at or above the mid-point of ‘2’ may be considered preferable to those below the midpoint. Due to rounding, differences greater than 0.1 are considered meaningful for this analysis.
Additional resources
Lee, W., McGlone, M., Wright, E., 2005. Biodiversity inventory and monitoring: A review of national and international systems and a proposed framework for future biodiversity monitoring by the Department of Conservation. Landcare Research Contract Report LC0405/122 (unpublished) for the Department of Conservation, Wellington.
McGlone, M., Dalley, J., 2015. A framework for Department of Conservation inventory and monitoring: Intermediate outcomes 1-5. Landcare Research Contract Report LC2427 (unpublished) for the Department of Conservation, Wellington.