COMPANION REPORT C
OUTDOOR RECREATION IN NEW MEXICO
2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR PANEL RESULTS
NEW MEXICO
STATEWIDE COMPREHENSIVE OUTDOOR RECREATION PLAN
MAY 2015
Prepared by Corona Insights
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CONTENTS
OUTDOOR RECREATION | 2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR PANEL RESULTS
Introduction
1
1
Background
1
Methodology
1
Summary of Key Insights
2
New Mexico’s Competitive Positioning
2
Desire for Activities and Experiences
8
Satisfaction with Recent Visits
13
Outdoor Events and Spending
15
APPENDIX 1 | DETAILED METHODOLOGY
19
Research Goals
19
Survey Execution
19
Analysis
20
APPENDIX 2 | SURVEY INSTRUMENT
21
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CONTENTS
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OUTDOOR RECREATION
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2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR PANEL RESULTS
INTRODUCTION
Background
New Mexico’s vast natural areas and ample sunshine make it well suited for state residents and visitors to
partake in outdoor recreation. In 2015, the state hired Logan Simpson Design to update its Statewide
Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) to help plan and foster outdoor recreation opportunities
for the next 5 years. A successful plan needed to be informed by an understanding of various populations’
opinions about outdoor recreation.
Corona Insights, a Denver-based market research and strategic consulting firm on the Logan Simpson team,
was responsible for surveying recent visitors to New Mexico to understand their travel and outdoor
recreation preferences, behaviors, and spending, as well as to understand New Mexico’s competitive
positioning in terms of attracting out-of-state visitors who might otherwise recreate in neighboring states.
This report displays results from an online panel survey and offers key insights and actionable suggestions
that recreation planners, managers, recreation groups, state residents, and other decision makers and
stakeholders can use to shape an effective and equitable outdoor recreation plan.
Methodology
Data were collected from panelists through an online survey research company. Respondents were required
to be residents of neighboring states—that is, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, or Arizona—to have
stayed overnight in New Mexico within the past 3 years, and to have participated in some form of outdoor
recreation during a visit within the past 3 years. These five states represent four of the top five markets for
New Mexico for out-of-state visitors. While visitors from further afield may have some different
characteristics, these five states were deemed to be the core of the visitor market.
The survey collected a total of 310 responses, of which 9 were discarded due to quality issues. The
research team weighted the remaining data to more accurately reflect the regional population in terms of
age, gender, and education level, using census data as the benchmark. The weighting was based on the
responding population, rather than on completed responses, to account for natural differences that may exist
between New Mexico visitors and the population of neighboring states. Analyses involved weighting the data
to minimize bias and account for oversampling, calculating descriptive statistics such as means and
percentages, and also testing for level of relationships and differences.
Panel surveys constitute a nonprobability sample, in that participants are not randomly selected from the
population. In an online panel, respondents are self-selected volunteers. As such, they represent
themselves but cannot be assumed to represent the entire population. Panels are often used as a proxy for
a survey in instances where the population is difficult to reach via standard research, such as in this case
where visitors to New Mexico represent a relatively small proportion of the population (and are thus very
expensive to survey via standard research methods). Because this survey was based on nonprobability
sampling, the research team did not calculate a margin of error.
A detailed description of methodology is found in Appendix 1 of this report, and a copy of the survey
instrument is found is Appendix 2.
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SUMMARY OF KEY INSIGHTS
The following key insights are derived from data and analysis displayed in the Analysis Tables Workbook,
provided to the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department as a separate document.
New Mexico’s Competitive Positioning
Highlights

Events are important drivers. Out-of-state visitors are most likely to come to New Mexico for
outdoor cultural events and festivals, and those who attended an event in New Mexico are most
likely to return again.

Visitation potential doesn’t differ east to west. Residents of Arizona, Colorado, and Utah are just
as likely to visit New Mexico as residents from Texas and Oklahoma, though there are differences in
the activities that attract them.

Colorado is a tough competitor. Recalling that this study examines the opinions of people who
have visited New Mexico for outdoor recreation, and that it encompasses populations in states
contiguous to New Mexico, one would expect New Mexico to perform very well against other
states—and it did overall. However, when examining individual activities, more respondents would
visit Colorado than New Mexico to engage in most activities, especially skiing, hunting, fishing, and
using trails. New Mexico wasn’t alone: Colorado also beat out two other comparable states, Arizona
and Utah. This indicates that New Mexico shares its out-of-state outdoor recreation market with
Colorado, and that perhaps New Mexico is obtaining a smaller part of that market.

Off-highway vehicle (OHV) riding is a small but promising niche. New Mexico competes well
with other states in this activity group, and OHV riders tend to come back when they do visit.
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Analysis
Top-of-Mind Thoughts about Outdoor Recreation in New Mexico (Q7)
When out-of-state visitors think about New Mexico, they think about activities and landscapes. They frequently mentioned
hiking, skiing, balloons, camping, and golfing as activities, and frequently mentioned deserts and mountains as landscapes.
Many visitors mentioned scenic beauty, and culture was cited somewhat frequently.
Likeliness to Travel to New Mexico to Participate
in Outdoor Recreation in the Next 12 Months (Q5a)
Most out-of-state visitors are
somewhat likely to visit again. On a 7point scale, where 0=not at all likely
and 7=very likely, about one-third of
respondents indicated that they are
very likely to visit New Mexico again in
the next 12 months, and one-third are
somewhat likely to revisit (answered
with a 4 or 5). The remaining one-third
answered with a 4 or lower, indicating
that they are less likely or unlikely to
visit again.
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Categories of Likelihood of Traveling
to New Mexico (Q5a) in the Next 12 Months
To help analyze and display results, the
research team collapsed the 7-point
scale (shown above) into three
categories (shown at left). Selected
results are displayed by these
categories later in this report.
Generally, if people who are “very
likely” to visit New Mexico in the next 12
months answer questions differently
than people in the other two categories,
those differences could provide clues
about attitudes or opinions that can be
leveraged to increase visits to New
Mexico.
Likelihood of Traveling to Various States
to Participate in Outdoor Recreation (Q5), by State of Residence
Average responses on a scale of 0 (“not at all likely”) to 6 (“very likely”).
Respondents are more likely to leave
their home state to visit New Mexico
or Colorado than Arizona or Utah.
This might not be particularly
surprising considering that about half
of respondents are from
Texas/Oklahoma, states which are
geographically much closer to New
Mexico and Colorado. However, on
average, respondents who live in
Arizona, Colorado, or Utah are just as
likely to visit New Mexico as those
from Texas or Oklahoma. This is good
news, meaning that New Mexico can
draw visitors from other
mountain/western states, not just from
plains states. Indeed, New Mexico
competes significantly better than
Utah as an out-of-state travel
destination among Arizona, Colorado,
and Utah residents. Not surprisingly,
due to proximity, people who live in
Texas or Oklahoma are more likely to
visit New Mexico or Colorado than
Utah or Arizona.
Respondents were asked about out-of-state travel only, so their
intent to travel in their own state is excluded from these figures.
Note that while respondents were drawn from the five states contiguous to New Mexico, the “competitive set” was
considered to be only the states of Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. These states offer a more similar outdoor recreation
environment than do Texas and Oklahoma, and so were deemed more likely to be competitors for visitors.
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Likelihood of Visiting New Mexico (Q5a) within the Next Year,
by Attending an Outdoor Recreation Event during Most Recent Trip
(Q13)
Using several different statistical
techniques, there were very few
demographic trends associated with the
likelihood of revisiting New Mexico. For
example, the age, region, income, and
gender of respondents didn’t relate to
likelihood.
However, those who did attend an
outdoor recreation event on their last trip
to New Mexico (see survey instrument in
Appendix 2 for definition) are much more
likely to revisit the state than those who
did not attend an event. While it is unclear
whether the relationship is causal, or
whether revisiting is due to annual
attendance at an event versus being
introduced to the state via an event, it is
nonetheless a very strong effect that
suggests events are an important element
of increasing out-of-state visitor travel.
Likelihood of Visiting New Mexico (Q5a) in the Next 12 Months,
by Recreation Activity during Most Recent Trip (S4)
Out-of-state visitors who had participated
in motorized activities or ridden an OHV
on their most recent trip to New Mexico
were also the most likely to plan to return
to New Mexico, followed by visitors who
went fishing, hunting, or birdwatching and
those who went hiking, running, biking, or
horseback riding. Compared to visitors in
all other activity categories measured,
those who visited outdoor cultural sites
were least likely to revisit New Mexico;
however, they still scored an average of 4
on a scale of 0 to 6.
Comparing this finding to other findings in
the statewide resident survey, it appears
that less frequent activities may be
stronger candidates for promoting New
Mexico, for example, “the annual trip” of
activities that may be less commonly
engaged. Additionally, visiting cultural
sites is more of a traditional tourist activity
that warrants repeat visits to a lesser
degree.
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Competitive Positioning among Neighboring States (Q3)

Respondents were asked to which of four states they would most likely travel to participate in various outdoor
recreation activities, and “I would not travel out-of-state to do this activity” was another option. Among the competitive
set of states, the results above suggest that people are generally more likely to go to Colorado for activities but that
more people will travel to New Mexico over Arizona or Utah for these activities. However, findings should be
considered in the context that survey respondents live in states surrounding New Mexico, and that they have already
visited New Mexico in the past, when those two traits may not apply to other states. Therefore, one would expect New
Mexico to appear stronger when examining this market.

New Mexico is a clear regional leader in attracting visitors to participate in outdoor cultural events or festivals, an
activity for which 87 percent of respondents would travel out-of-state. Events and festivals appear to be a clear and
strong draw for out-of-state visitors, both in general and in New Mexico. New Mexico also competed relatively well in
attracting out-of-state campers and those playing outdoor sports. New Mexico had a hard time competing with
Colorado in fishing/hunting and in snow sports (other states struggled in this category, compared to Colorado).

Among all of the activities listed, respondents were most likely to travel out-of-state to visit national parks, forests, or
natural areas, again suggesting a large market size for this broad activity. Small percentage gains in this category
would translate into large sums of visitors. New Mexico is currently less strong at capturing this visitor market than any
of the other markets that were tested. (The percentage of visitors for this market is higher than in other markets, due
to the broadness of this activity—New Mexico captures a smaller percentage of that market.)

About 46 to 48 percent of respondents would not travel out-of-state for OHV riding or horseback riding. These are
niche activities with low participation rates in out-of-state travel, but they are activities that may still be worth very
targeted promotions because New Mexico competes relatively well against neighboring states, especially in OHV
riding.
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Proportion of Respondents Who Are Most Likely to Travel
to New Mexico for This Activity (Q3), by Home State
The research team isolated respondents who
indicated that they were most likely to travel
to New Mexico for each activity, then
segmented these results by home region
(i.e., residents from Texas and Oklahoma in
one category and residents from Arizona,
Colorado, and Utah in another). Analyzing
the differences between these groups can
reveal which region is ripe for promotion of
that activity.
Texans and Oklahomans are much more
likely to travel to New Mexico for snow sports
(skiing, snowmobiling) than respondents from
Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Advertising
snow sport opportunities in Texas and
Oklahoma should be more effective than
advertising in the other states. Similar
patterns exist for OHV riding; hiking and
biking on dirt trails; and, to a lesser extent,
camping and outdoor sports.
Conversely, residents from Arizona,
Colorado, and Utah are more likely to visit
New Mexico for cultural events and festivals
than residents from Texas and Oklahoma.
Because New Mexico competes so well in
this activity, promotion would likely be
effective in all states but could be even more
effective in Arizona, Colorado, and Utah.
Respondents were asked about out-of-state travel only, so their
intent to travel in their own state is excluded from these figures.
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Desire for Activities and Experiences
Highlights

Most people pick a destination first. When traveling out-of-state, about 60 percent of respondents
pick a destination before picking an activity to do there, and about 30 percent take the opposite
approach. Slightly more than 10 percent fall into a third category of picking a time- and locationspecific event. Among this survey population (recent past visitors to New Mexico), that third category
is the greatest predictor of their intent to visit New Mexico (again) in the next 12 months. This
appears to imply that promoting New Mexico as a destination may be the best marketing strategy for
first-time visitors, and promoting events is the best way to attract repeat visitors.

Seeing attractive natural scenery is very important to most. The more important elements of a
good vacation in the eyes of many people are seeing natural scenery, visiting historical sites, and
having good dining and shopping. Keep in mind that the survey population is people who have come
to New Mexico and participated in outdoor recreation, so these are elements of vacations for that
particular group.

To increase visitation, promote the ability to “feel connected to nature” and “feel excited” in
New Mexico. Travelers appear to desire these experiences, and they correlate with a greater
likelihood of visiting New Mexico.
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Analysis
Typical Travel Planning Process
among All Respondents and by Age Group (Q1)
The survey asked a few questions about
general vacation planning (not New Mexico
specific) to understand travel decision-making
processes.
In examining the green bars (all respondents)
in this graph, most people (57%) determine a
destination first, then choose an activity to do.
So, most people are probably looking for places
to go more than things to do. With that said, a
solid proportion of travelers do determine an
activity first. Only 12 percent plan to attend an
event at a specific time and place.
The red bars in this graph break down results
by age, showing most specifically the difference
between those younger or older than 65. Older
respondents are more likely than younger
respondents to determine an activity first and
are more likely to plan to attend an event.
Average Likelihood of Traveling to New Mexico (Q5a)
in the Next 12 Months, by Typical Travel Planning Process (Q1)
It is useful to assess whether respondents’
likelihood of visiting New Mexico depended on
their typical planning process. The answer
appears to be no. The average likeliness to
travel to New Mexico differed only slightly (and
not statistically) based on planning process.
However, keep in mind that the top planning
process (destination first) is a larger share of
the market.
The third category, “planned to attend an
event,” is the least common planning process,
but also appears to be the strongest at
attracting repeat visitors.
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Average Importance of Activities (Q2)
Natural resource recreation is just one type of
activity travelers can do on vacation, and it is
useful to see how it compared or complemented
other general activates.
Looking at all respondents, it is clear that seeing
attractive natural scenery (which is inherently
connected to natural resource recreation) is
clearly the most important activity, followed by
visiting historical sites and dining and shopping.
For these most important activities, there is not
much difference between respondents by home
state.
However, as one considers activities that are
generally less important to most visitors,
geographical differences emerge. Texans and
Oklahomans are more likely to indicate waterbased activities and visiting theme parks as more
important. These differences suggest portions of
the Texas/Oklahoma market may be harder
to capture.
Averages are calculated using an 11-point scale, where
0 = “not at all important” and 10 = “extremely important.”
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Average Desire for Various Experiences (Q6),
by Likelihood of Traveling to New Mexico in the Next 12 Months
In addition to general vacation planning
processes and activities people like to do,
one can also hypothesize that visitors’ desire
for certain experiences might relate to their
likelihood of going to New Mexico. Strong
relationships would suggest that the desire
for that experience is driving respondents to
be more likely to visit New Mexico.
The items closer to the top of this list are the
most desired experiences, so they appear to
be good candidates for marketing themes.
However, they do not appear to be drawing
visitors to New Mexico. In other words,
people in the “very likely to visit” market
segment do not disproportionately seek these
experiences. This could be because people
who want those traits aren’t particularly likely
to travel to seek them, or it could be because
they can also find the same experiences in
other locations and thus don’t feel the need
to go to New Mexico for them. Therefore,
marketing may want to reinforce that these
experiences exist in New Mexico, but it may
not differentiate New Mexico from its
competitors and/or it may not reach a highly
traveling market. If New Mexico can truly
differentiate, then perhaps more education of
the traveling public needs to be done.

For five types of experiences, people who are more likely to visit New Mexico (again) in the next 12 months differ from
those who are less likely. From strongest to weakest relationship, they were 1) develop skills or abilities, 2) feel
connected to nature, 3) feel excited, 4) be around others, and 5) take personal risks. This may mean that people who
want these experiences believe that they can find them in New Mexico, or it could simply mean that people who desire
these traits are more likely to travel. Regardless, it points out that these experiences may be differentiating “drawing
cards” to New Mexico.

For these five items, there appears to be something that is drawing people to New Mexico. In other words, people in
the “very likely to visit” market segment disproportionately seek these experiences. It’s possible that New Mexico
differentiates itself from competitors in terms of providing these experiences, or it’s possible that people who desire
these experiences merely travel more, but either way it represents a market opportunity.

Note that many of the items that showed significant relationships are generally less desired than other items (i.e., they
are closer to the bottom of the list). This means that they are less strongly desired, or that they are strongly desired by
a smaller segment of the population. However, they can be difference makers either way, because the data indicates
that they appear to be tied more strongly to plans to visit New Mexico in the future.

With this in mind, targeted marketing might stress the ability to feel connected to nature and to feel excited, because
these items were strongly desired and correlated to likelihood of traveling to New Mexico. They appear to differentiate
New Mexico among those who plan to visit.
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What Would Make You More Likely to Visit
New Mexico Again, Instead of Traveling Elsewhere? (Q11)
The survey asked, in an open-ended format, what
would make recent visitors more likely to return to
New Mexico to participate in outdoor recreation
rather than going to a different state. About one in
every five didn’t know what would make them return
to New Mexico, suggesting that desired promotions
are not top-of-mind. Of those who provided a
response, the most common suggestions were
decreasing costs and offering more appealing
activities and attractions.
Many respondents mentioned that if they visit family
or friends, they will be visiting the state by default;
tourism would not be the primary reason for their
visit. Interestingly, having more knowledge about
what to do or where to go was mentioned by only
3 percent of respondents.
Fourteen percent of respondents cited incentives not
listed here, demonstrating the variety of factors that
people might find appealing about traveling out-ofstate.
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Satisfaction with Recent Visits
Highlights

Visitors who attend outdoor recreation events are more likely to be satisfied with their visit
than other outdoor recreation visitors. Promoting attendance at recreation events helps ensure
positive associations with the state.

Visitors who were satisfied with their experience are likely to revisit.
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Analysis
Satisfaction with Most Recent Experience Recreating
in New Mexico (Q10), by Attendance at Outdoor Recreation Event
On average, all respondents felt that when
they most recently participated in recreation
in New Mexico, their expectations were
somewhat exceeded (this question was a
proxy for satisfaction). Those who had
attended an outdoor recreation event
reported a much stronger score, in terms of
satisfaction, than did visitors who did not
attend an event. As our other survey-question
results indicate, attendance at events is a key
variable.
Note that in addition to differences by attendance at events, those who stayed five nights or more had significantly greater
satisfaction than those who stayed fewer than five nights. Also, visitors younger than 45 were more satisfied than older
visitors, and those without a bachelors degree tended to be more pleased than those with a degree. There was no notable
difference in satisfaction between visitors who most recently flew or drove, or between males and females.
Satisfaction with Most Recent Experience Recreating
in New Mexico (Q10), by Likelihood of Visiting Again
Findings presented in this graph might not be
completely unexpected, but they drive home
an important point: those who have lower
satisfaction (via their most recent experience
not meeting expectations) are less likely to
revisit New Mexico. This effect appeared for
the "least likely to revisit" group, but not
between the "somewhat likely" and" very
likely" groups. This suggests that factors
other than satisfaction drive those who are
very likely to revisit to feel that way.
Regardless, it appears that keeping current
visitors satisfied with their experiences will
amplify visitation in the future.
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Outdoor Events and Spending
Highlights

Visitors import money into New Mexico. On average, visitors spend about $1,000 per trip, or
about $290 per day.

Event-goers spend similarly to other types of visitors. Looking at data from several angles, it
appears that those who attend or participate in an event do not spend more than their counterparts.
This was true for total dollars spent, dollars spent per day, and average number of nights stayed.

Events bring in about $900 per attendee.
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Analysis
Average and Median Amount of Total Money Spent on Most Recent
Overnight Visit (Q16), by Attendance at Recreation Events
Among all respondents, 36 percent had
participated in or attended an outdoor
recreation event,1 52 percent had not, and an
additional 12 percent were unsure.
There was no significant difference in
spending between event-goers and those
who did not attend an event. There was also
no significant difference in the average
number of nights they stayed based on
attending an event.
While event attendance appears to influence
future visitation and satisfaction, it does not
have the same effect on spending or length
of stay.
Average and Median Amount of Money
Spent on Each Category (Q16)
On average, respondents reported spending
the most on lodging, followed by food and
gasoline. Respondents spent the least on
admission fees, car rentals, and equipment
rentals among the categories that were
measured.
The greatest variation in average spending
was for lodging, where the minimum spent
was $0 and the maximum spent was $5,000,
although 95 percent of respondents spent
less than $750 on lodging. Responses to all
other items were much more clustered
around the average.
The research team defined an outdoor recreation event as being “organized for the public or other groups and occurring at a specific
time and place such as balloon festivals, running races, sports tournaments, group ski trips, birdwatching events, and other similar
activities.”
1
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Average and Median Amount of Money Spent
by Reason for Participating in an Outdoor Recreation Event (Q16)
Among the respondents who participated in
or attended an outdoor recreation event,
45 percent visited New Mexico primarily for
the event. For another 44 percent, attending
the event was a secondary reason for
visiting New Mexico. For the remaining
11 percent, attending the event was not a
reason for visiting (presumably they found
out about the event while visiting). The
research team examined the spending totals
among these three groups but found no
significant differences. The reason for
attending events does not appear to
influence in-state spending.
Our final goal was to determine how much money a typical person spent because they attended an outdoor recreation
event. In other words, how much money did events bring in per person? Because people likely spent money for reasons
besides the event, the research team controlled for this by attributing a percentage of total money spent based on reason
for visiting New Mexico and number of nights stayed.
First, if a person visited the state primarily to attend an event, all money spent was attributed to the event. Then, for
everyone else who attended an event in which it was not their primary reason for visiting, or it was not related to their
reason for visiting, the analysis multiplied their total dollars spent in the state by the proportion of total nights stayed (Q9)
that were stayed specifically for the event (Q15). For example, one visitor from Arizona spent five nights in New Mexico, but
only two (i.e., 33%) were specifically to attend a recreation event. The protocol multiplied his total spending of $520 by 33%
and determined that he spent $173 due to the event.
What was the result? The research team estimates that event-goers spent, on average, $900 per visitor.
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After determining the influence of events on spending, one more question remained: How does the number of nights spent
in New Mexico predict in-state spending? In other words, if visitors were persuaded to stay an additional night, how much
additional money would they spend? By using a regression analysis, which is a statistical technique that evaluates the
strength of the relationship between the number of nights spent and the total amount of money spent in state, it appears
that each additional night spent would result in an additional $150 to $160 dollars. This is a fair amount lower than the
average amount spent per night. As explained below, the lower amount is likely due, in part, to cost efficiencies of people
who stay in New Mexico longer.
Total In-State Spending,
by Number of Nights Spent in New Mexico
This graph shows results of nights
stayed by total money spent in
New Mexico. As would be expected,
there is a lot of variability, and some
people reported spending large
sums of money in a few days (i.e.,
$1,750 per day), while others
reported spending very little money
over a long period of days (i.e.,
$41 per day). Also, it appears that
not many people stay longer than
five days. The total spending of
those who stayed longer than five
days actually does not increase
much compared to those staying
five days or less.
Note that while the number of nights spent does predict the amount of money spent, these results suggests that other
elements, possibly type of activity or mode of travel, might be much better predictors of spending behavior. In other words,
getting visitors to stay longer might not be the best approach to increasing visitor spending.
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APPENDIX 1
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DETAILED METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH GOALS
Corona Insights collaborated with key staff from Logan Simpson and New Mexico State Parks to develop the
following research goals.

Understand New Mexico’s competitive positioning of outdoor recreation as a means for attracting
out-of-state visitors (i.e., why would they visit New Mexico over other states, and why would they
visit other states rather than New Mexico)

Understand what activities, destinations, and other qualities of outdoor recreation are top-of-mind
(e.g., what comes to mind when you think of outdoor recreation in New Mexico)

Understand the desirability of several types of outdoor recreation activities, facilities, and
experiences in New Mexico



Measure satisfaction of visiting New Mexico among out-of-state visitors
Determine what out-of-state visitors feel is lacking in New Mexico outdoor recreation opportunities
Measure out-of-state visitors’ spending due to outdoor events
SURVEY EXECUTION
Data were collected from panelists through an online survey research company. Panel surveys constitute a
nonprobability sample, in that participants are not randomly selected from the population. In an online panel,
respondents are self-selected volunteers. As such, they represent themselves but cannot be assumed to
represent the entire population. Panels are often used as a proxy for a survey in instances where the
population is difficult to reach via standard research, such as in this case where visitors to New Mexico
represent a relatively small proportion of the population (and are thus very expensive to survey via standard
research methods). Because this survey was based on nonprobability sampling, the research team did not
calculate a margin of error.
The survey was administered in late April and early May 2015. Corona Insights included four screener
questions designed to filter desired respondents and exclude insincere respondents. The survey was
introduced blindly, meaning respondents did not know the survey topic or sponsor before completing the
screener questions. Respondents were required:



To be residents of neighboring states (i.e., Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, or Arizona).
To have stayed overnight in New Mexico within the past 3 years.
To have participated in some form of outdoor recreation during a visit within the past 3 years (see
survey instrument for a list of qualifying outdoor recreation activities).
The survey collected 310 responses, of which 9 were discarded due to quality issues. The research team
weighted the remaining data to more accurately reflect the regional population in terms of age, gender, and
education level, using census data as the benchmark. The weighting was based on the responding
population, rather than on completed responses, to account for natural differences that may exist between
New Mexico visitors and the population of neighboring states. Upon calculating weights, the research team
found that the difference between the minimum and maximum weights were undesirably large; therefore, the
weights were truncated so that the maximum weight was no more than 10 times the amount of the smallest
weight.
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OUTDOOR RECREATION: 2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS
ANALYSIS
After weighting the data, Corona Insights tabulated all closed-ended questions from all responses and by
key segments where sample size allowed. Segments were chosen based on their relevance to the research
goals and contributions to the findings. We analyzed and reported quantitative data with descriptive statistics
such as means, medians, and percentages, and we reviewed open-ended data and coded responses into
categories where appropriate. For some questions, responses were assigned a numeric code by response
category and averages were calculated and reported. We used z-tests and t-tests to test for statistically
significant differences between or among segments where appropriate. A statistically significant difference
indicates that we are highly confident that the pattern in the data is reliable and that we would expect to find
the same result if we repeated the survey. We are not confident in patterns that are not statistically
significant. All statistical tests were deemed statistically significant when the likelihood of a false-positive
result was less than 5 percent.
OUTDOOR RECREATION: 2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS
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APPENDIX 2
|
SURVEY INSTRUMENT
SCREENER
Completed responses will be from residents of neighboring states who participated in outdoor recreation and stayed
overnight in New Mexico within the past three years.
i.
What state do you currently live in? If you live in more than one state, what is your state of primary
residence?
a. Dropdown of 50 states plus D.C. [PROCEED IF TEXAS, OKLAHOMA, COLORADO, UTAH,
OR ARIZONA.]
ii.
Have you ever stayed overnight in any of the following states? Check all that apply. [REMOVE STATE OF
RESIDENCE IF APPLICABLE. ANCHOR NONE OF THE ABOVE.]
a. Arizona
b. Colorado
c. New Mexico [PROCEED]
d. Utah
e. Wyoming
f. None of the above [EXCLUSIVE]
iii.
[ASK ONLY IF SELECTED IN SCREENER II] When was the most recent time you stayed overnight in
this/each state?
a.
Arizona
b. Colorado
c. New Mexico
Within the past 3
years
More than 3
years ago, but
within 5 years
More than 5
years ago















[PROCEED]
d. Utah
e. Wyoming
iv.
During your overnight visit(s) to New Mexico within the past three years, what did you or others traveling
with you do there? Check all that apply [RANDOMIZE, ANCHOR NONE OF THE ABOVE]
a. Visited local parks or community parks [PROCEED]
b. Visited state parks, national parks, or national monuments [PROCEED]
c. Visited forests, reservoirs, wildlife refuges, or other natural areas [PROCEED]
d. Played outdoor individual sports such as golf or tennis [PROCEED]
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OUTDOOR RECREATION: 2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS
e. Played outdoor team sports such as soccer, softball, or similar sports [PROCEED]
f. Participated in non-motorized outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, or horseback riding
[PROCEED]
g. Participated in motorized outdoor activities such as 4-wheel driving (OHV/off-roading)
[PROCEED]
h. Went camping [PROCEED]
i. Participated in snow sports such as skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling [PROCEED]
j. Went boating, such as rafting, sailing, water skiing, riding jet skis, or riding on a motorboat
[PROCEED]
k. Went fishing, hunting, or bird watching [PROCEED]
l. Visited outdoor cultural sites such as historic areas or reservations [PROCEED]
m. Specifically sought out natural scenery to view [PROCEED]
n. Attended an outdoor festival [PROCEED]
o. Visited indoor attractions such as museums, churches, or aquariums
p. Visited outdoor attractions such as theme parks, zoos, water parks, or dude-ranches
q. Purchased art such as paintings, sculptures, or photographs
r. Visited a casino or racetrack
s. Visited art or craft galleries
t. Attended a spectator event such as a play, opera, concert, movie, or sporting event
u. Attended meetings or a conference
v. Went to offices or worksites or otherwise had a normal work day
w. Visited family or friends
x. None of the above [EXCLUSIVE]
[PROCEED TO ALL REMAINING QUESTIONS]
GENERAL VACATION PLANNING
The next two questions are about traveling for pleasure to any out-of-state destination.
1. On the most recent trip when you traveled out of state for pleasure and stayed there overnight, which of
the following best describes your planning process? [Randomize A and B]
a.
b.
c.
d.
I picked a place to go and then figured out what I would do while I was there
I picked an activity that I wanted to do and then decided where to go for that activity
I identified an event to attend that had a specific place and time
None of the above [Exclusive]
2. In planning your next pleasure trip where you will travel out of state and stay overnight, how important
is it that you or others traveling with you can do the following activities? Please rate each activity on a scale
from 0 to 10, where 0=“Not at all important” and 10=“Extremely important.” [Randomize]
OUTDOOR RECREATION: 2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS
Not at all
important
0
a.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
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Extremely
important
10
Visit theme parks or
water parks

        

b. See attractive natural
scenery

        

c. Dining and shopping

        

d. Participate in land-based
outdoor recreation

        

e. Participate in water-based
outdoor recreation

        

Experience arts and
culture

        

g. Visit historical sites

        

f.
|
TRAVELING FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION
The rest of this survey is about outdoor recreation, which is things you do outside for fun or leisure. For this survey,
outdoor recreation includes the following…
- Visiting parks: such as local parks, state parks, or national parks
- Visiting natural areas: such as forests, reservoirs, or wildlife refuges
- Playing outdoor sports: such as golf, tennis, soccer, softball, or similar sports
- Trail activities: such as hiking, biking, running, or horseback riding
- Motorized activities: such as 4-wheel driving (OHV/off-roading)
- Camping: including backpacking
- Snow sports: such as skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling
- Boating: such as rafting, sailing, water skiing, riding jet skis, or riding on a motorboat
- Wildlife activities: such as fishing, hunting, or bird watching
- Visiting outdoor cultural sites: such as historic sites or reservations
- Attending an outdoor events: such as a balloon festival or youth sports tournament
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OUTDOOR RECREATION: 2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS
For this survey, outdoor recreation does not include entertainment at facilities such as music concerts, racetracks,
amusement parks, outdoor markets, or zoos.
3. Among the states listed below, which state would you most likely travel to for the purpose of…
[Remove state of residence if applicable. Randomize]
Arizona
Colorado
New
Mexico
Utah
I would not travel
out of state to do
this activity
a.
Walking, hiking, running, or
biking on dirt trails or roads





b.
Walking, hiking, running, or
biking on paved trails or roads





c.
Horseback riding





d.
Operating or riding on motorized
vehicles on dirt roads or trails





e.
Camping





f.
Playing outdoor sports





g.
Visiting national parks, forests,
wilderness, or natural areas





h.
Participating in water sports such
as boating, rafting, sailing, water
skiing, or riding on a motorboat





i.
Participating in snow sports such
as skiing, snowboarding, or
snowmobiling





j.
Fishing, hunting, or viewing
animals





k.
Participating in outdoor cultural
events or festivals





4. When did you, or people you were traveling with, most recently participate in outdoor recreation in each
of the following states? [Remove state of residence if applicable.]
Within the past
12 months
More than 1 year
ago, but within 2
years
More than 2 years
ago, but within 3
years
More than 3
years ago
Never
a.
New
Mexico





b.
Utah





c.
Colorado





d.
Arizona





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5. [Remove state of residence if applicable] On a scale of 0 to 6, where 0="Not at all likely" and 6="Extremely
likely," how likely are you to travel to each of the following states to participate in outdoor recreation within
the next 12 months? Analysis may include calculating a likelihood factor of going to New Mexico by
subtracting the highest score of any other state from the New Mexico score.
Not at all
likely
1
2
3
4
5
Extremely
likely
0
6
a.
New
Mexico







b.
Utah







c.
Colorado







d.
Arizona







6. Please tell me the extent you desire the following when you recreate outdoors and away from home.
[Randomize]
Strongly
Desire
Somewhat
Desire
Do Not
Desire
a.
Enjoy peace and quiet



b.
Feel away from it all



c.
Be around other people



d.
Spend time with friends and family



e.
Discover new things



f.
Get exercise



g.
Feel connected to nature



h.
Take personal risks



i.
Feel alone



j.
Feel excited



k.
Observe scenic beauty



l.
Develop skills or abilities



OUTDOOR RECREATION IN NEW MEXICO
7. When you think about outdoor recreation in New Mexico, what is the first word or short phrase that comes
to mind?
a. ____________________________________________
When you most recently participated in outdoor recreation in New Mexico…
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OUTDOOR RECREATION: 2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS
How did you get from your home to New Mexico? [Randomize, anchor other]
a. Drove
b. Flew
c. Other: ___________________________
9. How many nights did you stay in New Mexico? (If none, please enter “0”)
a. Nights:___________
10. Did that outdoor recreation experience…
a. Greatly exceed your expectations
b. Somewhat exceed your expectations
c. Meet your expectations exactly
d. Somewhat fall short of your expectations
e. Greatly fall short of your expectations
11. What would make you be more likely to visit New Mexico again to participate in outdoor recreation
instead of traveling to a different state?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
12. Is participating in outdoor recreation something you…
a. Definitely want to do
b. Somewhat want to do
c. Slightly want to do
d. Do not want to do at all
e. Unsure
ATTENDING OUTDOOR RECREATION EVENTS
Outdoor recreation events are organized for the public or other groups and occur at a specific time and place.
Examples are balloon festivals, running races, sports tournaments, group ski trips, bird watching events, and
other similar activities.
13. When you most recently participated in outdoor recreation in New Mexico, did you participate in or attend
an outdoor recreation event, as described above?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Unsure
14. [If attended an outdoor recreation event] Was participating in or attending the outdoor recreation event(s)
the…
a. Primary reason for going to New Mexico
b. Secondary reason for going to New Mexico
c. Was not part of the reason for going to New Mexico
d. Other: ___________________________________
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15. [If attended an outdoor] How many nights did you stay in New Mexico specifically so that you, or people
you were traveling with, could participate in or attend an outdoor recreation event(s)? (If none, please enter
“0”)
a. Nights: ________
SPENDING
We are almost done!
16. Totaling up all expenses of your most recent overnight visit to New Mexico, about how much money did
you spend inside the state? Please list your expenses for each line, and count only money you spent in New
Mexico. Include money that you spent for yourself and for those traveling with you. Enter "0" if you spent no
money in that category. Estimating is fine if you don’t know exact numbers.
a. $_____ Lodging (hotels, campgrounds, etc.)
b. $_____ Food (restaurants, grocery stores, etc.)
c. $_____ Shopping for destination-specific items (e.g., souvenirs)
d. $_____ Shopping for all other items
e. $_____ Equipment rental fees
f. $_____ Admission fees or licenses
g. $_____ Car rental
h. $_____ Gasoline
i. $_____ All other expenses: (please specify)______________________
DEMOGRAPHICS
Here are the last questions.
17. In what year were you born?
a. ________ (enter 4-digit year)
18. Are you…
a. Male
b. Female
19. How many people who are younger than 18 live in your household?
a.
_______________ (number of people)
20. Which category best describes your household income? Include all sources of income and all people
living in your home.
a. $0 to $19,999
b. $20,000 to $39,999
c. $40,000 to $49,999
d. $50,000 to $74,999
e. $75,000 to $99,999
f. $100,000 to $149,999
g. $150,000 to $199,999
h. $200,000 or Greater
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OUTDOOR RECREATION: 2015 OUT-OF-STATE VISITOR SURVEY RESULTS
21. Have you received a bachelor’s degree?
a. Yes
b. No
22. If you have anything else to say about this topic, please enter it in the space below.
____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for your time.
Please press the submit button below.