Linking Urban Forests and Urban Tourism: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Jinyang Deng & Kathryn AranoWest Virginia University

May 29, 2008

What is urban tourism?“Tourism in urban areas” (Law, 2002, p. 4)Urban tourism can be traced back to the era when towns or cities began to develop in the early 1900s in the United States (Cocks, 2001)Urban tourism may exist much earlier in some other places of the world (i.e., Europe, China, etc.) where larger cities have developed before the 1800s (Law, 2002; Jones, Frost and White, 1993).

Urban Tourism as a Field of InquiryUrban tourism did not receive sufficient attention by researchers until the 1980s (Page, 1995).Urban tourism has established as a significant and distinctive field of inquiry in the early 1990s (Law, 2002; Pearce, 2001)Much research is needed to examine urban tourism in a comprehensive and systematic approach

Urban Tourism as a Field of Inquiry

Pearce, D.G., 2001. An integrative framework for urban tourism research. Annals of Tourism Research 28, 926–946.

Urban Tourism as a Field of Inquiry

Page, S., 1995. Urban tourism. Routledge, London and New York.

Figure 2. A systems framework for analyzing urban tourism

Urban Tourism as a Field of Inquiry

Urban Forests and Urban Tourism - Four General Categories

Tree- or flower-related festivals and events

2008 National Cherry Blossom Festival, March 29- April 13, Washington, D.C.

Urban Forests and Urban Tourism - Four General Categories

Tree-planting programs can attract visitors

Palm trees were planted in San Francisco after the 1989 earthquake

Urban Forests and Urban Tourism - Four General Categories

Urban parks, botanical gardens and arboreta

Central Park,New York

Public square, Savannah, GA

Urban Forests and Urban Tourism - Four General Categories

Displayed trees or flowers that beautify streetscapes

The decoration of China’s Tiananmen Squarewith about 400,000 pots of flowers

Linking Urban Forest and Urban Tourism

Study Area

Georgia Chatham County Savannah

Study HypothesesH1: Urban forests will positively contribute to the beauty of the city. H2: Urban forests will positively contribute to tourism experience directly or directly through their impact on the beauty of the city.H3: Tourism experience will positively related to tourism satisfaction which, in turn, will lead to destination loyalty.

Urban forests

City beauty

Tourism experience

Tourism satisfaction

Destination loyalty

Data collectionSurvey was conducted by the lead author and three graduate students in February 2008

Savannah Visitor Information Center

River Front Street

Data collectionThe survey questionnaire consists of five sections:

Visitors’ trip characteristics, Their perceptions of urban forests for tourism in Savannah, Relative importance of urban forests for tourism in the city, Economic measurement of their tourism experience, and Background information.

Data AnalysisDescriptive analysis and factor analysis were conducted using SPSS 16.0.

LISREL 8.8. was used to link respondents’perceptions of urban forests and beauty, tourism experience, tourism satisfaction, and destination loyalty.

Results A total of 306 visitors were approached. 153 of them were willing to participate in this study and completed the questionnaire, resulting in a response rate of 50.0%. The majority of participants (72.6%) came to Savannah for leisure.Approximately 74.1% of respondents have either visited parks/gardens or squares as opposed to 78.8% of respondents having visited historical sites in the city 71.1% of those respondents who reported having visited historical sites also visited gardens or squares.

Results

Discussion and ConclusionFor urban tourism, urban forests are often thought to play a supplementary role in the whole urban tourism system. The majority of respondents (45.1%) either strongly agreed or mildly agreed that urban forests are among the main tourism attribute that attracted them to the city as opposed to 13.9% of respondents who either strongly disagreed or mildly disagreed with the statement.

Discussion and ConclusionUrban forests not only functioned as a main attractor for the city, but also served to complement other attractors.71.1% of those respondents who reported having visited historical sites also visited gardens or squares. This indicates that urban forests are also a must-see attribute for most visitors whose were motivated to visit the city mainly by its historical attractions.

Discussion and ConclusionIt should be noted that up to 72.6% of visitors came to Savannah for leisure. This percent is comparable to 74.1% of respondents who have either visited parks/gardens or squares and 71.1% of those respondents who reported having visited historical sites also visited gardens or squares. urban forests in the city contribute significantly and positively to city beauty and tourism experience which, in turn, contributes significantly and positively to tourism satisfaction and destination loyalty

Discussion and ConclusionIt is worth noting from the SEM analysis that urban forests explain 72.2% of variances for city beauty, this percent is also comparable to the finding based on a percentage scale ranging from 0 to 100, wherein 69.9% of the city beauty is attributable to urban forests. Findings from this study may be used to oppose the Bush administration’s fiscal 2009 budget proposal which calls for reducing Forest Stewardship funding by 83% and Urban and Community Forestry funding by 82% (Koehn, 2008).

Questions and Comments?

Calhoun Square Columbia Square Chippewa Square

Greene Square

Lafayette Square