A Conjoint Analysis of Preference Heterogeneity among Day and Overnight Visitors to the Okefenokee Wilderness

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine preference heterogeneity among day non-motorized, day motorized and overnight visitors to the Okefenokee Wilderness using conjoint analysis. Study results support the hypothesis that the subgroups of Okefenokee Wilderness visitors considered in this study are not homogeneous with respect to their wilderness setting preferences and that they may be better understood by studying similarities and differences in preferences among them. The study findings suggest that the issue most likely to be a source of contention among day motorized, day non-motorized and overnight Okefenokee Wilderness visitors is the percentage of water trail miles motorized visitors are allowed to use, while there was general agreement among the subgroups of visitors considered in this study about what constitutes reasonable numbers of encounters with other boating groups.

KEYWORDS:

• Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
• wilderness
• day users
• conjoint analysis
• heterogeneity