2008 Paddle Tourism Study - North Carolina State Parks

Snapshot of ResultsThe North Carolina State Trails Program conducted the Paddle Tourism Study as part of anongoing effort to enhance and encourage paddling experiences in North Carolina. The studywas conducted from June to September 2008; respondents were primarily individuals whopaddle in North Carolina. The survey captured important information about the characteristicsof North Carolina paddlers and their level of spending on paddling trips. This executivesummary provides a brief review of the study’s overall findings.- North Carolina is a destination for paddlers from surrounding states. The greatestnumbers of responses from outside North Carolina were from Georgia, South Carolina,Tennessee, and Virginia- The majority of participants in this survey (70%) believe that paddling is a viable formof economic development for North Carolina.- Respondents spent almost one million dollars ($947,800) last year on paddle tripsoutside their local area.- Respondents spent nearly $300,000 last year on trips within their local area.- Kayaks dominated paddlers’ choice of craft. Over half of survey participants (58%)indicated they use their own kayak when they go paddling.- Over half of all survey participants (56%) considered themselves recreational paddlers.Another 27% considered themselves avid paddlers and 17% considered themselvesnovice paddlers.- The Piedmont was the most frequently paddled region of North Carolina, visited by39% of respondents. However, 86% of respondents were from the Piedmont.- The Neuse was the most popular river to paddle in North Carolina (named by 306respondents as the body of water they most frequently paddle), followed by the CapeFear River (255 respondents) and the Nantahala (254 respondents).- Two-thirds of respondents (66%) indicated they typically paddle with their friends.Over one third (38%) indicated they also paddle by themselves. (Respondents wereable to select more than one type of travel party.)- Respondents indicated the majority of their paddling trips (67%) were first andforemost for paddling. Paddling while on vacation was the next most reported contextfor paddling trips.- Survey participants who considered themselves avid paddlers took an average of 17paddle trips last year within 50 miles of their home. Recreational paddlers reportedan average of eight trips, and novice paddlers reported an average of four.