Assessing Visitor Responses to Iowa Scenic Byways Pilot Program

Abstract

Iowa's Scenic Byway Program was initiated by the Iowa Legislature in 1987. The Iowa Department of Transportation chose four pilot routes in Iowa and worked with local governments to develop agreements for erecting and maintaining signs on the scenic byways. The Iowa Department of Economic Development's (IDED) Division of Tourism initiated an advertising program for the pilot phase by selecting unique names for each scenic byway, printing and distributing colorful brochures at 18 Iowa Welcome Centers, and placing advertisements in Midwest regional newspapers. Davidson-Peterson Associates, Inc. (DPA), and David L. Dahlquist Associates, Inc. (DDA), were commissioned by IDED to evaluate visitors' responses to Iowa's new scenic byways pilot program during the 1994 tourism season. The research objectives were to: ( a) measure the economic benefits that have accrued to participating counties and communities from the pilot program; ( b) determine how travelers have responded to this program and how their travel behavior has been influenced by this program; and ( c) assess the interest of travelers in Iowa in the scenic by ways program and thereby to project future benefits that might be derived from continuing and expanding this program. To meet the research objectives, DPA and DDA conducted 600 telephone interviews, collected 456 on-site, self-administered questionnaires, and conducted 70 in-depth interviews. The pilot program had some successes in a short time. There were economic benefits, and visitors were pleased with their experiences. Visitors and local officials made suggestions for improvements in signage, additional information in the brochures, and changes in the byway routes.