|
Quoted from appended article on recent Carlsbad National Park visit by NPS Director, Fran Mainella:
[White said in 1990, it cost a family of four $12 to visit the park, and now, it costs $54. And people without reservations for special tours are discouraged, he said. Mainella said the reservation system works well in Washington, D.C., where it allows people to spend money at other attractions instead of standing in line. As for fees, she said she's seen participation in recreational events increase when the fees are higher because "we've become a value added society."]
Is Fran Mainella's problem one of extreme arrogance, extreme insensitivity or perhaps extraordinary lack of judgment. Or is she perhaps parroting the lessons taught to top brass within the land management agencies --- persons who have received instruction in "value added society" at Walt Disney World's cast-training program. ---- I'm not making this up, read on!
Here's a quote from a document I obtained though contacts within the US Forest Service. Please note that those in attendance included persons at the very highest levels in the land management agencies, including Cabinet level persons:
The Partners Outdoors VII program opened with an excursion to Disney University where Ten Yanovich conducted a very informative session on Walt Disney World's cast-training program, especially the means used to introduce and reinforce an appreciation and understanding of the company's corporate culture. Attendees were given the opportunity to evaluate their own organization's approach to training and orientation, leading many to conclude that at least some improvement was needed in those areas.
Following the return to the hotel, each of the federal-agency and private-sector groups involved in the conference met briefly to discuss plans and assignments for the next two days. From there, they moved to the Welcoming Reception where Dick Nunis's forceful opening remarks focused on the history and mission of Partners Outdoors. He also emphasized an important lesson drawn from his Disney experience: price your product in a way that allows your customers to rate the product highly and feel that they received good value for their money.
FOR FULL DETAILS, list of attendees, resumes of attendees, etc .... www.wildwilderness.org/docs/po8sum.htm
www.wildwilderness.org/docs/po7.htm
www.wildwilderness.org/docs/po.htm
Scott
---- begin quoted ----
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Parks official promises a 'welcome mat'
By Victoria Parker-Stevens
CARLSBAD CAVERNS - Without more visitors, White's City won't be passed
on to future generations, Jack White Jr. told the National Park Service
director Tuesday. About 35 area officials gathered at Carlsbad Caverns
National Park to have lunch with NPS Director Fran Mainella, who is
touring parks around the Southwest for National Park Week.
"We need to get the welcome mat out there," she said, assuring
officials "we are not closing parks." In recent weeks, a stir has been
caused by reports of a memo sent to some superintendents suggesting
park closures as a possible way to cut costs. "That memo was
misconstrued," Mainella said. "There's a lot of misinformation out
there."
White had asked to address Mainella Tuesday with a list of concerns.
Others in attendance included state legislators and officials from the
city of Carlsbad, Eddy County, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and
Department of Development, the park's concessionaire, area land
management agencies and the office of Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.
White said comments he'd heard about park closures were "absolutely
terrifying." Instead, "we need more people," he said. "Of course, none
of us want to destroy our cave (with too many people)." White said
his son and other relatives have said they can't survive with the
revenues generated at White's City - which provides lodging, food and
other visitor services near the entrance to the park.
Since 1990, Caverns visitation is down 100,000 people a year. White's
City lodging numbers have decreased from 25,000 to 17,000 nights a
year, White said. "It would be really nice if this (family business)
could be a continuing thing," he said. "But I can't do that without
more visitors." White said he had tried to sell his property to the
park. But he must have asked for too much money, he added, with a
chuckle. Selling to the park's concessionaire was also an option, he
said, but there were no bidders on a recent contract proposal, due to
high fees and an inability to make a profit.
Mainella said the government's appraised values are often lower than
private industry, as many business factors are not taken into
consideration. "We need to find a way to better price these
opportunities," she said of the concession contract. White said he had
an eight-page list of ideas that had been tried locally to increase
tourism, most of which had failed. He said area organizations spend
around $500,000 a year on promotion.
"I don't think we're shirking our part," he said. "They come to see
this cave. Whatever is done pretty much comes from you." White suggest
Mainella "encourage your superintendent to create a committee" to work
on the issue. Mainella said gateway communities are very important to
the park, and vice versa. She cited a recent study that showed the
Caverns has a $31 million annual impact on the local economy and
provides 1,000 jobs.
About six months ago, the Park Service emphasized to parks that public
involvement and civic engagement are mandatory, she said. White also
said the park had made changes that had created serious problems, for
example, raising fees, creating a reservation system and trying to
close the underground lunchroom. In the new concession contract, the
Park Service has included removal of apparel sales and the sale of
prepackaged food only in the lunchroom.
White said keeping the lunchroom was part of annual federal
legislation, and petitions had been circulated to prove visitors
enjoyed it. "I think I'd find another issue and move on," he said of
Park Service efforts. White said he didn't think there was a
scientific need to close the lunchroom - adding perhaps visitors could
tour without clothes if lint from underground concession sales was a
problem. "There's no place else in the world they can (eat
underground)," he said. "The cave experience is short enough."
White said in 1990, it cost a family of four $12 to visit the park, and
now, it costs $54. And people without reservations for special tours
are discouraged, he said.
Mainella said the reservation system works well in Washington, D.C.,
where it allows people to spend money at other attractions instead of
standing in line. As for fees, she said she's seen participation in
recreational events increase when the fees are higher because "we've
become a value added society."
She said a study showed fees was the No. 7 reason, in a list of 10,
that people weren't visiting national parks. The No. 1 reason was
location. "We need to figure out how to get people back into this
area," Mainella said.
|
- Land management 
