[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


            Resource
           Anal ics
                            INCORPORATED   Practical Solutions for Managing Resources





                Northampton County Sustainable Development Initiative


                       Economic Impacts of the
              1993 Eastern Shore Birding Festival



                                     December 14. 1993






                                        Prepared for-
                       Northampton County Board of Supervisors
41                         Sustainable Development Task Force
                           Birding Festival Planning Committee
                          Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce



                                             by

-x

                                        John Chazal
                                  Resource Analytics, Inc.
                   @!Y, N tc,

























 .304 Glenwood Ave. * P.O. Box 5010 - Raleigh, NC 27650 - (919) 833-7008   FAX (919) 833-8088












                            Northampton County Sustainable Development initiative

                                    Economic Impacts of the
                          1993 Eastern Shore Birding Festival




                                                     December 14, 1993

                                                         Prepared for:
                                     Northampton County Board of Supervisors
                                         Sustainable Development Task Force
                                         Birding Festival Planning Committee
                                         Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce


                                                               by

                                                          John Chazal
                                                 Resource Analytics, Inc.

                              A report of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality's Coastal
                           Resources Management Program pursuant to National Oceanic and Atmospheric
                                           Administration Award No. NA27OZO312-03.


                            This paper is funded by a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
                           Administration. The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not
                                  necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or any of its sub-agencies.







                                                                WOF











                                  ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL






                                          Economic Impacts of the
                                 1993 Eastern Shore Birding Festival



                                                     Table of Contents



               Introduction and Summary     .............................................                      I
                   Highlights of Study Findings    ........................................                    I
                   Background on Northampton County      and the Eastern Shore Birding Festival    .......     3
                   Study background and goals     .........................................                    4

               Methods   ..........................................................                            5
                   Phase I  -On-site survey    ...........................................                     5
                   Phase 2 - Take-home questionnaire     ....................................                  7
                   Phase 3 - Economic impact analysis      ...................................                 9


               Results and Discussion   ...............................................                      I I
                   Economic Impacts on Northampton County         .............................              I I
                   Festival Participants - Characteristics and Feedback    .......................           17

               Conclusions and Recommendations       ......................................                  29


               Acknowledgements      ...................................................                     32

               Appendices
                   A.    On-Site Survey - Script and Summary of Results
                   B.    Take-Home Questionnaire and Summary of Results
                   C.    Description of the Virginia Impact Projection Model
                   D.    Estimation of the total number of parties participating in the Festival
                   E.    Origins of sampled parties, as reported in on-site survey
                   F.    Responses to open-ended questions on take-home questionnaire




                                 eeel     EASTERN The Eastern Shore Of Vir inia]
                                          S H 0 R E                                                                        ._9
                                          BIRDING
                                          FESTIVAL

                                       A                                        MARYLAND
                                                                                        VIRGINIA
                                                                                                           CIvIncoteague National
                                                                                                              Wildlife Refuge












                                                                Onancock 0

                  CHESAPEAKE BAY                                              Onley


                                                      A         OMACK COUNTY

                                                                      13

                                                                    0*9!Xrriore


                                                    Nassawadox
                                                                                                                              ATLANTIC

                                            NORTHAMPTON                             0 U N T Y
                                                                       08% v-                                                   OCEAN
                                              Eastvilie-c                0
                                   Cape Charles          Chariton

                            Kiptopeke State Park


                                       Sunset Beach                    Eastern Shore of %Arginia
                                                                       National Wildlife Refuge



                                                         Fisherman Island



                                   Chesapeake Say
                                    Bridge-Tunnel
                                                               qj'n












                                      ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDrNG FESTIVAL







                                                            List of Tables


                 Table I - Summary of Expenditures         .....................................                   12

                 Table 2 - Economic Impacts, Totals and By Sector          ..........................              14

                 Table 3 - Profile of Festival Participation     .................................                 17

                 Table 4 - Participants by Age Class and by     Sex   .............................                18

                 Table 5  - Type of travel party     .........................................                     20

                 Table 6  - Origin of travel parties   .......................................                     21

                 Table 7  - How participants said they heard about the Festival      ...................           25

                 Table 8  - Grades given by participants on various aspects of the Festival       ...........      26







                                                           List of Figures

                 Figure I - Number of Festival Participants, by Age and Sex         ....................           19

                 Figure 2 - Distances Travelled by Non-Northampton Parties, by Distance Class            ......    23

                 Figure 3 - Grades Given by Festival Participants on Various Aspects of the Festival         ...   27












                                  ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL







                                              Introduction and Summary

               The First Annual Eastern Shore Birding Festival was held on October 9-10, 1993, at
               Kiptopeke, Virginia, located in Northampton County on Virginia!s Eastern Shore. The event
               attracted over one thousand people from both the local region and from several surrounding
               states. This study examines the economic impacts of the Birding Festival on Northampton
               County, including estimates of both direct and secondary impacts on trade, income and value-
               added, as well as other intangible economic benefits. The secondary impacts were determined
               using a computer model of the County's economy developed in a broader study of the
               contributions of natural resource-dependent activities to the local economy. This study also
               reports the feedback from survey participants on the quality of various aspects of the Festival,
               pointing out how Festival organizers might improve the Festival and its positive impacts in
               the future.



               Highlights of Study Findings

               It should be noted here that the estimates made here of the economic impacts of the Festival
               relate to the potential benefits of this event and similar events in the future, not of birding
               itself. Different parameters would need to be measured (such as the demand for birding
               opportunities in the area) in order to accurately assess the potential of on-going general and
               birding-related tourism. However, many of the findings are relevant to general tourism issues
               and to birding-related tourism in particular.

               Based on survey statistics and Festival revenue data, an estimated 1035 people attended the
               Festival. These people travelled in an estimated 392 separate travel parties of 2.7 people
               each'. Key findings regarding the origins of these parties include the following:
               ï¿½   an estimated 30% of the parties were from Northampton and Accomack Counties (split
                   about evenly between the two)                                                       I
               ï¿½   another 51% were from other parts of Virginia, including nearly a quarter from the
                   Richmond/Petersburg and Williamsburg areas
               ï¿½   nearly 90% of all parties came from within a 250 mile drive of the Festival.

               In terms of the impact on trade, income and value-added in Northampton County, the
               immediate impact of the Birding Festival was small but positive. Direct expenditures by non-



                   'Total number of parties at Festival multiplied by average party size equals 1069 people.
               An estimated 34 people were travelling with these parties but did something else while others
               in their parties came to the Festival.










                                    ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDTNG FESTIVAL


               residents made to Northampton producers amounted to about $36,600. These expenditures
               generated an additional $15,700 in indirect and induced sales for a total increase of $52,300
               in total industrial output. However, the impact of this increase in total industrial output on
               total value-added to the local economy is estimated to be somewhat less, or $35,500. This is
               because of leakages in the local economy, which are non-local goods and services that are
               purchased in the course of producing this total industrial output. This non-local production
               includes inputs such as labor, capital, wholesale supplies, etc. The impact of the Birding
               Festival on total income (a component of total value-added) was estimated to be $28,500.

               .rhe fact that the Festival did produce positive economic benefits for the County is significant.
               I-lowever, it can be argued that the most important value of the Festival is as a vehicle for
               promotingfitture tourism from which more substantial and continuous economic benefits
               would be derived. These benefits could include the increased participation of tourists in
               future Festivals as well as increased tourism in the County at other times of the year. It is
               also likely that visitors to this year's Festival could have supported more vendors, especially
               food vendors. More vendors would generate local interest in the Festival (both Northampton
               and Accomack) which would increase the economic impacts of the Festival.

               Participants were in the main positive in their feedback about the quality of the Festival.
               Based on participant feedback, it appears that the Festival was a great advertisement for itself,
               the County and Eastern Shore. All of the participants surveyed said that they would
               recommend future Festivals to others, and a large majority said they would come to next
               year's Festival themselves. This strongly suggests that Festival organizers should continue to
               target the core market of this year's Festival - birding enthusiasts in the Chesapeake Bay
               region. It is possible that this market could be much more fully utilized. Some ways of
               doing this include raising registration fees modestly to pay for enhanced marketing and
               improved services at the Festival.

               Many visitor comments received spoke highly of the natural beauty of the area and
               friendliness of the people. The Festival is likely to have generated significant interest in
               returning to the Eastern Shore and specifically to Northampton County at other times of the
               year. Educating participants about migrations patterns, birding techniques, the best times to
               come, etc., probably served as proactive market-development for future Festivals, wildlife-
               related and general tourism, and perhaps for specialized birding-related tourist services.

               The Festival also seemed to succeed in raising the awareness of the public of the importance
               of Northampton County to the massive annual bird migrations and the potential for
               developing this asset as a draw for visitors to the County. It will be important for Festival
               organizers and local citizens to insure that tourism development does not contribute to the
               clegradation of the resource on which it depends.





                                                                2












                                  ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDrNG FESTIVAL



               Background on Northampton County and the Eastern Shore Birding Festival

               Northampton County has one of the smallest economies in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
               Its approximately 13,000 residents live in rural communities and small towns that are
               scattered within what many locals and non-locals alike feel is one of the ecologically richest
               areas on the East Coast of the United States. One important feature of this richness is the
               annual migration of birds through the County. For reasons that are not fully understood
               Northampton County is an important conduit and depot for an exceptionally large number of
               such migrants, both in terms of the number of species and in absolute numbers. The
               Delmarva Peninsula may act as a funnel for many birds moving south during their Fall
               migration, concentrating them near the southern tip as they prepare for crossing the mouth of
               Chesapeake Bay. Another contributing factor to the large bird migration could be the
               diversity and integrity of most of the County's ecological zones, which in close proximity
               include high quality examples of coastal barrier island, estuarine marshes, forests, fields and
               bayside beaches and wetlands.

               Much of this ecological resource base has been protected from most forms of development.
               Much of the estuarine marshes and barrier islands on the eastern side of the County (the
               ocean side) is now owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy , a nationwide, private
               non-profit organization dedicated to preserving natural ecosystems. A former military base is
               now the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge and an island just off the
               southern tip of the peninsula has been preserved as the Fishermens Island National Wildlife
               Refuge. On the bayside, a former ferry terminal and adjoining land is now Kiptopeke State
               Park. Acting as a break on intense development in many of the remaining areas of the
               County is a strong desire on the part of many residents to retain the rural character of the
               County, as expressed in many recent land use and economic development-related initiatives.

               The importance of this area for both resident and migrating birds has generated much interest
               among researchers and among recreational birders (or birdwatchers). This common
               denominator between birding and formal research interests could be a viable opportunity for
               ecotourism, in which the observation of ecological resources, natural history studies and
               interpretation, and similar activities become the primary object of tourism. For instance, one
               on-going research activity, the long-standing raptor (birds-of-prey) and songbird banding
               project at Kiptopeke State Park, was made one of the showcase activities of the Birding
               Festival.


               The Birding Festival was developed in part to expand ecotourism activities in the County.
               The bird migration, the state park, the refuges, and many other areas of the County offer a
               great deal to amateur naturalists, boaters, fishermen, hunters and others. The Birding Festival
               was one idea for capitalizing on these assets. Another important goal for Festival organizers
               was to demonstrate to local citizens how ecological assets such as the bird migration could
               economically benefit the County and the Eastern Shore as a whole.



                                                              3









                                    ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                Even if the definition of the market at which the Festival was specifically targeted Is limited
                to only birders, the market targeted is very large. The 1991 National Survey of Fishing,
                Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation' found that nearly 25 million Americans over the
                age of 16 took part in photographing, feeding or observing birds further than one mile from
                their homes in 1991. This group made up about 82% of a larger category called "non-
                consumptive wildlife-associated recreation participants" that spent approximately $7.5 billion
                nationally on travel related expenses in 1991, and about $9.6 billion on equipment for their
                activity.

                The Birding Festival featured tours of several prime birding venues, bird banding
                demonstrations, speakers, children's programs, food and exhibits by artists, craftsmen,
                conservation organizations, and a handful of vendors. The vendors were mostly from
                Accomack County and from off the Eastern Shore, and the items sold generally fell into the
                following groups: birding-related items (e.g., naturalist guides, binoculars), landscaping and
                gardening items, arts and crafts, pottery and clay ornamental items, and general merchandise
                (t-shirt, toys, books, etc.).

                The Festival was held on the second Saturday and Sunday in October. The weather on
                Saturday was clear, breezy and warm. Sunday, however, was very cold and rainy. The
                Festival was well-attended on both days, due mainly to the large number of people who had:
                come for both days and had made lodging arrangements accordingly.

                This was the first time that a birding festival had been mounted in Northampton County.


                Study background and goals

                This study was conducted by Resource Anallytics, Inc., of Raleigh, North Carolina, under
                contract to the County of Northampton through its Sustainable Development Initiative. The
                Initiative is funded by Northampton County, the Virginia Department of Environmental
                Quality's Coastal Resources Management Program, and the National Ocean and Atmospheric
                Administration's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. The SDI effort is
                aimed at developing an understanding of the links between economic activity and natural
                resources and to seek ways to maximize economic potential without diminishing the integrity
                of the ecological base on which this activity occurs and depends. The preservation of the
                rural character of the county and other time-honored characteristics of the county's culture, are
                another aspect of this initiative.




                    'U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Department of
                Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 1993. 1991 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and
                Wildlije-Associated Recreation. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.

                                                                4











                                 ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDrNG FESTIVAL








                                                        Methods



               All of the findings of this study are based on data from a sample of travel parties assumed to
               have been randomly selected from all travel parties at the Birding Festival. A random sample
               means that there was an equal probability of any given party submitting to the on-site survey
               and of any given party returning a valid take-home questionnaire. RAI took many measures
               to insure that the sample was random, but there are some potential sources of bias that could
               not be eliminated or corrected for. Survey methods and the potential sources of error for each
               of the three major phases of the study are described in the following sections.

               The study was comprised of three major phases, an on-site survey/screening, a take-home
               questionnaire, and an estimation of the economic impacts of the Birding Festival.


               Phase 1 - On-site survey

               The on-site survey is given in Appendix A. The main purposes of the on-site survey and
               screening was to gather some preliminary data on Festival participants, to screen the sample
               to include only non-Northampton County residents, to make sure that only one person per
               travel party received a survey, and to make sure that respondents understood the take-home
               survey. One potential point of confusion in the take-home survey that we wanted to guard
               against was the definition of sampling unit, the travel party. A travel party was defined in
               both surveys as the group of people with whom the respondent was travelling, including
               people in the group who did not actually come to the Festival (i.e., they were doing
               something else). Both the on-site survey and the take-home questionnaire asked about how
               the respondent would describe their travel party in order to get them to think of who to
               include in their travel party. In the on-site interview survey workers also determined whether
               further guidance on the definition of travel party was needed. The most common instance of
               this was for those people travelling with the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Virginia Society
               of Ornithology (VSO). In this case, we were interested not in the full VSO group but in the
               expenditures of the sub-groups. In speaking with respondents of this type, survey workers
               emphasized that we wanted them to respond to questions based on "the people with whom
               you are sharing expenses." Survey workers reported no cases of anyone not understanding
               who their travel party was. Of course, misunderstanding of this point certainly remains a
               possibility and therefore a potential source of error in the data.

               Survey workers were also asked to emphasize that only one questionnaire could be filled out
               per travel party, and that it was important to fill it out as they left the Eastern Shore. These
               points were reiterated on the take-home questionnaire itself


                                                             5









                                   FCONOMTC UNIPACTS OF THE 1993 FASTERN SHORE BIRT)TNG FESTIVAL



               Another major challenge was that questionnaire respondents were asked to provide
               information not only on expenditures but about where these expenditures occurred. This was
               -a potential source of problems with the expenditure data since relatively few participants
               could, be expected to know which county they were in when each expenditure was made. For
               example, participants may be able to accurate keep track of or remember their expenditures in
               restaurants, but few people would know the county in which each restaurant was located
               unless they were from the area or otherwise made aware of the geography of the area.

               Survey workers reviewed a map of the Eastern Shore with each survey respondent, circling
               ,important points (including where they stayed, if applicable), and giving it to them to use
               when they filled out the questionnaire. The map is reproduced on page ii. Fortunately, the
               geography of the Eastern Shore greatly simplified the task of familiarizing people with the
               map. Travellers can only enter Northampton County from the south by crossing the 17-mile
               -wide mouth of Chesapeake Bay (an obvious landmark), and from the north through Accomack
               County, Virginia. Accomack County's only other border is with the State of Maryland. Since
               people are likely to know when they enter or leave Virginia from Maryland (and when they
               cross the mouth of the Bay) the only cognitive problem with defining where expenditures take
               place occurs when people are not familiar with the boundary between Accomack and
               Northampton Counties. This problem is further simplified by the linear shape of both
               counties - only in a few instances would there a significant source of confusion given a basic
               familiarity with a simple map of the two counties. As with questions of defining travel
               'parties, survey workers were allowed to deviate from the script whenever it was necessary to
               clarify geographic questions for those given the take-home questionnaire.

               'The on-site survey also provided data such as the average party size, whether or not all
               members of the travel party came to the Festival, whether the party came on one or both
               days, their origin, and the proportion of parties that were staying ovemight in Northampton
               County, that were staying in Accomack County, that stayed overnight elsewhere, or that came
               from home.


               The on-site survey/screening took approximately four minutes per party approached. Survey
               workers.were given a script with space for tallying responses. Survey workers were deployed
               at points on the Festival site considered to be both high traffic areas and areas where all
               parties were likely to pass. The randomness of participant selection at each survey post was
               achieved by instructing survey workers to approach every party passing a pre-selected point
               near their post. Self-selection for participating in the survey is not considered to be a
               potential source of error since an insignificant number of people who were approached and
               who had not been surveyed yet refused to participate. A more important potential source of
               error in the sampling for the on-site survey was the high proportion of parties that were
               approached but had already been surveyed by mid-morning on S@nday, the second day.
               Because of this parties, that came only on Sunday might have been "crowded out" by parties
               which were already surveyed, reducing their likelihood of being selected. If this was the
               case, then parties coming only on Sunday might have been undersampled. Given the survey


                                                              6











                                    ECON,OMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDNIG FESTIVAL



                methodology there is no way to test for this potential undersampling. It is uncertain what the
                impact of this error, if present, could be.


                Phase 2 - Take-home questionnaire

                The take-home questionnaire is reproduced in Appendix B. Questions on the survey can be
                divided into three types, questions about the respondent's travel party, questions about their
                stay on Virginia's Eastern Shore, and questions about the individual respondent regarding their
                birding activifies and their opinions about the quality of the Festival. The questions were as
                follows:


                Questions about the travel party
                     ï¿½    age and sex of each member of the travel party (from which total number in the
                               party was also derived)
                     ï¿½    type of party (same as in on-sitc survey)
                     ï¿½    whether the party came to the Festival on one or both days
                     ï¿½    how many people in the travel party did not attend the festival
                     ï¿½    the city/town and state where the trip began and whether this was their home or not
                     ï¿½    approximate distance from trip origin to the Festival
                     ï¿½    the zip code of the place where they now live
                Questions about their trip to the Eastern Shore for the Festival
                     ï¿½    whether or not the Birding Festival was the primary reason for their trip
                     ï¿½    how many days the party spent on the Eastern Shore
                     ï¿½    type of accommodations for those staying overnight on the Eastern Shore:
                               - campground
                               - hotellmotel
                               - bed & breakfast or inn
                               - rented house or condo
                               - friend's or relative's home
                               - other (all "other" responses received were for second homes)
                     ï¿½    total expenses for the travel party in Northampton and Accomack Counties (further
                          explanation of this section is given below)
                               - expenditures at the Festival site for registration, food/drinks and other items
                               - lodging
                               - food/drinks in restaurants or bars
                               - groceries/convenience store purchases
                               - farm produce stand/market purchases
                               - seafood stand/market purchases
                               - Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel tolls (ignored in the analysis)
                               - vehicle expenses (gas, oil, repairs, rentals)
                               - admissions to museums, events, etc. (other than the Festival)
                               - locally made arts and crafts (the determination of whether something
                                    purchased was actually local was left up to the respondent)
                               - gifts, souvenirs, antiques


                                                              7










                                    ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                              - other personal or household items
                              - sports and rcCTcation (canoe or bikc rentals. greens fees. etc.)
                              - other (actual responses in this categon- only amounted to about 0.5% of total
                                  expenditures)
                Questions about the respondent
                    ï¿½    the number of days the respondent had gone birding in the last year (days trips and
                         overnight trips)
                    ï¿½    how the respondent heard about the festival
                    ï¿½    grade various components of the Festival on a school grade scale (A - F):
                              - the Festival overall
                              - the birding
                              - guided tours
                              - speakers
                              - work-shops
                              - children's programs
                              - food at the festival
                              - restroom facilities
                         whether they would tell others to come to the Festival in the future
                         whether they believed they would return next year
                         what the respondent most liked and disliked about the Festival

                Even though the primary purpose of this study is to isolate the impacts of the Festival on
                Northampton County, expenditures in Accomack County were requested as well. This was
                done for two reasons. The first reason was to help the respondents cognifively separate
                expenditures made in the two counties. The second reason was to gauge the economic
                impacts of the festival in Accomack County as well as Northampton County alone. This
                allowed for some analysis of how Festival participants (and tourists more generally) spend
                their money in a county with more types of spending opportunities. This kind of information
                could help Northampton County improve its ability to capture these tourist dollars.

                Many of the questions were repeated from the on-site survey. They were asked again since
                only tallies (total counts) of responses were taken for the on-site survey and since it was
                therefore not possible to fie on-site survey responses to questionnaire respondents.

                An introductory note reiterated important points for the respondent to know (such    as to send
                in only one form per party, etc.) and to thank them for their participation.

                The take-home questionnaire was pTeaddressed and prestamped. A small, removable label
                was placed on the front of each questionnaire. The respondent was shown the address,
                postage and label, and told that they simply needed to fill -out the questionnaire, use the label
                to seal the questionnaire for mailing, and drop it in the mail.





                                                                8










                                  ECONOMIC IMPACTS Of THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDTNNG FESMAL



               Because the sample in this phase of the study is a subsample of the on-site survey sample, the
               two samples share the same potential errors in sampling. In addition, there may have been
               some self-selection in the sample due to our reliance on respondents to mail back the
               questionnaire. Respondents may have perceived that participating would help Festival
               organizers promote the benefits of the Festival and thus help promote birding and bird habitat
               conservation. Such a bias might cause a few respondents to overstate their expenditures if
               they believe that it could help conservation efforts.

               Another possible source of error is that people are likely to forget to include some
               expenditures or ignore them, believing them to be too small to be important. In this case,
               expenditures are likely to be underestimated. We believe that taking the survey responses as
               a whole, it is much more likely that expenditures are underestimated due to recall errors or to
               respondents ignoring small expenses than they are to be overestimated for any reason. Other
               potential sources of error in this phase of the survey include misunderstanding the questions
               and incorrect determinations of the county in which the party found lodging and made
               expenditures.

               Given the nature of these potential sources of error, it is not considered possible nor necessary
               to estimate or correct for resulting biases. Given the relative simplicity of determining the
               county where expenditures were made, relatively few errors and no systematic errors (biases)
               were expected. The net effect of the remaining potential sources of error is more likely to
               have been an underestimate of expenditures than an overestimate. Since any such effect is
               likely to be small and since a conservative estimate is preferable in this type of study to an
               overestimate, this potenfial bias is ignored.


               Phase 3 - Economic impact analysis

               The final phase of the study was to take expenditure data from the take-home questionnaires
               and use them in a computer model of Northampton County. The model used is an
               input/output type model called INTLAN. A full description of this model and of its
               application to determining the potential for developing a range of sustainable industries in
               Northampton County is given in a study by Smutko, Johnson and Danielson       3. The IMPLAN
               model simulates how money brought in from outside of an economy (in this case the county
               or counties) is collected by businesses, government agencies, etc. and re-spent. Some
               proportion of this re-spent income from outside is spent in the local economy and represents
               economic gains that would not otherwise have occurred if the original money had not been



                   3Smutko, L. Steven, Thomas Johnson, and Leon Danielson. in prep. The Economic
               Potential and Feasibility of Sustainable Development for Northampton County, Virginia.
               Prepared for Northampton County Sustainable Development Initiative, Eastville, VA.
               [Raleigh: Resource Analytics, Inc.]

                                                               9










                                   ECO'.N"OMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



               brought in. Estimates of total expenditures that can be attributed to the Birding Festival can
               be multiplied by factors representing these re-spending effects to come up with an estimate of
               the overall economic impact of the Fesfival on the local economy. Impacts on private sector
               and public sector production, job creafion (if any) and total value-added (the difference
               between the market value of production and producer costs including taxes, wages, interest
               and profits) are among the main results of this model.

               A more detailed description of the model is set out in Appendix C and in the study cited in
               footnote 3.















































                                                              10










                                   ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 19ï¿½3 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL







                                                 Results and Discussion



               Economic Impacts on Northampton County

               This section is divided into two sections, the first dealing with expenditures reported by non-
               Northampton County travel parties represented at the Festival, and the second presenting an
               analysis of economic impacts beyond these direct expenditures.

               Expenditures

               Estimates of total direct expenditures made by non-county travel parties while visiting the
               Festival are given in Table 1. Non-Northampton County parties spent an average of $110
               each in Northampton County establishments for a total estimated expenditure of about
               $36,600. This figure does not include all money spent at the Festival. Adjustments in
               expenditure data were made since a bi-county 01"ganization (the Eastern Shore Chamber of
               Commerce) received the entrance fees and most of the vendors were not from the county).      If
               all festival expenditures are included, non-Northampton County parties spent about $36,900.
               Including all expenditures made by non-Eastern Shore parties while on the Eastern Shore, the
               total spending was $42,300.

               As can be seen in the table of expenditures below, nearly three-quarters (73%) of the direct
               expenditures by non-Northampton County parties coming to the Festival were for lodging,
               restaurants and bars beyond the Festival site. By location, these expenditures can be broken
               down as follows:
               0    26% spent at the Festival site itself,
               0    57% not at Festival, in Northampton County, and
               0    16% not at Festival, in Accomack County.

               While 26% of all expenditures by non-Northampton parties was spent at the Festival, not all
               of these expenditures went to Northampton concerns, and therefore did not directly add to the
               economic impact on the county. There are two reasons for this. Only a few of the non-food
               vendors at the-Festival were from Northampton County, and therefore their sales from the
               Festival cannot be included in the model as direct expenditures made to Northampton entities.
               There was no way to estimate the percentage of total non4ood revenues at the Festival that
               accrued to Northampton and non-Northampton businesses, so in order to yield a conservative
               estimate of impact, these expenditures were ignored in the model. (This is not to say that
               these non-local vendors had a negative impact - on the contrary, as a separate class of visitor
               they are likely to spend more while in the county as well as add to the attraction of the
               event.)











                                         ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL





                                                                    Table 1
                                                         Summary of Expenditures


                    -------------------

                                                                                     Estimated                Estimated
                                                                                  expenditures In          expenditures on
                                                                               Northampton Co. by         Eastern Shore by
                                                                                 non-Northampton          non-Eastern Shore
                                                                                     Co. parties                  parties
                                                                               (spent in Northampton      (spent on E. Shore
                                                                                 Co. but excluding       but excluding expen-
                                                                                expenditures assumed     ditures assumed to go
                                                                                to go to non-County         to non-E. Shore
                                                                                       vendors)                 vendors)
                                   Type of expenditure:                             (DOLLARS)                (DOLLARS)
                    At Festival:
                         Registration fees                                               1869                     1553
                         Food/drink at Festival                                          1554                     2583
                         Other purchases at Festival                                      0                       2189
                    Not  at Festival:
                         Lodging                                                         15836                    15567
                         Restaurants/bars                                                10814                    12041
                         Food from grocery or convenience stores                         1327                     1532
                         Produce stands/markets                                          160                      157
                         Seafood from stands/markets                                     149                      134
                         Vehicle expenses (mostly fuel)                                  2068                     2397
                         Arts/crafts                                                     1523                     1340
                         Gifts/antiques                                                  1075                     1993
                         Other                                                           555                      832


                    Total                                                                36930                    42318

















                                                                        12










                                 ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EA.STER\ SHORE BTRDING FESTIVA],



               Similarly, one of the three vendors of food and drink at the Festival was an Accomack
               County concern, and so their receipts would also not be counted as a part of expenditures for
               Northampton outputs, as with the non-Northampton vendors discussed above. In this case,
               one-half (50%) all reported food and drink spending at the Festival is assumed to accrue to
               Northampton concerns, while the other half is assumed to accrue to the Accornack County
               concern. Again this is an assumption that could not be tested directly using the data gathered.

               The differences in the expenditure columns in Table I deserve some explanation. They share
               money given by non-Eastem Shore parties to Northampton-based concerns, but column I adds
               to this quanfity all spending by Accomack parties on Northampton concerns, while column 2
               adds the spending of non-Eastern Shore residents made on Accomack concerns.


               Indirect and Induced Effects and Other Potential Impacts

               With respect to trade in goods and services generated by the Festival, the direct expenditures
               discussed in the previous paragraph constitute the major direct economic effects or impacts of
               the Festival. However, direct impacts are only one component of the full economic impact of
               an event like the Birding Festival. Other factors considered in this study include the
               following:

               ï¿½   Indirect Effects include the economic activity that is generated among businesses and
                   agencies which supply goods and services to the firms/organizations that directly sold
                   their products to visiting travel parties. Examples of this would include any increase in
                   fuel purchased by gas stations to accommodate the increased number of visitors generated
                   by the Festival.

               ï¿½   Induced Effects include the economic activity that is generated by increased incomes (i.e.,
                   in county households) as a result of the Festival.

               Table 2 describes the total economic impacts of the Birding. Festival. The first column of
               numbers includes direct expenditures by economic sector. The sectors used in the economic
               model do not correspond to spending categories provided in the take-home questionnaire
               because the categories used in the questionnaire are less likely to have been misinterpreted by
               the respondent.

               The economic importance of an industry (or event, in this case) is described in the IMPLAN
               model in terms of its total industrial output, final demand (not shown), income, value added,
               and total employment. Total industrial output, is the dollar value of goods and services
               produced to satisfy inter-industry input final demands. Final demand is the dollar value of
               purchases from producing industries for final consumption. Income includes both wages to
               employees and the income of business owners. Value added is equivalent to gross regional



                                                            13











                                          ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF ME 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL




                                                                        Table 2
                                                 Economic Impacts of the Birding Festival,
                                                               Totals and By Sector
                                                     (all figure are in thousands of dollars)


                                                                                Total       Total Value     Employ-
                     Industry                        Direct        TIO*         Income        Added            ment


                     Livestock                                       0.1         0              0              0
                     Crops                                           0.6         0.1            0.1            0.01
                     Commercial Fishing                              0.2         0              0              0
                     Manufacturing                                   1.3         0.7            0.7            0.02
                     Construction                                    0.7         0.2            0.2            0.01
                     Food Processing                                 0           0              0              0
                     Boat Constret/Repair                            0           0              0              0
                     Transportation                                  0.6         0.3            0.4            0.01
                     Communications                                  0.8         0.6            0.5            0.01
                     Utilities                                       1.1         0.5            0.6            0
                     Trade                            4.4          19.7         11.8           15.5            0.87
                     Finance                                         0.7         0.4            0.4            0.01
                     Insurance                                       0.4         0.2            0.2            0.01
                     Real Estate                                     5.2         0.3            0.4            0.01
                     Hotels and Lodging               15.8         14.7          7.4            9.3            0.63
                     Services                         10.8           2.1         1.1            1.1            0.06
                     Medical Services                                2.7         1.9            1.9            0.09
                     Education                                       0.2         0.1            0.1            0.01
                     Miscellaneous                    3.8            0.3         0.4            0.4            0.01
                     Government                        1.9           0.8         0.7            0.7            0.03
                     Household Industry                              0.1         0.1            0.1            0.02

                     Total                            36.7         52.3         28.5           35.5            1.82
                                                 I             I            I                             L
                      TIO       T             nial Output]
                                 ot   In ust














                                                                            14










                                  ECONOMIC ]MPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDFING FESTIVAL



               product (payments to labor and capital, and taxes), or the value of total industrial output
               minus input purchases. Thus, value added is always less than total industrial output, but
               greater than income. A more detailed description of how these impacts were modelled is
               given in Appendix C.

               The Birding Festival made a small but positive impact on the level of trade, incomes, and
               value-added in Northampton County. The $36,600 in direct expenditures made by non-
               residents in local establishments generated an additional $15,700 in indirect and induce sales
               for a total of $52,300 in total industrial output. The total value-added to the local economy
               by this total -output is estimated to be somewhat less, however, $35,500. This is because of
               leakages in the local economy. Leakages are non-local goods and services that are purchased
               in the course of the production represented by total industrial output. This non-local
               production includes inputs such as labor, capital, wholesale supplies, etc.

               A portion of the total value-added impact of the Festival is the impact on total local incomes,
               which was estimated to be $28,500.

               Overall, the economic impact of the Festival is relatively small when compared to the
               county's full range of economic activity. The economic benefit of the Festival in terms of
               value added of $35,500 is very small compared to the total value-added per year for the
               county's entire tourist industry, which is approximately $9.5 million. Similarly, the Festival
               can be said to have had an impact on employment equivalent to under 2 full-time jobs,
               compared to the approximately 400 employees in the county's tourism sector as a whole (from
               3rd quarter, 1992, data).

               One limitation of the model used is that it measures the impact of certain, defined changes on
               a fixed economic structure. This means that the county's businesses are fixed in terms of the
               ratio of inputs (capital, labor, raw material or supplies) to outputs (the value of production).
               Increases in output, income, value-added or jobs shown by the model are interpreted as
               incremental or marginal changes resulting from a relatively small change in some variables
               (prices, labor supply, purchases, new construction, new industries or in our case, the revenues
               from an annual Festival). In reality, economies change in structure over the long-run in
               response to long-term trends in these economic variables. In the case of the Birding Festival,
               it could be argued that its real economic value is not in terms of incremental increases in
               economic output but in terms of prospective changes in the market for tourism that it might
               cause in the long run. One of the main criteria for the Festival's success in the long term is
               in fact how muchfiture economic output the Festival generates. In other words, the objective
               of the Festival is to change the structure of the local economy by increasing the value of
               tourism output per unit of input. This structural change occurs to the extent that the Festival
               can improve the value of some of the county's natural resources ift the eyes of visitors and
               local residents alike, and thereby improve opportunities for tourism, research and other
               activities that depend on this resource.



                                                              15











                                   ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



               To summarize, the value of the Festival to Northampton's economy may be as a vehicle for
               promoting amenities and services available rather that immediate changes in economic output.
               This promotional value is very important for at least two and possibly three reasons:
               ï¿½   it can help increase visitation to the County at others times of the year,
               ï¿½   it can help increase future Festival attendance, including both the number of visitors and
                   the number of vendors, and
               ï¿½   it can help increase the awareness among residents of Northampton County of the value
                   of the ecological resources that are involved (e.g., habitat quality, contiguity and
                   diversity) and thus contribute is some way to improve the perceived quality of life for
                   residents (this improvement depends on individual preferences regarding non-market
                   values, however, and can only with difficulty be estimated).

               This study will argue in the conclusions that these impacts are significant.
































                                                              16










                                   ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL






               Festival Participants - Characteristics and Feedback



               Number of participants

               The numbers of participants, defined in various ways, the number of travel parties by origin,
               and the average party size is given in Table 3. These figures are a based on survey sample
               data and on Festival registration receipts as reported by the Eastern Shore Chamber of
               Commerce. A full explanation of how these figures were derived is given in Appendix D.

                                                           Table 3
                                              Profile of Festival Participation



                            Total number of paying participants:                      743

                            Total estimated number of participants
                                over 6 years of age:                                 1006

                            Total estimated number of participants,
                                including children under 6:                          1035

                            Total number including children & people in
                            parties but not at the festival itself-                  1069

                            Total number of travel parties represented at Festival:   392
                                ï¿½ parties from Northampton:       61
                                ï¿½ parties from Accomack:          56
                                ï¿½ total non-Northampton:          331
                                ï¿½ total non-Eastem Shore:         275



                                                    Average party size was 2.72




               Age & Sex of Participants

               A breakdown of the ages and sex of Festival participants is given in Table 4. Approximately
               fifty-nine percent of the participants were women and nearly seventy percent were between 35


                                                                17












                                      ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1"3 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                 and 64 years of age. It is useful to compare these numbers with those of another study by
                 Wiedner and Kerlinger that surveyed "active birders" who participated in a recent National
                 Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count, a long-standing, national birding event4. The age
                 structure of the participants in the Birding Festival is consistent with the Wiedner and
                 Kerlinger study, however they found a significantly different proportion between sexes - only
                 37% female and 63% male. The differences could be artifacts of different sampling
                 techniques and thus of different sample populations. The possible reasons for the particular
                 age and sex make-up of participants was not quantitatively analyzed in this study. Here it is
                 appropriate only to note that there was no evidence refuting the proposition that the
                 population of Birding Festival-goers is likely to be different than the population of birders in
                 general.



                                                                 Table 4
                                                       Percent of participants,
                                                         by sex and age class


                                   Age Group            Women                Men              Total
                                        under six          1%                1%                   2%
                                          6 to 12          4%                3%                   7%
                                         12 to 17          2%                1%                   3%
                                         18 to 24          1%                1%                   2%
                                         25 to 34          5%                2%                   7%
                                         3 5 to 44         14%               7%               21%
                                         45 to 54          13%               13%              26%
                                         5 5 to 64         11%               11%              22%
                                         6 5 to 74         6%                3%                   9%
                                      75 or older          1%                1%                   2%



                 The profile of the population    of participants is more clearly   illustrated in Figure L
                                                                                        @
                                                                                                  2
                                                                                                  7
                                                                                                  3
                                                                                                  2
                                                                                                  0
                                                                                                  a

                                                                                                  0

                                                                                                  0
                                                                                                  t

                                                                                                  0

                                                                                                  0

                                                                                                  0

                                                                                                  0
                                                                                                  70
                                                                                                  0

                                                                                              2
                                                                                                  0
                                                                                                  10
                                                                                              26  '0
                                                                                              22%
                                                                                                  go
                                                                                                  0
                                                                                                  X
                                                                                                  20













                      4WIedner, David, and Paul Kerlinger. 1990. Economics of Birding: A National Survey
                 of Active Birders. American Birds 44(2):209-213, Summer 1990.

                                                                    18










                                    ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL







                                                             Figure I


                       Participants, by Age Group & Sex

                                                        Estimated number

                                 200              100               0               100             200



                       under 6


                        6to 11
                      12 to 17 IL

                      18 to 24


                      25 to 34


                      35 to 44
              <

                                                                       g,
                                                                         @:zz.:@@zgw
                      45 to 54


                      55 to 64


                      65 to 74


                  75 or older



                                                     M Women 0 Men


                                                                19









                                    ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL




                Type of Travel Party

                Both the on-site survey and the take-home questionnaire asked respondents which of the five
                categories in the table below best described their travel party.



                                                          I Table 5
                                                     Type of Travel Party




                                                                  On-site            Take-home
                             Type                                 survey           questionnaire
                             Individual                         36    15.3%          17   15.0%
                             Group of family members           142    60.4%          64   56.6%
                             Groups of friends                  42    17.9%          15   13.3%
                             Mix of family and friends           8      3.4%         14   12.4%
                             School/Club/Other'                  7      3.0%          3     2.7%


                             Total number of responses         235   100.0%         113   100.0%





                Origin

                The on-site survey was used to find out the origin of travel parties participating in the
                Festival. Key findings include the following:
                ï¿½    an estimated 30% of the parties were from Northampton and Accomack Counties (split
                     about evenly between the two)
                ï¿½    another 51% were from other parts of Virginia, including nearly a quarter from the
                     Richmond/Petersburg and Williamsburg areas
                ï¿½    nearly 90% of all parties came from origins within a 250 mile drive of the Festival.

                A more detailed breakdown of origins is given in Table 6. Based on on-site survey
                information, about 30% of the parties represented at the Festival were from the Eastern Shore,
                about 16% were from Northampton County and about 14% were from Accomack County.



                     'The categories "School/club" and "other" used in the take-home questionnaire are joined
                together here; the percentage of travel parties reported in the questionnaire to be in these
                categories are not highly significant.

                                                            . 20











                                    ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF ME 1"3 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



               Nearly one-quarter (23%) of the parties were from an area extending from Williamsburg to
               Richmond, Petersburg and the surrounding areas. About one-sixth of the parties (-%17) were
               from the metropolitan areas of Northern Virginia, Washington and Baltimore. Ten percent
               were from southeastern Virginia!s metropolitan areas (Hampton and Newport News to
               Virginia Beach). The remaining twenty percent were from elsewhere in Virginia and from
               other states.



                                                              Table 6
                                                    Origin of Travel Parties


                              Virginia
                                  Richmond/Petersburg/Williamsburg area                        23%
                                  Northampton County                                           16%
                                  Accomack County                                              14%
                                  N.Va. & Fredericksburg                                       13%
                                  Norfolk metro                                                10%
                                  other VA                                                       6%
                              subtotal                                                         81%


                              Region
                                  Virginia total                                               81%
                                  Maryland                                                       5%
                                  North Carolina                                                 3%
                                  Delaware                                                       1%
                                  District of Columbia                                           1%
                              subtotal                                                         91%


                              Other states represented    in the sample:
                                  New York                                                       2%
                                  Pennsylvania                                                   2%
                                  Massachusetts                                                  1%
                                  West Virginia                                                  1%
                                  California                                                     1%
                                  Maine, New Jersey, Tennessee, Kentucky,
                                  Ohio and Oklahoma                            less than 0.5% each
                              subtotal                                                           9%
                                                                                                   /0
                                                                                              'dch
                                                                                                 9V
                                                                                                    0










                                                                 21










                                   ECONOMIC IMPACTS OFTHE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDTNG FESTIVAL



               Another way to look at the origin of parties is in terms of the distance they travelled to get to
               the Festival. Figure 2 shows the proportion of the total number of parties in different (one-
               way) distance classes. As can be seen in this figure, three important clusters emerge. About
               24% of all non-Northampton parties represented came from within a 50 mile drive of the
               Festival. This includes nearly all Accomack County residents as well as those from Norfolk,
               Chesapeake and Virginia Beach. Another large group (about 22%) came between 100 and
               150 miles. This group mostly represents the Richmond/Petersburg area. The third large
               group, accounting for over 27% of the parties in our sample, were mostly from the Northern
               Virginia, Washington and Baltimore areas, though Central Virginia and some other areas are
               also represented in this group.

               A full listing of origins in the sample is given in Appendix E. Note that the origins listed in
               this appendix are sample data only. Other origins are likely to have been represented at the
               Festival.



               Party Size & the Number of People Who Did Not Attend

               The average size of the travel parties coming to the Festival was 2.72, including children
               under 6 years old and people who were travelling with the group but did not come to the
               Festival itself. This figure is based on responses to the on-site survey.

               According to the on-site survey, 6.8% of the parties surveyed (16 of 235 parties = .068085)
               parties had people who did not attend either day of the Festival. Questionnaire results were
               similar. According to the questonnaire, 7.1% of the parties responding (8 parties out of 113
               parties responding = .0708) had people who did not attend. These non-attending travel party
               members made up approximately 3% of all people in all parties represented at the Festival.

















                                                              22










                                    ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDrNG FESTIVAL







                                                             Figum 2



                      Distance travelled by non-Northampton parties

                  30%

             Cn



             M
             CL

             0


             E
                 20%



             0

             I#-
             0




                  10%
             Q


             CD
             .E
             uj    0%
                              0-50        50-100       100-150 150-200 200-250                   >250
                                             Distance Class (miles from origin)







                                                                23











                                  ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN. SHORE BIRDINNG FESTIVAL





               Trij) Charactefislics

               Ninety percent of the travel parties surveyed agreed that the Festival was the main reason for
               -their party's trip. There was no significant relationship between having people in the party
               who did other things besides going to the Festival and the Festival not being that party's main
               reason for coming. This bolsters the validity of the economic impact analysis since it shows
               -that most parties present were attracted to the Eastern Shore and to Northampton County
               specifically for the Festival.

               Sixty-four percent of all travel parties surveyed attended the Festival on both days. The
               remaining parties surveyed (36% of the total) were evenly split between attending on Saturday
               only and attending on Sunday only (18% each).

               The average length of stay on the Eastern Shore by non-Eastem Shore residents was 2.5 days.
               Thirty-two percent of all parties surveyed reported that they came to the Festival on day-trips
               (they came from home and returned home the same day; a couple of parties did report making
               day-trips on both days). Overall, 79% of all parties that reported lodging away from home ---.
               Somewhere on the Eastem Shore during the Festival stayed in Northampton County. Of the.-'
               travel parties staying in Northampton County:
               is  19% camped
               IN  75% stayed in a hotel or motel
               in  6% reported staying with friends or relatives.

               Those camping tended to stay only one-night, while most of those staying in hotels or motels
               tended to stay for 2 nights. Those staying with friends reported a 4.4 night average stay.



















                                                             24











                                     ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERIN; SHORE BIMTNG FESTIVAL




                How respondents heard about the Festival

                Most respondents learned of the festival through the newspaper, the festival flyer, and the
                Virginia Society of Ornithologists.

                In response to the question "how did you hear about the festival?", 38% of the respondents
                answered "newspaper" Or named the specific paper in which they read about the event. The
                festival flyer mailed out by Festival organizers was mentioned by 7% of the respondents, 5%
                stating that they received "a mailing", and there was overlap between receiving the Birding
                Festival Flyer and hearing about the event through the VSO (some respondents listed both as
                sources). The remaining 36% of the respondents heard about the festival from friends,
                relatives, specialty magazines, the Audubon Society, the Eastern Shore Chamber of
                Commerce, the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, and local recreation
                clubs. All responses received are transcribed in Appendix F.

                                                               Table 7
                                         Where Participants Heard About the Festival


                                                     Responses to the Question:
                                              "How did you hear about the Festival?"

                                  Newspapers                                                     38%
                                          lonewspaper" (unspecified)              18%
                                          Eastern Shore News                      7%
                                          Richmond Times- Dispatch                5%
                                          Virginian Pilot                         3%
                                          "NC Newspaper Article'                  1%
                                          Winston-Salem paper                     1%
                                          Harrisonburg VA Daily Newsrecorder      1%
                                          Danville Register and Bee               1%
                                          "News"                                  1%
                                  Brochure mailed by Festival organizers                         15%
                                  Virginia Society of Ornithology                                11%
                                  Friend                                                         7%
                                  Magazine                                                       7%
                                  Richmond Audubon                                               5%
                                  Relatives                                                      4%
                                  Local Club                                                     4%
                                  Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce                              4%
                                  Other                                                          3%
                                  E. Shore of Va. National Wildlife Refuge                       2%



                                                                  25











                                    ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL




                Festival Quality

                The survey contained two sections soliciting feedback from participants on the quality of
                various aspects of the Festival. The first section asked respondents to give a grade on an A,
                B, C, D, F, or NA (not applicable) scale to each of several aspects of the Festival. The
                second section asked respondents an open-ended (free response) question about their likes and
                dislikes. The grading question results are given in Table 8 below.

                                                            Table 8
                                                       Quality Grades
                                                    (number of responses)


                                              - -- - --- ---- ---
                         Aspect of the Festival             Grade given (total number)
                         being graded:           A        B         C        D         F     NA

                         Overall Grade           64       35        9        1         0        2
                         The Birding             49       34        17       2         0        9
                         Tours                   61       25        8        0         0     17
                         Workshops               I I      11        2        1         1     85
                         Children's Programs       4        3       1        0         0     70
                         Speakers                27       12        2        0         0     70
                         Food                    24       24        21       3         1     38
                         Restrooms               27       28        27       0         3     26




                These results show that overall participants reacted positively to the Festival activities and
                facilities. The charts in Figure 3 show the grade for each aspect of the Festival as a
                proportion of the total number of grades (i.e., as a percentage of non-"NA" responses),
                revealing somewhat more clearly some differences in perceived quality.

                The questionnaire concluded with the question, "what did you most like and dislike about the
                Eastern Shore Birding Fesfival?" Of the 113 questionnaires received, 98 had responses to this
                open-ended question. There were several recurring themes to these comments (all comments
                received are given in Appendix F.

                The most common comment was that the tours were excellent and that the tour leaders were
                knowledgeable and pleasant (25 such comments received). Nearly as frequently mentioned
                were the friendly, courteous, polite staff people at the festival (13 comments). Respondents
                commented on great birding opportunities, with the most popular attraction being the bird
                banding and raptor research (13 comments). Many people also commented on the excellent


                                                               26










                                            ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1"3 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTTVAL

                                                                     Figure 3
                                                         Festival Quality
                                                   Grades given by survey participants


                                    Overall Quality


                                                                                               EIDF
                                                                                              mc



                                                                      OB

                                 op                                                              lChildren's Pro.g
                   !Worksh@ Is
                                 A                                                                                 A

                                                                Z,                                        Z_



                                        p.-A                                          D or F                                    DorF
                                          DorF
                                                                                      c
                                                                                                                               c
                                                                                                               MIN
                   B                                                     .-Mo
                           ..........
                                                                                                            B
                                                                           B


                                                                                                  Restro                   lities
                Food at Festival                               Ispeakers                                     om Fa-c-i

                                                                A


                    MW


                                                                                      D
              B
                                                                                       orF
                           @x
                                          DorF                                                                                  D or F
                                                                                      c





                                                                             B










                                    ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                organization of the entire event (10 comments) and were overwhelmingly satisfied with the
                festival, enjoying their visit (14 comments). Many respondents were quite effusive in their
                praise of the Festival.

                Though all but one respondent answered "yes" to recommending others to attend the festival
                next year, and though 84% responded that they will return themselves next year, there were
                several complaints that warrant the attention of future Festival organizers. These criticisms
                were generally quite constructive and fell into a small number of categories, The most
                common complaint was the lack of signage and general directional information in and around
                the festival grounds (10 comments). There was confusion and lack of knowledge of where
                and when the tour buses departed (6 comments), and general confusion as to where people
                could register. The timing of the tour departures was confusing. Many people complained
                that buses left up to 30 minutes before the scheduled event causing some to miss trips, and
                others to not have returned in time for their next scheduled trip. There were a number of
                negative comments concerning the restaurant facilities and service at the hotel hosting the
                Festival (9). The food served at the festival was also a topic of unfavorable comment (10),
                the consensus being that more variety of foods, hot beverages, and seafood would be
                appreciated.

                Other comments were less common. Some respondents were disappointed in missing
                workshops and speakers due to lack of knowledge that they were occurring (3), lack of
                knowing where they were held, and conflicts with birding tours (2). There were a few
                comments concemIng the exhibits and crafts (3), asking for more of each. Some respondents
                felt that there was an overall lack of coordination (2), that the birding was poor (2), and that
                they were disappointed in the lack of experienced group leaders (4).




















                                                               28











                                  ECONOMIC TMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL





                                        Conclusions and Recommendations



               In terms of its impact on trade, income and value-added in Northampton County, the
               immediate impact of the Birding Festival was small but positive. Direct expenditures by non-
               residents for Northampton production amounted to about $36,600. These expenditures
               generated an additional $15,700 in indirect and induced output for a total of $52,3 00 in total
               industrial output. However, the total value-added for this total industrial output is estimated
               to be somewhat less, or $35,500. This is because of leakages in the local economy, which are
               non-local goods and services that are purchased in the course of producing the increase in
               total industrial output. This non-local production includes inputs such as labor, capital,
               wholesale supplies, etc. A portion of the total value-added by the Festival is the increase in
               total income, which was estimated to be $28,500.

               The fact that the Festival did produce positive economic benefits for the County is significant.
               However, it can be argued that the most important value of the Festival is as a vehicle for
               promoting fiture tourism from which more substantial and continuous economic benefits
               would be derived.


               It is beyond the scope of this study to estimate the demand for the kind of tourism
               opportunities that might be developed in Northampton County (such a study is being
               contemplated). However, there was evidence in the data gathered for this survey that demand
               for future Birding Festivals, birding-related tourism, and ecotourism in general could be
               strong-

               Nearly all survey respondents praised the Festival for the quality of the tours and the
               friendliness and knowledge of the staff. All participants surveyed said they would
               recommend future Birding Festivals to others and most said that they would return next year.
               This is an extremely high rate of positive feedback. Anothe  *r important piece of evidence
               suggesting a relatively high demand is the long-distances that many of the participants drove
               to get to the Festival, along with the fact that so many stayed for two days. (It is important
               to note that many people may not have come for a single-day event, but there is no way to
               test this hypothesis.)

               Many visitor comments received were aimed at the natural beauty of the area and friendliness
               of the people. The Festival is likely to have generated significant interest in returning to the
               Eastern Shore and specifically to Northampton County at other fimes of the year.

               It should be recalled that birders constitute a large market in and of themselves (see the
               Wiedner and Kerlinger study cited in footnote 4). Furthermore, birders represent only a part
               of an even broader market for wildlife-related outdoor recreationists (see the 1991 National
               Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation cited in footnote 1).

                                                              29









                                   ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERNSHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



               If Northampton County decides that the evidence supports continuing efforts to develop
               nature-based tourism in general and ecotourism opportunities in particular, the Festival should
               be seen as a key part of a strategy to:
               ï¿½    increase future Festival attendance, including both the number of visitors and the number
                    of vendors,
               ï¿½    increase visitation to Northampton County at others times of the year, and
               ï¿½    increase the awareness among residents of Northampton County of the value of the
                    ecological resources that are involved (e.g., habitat quality, contiguity and diversity) and
                    thus contribute in some way to improve the perceived quality of life for residents (this
                    improvement depends on individual preferences regarding non-market values, however,
                    and can only with difficulty be estimated).

               Some recommendations regarding the planning and management of future Festivals can be
               made based on this study. Registration fees could safely be raised by a modest amount, and
               the extra proceeds used to pay for added services to Festival participants and for enhanced
               marketing activities. Attracting more people is an issue that requires a critical assessment of
               marketing strategies. This assessment of marketing strategy will among other things be the
               basis for setting next year's Fesfival registrafion fees. The high level of positive remarks
               made by survey parficipants suggests that word-of-mouth advertising among this year's
               participants and the organizations to which they belong would be highly effective. Special
               attention should be paid to the wide distribution of distances driven by this year's participants.
               While 90% of all parties represented came from within a 250-mile drive of the Festival, some
               major metropolitan areas within or just beyond this distance seem to have been
               underrepresented at the Festival. The southeastern Virginia metropolitan area, especially,
               would seem to have been more likely to outnumber areas further away such as Northern
               Virginia. Areas that should be targeted in the promotion of next year's Festival include all
               major Virginia markets, the Washington/BMtimore metro area, and the Philadelphia/
               Wilmington areas (Philadelphia is only 10 miles or so further away than Fairfax and Falls
               Church). Other areas that might be considered for promofion include other areas in Eastern
               Pennsylvania, New Jersey, the tri-state (metropolitan New York) area, and the Carolinas.

               Festival organizers should be sensitive to answering some of the concerns of Festival visitors.
               Many visitors voiced how impressed they were with the Festival considering it to be a first-
               time affair. They might be less generous in their assessments in subsequent years.

               Festival organizers should also attempt to increase the number of vendors at the Festival site.
               It is likely that the visitors to this year's Festival could have supported more vendors,
               especially food vendors, and there are likely to be more participants next year. -Having more
               vendors at future events could generate significant economic benefits even if many vendors
               are non-local. Vendors spend proportionately more money per day on such items and
               commodities as fuel, they could pay display fees, and beyond a certain (but unknown) critical
               mass they can become a draw in and of themselves (i.e., the Festival would attract even more
               vendors and people interested in shopping).


                                                             30











                                 ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



              As a final point, it will be important for the citizens of Northampton County to continually
              consider how the promotion and development of tourism (and other forms of development)
              affect ecological resources in their County. Many County citizens have said that a large part
              of the quality of life in Northampton County is its ecological bounty. In other places,
              uncontrolled development has been allowed to reduce the value of such ecological resources
              and thus reduce the quality of life in these places. If these values are held by a majority of
              Northampton County citizens, it is incumbent on them to insure that these values are taken
              into account when considering different opportunities for economic growth.





































                                                            31










                                 ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL





                                                  Acknowledgernents

                      On behalf of RAI, the author of this report would like to thank Tim Hayes,
                      Director of the Northampton County Sustainable Development Initiative, Laura
                      McKay of theVirginia Department of Environmental Quality, and Joyce
                      Holland, David Parker and Miki Hiestal of the Eastern Shore Chamber of
                      Commerce for their generous support at various points in this study. We
                      especially appreciate the help of the following student volunteers with whose
                      help we were able to achieve a very high quality sample: Lori Bowen,
                      Shannon Jones, Mistina Thornes, and Morgan Truitt. The author would also
                      like to personally thank the following people for their acts of support above
                      and beyond the call of duty: Bennett Sandier, Vernon and Crystal Cox, Steve
                      Smutko, and Marcie and Gene Brothers.



































                                                           32











                                        ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL




                                                                 Appendix A
                                                                On-Site Survey
                                                  Survey Script and Summary of Results

                  1. APPROACH AND INTRODUCTION
                  Excuse me - hello, I'm giving out questionnaires to Birding Festival participants on behalf of the Northampton
                  County Government and other Birding Festival organizers. It will take about two minutes to explain how the
                  questionnaire works, but you can fill it out at home and mail it back to us. Will you participate?

                  Responses:
                       NO, already surveyed
                       NO, approached and refusedIf NO ===> END
                       YES      If YES ===> CONTINUE


                  2. TRAVEL PARTY
                  We would like to get information about your travel party, which simply means the group you are travelling
                  with. Your travel part), may include people that you are travelling with, but who are not going to attend the
                  festival itself - for instance, they may be doing something else while you are at the festival. Which of the
                  following choices best describes your travel party?

                  Responsesi
                       Individual
                       Group of friends
                       Family Group
                       Mix of Friends and Family
                       Other Group (such as school group or club)

                  3. Did your entire travel party. come to the Festival itself? (tally mark if YES)

                  4. How man.@ people are in your travel party, including yourself (& if appropriate, those not attending the
                  festival)' ovrite number)

                  5. How many people in your travel party are 5 years old or younger? (write number of people)

                  6. Do you now live in Northampton County VA, Accomack Co. VA or somewhere else? (tally mark if
                  Northampton or Accomack; if elsewhere ask "What is your home state and zip code?" (write zip code (or
                  country if not USA))

                  7.   SATURDAY ==> Will your travel party be attending the festival on one or both days?
                       SUNDAY -> Did your travel party attend the festival on one or both days?


                  8. REVIEW THE SURVEY AND MAP
                  ï¿½    (show them the survey and map) Here is the questionnaire and.a map that will help in filling out the
                       questionnaire.
                  a    (first panel) these are questions about your travel party.
                  ï¿½    (last panel) these are questions about your birding activities and your input on the Festival.
                  ï¿½    (middle panels) these are questions about your travel party's visit.
                  E    (point to lodging questions) these questions ask if you stayed overnight on the Eastern Shore of Virginia -
                       where did you stay? (ask them the name of the place or the nearest town, or other questions in order to


                                                                      A. I










                                       ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                       determine which county they stayed in; mark one of the following choices:)

                       Mark ONE Only:
                       DAY TRIP (Came from home and returning home)
                       STAYING OVERNIGHT IN NORTHAMP. CO.
                       STAYING OVERNIGHT IN ACCOMACK CO. (unless residents of Accomack staying at home)
                       STAYING OVERNIGHT ELSEWHERE.


                       ACCOMACK COUNTY RESIDENTS ONLY:
                            a [point to expenditure questions] these questions have to do with your expenses while on this trip -
                            we'd like you to think about how much you spend and, especially, which county you spent money in
                            for each item. Use the map if necessary. ONLY INCLUDE EXPENSES MADE WHILE ON YOUR
                            TRIP TO THE BIRDING FESTIVAL; [show them the map] the Festival is here at Sunset Beach
                            [circle it].
                            ï¿½ the best time to fill out the survey is when you get home.
                            ï¿½ [show the sealing sticker] survey can be sealed with the removable sticker on the first page
                            ï¿½ [sho%N- the postage] survey does not need a stamp - just drop it in the mail.
                            ï¿½ Finally, it is important that you send in only one survey per travel party [clarify what their travel
                                 pam, is if they are unsure]

                            Okay, that's it. Thank you very much for agreeing to participate. Since we can only survey a limited
                            number of groups your help is especially important to us. Thanks for your time - Have a good trip!
                            Bye'


                       ALL OTHERS
                       (NOT RESIDENTS OF EITHER NORTHAMPTON OR ACCOMACK COUNTIES):
                            0 [point to expenditure questions] these questions have to do with your expenses while on the VA's
                            Eastern Shore - we'd like you to think about how much you spend while on the Eastern Shore, and,
                            especially, where you spend. It is important to know which county you spent money in so please
                            refer to this map.
                            N Ishov.- them the map] the Festival is here at Sunset Beach [circle it]; and here is about where you
                            stayed [mark with an "X"I;
                            ï¿½ the best time to fill out the survey is as you are actually leaving the Eastern Shore
                            ï¿½ [show the sealing sticker] survey can be sealed with the removable sticker on the first page
                            ï¿½ [show the postage] survey does not need a stamp - just drop it in the mail.
                            ï¿½ Finally, it is important that you send in only one survey per travel party [clarify what their travel
                            party is if they are unsure]

                            Okay, that's it. Thank you very much for agreeing to participate. Since we can only survey a limited
                            number of groups your help is especially important to us. Thanks for your time - Have a good trip!
                            Bye!












                                                                     A.2







          1993 Eastern Shore Birding Festival
         On-site survey summary of results


                              APPROACH                          TRAVELPARTY
                                  NO
                               Weady         NO         YES                     Group of        Family Nfix of Fam. Other (club,         Total
                              suneyed refused                     Individual     friends        Group      & Friends school, etc.) responses


                    Totals:      147         is         235          36           42            142            8             7           235
           Percentages:         63%          8%                     15%          18%            60%          3%             3%         100%





                              Entire party                                                  "Do you now live in:"
                              attended fest.?           in trav.        Of                                                                Total
                                 YES         NO         party      groups        < age 6        Nbamp       Accom.        Elsewh.      responses

                   Totals: 1     219         16         624          229           18           37            34            167          238
            Percenlages:        93%          7%                                                 16%          14%            70%        100%




                              TRIP
                              Days attended                      Type of trip
                              ifestival                 Total         Day      Overnight in:                                 Total
                                 ONE         BOTH responses           trip       Nhamp          Accom.      Elsewh.       responses


                    Totals:      81          144        225          66           105           27             8            206
            Percentages:        36%          64%      100%      1    32%         51%            13%           4%          100%





















                                                                                  A.3
















                Questions about your travel party                                                           Questions about                      visit to Virginia's Eastees- Shore
                row a see PMW is she group row were 0 -y-ifins wdth When yow                                Virratas Easier" Shore is made up of Nordmwpiav County (the                                 Few each activity filled baluse. plural, estin" sad ozp                  Aer
                were a do festival (jwhW%W prophr who Ad ashor d4wits wWk yow                               Awanow of the Birding Festival headquarters) and Acconack Cometty                           your travel parly in Nordmmptm Co. smil Accornack Co. Plesse
                were as the jes"Voi)                                                                        (Imation ofChineweagwe National Wildisle Arfujiv). Pkawe refer to                           refer In the enclosed cup. Plam give yew brom estimmome - try no to
                                                                                                            the exclosed p co desennow where each activity took place.                                 overestumate or umderestimmols.
                11 For each             in your travel Pam         81 1 g wall Fee. plesse
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Arnow spent by your travel
                    %"its their age and check if they mole (M) or hismak (F):                               ill Was the Biftfing Festival the main resson for visor visit to the                                                                        party in each Colanty:
                                                                                                                Eastern Shore of Virginia? (Chek me I
                         AV      Cherk wee             Age       Check see                                                                                              YES                NO
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        North*="               Aacormack          0
                You:             Mole   Fearmle                  Mole Foods                                                                                                                                                                              County                 County
                                                       Others (cowfistiod):                                 ill flow away days did you spend on Virginias Eastern Shows?
                Others:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   >
                                                                                                                                                                                          days          gap         of 69 EWMe Festival die lbw.                                                                          0
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Adm$6@@ 16105                               S-                 XXXXX)=                                        -rq
                                                                                                            0 List how many nots your travel party stayed in each type of the                                                                                                                     02
                                                                                                                following types of accamnwdalionv.                                                          Food/drinks                                                    X)00()()=              ft
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  W
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Other            11,1101ow"mor,"Claw        11                 XXXX)()=               0-01
                                                            a' b- a(PON if no-smary)                        EXAMIPILE: If you stayed am sight cousping at Kipmepoke Slow Pak
                                                                                                            in Northatuploo County. old a= Diem at a camimpround in Accommock                                       see at As Imedvall
                ï¿½ How would you beat describe your travel party?                                            Comory. you would smark:
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Lodging
                    lards wely am)                                                                                                             Northomploo Co,               Accommack Co.
                                                                                                                                                    I                                  might,               FoodAkinks in load                 I        I
                       INDIVIDUAL -               ALL FAMILY                                                    CUWFO-d
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Foodwok not in restrurantablur.                                                                               >
                       ALL FRIENDS                FAMMLY AND FRIENDS                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     C6               U3
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  10     A  .             M
                       30,1001. / CLtn3                                                                                                                   Nifilds opmt Is:                                  elm Would, Of'                     smarm S                                                                    -1
                       OTHER:                                                                                                                                                                               front a rum , , smodhosdm S                                    11                                             ;Z0
                                                                                                                                               t4-bmopi-                     Accommack                      here a seafood stmoriftmebad                3                                                                 M
                ï¿½   Did you attend am at both days of " festival?                                                                                 C-sly                         CCU"                        Total Chesapeake Bay Bridge-T-ol
                    Peak                  ONE          BOTH                                                     Casupround                     - Dion                                  niabb                tolls (road in both directions)
                                                                                                                "061/mowl                                 nights                       nights               vehicle w a Oil                             S                  S
                Ill How ummay, people in yaw ties I party did                                                                                  -
                                                                                                                                                                                                            Vehicle repair                              S
                    U&I attend the Intival on either d&y7 _(sumber of people)                                   OW A breakfoot im              - Ui*o                                  *W                   Vehicle fnw                                                    2
                                                                                                                Reared bouse or                           Wallis                       Rights                                                                                                                             7-1
                2   Wbore did youhogim your trip to as faiival?                                                                                                                                             Admissions to innermost,
                    (Chals some sell wrilim In dq mad deme)                                                     FricutbPReIrtive's burns                  nights                       sights               hisioncal miles. lours, clo.
                         HOME           OTHER                                                                                                                                                               Locallyonsda still sell roaft                                  11-                    0
                                                                                                                                                                                       Rights                                                                                                     W
                    City:                                                  Simla:                                        other                                                                              (lifts.           modrimme                  S                  s-                     C
                                                                                                                                                                                                            odan,           ot bommulloill Names        S                  s-
                    flow for did you travel 10
                    to do Birdies Festival? (distance one-way),                             Mike                                                                                                            Sports ad recreation             bike
                                                                                                                                                                                                            "MISK rem loss. go.)                        S                  S
                    Pken gin us ft ZIP COM of able you now, live:                                                                                                                                       Other:                                          S                  If
                                                                                                                                                                                                        Other:                                          111-               2
                                                                                                                                                                                                        Other.                                          S                  If






















                                  Questions about you
                                       I low often do you go birding?:                                                                                                                                                                          EASTERN

                                       Give number of DAY birding trips
                                       taken in the last 12 moths                                    limes                                                                                                                                      S H 0 R E

                                       Given bet of OVERNIGHT birding trip
                                       taken ium                                                                                                                                                                                                BIRDING
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                FESTIVAL
                                  0    How did you hear about the Festiv&17:



                                       Give each pan of the Bifding Festival a grade (lot each line circle                                                   .0
                                       one, A is excellent, C is average. F is very bad; NA means not                                                        .0
                                       applicable. did Dot do or me)                                                                                         A                                                          1993 VISITOR SURVEY
                                  The Festival overall   A        B   C      D       F     NA
                                                                                                                                                                     A
                                                                                                                                                                     M
                                  The hirding            A        B   C      D       F     NA                                                                                                                 Dear Festival Visisor:
                                  Guided tours           A        B   C      D       F     NA
                                                                                                                                                                                                              7bank you for agreeing to answer this questionnaire.
                                  Workshops              A        B   C      D       F     NA                                                                        >
                                                                                                                                                        U        no                                           We know yaw time is valuable and we sincerely
                                  Children* programs     A        8   C      D       F     NA                                                                    Cn W                                         appreciate your contribution to our efforts to improve
                                  Speaker$               A        B   C      D       F     NA
                                                                                                                                                                 x                                            the Festival and make our area a boa plus to live
                                                                                                                                                                 0 5:                                         and visit.
                                  Food as festival       A        B   C      D       F     NA                                                                    LM
                                  Rcstrooms              A@       8   C      D       F     NA                                                                    Ci
                                                                                                                                                                    . <                                       We ask that you complete this questionnaire aft you
                                  0 Would you tell others to come to a future Birdint; Festivs17                                                         Z           W                                        leave the Festival. After you fill it out seal it with
                                                4171rels, am)     YES       NO                                                                                                                                iho sealing dot provided below and drop it in the
                                                                                                                                                                                                              mail. The questionnaire is already add                  and

                                  0 Do you think you will come to the festival next year?
                                       (CIrele asse) YES NO             UNSURE                                                                                                                                               In order for us to beat plan
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              for the hiture. we ask tnat
                                  0 What did you most like and dislike about the                                                                                                                                      only one questionnaire be sent In
                                       Eastern Short Birding Festival?:                                                                                                                                                        from each travel party

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          7" VM oftf osod/






      1993 Eastern Shore Birding Festival


                                                               1% 0 If T%
                                                                     IAXf A n %I
      Take-home questionnaire responses -IIA:,B L rE z a                IV, tI.I% I

            Type of travel party     Days attended                      Number of Trip origin                                                                Festival
            I Indiv.  4   Fam/Fmd.                                      people who                                                  Distance Zip c4c)de o main reason
            2 Family 5    Sclwl/Club      I @ one                         did not     'h'= I lome                                   one-way    residcnce     for trip?
            3 Friaids 6 - (Xhcr        2 = both days                      attend      V=Othcr                                       (miles)                   Vor   .n
                            Totals         One:                       Total:                                                                              yes:
            Indiv.               17              41                               8 Home:                                                                            91
            Family               64       Both:                                             101                                                           no:
            Friends              15              72                                  Other:                                                                          10
            Fam/Fmd.             14                                                            4
            Sch/Club               0
            Other                  3


            n:                  113             103                            113          105                                          105        113             101






       1993 Eastem Shore Birding Festival

       Take-home questionnaire responses - TABLE 3 SUMMARY

                   Lodging (number of nights, by type and county)
                       Camp-                  I lotel/                    Inn                 Rented                Friends                  Other]                  Other2
                       ground                  motel                                      house/apt.                relatives                       [own home]
                    _N, hamp       Acco       Nhamp        Acco      Nhamp         Acco      Nha -mp       A-cco     Nharn  'p     Acco      Nhamp         Acco      Nharnp        Acco
       Total:      TOW number of nigha, by type
         189               13          1          94         21            4          0            0           0         31           10           0          15           0           0
                   # of responsev:
          86               10          1          49         10            2          0            0           0            7          4           0           3           0           0
                   Avg. per response:
                        1.30       1.00        1.92       2.10         2.00         ----         ----       ----       4.43        2.50         ----       5.00         ----        ----








                   IM Eastern Short Birding Festival - EXPENDITURE SUMMARY TABLE





                                                                                                     W Icstnal                                                  ount%
                                                                                                          Repsir.        Food       Other       hxlginiit                 Rc-laurantsbars           Food frown store            Produce %tand            Seafood stand           Bridge-
                                                                                                             tcc@        drink                  Nharnp         Acco.     Nharnp          Acco       Nhamp         Acco          Nhamp       Acco         Nharn                      rincl
                   Total expenditures - All non-Northampton residents
                   At festival                               $5,197                                  Totals. for all non-Northampton residents responding to this section:
                   Not at rcstival                                                                        $626           $1.041   $3,530        S5.304        $971       $3.622       $1.232        $445          $173          $54         $10          $50            S4       $1,411
                                N'hamp,      SII.222                                                 n (number responding to this section).-
                                Acco.          $3.213                                                        111
                                subtotal                    $14.434                                  Avg. per party responding to this section
                   Total (excluding bridge)                 S19,631                                       $5.64          $9.38    $31.80        $47.78       $8.75       $32.63       $11.10        $4.00         $1.56         SO.48       SO.09        $0.43      $0.04        $12.71
                     (Bridge $1.411          )                                                     S      5.21674        13.456   94.6687       57.9839     35.0155      37.3991      42.49%        17.5692       8.66957       3.05772     0.93017      3.3649    0.37966       9.42192
                   Total (Nodhamptontlestival only-, excl. bridge)
                                                            S16,419             for 95% C. i.,            0.82291        2,12261    13.356      9.14661     5.52.149     5.89775      6.70106       2.77129       136757        0.48234     0.1467.1     0.53079   0.03999       1.49624
                   A vg. party expenditure was:                                               %              15%         23%           42%         19%          63%          18%          60%          69%        88%           100%        166%         118%         166%          12%
                   for all expenditures                                   S176.86
                   Northampton Co./lestival cxpcndium only:               $147.92                    (Avg. per party) x (estimated total number of panics)
                   Northampton Co only                                    SIOIJO                          1869.10 3108.95 10539.53 15835.81 29W.24                  10813.68       3678.94          1327.18       516.66        159.74      29.26        149.29     11.94    4212.95


                   Total expenditures - parties not from Northampton or Accomack Counties
                   At festival                               $4.483                                  Totals:
                   Not at festival                                                                        $532           $793     $3,159        $5,187        $971       S3,390       $1.227        S410          $157          S54         SIO          S50           $4        $1,411
                                Nlamp        $10.725                                                 n:
                                Arco.          $3.111                                                        92
                                subtotal                    S13,835                                  Avg. per party responding to this soction
                   Total (excluding bridge)                 $18,318                                       $5.78          S8.62    $34.33        S56.38     $10.56        $36.84       $13.34        $4.45         S1.71         $0.59       $0.11        $0.54     $0.04         $15,34
                     '(Britlyc SIMI          )                                                     5      3.5.1674       12.3545  91,3835       59.4097     38.2464      37.5907      46.3947       19.1956       9.39402       3.3531      1.02172      3.69262  0.41703        8.16085
                   Total (Nonhampton/festival only; excluding bridge)
                                                            $1.5.209            for 95% c.i.,             0.9912         2.21172  16.3935       10.6355     ii.84695     6.72777      8.30389       3.43645       1.67995       o.6oo2a     o.1829i      o.66io6  O.q7466        1.46o97
                   Avg party expenditure was:                                                 %              17%         26%          48%          1996         6596         18%         62%           77%        9896          103%        17296        122%        172%          10%
                   All expenditures                                       SIMII                      (Avg. per party) x (estimated total number of parties)
                   Northampton Co./festival expcndium only:               S165.30                         1592.30 2373.28 9452.24 15524.46 2907.30                  10145.61      3672.92 1225.66                 470.03        160.13      29.33        149.65     11.97    4223.20
                   Northampton Co. only                                   S116-57
                   Non-festival only                                      S150.38


                   Total expenditures - Accomack Co. resklents
                   At festival                                   $714                                Totals:
                   Not at festival                                                                           S94         S249       $372        S117            $0       $232             $5        S35           $16           $0          so           $0            $0           $0
                                Nlwnp             S497                                               n:
                                Acoo.             $102                                                       19
                                subtotal                         $599                                Avg. per party responding to this section
                   Total (excluding bridge)                  SI,313                                       $4.95          $13.07   $19.57        $6.15          -         $12.21       $0.26         $1.84         $0.84         -           -            -           -           -
                       (Bridge      $0                                                             5      3.27403        17.8195  34.9574       22.278         -         29.9743      1.14708       4.16694       3.67065       -           -            -           -           -
                   Total (Nodhampton/festival only; excluding bridge)
                                                             31.211             for 95% c.i., +/-         1.43794        7.82623  133092        9,79437        -         12.7253      0.30379       IAMS          1.61213       -           -            -           -           -
                   Avg. party expenditure was:                                                %           2W6            60%        78%         15996          -         104%         191%          99%           191%          -           -            -           -           -
                   All expenditures                                         $69.11                   (Avg. per party) x (estimated total number of parties)
                   Northampton Co./festival expendium only:                 S63.74                        277.36         732.69 1097.15         344.93                   684.54       14.75         103.27        47.21         -           -            -           -           -
                   Northampton Co. only                                     $26.15











                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              jUtaf F-Twai-FIT.Adf.11                       IT11-W f.
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                                                                   Nk- A@        N" A@                          ""A-                     Nh,!!,p   )@E-        _Nb-p                        Nh-p ____ 24t-_N--p                                          N-_                          NM@T         A-       Nk-p                A-                       A..
                                                                   - p                                                                                                                                                                                   T


                                                                   $605 S255     so           so         sm                so            $6        $43         $3111         $30            S360         $444           SR9            sso               so            so             S2           so       SH                  so        $74            $0        $5,197 S14.434 $19-631                   S16.419


                                                                   $5.45 $2.30   -            -       $0.79                -             S0.05 $0.39           $4.59         $0.27          S3.24       $400            $0111)      SO.45                -             -              $002         -        $0.14               -      So.66             -         S46.82    $13004 S176.96                 $147.92
                                                                   7.3778.1 542057-           -      1.33209               -             0.32S4 1.97791        2940*5        2.24747        9 074ft    307203           4,40211    3.07251               -             -              0.13362      -        1.42374             -      3,15013           -         01"S           133.83      140653        133377

                                                                   1.16321 0 855ft-           -      1.31TS7               -             0.05139 0.31201       4 6W"         044917         1.43341    4.84594          069441     0.48469               -             -              0021(m       -        OM4"                -     QAW33              -         13.5412      21.1141       25.342        21.0394
                                                                   2)% J17%      -            -        1"96                -                       2196        102%          166%           44%           12196         87%           107%               -             -              117%         -        1116%               -          92%           -            Im            11196         I'm           14%


                                                                   1305.71 762.30-            -    262.73                  -             17.91 129.39          152Z.75       119.57         1074.88  1324.47            265.74    150.13                 -             -              5.97         -        44.79               -    219.46              -    15517.58 43097.57 33613-15 49023.25



                                                                   S543 $174     so           so       sm                  so            $6        $43         SSIO          130            S308        s"4             son           $50                so            so             $2           so       S15                 so       $74             SO        $4.4193 $13,833            $18.318 $15.209


                                                                   S5.92 SIM)    -            -      S096                  -             $0,07 $0.47           S5@14         S41.33         $3.35      S4,92            $096       SO.53                 -             -              $0.02        -        SO.16               -      $0.50             -         54.73 SI"
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               . .32          $199.11 $165 30
                                                                   7 5U2 5 OX)(M -            -    917463                  -             035717 2. 16"3        32.36V        112"2          $4456     33.74"            4,92419   3.37052                -             -              0.1466)      -        I SCIVA             -     4.219%             -         921172       135716        16444         135,924

                                                                   L35.116 0.11"24-           -     1,64246                -             0 063W 0.38775        3 11.10414    0 S"93         ISMS     6.(M 135           0 IK364    0,60M                 -             -              0.02623      -        0 YMO               -     0.793.17           -         16,"mA     24 2W           294456        243333
                                                                   Ms 474        -            -       1?2%                 -             NM        MJ%         W%            172%           43%          125%,          W%           lie%                -             -              IN-6         -        17--d               -         "M             -            JJ%          16%           13%           13%

                                                                   1630,53 521.72 OAX)        001  263.39                  0.00          17.96 128.70          1326.46       119.79         92186   13270)              263.39   130.49                  -             -              5, -.P)      -        44.90               -    219."               -    13417.53    4")9.94) SM7.73             45517.78





                                                                   S60 SRI       SO           so        so                 so            so        so          so            so             $32           so            $1            so                 so            $0             so           so       so                  so         sn            so        $714          S59-)        $1.313        $1.211



                                                                   S.116 S426                                                                                                               S2.74                       sou.4                                                                                                                                      S37.49    S31 42           S6911         $63.74
                                                                   6415171 6 M249                                                                                                           1192%                       () 2-M2                                                                                                                                    JN61S2     63 @ 1.26       78 Silt       79287

                                                                   zwtst 101."m                                                                                                             5 2.W43                     41 1111176                                                                                                                                 169."      '7 MW5          LI 4847       %4 N224
                                                                   84% 71%                                                                                                                  191%                        191%                                                                                                                                       45%           SM           30%           33%
                                                                   1 ",114 239 (111                                                                                                         MAI                         2.95                                                                                                                                  2107.210      1767 12 MIN 32                  357336









                                       ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE )993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL




                                                                Appendix C
                                                    Description of the IMPLAN Model

                  The economic importance of an industry is described in the INTLAN model in terms of its total industrial
                  output, final demand, income, value added, and total employment. Total industrial output is the dollar value of
                  goods and services produced to satisfy inter-industry input final demands. Final demand is the dollar value of
                  purchases from producing industries for final consumption. Income is the amount paid in wages and to property
                  ow-ners from rent. Value added is equivalent to gross regional product (payments to labor and capital, and
                  taxes), or the value of total industrial output less input purchases. Thus, value added is always less than total
                  industrial output, but greater than income.

                  An input-output model describing the economic structure of Northampton County was formulated to measure
                  current and potential sectoral economic impacts of sustainable industries. The input-output model is expressed
                  as:
                                                                X = AX + F
                  where:
                      X          is total sectoral outputs,
                      A          is a technical coefficient,
                      AX         is interindustry demand, and
                      F          is final demands (goods and services purchased for final consumption by households,
                                 governments and/or for export).

                  A sample of the sectors which characterize X is presented in Table 2 along with information pertaining to direct
                  expenditures, total industrial output, value added and employment generated by the Festival. The difference
                  between total industrial output and final demand (not shown) is equal to interindustry demand. Solving for X
                  yields the following supply and demand balance equation, by which total economic effects can be measured on
                  a sector by sector basis:
                                                                X = (I -A)-'F,

                  where I is an n x n identity matrix. In general, a change in the final demand (F) for an existing or newly
                  established sector's output is expected to exert direct, indirect, and induced effects on the local economy, in
                  terms of total output (X), personal income, and total employment. The direct effect of a one dollar change in
                  final demand is that one dollar of initial spending. The indirect effect is of the output of other local businesses
                  needed to support the production of sector i, while the induced effect is the impact of spending by households.
                  Total economic effects of a change in final demand (direct, indirect, and induced) for a sector's output is
                  determined by calculating input-output multipliers.

                  The IMPLAN input-output model utilizes these multipliers to estimate total economic impacts on an annual
                  basis (industry by industry), in 1990 dollars. Based on the structural characteristics of the local economy, the
                  model determines how many new jobs will be created, and how much additional sectoral output will be
                  necessary economy-wide to accommodate the creation or expansion of an industry. New economic activities
                  usually involve changes in final demand for several industries. Depending on the change considered and
                  expenditure patterns of the population, economic impacts may operate on several multipliers and may be
                  positive or negative.








                                                                     C. I










                                       ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDTNG FESTIVAL




                                                                 Appendix D
                             Estimation of the total number of parties participating in the Festival

                 Estimates of expenditures made per travel party need to be multiplied by a valid estimate of the number of
                 travel parties coming to the Festival in order to gauge overall economic impacts. Unfortunately, a total count of
                 all participants or travel parties coming to the Birding Festival was not undertaken, and could not be directly
                 measured based on data available from Festival organizers. After the Festival it was learned that many people
                 attending who should have paid the fee of $3.00 in fact were not asked to pay or for some other reason did not
                 pay. An indirect estimate had to be made based on known registration revenues and on the proportion within
                 each travel party which was reported to have paid registration fees. This appendix describes this estimation
                 process.


                 Based on responses to the on-site survey, the average party size was found to be 2.72. This number includes
                 people under 6 years old and all persons who are part of the travel party but who did not actually attend the
                 Festival on either day. Neither of these people were expected to pay the registration fee of $3.00. Using
                 estimates of the proportions of the total travel party population who were under 6 years old and who did not
                 attend (0.0288 and 0.0326 respectively), the average party size estimate can be adjusted to reflect only those
                 people in the party @vho would be expected to pay the registration fee. This adjusted party size estimate is
                 2.560 people per travel party.

                 Multiplying the adjusted party size by the registration fee of $3.00 yields the amount that each party would be
                 expected to pay on registration fees, on average, or $7.680. However, according to the responses received in the
                 take-home questionnaires, the average party only spent $5.667 on registration fees.

                 We assume that the average party size of those responding to the expenditures questions in the questionnaire is
                 the same as the true average party size, and that the expenditures on registration fees reported by questionnaire
                 respondents are accurate and representative of the average per party expenditures on registration fees for all
                 parties at the festival. Therefore,

                                    registration fee revenues which                  of people who should
                                         should have been paid                  have paid the registration fee


                                       actual revenues collected                     of people who did pay

                 The first ratio works out to be 1.355. The number of paid registrants ($2228 in registration revenues divided by
                 $3 = 742.67) can be multiplied by this proportion to given an estimate of the total number of people who should
                 have paid, or 1006.48. Adjusting for children under 6, the estimated total number of participants at the Festival
                 would be 1035.47.


                 The estimates of economic impact are based on per travel party expenditures, so this estimate of total
                 participation must be further adjusted to compensate for the number of people under 6 years old and who did
                 not attend the Festival. The estimate of the total number of people in all travel parties becomes 1069.33, which
                 divided by the average party size (unadjusted) of 2.724891 people per party yields the final estimate of the
                 number of parties present at the Festival of 393.43.





                                                                       D.1









                                                   ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL




                                                                                   Appendix E
                                                      Origins of sampled parties, as reported in on-site survey

                                 Name of Origins,                          Number               Name of Origins,                         Number
                                 in increasing                  Distance   of parties           in increasing                  Distance  of parties
                                 order of distance              (miles)    in sample            order of distance              (miles)   in sample

                                 Northampton Co.      VA                      37                Springfield          VA          223           1
                                 Accomack Co.         VA         -            34                White Hall           MD          224           1
                                 Norfolk              VA           44           4               Waynesboro           VA          224           2
                                 Portsmouth           VA           45           2               Philadelphia         PA          225           1
                                 Virginia Beach       VA           46           8               Alexandria           VA          228           5
                                 Chesapeake           VA           50           2               Annandale            VA          229           2
                                 Hampton              VA           56           1               Lynchburg            VA          230           3
                                 Newport News         VA           60           4               Centreville          VA          230           1
                                 Suffolk              VA           63           2               Staunton             VA          234           1
                                 Yorktown             VA           76           2               Arlington            VA          234           4
                                 Williamsburg         VA           77           3               Falls Church         VA          235           4
                                 Gloucester Point     VA           79           1               Fairfax              VA          237           3
                                 Toano                VA           88           1               Vienna               VA          238           1
                                 Gloucester           VA           90           4               Danville             VA          240           1
                                 Salisbury            MD           93           1               Harrisonburg         VA          240           2
                                 Petersburg           VA           119          2               McLean               VA          240           1
                                 Providence Forge     VA           122          1               Burke                VA          242           1
                                 Sandston             VA           122          1               Forest               VA          242           1
                                 Richmond             VA           132        29                Beaufort             NC          243           1
                                 Glen Allen           VA           138          1               Pleasant Valley      VA          245           1
                                 Midlothian           VA           141          4               Amherst              VA          246           1
                                 Short Pump           VA           143          1               Reston               VA          246           2
                                 Tarboro              NC           145          1               Doylestown           PA          251           1
                                 St Michaels          MD           149          1               Leesburg             VA          256           1
                                 Dover                DE           150          1               New Oxford           PA          266           1
                                 Rockville            VA           150          1               Salem                VA          286           1
                                 Montpelier           VA           155          1               Brooklyn             NY          317           1
                                 Greenville           NC           159          2               Amityville           NY          347           1
                                 Sea Isle City        NJ           175          1               Bay Shore            NY          356           1
                                 Oxford               NC           178          1               Morgantown           WV          399           1
                                 Powhatan             VA           180          2               Kingston             NY          408           1
                                 Fredericksburg       VA           182          2               Charleston           WV          430           1
                                 Pasadena             MD-          185          1               Syracuse             NY          478           1
                                 Wilmington           DE           196          2               W Middlesex          PA          497           1
                                 Raleigh              NC           199          1               Concord              MA          534           1
                                 College Park         MD           202          1               Winchester           KY          581           1
                                 Washington           DC           205          2               Centerville          MA          592           1
                                 Charlottesville      VA           205          1               Kennebunk            ME          615           1
                                 Silver Spring        MD           208          3               Cincinnati           OH          628           1
                                 Bethesda             MD           212          1               Jackson              TN          835           1
                                 Rockville            MD           217          1               Tulsa                OK          1313          1
                                 Dayton               MD           217          1               Anaheim                          2695          1
                                 Warrenton            VA           217          1               Irvine               CA          2709          1
                                 Forest Hill          MD           222          1
                                 Gaithersburg         MD           222          1               Total number in sample                      238
                                 Esmont               VA           223          1
                                 Manassas             VA           223          1




                                                                                         E. I










                                          ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDrNG FESTIVAL




                                                                     Appendix F
                                   Responses to open-ended questions on take-home questionnaire


                   This appendix contains the responses to open-end questions on the take-home questionnaire given to Birding
                   Festival participants. The first section lists the responses about how respondents heard about the Festival. The
                   second section lists what respondents reported as their likes and dislikes about the Festival. Responses are given
                   here word-for-word as received. A synopsis of these comments and suggestions is given in the main body of
                   the report. Numbers correspond to the survey number.

                                                    How did you hear about the Festival?

                   [note: VSO refers to the Virginia Society of Ornithology;           means that there was no response to this
                   question. Survey number 23 was received from a Northampton resident and was not included in the main
                   survey results. Therefore there is one less survey reported in the main fimding than there is here.]

                   1. First from a local carver; details for NoVa                32, newspaper
                   Chapter of VSO                                                33. newspaper
                   2. Eastern Shore News                                         34 - -----
                   3. Relatives                                                  35. Mid- Atlantic Mag., Chesapeake Bay
                   4. Friend                                                     Newsletter, and Audubon Newsletter.
                   5. Handout on Cape May/Lewes ferry                            36.  sister had tent display
                   6. Local news, newspaper, etc.                                37,  Publication
                   7. Radio, newspaper                                           38,  Friend
                   8- -----                                                      39.  Chesterfield Co. Rec. and Parks.
                   9. Eastern Shore News                                         40.  Winston-Salem paper
                   10. Newspaper                                                 41.  Audubon Newsletter in Richmond.
                   11. Newspaper                                                 42.  Northern VA VSO Newsletter.
                   12. Friends in Eastville                                      43   Eastern Shore News
                   13. Va. Wildlife Mag.                                         44.  Received Ad in mail
                   14. mailing                                                   45.  Richmond Audubon Newsletter & VA Wildlife
                   15. VSO mailing list                                          Mag.
                   16. Virginian Pilot                                           46 - -----
                   17. VSO                                                       47.  VSO
                   18. Newspaper- Virginia Pilot Ledger Star                     48.  Newspaper
                   19. newspaper                                                 49.  VSO
                   20. Local bird club meeting                                   50.  Newspaper
                   21. mail                                                      51.  Audubon Sac.
                   22. Friend gave flyer                                         52.  VSO
                   23. Local news and paper                                      53.  Mailed flyer, and VSO
                   24 - -----                                                    54.  Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce
                   25. Local paper                                               55.  Harrisonburg VA daily newsrecord
                   26. A relative                                                56.  VSO
                   27. Bird Watcher Digest Mag.                                  57.  Chesterfield'Parks & Rec.
                   28. Flyer in mail                                             58.  News
                   29. Brochure in mail                                          59.  MOS Newsletter, The Maryland Yellowthroat
                   30. Friend                                                    60.  Local publicity
                   31. Richmond Audubon Newsletter                               61.  Friend



                                                                           F. I











                                           ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                   62.  E.S. News, radio                                         90,  Donna Leonard (of Chincoteague)
                   63.  Newspaper                                                91.  VA Native Plant Society
                   64.  Richmond Audubon Society                                 92.  Mailing & newspaper
                   65.  Newspaper                                                93.  Flyer sent to me
                   66.  Danville Register and Bee newspaper                      94.  newspaper
                   67.  E.S. Wildlife Refuge                                     95.  mail
                   68.  Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce                        96.  Got a notice
                   69.  VA Business Mag.                                         97.  Friends, VSO
                   70.  N.C. newspaper article                                   98.  Eastern Shore Chamber & The Nature
                   71.  VSO                                                      Conservancy
                   72.  Ad in newspaper                                          99. Virginian-Pilot Newspaper
                   73.  Wild Wings Newspaper                                     100. Eastern Shore News
                   74.  Richmond Times- Dispatch                                 101. Flyer, VSO
                   75.  Richmond Newspaper                                       102. mail
                   76.  VPLS news article                                        103. Eastern Shore News
                   77.  VSO                                                      104. Richmond Newspaper article
                   78.  Wild Bird Center in Burke, VA                            105. Richmond Times Dispatch
                   79.  VSO                                                      106. Chamber of Commerce mailing
                   80.  Local newspaper, and brochure from                       107. Info at VA Shore Wildlife Refuge visited
                   Chincoteague                                                  earlier this year
                   81.  Steve at E.S. Wild. Ref.                                 108. Direct mail ad
                   82   Eastern Shore News                                       109. Eastern Shore News
                   83.  Virginian Mag.                                           110. VS0
                   84.  Richmond Times- Dispatch                                 I 11. Wildlife Magazine
                   85 - -----                                                    112. Bird club newsletter
                   86.  Mid- Atlantic Country Mag.                               113. Laura MacKay
                   87.  Familv                                                   114. Friends
                   88.  Chain ber of Commerce, VSO
                   89.  Local newspaper


                                           R%at did you most like and dislike about the festival?

                   1. Great job for a first year! Congrats! Excellent tour leaders -- knowledgeable, etc. All the people involved
                   were pleasant and courteous (even impressed by the bus drivers!) Didn't have advance notice of workshops and
                   speakers and couldn't attend because they conflicted with birding trips. Sunset Beach Inn restaurant needs to
                   "get its act together" for next year. Service abysmal. (They tried on Sunday to help with free continental
                   breakfast. We don't mind paying -- but need faster turnover.)


                   2- -----


                   3. Actual birding and wildlife trips were super; tents and exhibits were limited.

                   4. Like: FriendIv, helpful volunteer workers, guides and bus drivers. The effort all people helping.
                   Dislike: Need better signage as to registration; more information on special programs; was not impressed with
                   motel except for their nice grounds.

                   5. It was a delightful surprise and will attend next year, probably with friends, so that we may enjoy the tours
                   and other activities.




                                                                          F.2











                                       ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                 6. Good for E. Shore tourism; it was extremely well handled for the first one! We were very pleased! Not
                 many birds sighted.


                 7- -----


                 8. Not enough arts and crafts.

                 9. Kind, friendly hosts and hostesses; overall upscale, quality show!

                 10. Should have more selections or choices for food, Needed hot drinks on Sunday.

                 IL [like: ] The birding and the refuge.

                 12. [like] Canoe trip into marsh. [Dislike] Cold wind Sun.

                 13. [Dislike] Time scheduling for pre-regis. did not clearly state that buses left 20 to 30 min. before scheduled
                 time.on chart. Many missed tours because of this.

                 14. No welcome or info. on check-in. Found out by accident. Did not know about Fri. night program until
                 over. Motel restaurant staff was not pleasant nor accommodating. Chamber of Commerce was great. Festival
                 was very well organized and $3 was too little to pay.

                 15. [Liked] Crafts live artisans. [Disliked] Displays could be more sophisticated but liked owl pellet displays.


                 16 - -----


                 17. In the big tent, all the exhibits; the tours were excellent-, presentations by vendors; restrooms and drinking
                 water should be available on the tours.


                 18. Unfortunately rough weather resulted in cancellation of canoe trips. Master schedule in overall program
                 good.


                 19 - -----


                 20. Good contact with fellow birders. Information from organization in tent - overall planning and organization
                 of festival was outstanding.

                 2 1. The logistics were excellent. Amazing for I st year.

                 22. Really enjoyed the canoe trips but try to make each trip a bit longer.

                 23. Excellent step in educating and promoting the proper way the Eastern Shore should be heading!

                 24. The gentleman who conducted the l0arn Sunday Fisherman's Island Tour was excellent! Fantastic!
                 [dislike] weather on Sun.

                 25. Very pleased about eco-tourism, good luck.

                 26. Well or anized- plenty of events of many different types.
                             9      1
                 Time period selected was past peak fall warblers.


                                                                      F.3











                                         ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                   27. Like buses to take places. [dislike] lack of specific experienced group leaders.

                   28. Poor restaurant service. Great birding and event,

                   29. Most liked the programs and tours. [dislike] It was never obvious where the food and restrooms were
                   located. When the food was found at 2pin it was closing. Was sent into the hotel for everything. More food
                   and a layout map of the tents could help. A popcorn stand would be easy for a local group to run.


                   30 - -----


                   3 1. Suggestions: Make unused spaces on trips avail. for stand-bys. Improve bus scheduling for pick up from
                   trips (we waited 30 min. for a bus in the rain after canoeing). Provide trash receptacles for recyclable items.
                   Provide an overall scheduling board, so changes in speakers and schedules are readily avail. and you know
                   where to look for them. Overall we enjoyed the festival very much.

                   32. [like] bird banding and raptor research. [dislike] did not plan enough time so couldn't see enough.
                   Getting the bridge tunnel to provide a discount for festival goers might bring more south siders.

                   33. We only spent one day and unfortunately the weather turned ugly. We did not hear about the festival early
                   enough to sign up for many activities.

                   34. 1 was a bird guide, using the rest of the time to bird on my own. I had a great time! But cannot comment
                   on other aspects of the festival.

                   35. [likes] RaptOT research showing of hawks captured.
                   [disliked] Lack of schedule of events posted- added or cancelled.

                   36. There was not enough publicity, all anyone heard about was the Parlesley fest. kids trip on Fri. were very
                   disappointed- they did not see any banding- or really much of anything at all.

                   37. The group leaders were friendly and ready to assist for an enjoyable weekend.

                   38. Ver-y %vell organized, (rain), next year stay both days.

                   39. Guides well prepared and knowledgeable. Disappointed in lack of seafood variety or selection. Expected
                   more emphasis on seafood, not just run of the mill everyday food.

                   40. Wonderful workers, wanted everyone to have a good time. A very warm welcome!

                   41. Great raptor and neotropical banding, top notch organization. [dislike] Not enough choices of food.


                   42. [like] New hawkwatch platform is superb! field trips to fisherman's Island, and display booths at festival
                   had a lot of info.


                   43 - -----


                   44. Enjoved the raptor banding and hiking at Brownsville Hammocks most. [disliked] Lack of orientation to
                   HOW buses and departures to events was being run.



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                                        ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                  45. Festival planning was excellent, Raptor research tour with Bill liked most. Only dislike was rain.


                  46 - -----


                  47. Liked variety of activities offered. [disliked] Not enough opportunities due to limited group size (which is
                  necessary) - maybe more trips could be scheduled, or Fri. afternoon trips. Use recyclable cups and plates.
                  Raise fee to $5 and include a cup and restaurant coupons. Organize trash pick up on tours for prizes.


                  48 - -----


                  49. Fisherman's Island, Refuge, and rural countryside lovely. Display tent was great, as were the crafts.

                  50. [like] Events and tours planned and presented. [dislike] Transportation back from trips to festival site were
                  late, causing me to miss next event. Not enough food selection.

                  51. People running festival were very nice and helpful. Buses were disorganized at first, but that is to be
                  expected for a first festival. Overall everything went smoothly.

                  52. [liked] Good tours of birds. [Disliked] Guided tours filled to quickly, and Fisherman's Island needed more
                  experts on birds.

                  53. Excellent beginning, need better food service for early morning people. Many thanks to all volunteers.

                  54. HaNvk station and bird banding were excellent. Signs needed in hotel telling where to register.

                  55. Great opportunity!

                  56. Did not seem .vell organized, hotel lobby staff not informed about trips, and many people walking around
                  trying to find trips. Lots of empty tents..poor planning? No hot drinks. Suggestion: have at State park, easier
                  access and banding is right there.

                  57. Not enough offered on Sun. [liked] Fisherman's Island and raptors.

                  59. liked the location, did not like the rain.

                  59. [like] knowledge of tour leaders. [dislike] lack of coordination (due to the first year of event).


                  60 - -----


                  61. Liked the raptor research best, and many good books,for sale.

                  62. [dislike] lack of organization for earliest activities, particularly transportation. [liked] the birds, location,
                  knowledgeable guides and volunteers.

                  63. Friendly people, banding station speaker excellent.

                  64. Every aspect was wonderful. Keep it going.

                  65. Great trip to fisherman's Island. [disliked] All shops in Cape Charles were closed on Sun.



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                                           ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN' SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                    66. liked the organization, transportation, and quality of guides and program leaders. Disliked rain, tolls, and
                    food service at Sunset Inn.


                    67 - -----


                    68. [liked] transportation for the tours. Not enough variety of food concessions at the festival.

                    69. [like] Wildlife refuge and conservancy visits.

                    70. [like] guided birding outings, [disliked] Holiday Motel.

                    71. [liked] field trips and presentations; [disliked] lack of birds. Restaurant service at Sunset Inn Horrible!

                    72. More opportunity for guided tours- many were full even with pre-registration. Great location for festival.
                    Toll was a shock?


                    73. Did not know that pre -registration was needed. Thought that center was at Kiptopeke.

                    74. [like] the enthusiasm of everyone. [dislike] directions for starting, information in general.

                    75. Needs polishing but will get better every year. loved birdbanding.

                    76. Schedule tours for time bus is leaving, not time tour begins. Also, buses did not return to spot they said (at
                    Kiptopeke). flike] not too crowded, exhibits excellent.

                    77. liked seeing man), old friends and fellow birders. Feel that volunteers were not well utilized. Not enough
                    specific jobs assigned.

                    78. Well organized. More food. Looking forward to next year I will be bringing friends!


                    79 - -----


                    80. canoe trip- overrated, overstated. Poor and the low tide at the launch site was poorly handled. Came back
                    on second dav to Sunset Inn to see exhibits and display tents, but they were closed. 'for the birds" only one
                    open' Truly a I day event.

                    81. Great informative guided tours, on schedule bus tours, great friendliness and helpfulness of all was great!
                    [dislike] one exception to work on for next year- Sunset Beach Motel restaurant personal- extremely bad
                    attitudes!!)

                    82. We liked the tours best. Workshops and speakers should be given more publicity beforehand.

                    83. Special events like canoeing, fisherman's Island, banding. People very friendly, well organized.

                    84. Excellent organization, very polite people, much enthusiasm. Exitend the length of the tours next year,
                    maybe limit # of tours each person may take.


                    85 - -----


                    86. The bus trips were good, video talks were good. Perhaps a different kind of name tag might be better,


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                                        ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL




                  these did not want to stick well.


                  87. [like] eagles [dislike] chiggers

                  88. All fielding field trips should be led by experienced birders. Sat. hunting, not our birding trips, should
                  have been cancelled at Mockhorn. Smoking should be prohibited in tents. Buffet breakfast at 6 am would be
                  appreciated.

                  89. Excellent overall. Not enough publicity about workshops and speakers, I did not know about them until
                  too late. Need to coordinate with Motel. More info in the lobby. Maybe special room rates. A pre-planned
                  dinner might eliminate serving delays.

                  90. [dislike] Unclear directions for when & where to meet for field trips early Sat. Unclear where exhibits
                  were to be set up Fri. [like] interpretive tours were excellent.

                  91. Raptor research and banding areas very educational. Good transportation arrangements.

                  92. Sorry we had not made plans for trips. Program was too confusing, by the time we realized we needed to
                  pre-register, all was full. More signs, missed events at Kiptopeke. Overall was excellent, great location.

                  93. [liked] access to normally closed areas. [disliked] restaurant at Sunset Beach Inn- attitude of employees
                  and time to receive food.


                  94 - -----


                  95. Great starW Tour leaders did not always remember that we wanted to see birds more than listen to
                  explanations.

                  96. [like] Visiting place not seen before. [dislike] leaders were not birders, suggest you let VSO lead bird
                  tours.


                  97. many trips were full- guides and bird experts were top quality, very knowledgeable. trips and buses ran
                  smooth1v, staff very helpful and friendly, great atmosphere.

                  98. [like] general info. about the Eastern Shore ecology and local, state, and national efforts to preserve the
                  same. good educational experience.

                  99. the weather- rain), dai.


                  100 - -----


                  101. Birding and being able to participate in festival as a VSO volunteer.

                  103. Exhibits should open earlier. Friendly people.

                  103. [like] Variety of opportunities. [dislike] rain, need better directions at festival for location of events and
                  bus schedule, directions, locations, and times.

                  104. [liked] Bird watching and raptor research. lack of info. Fri. night, should have an info booth open on Fri
                  evening.


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                                         ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF THE 1993 EASTERN SHORE BIRDING FESTIVAL



                   105. [like] Diversity of tours, organization. [dislike] lack of restaurants, lodging, grocery stores, etc. in the area.


                   106. The hawk guide was informative - excellent; the bird banding was informative but not very personable
                   [sic]; canoe ride spoke mainly of the marshes, would like to see more bird knowledge.

                   107. Like: the birds of prey. Dislike: Weather on Sunday, communication about bus transportation leaving 20
                   minutes early for tours could have been better. [noted that they gave Festival overall grade of B instead of A
                   only because of the weather].

                   108. [Dislike] overcast and drizzle.

                   109. Been waiting 48 years to explore Fishermen Island. The tree swallows and hawk birding - awesome.
                   Gave us a knowledge of the location of sites. Weather was great! Want to visit again as soon as we can - well-
                   planned and executed festival.

                   110. Very interesting sites, however there was too little emphasis on birding. More food selections would be
                   desireable. Good job overall for first attempt.


                   III - -----


                   112. Too many park rangers/police/etc. Waste of money! Birders are a non-violent folk.

                   113. Banners were not provided for retail booths. Well-organized - fine groups/agencies etc. assembled to
                   sponsor the Festival. Chamber of Commerce people nice.


                   114 - -----
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