This research examines the motivationsfor overseas travel using the concept of "push" and "pull" factors. Data were examined from four countries—Japan, France, West Germany, and the United Kingdom. The results indicate that individuals from each of the four countries travel to satisfy the same unmet needs (pushfactors); however, attractions for choosing a particular destination (pullfactors) appear to differ among the countries. The results also indicate that the level of importance that individuals attach to the various factors differs among the countries.

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Evidence suggests that the demand for outdoor recreation by visitors from overseas countries is increasing in the USA and is likely to continue in the near future. To offer international tourists opportunities for quality experience, it is important to examine and understand the travel behaviour of international visitors to national parks and natural areas. Reports on a study of Australian visitors to national parks and natural areas with respect to selected demographic characteristics, motivations and information sources used in planning their trips. The findings of this study may be used to generate appropriate international market strategies for promoting tourism in national parks and natural areas in the USA.

ABSTRACT/Visitor satisfaction has been a consistently stated goal of outdoor recreation management. Recreation resource managers provide opportunities for the visiting public with the anticipation of satisfying the needs of the visitors. Management efforts are often evaluated in terms of visitor satisfaction. In the recent decade, a multiple satisfactions approach has been the primary research paradigm guiding visitor satisfaction research. This paradigm has focused primarily upon behavioral-type dimensions such as crowding, goal attainment, and resource impacts resulting from behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the importance of a setting dimension relative to behavioral-type dimensions for explaining differences in visitor satisfaction. A sample of 895 river visitors were sent a questionnaire in the mail; 682 were returned for a 76.2% response rate. Regression analysis indicated the setting dimension was ranked as one of the most important dimensions for explaining differences in visitor satisfaction. Other dimensions considered included group behavior, perceived crowding, parking, past experience, encounters, use levels, and time waiting. Implications for management are discussed.Recreation managers strive to provide quality opportunities for the visiting public (Manning 1986). Their efforts are often evaluated in terms of visiu)r satisfaction. But what is a satisfying recreation experience and how is it measured? What are the sources that contribute to overall visitor satisfaction? These concerns have been a major focus of recreation research over the past years (Williams 1988).As satisfaction research developed, researchers indicated that overall measures of satisfaction might be too broad and, therefore, an inadequate measure of visitor satisfaction (Heberlein and Shelby 1977, Schreyer and others 1984, Manning 1986. Other theories explaining satisfaction in a recreation experience have evolved that indicate overall visitor satisfaction may be a multidimensional concept consisting of multiple sources of satisfaction (Ditton and others 1981, Probst and Lime 1982, Vaske and others 1986, Hammitt and others 1990. Lee (1975) and Shelby (1980) have identified a number of variables that have been correlated with visitor satisfaction, including absence of litter and other poiludon, low level of facility development, pleasant social demeanor of others, and good physical condition of the trail. Ditton and others (1981), who examined satisfaction of river users at Buffalo National River, indicated that although visitor reports on satisfaction tended to be KEY WORDS: Visitor satisfaction; River management; Visitor quality *Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.high, researchers should examine the "mechanisms" producing the various dimensions of visitor satisfaction. Schreyer and others (1984) found differences in responses from river users on questions concerning more specific aspects of'visitor satisfaction, while general measures of satisfaction received uniformly high ratings. Vaske and ...