Using synoptic weather types to predict visitor attendance at Atlanta and Indianapolis zoological parks

Abstract

Defining an ideal "tourism climate" has been an often-visited research topic where explanations have evolved from global- to location-specific indices tailored to tourists' recreational behavior. Unfortunately, as indices become increasingly specific, they are less translatable across geographies because they may only apply to specific activities, locales, climates, or populations. A key need in the future development of weather and climate indices for tourism has been a translatable, meteorologically based index capturing the generalized ambient atmospheric conditions yet considering local climatology. To address this need, this paper tests the applicability of the spatial synoptic classification (SSC) as a tool to predict visitor attendance response in the tourism, recreation, and leisure (TRL) sector across different climate regimes. Daily attendance data is paired with the prevailing synoptic weather condition at Atlanta and Indianapolis zoological parks from September 2001 to June 2011, to review potential impacts ambient atmospheric conditions may have on visitor attendances. Results indicate that "dry moderate" conditions are most associated with high levels of attendance and "moist polar" synoptic conditions are most associated with low levels of attendance at both zoological parks. Comparing visitor response at these zoo locations, visitors in Indianapolis showed lower levels of tolerance to synoptic conditions which were not "ideal." Visitors in Indianapolis also displayed more aversion to "polar" synoptic regimes while visitors in Atlanta displayed more tolerance to "moist tropical" synoptic regimes. Using a comprehensive atmospheric measure such as the SSC may be a key to broadening application when assessing tourism climates across diverse geographies.

The Effect of Seasonal Climatic Anomalies on Zoo Visitation in Toronto (Canada) and the Implications for Projected Climate Change

“…Zoological parks serve as excellent case studies in the field of tourism climatology because zoos can provide accurate records of visitor attendance data over time since they must account for all visitors on their property for financial and liability reasons [13]. Recently, there has been a number of studies aimed at assessing the weather sensitivity of zoo visitation [9,[11][12][13].…”

“…Recently, there has been a number of studies aimed at assessing the weather sensitivity of zoo visitation [9,[11][12][13]. However, no study to of the year and the pattern of school and bank holidays.…”

“…Perkins [13] tested the applicability of the spatial synoptic classification (SSC) as a tool to predict visitor attendance response in the tourism, recreation, and leisure (TRL) sector across different climate regimes, based on a case study using 10 years of daily attendance data from two different zoological parks in Atlanta and Indianapolis, USA. Daily attendance data was paired with the prevailing synoptic weather conditions to assess the potential impacts that ambient atmospheric conditions had on visitor attendance [13].…”

“…Daily attendance data was paired with the prevailing synoptic weather conditions to assess the potential impacts that ambient atmospheric conditions had on visitor attendance [13]. The results indicated that dry moderate conditions were most associated with high levels of attendance and "moist polar" synoptic conditions were most associated with low levels of attendance at both zoological parks [13]. However, the author concluded that visitors in Indianapolis showed lower levels of tolerance to synoptic conditions which were not "ideal"; being more averse to "polar" synoptic regimes and less tolerant to "moist tropical" synoptic regimes.…”

Additional new insights into Biometeorology

“…Two of these explore public perceptions of the thermal environment: Lam et al (2016) compare perceptions of thermal conditions between locals and visitors to the Royal Botanic Garden in Melbourne, Australia; and LindnerCendrowska and Błażejczyk (2016) explore seasonal variability of weather perceptions among people spending time outdoors for tourism and recreation in Warsaw, Poland. The final article in the Special Issue assesses the applicability of synoptic-scale weather classification to predict visitor attendance at zoological parks in Atlanta and Indianapolis, U.S. (Perkins 2016).…”