Tourist motivations in selecting a nature based destination: A study of Vermejo Park Ranch

Despite the growth in popularity of nature-based tourism in America, little is known about the motivational factors for choosing a nature-based destination. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine motivational factors of tourists when choosing Vermejo Park Ranch as their nature-based tourism destination. The subjects of this research were the management, staff, and guests. The destination has been in operation since 1902 and specializes in hunting, fishing, and outdoor exploration. Utilizing interviews and convenience sampling, the purpose of this study was to identify emerging themes about the motivations of nature-based tourists when choosing Vermejo Park Ranch. The primary investigator transcribed all interviews and those transcripts were cross-validated and merged into one set of data. The resulting data were analyzed using comparative pattern analysis, which involves identifying recurring regularities in data, then sorting them into categories to link the underlying meanings. This method allowed for identification of common themes through analytic induction. Three recurring themes were identified as to why guests choose Vermejo Park Ranch: the quality of hunting and fishing, the culture and service, and the uniqueness and historical significance of the ranch.