Results are in from the Islands-Wide Survey about Tourism and Visitor Management in the San Juan Islands

Submitted by the San Juan County Land Bank

Conducted by Confluence Research and Consulting, the 2019 survey canvassed residents and businesses on a variety of issues related to the impacts of visitors to the islands. The Confluence results are available in the “news” section of the San Juan County Land Bank website at sjclandbank.org/news, along with a summary of findings.

The survey was a project of the Terrestrial Managers Group, a chartered collaborative of local, state and federal conservation land managers in the county. The research originated out of the desire to better understand the level and kinds of visitation to the County’s natural areas and to give voice to local investment and interests. The results will inform science-based decisions for management of these areas while maintaining the best visitor experiences possible.

“This concludes an effort started in 2015. Taking the results from surveys of visitors, residents and businesses opinions toward tourism issues, and possible solutions, really gives us some great information to help address stewardship concerns across all public and non-profit conservation lands, for present and future generations,” said Lincoln Bormann, chair of the TMG and director of the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank. “We hope the results will be incorporated into forth-coming planning efforts, such as developing a Sustainable Tourism Master Plan, and when making decisions about how the county can retain quality experiences for both locals and visitors.”