Visitor evaluations of built tourist facilities: pontoons on the Great Barrier Reef

Abstract

The buildings and facilities designed for tourism such as theme parks, visitor centres and infrastructure accessing special environments are an important part of the total visitor experience. Surprisingly specific visitor evaluation studies of these facilities are infrequent, despite existing literature indicating that the adequacy of such facilities is often central to visitor satisfaction. This article reports visitors' evaluations of the pontoons, or floating platforms, which provide access to Australia's Great Barrier Reef. While the pontoons were not the most important factor influencing satisfaction, they were seen as useful and convenient. Some subtle improvements in layout and safety were suggested by reef users.