Are tourists rational? Destination decisions and other results from a survey of visitors to a North Queensland natural site - Jourama Falls

This paper reports on and interprets the results of a survey of visitors to the Jourama Falls Section of the Paluma Range National Park located in Northern Queensland. It reports, amongst other things, on how much knowledge visitors to the site had about it before their visit, the procedures they adopted in deciding to visit it and how generally they go about deciding to visit tourist sites when on holidays. The results are consistent with those predicted by theories of bounded rationality and behavioural economics. Information is also provided on the value visitors placed on attractions at the Jourama Falls sites, their attitudes to the private supply of tourist/visitor services and facilities in national parks, the importance of wildlife as an attraction to visitors at this site and their knowledge of it. In addition, the attitudes of visitors to facilities, camping procedures, environmental issues and activities at this site are assessed as well as the acceptability to respondents of an entrance fee. A halo, proximity or local existence effect was observed in relation to wildlife present at Jourama Falls but not visible.