CGPR survey finds outdoors important, but gas prices might affect participation

A recent survey, commissioned by CGPR using Harris Interactive and conducted May 11-13, found that 66 percent of U.S. adults with children feel it is important to introduce their children to outdoor activities and nature. However, 25 percent of the survey respondents also said that gas prices had caused them to alter vacation plans.

Chris Goddard, president of CGPR, told us that she had undertaken the survey with Harris to find out whether U.S. adults who have children under 18 feel that introducing their children to outdoor activities and nature is important, and something they will be doing this summer. And just as importantly, how gas prices have affected the likelihood of U.S. adults to take an outdoor vacation, if at all.

And the survey says:

Two-thirds (66 percent) of U.S. adults with children under 18 indicated they feel it’s important to introduce their children to outdoor activities and nature.

• This feeling appears strongest among adults aged 55 years and older who have children in this age range (77 percent, versus 65 percent of those aged 18-54 with children under 18).
• The likelihood to feel this way appears to increase by level of education (61 percent of those with no college experience indicated they feel it’s important, versus 68 percent of those with some college experience but no four-year degree and 74 percent of those with a four-year degree and beyond).

Two of five (40 percent) U.S. adults with children under 18 indicated that introducing their children to outdoor activities and nature is something they do all of the time.

• Women in this group were more likely than men to indicate this (46 percent versus 33 percent, respectively).
• Older adults with children under 18 were more likely to indicate this than were younger adults (47 percent of U.S. adults aged 45 years and older versus 37 percent, respectively).
• Those with at least some college experience were more likely to indicate this than those without (45 percent of those who have at least some college, versus 33 percent of those with no college experience).
• Those with higher incomes were also more likely to indicate this (47 percent of those with annual household incomes of $50,000 and above versus 32 percent of those with annual household incomes below $50,000).

Just under one-third (31 percent) indicated that introducing their child/children to outdoor activities and nature is something they would do more often if they had the time.

• Men in this group were more likely than women to indicate this (37 percent versus 25 percent, respectively).
• Younger adults were more likely to indicate this than older adults (35 percent of those aged 18-44, versus 25 percent of those aged 45-54 and 14 percent of those aged 55 years and older).
• Those with higher levels of education were more likely to indicate this (38 percent of those with a four-year degree and beyond, versus 31 percent of those with some college experience but no four -year degree and 27 percent of those with no college experience at all).

One of four U.S. adults with children under 18 indicated that introducing their children to outdoor activities and nature is something they would do more if they had the money.

• Younger adults were more likely to claim this than older adults were (32 percent of those aged 18-34, versus 24 percent of those aged 35-54 and 10 percent of those aged 55 years and older).
• Those with higher levels of education were less likely to claim this (17 percent of those with a four -year degree and beyond, versus 23 percent of those with some college experience but no four -year degree and 31 percent of those with no college experience at all).
• Those with lower annual household incomes were more likely to claim this (38 percent of those with annual household incomes of under $35,000 versus 21 percent of those with HHI of $35,000 and above).

When asked how, if at all, the cost of gas has impacted their likelihood of taking a vacation to enjoy the outdoors this summer, just over half (54 percent) of U.S. adults indicated they had planned or are planning to take an outdoor vacation this summer. One-fourth (25 percent) indicated that the cost of fuel/gas has altered their plans to take a vacation to enjoy the outdoors.

•  11 percent were planning to take such a vacation, but have changed their minds due to the cost of fuel/gas. This 11 percent accounts for about 21 percent of the total number of U.S. adults who have considered/are considering taking an outdoor vacation.
• 10 percent are planning to take such a vacation, but have shortened the length of their trip due to the cost of fuel/gas.
• 4 percent were not planning an outdoor vacation this summer, but have decided to go camping/hiking/etc. nearby due to the cost of fuel/gas.

SNEWS® View: CGPR has conducted these types of surveys before to get a sense for what the agency’s clients might be facing with market changes and customer moods, and to gain a sense for what adjustments might need to be made regarding PR strategies. The fact that CGPR is willing to share this data with the industry speaks volumes for the agency’s support for and belief in the entire outdoor industry.