Consumer Confidence and Recreation Behavior: Willingness to Buy and Attitudes toward a Proposed Recreation User Fee Increase

Abstract Recreation user fees are the focus of a large body of research. Existing work has examined their acceptability while considering factors related to the user, the nature of the fee itself, and the effect of fee justification messaging. Missing to this point is an examination of the role of beliefs about the broader economic climate, and an individual’s willingness—rather than ability—to pay in this context. To that end, in this paper we examine the effect of consumer confidence in shaping attitudes toward a hypothetical user fee increase at an aquatic facility. Using a series of one-way ANOVAs, we report that users with greater confidence in the broader economy find the fee increase more acceptable, and indicate greater purchase intention at the higher fee rate. Implications for practice, as well as directions for future fee-related research, are included.