Doctoral Dissertations
Date of Award
5-2024
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Major
Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management
Major Professor
Stefanie Benjamin
Committee Members
Hongping Zhang, James Williams, David Knight
Abstract
In this study the experiences of concessionaire seasonal employees in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) are the focal point and how their experiences fostered an enhanced appreciation of the land, stewardship, and connectedness to nature. Informed by transformative learning theory and the theory of reasoned action and planned behavior this study centers around the experiences of seasonal employees and how it influences their pro-environmental behavior. Immersive encounters with nature have the power to catalyze enduring transformations, influencing conservation initiatives, and fostering heightened pro-environmental behaviors that resonate deeply within an individual's personal sphere. That was my experience when I worked as a 2015 concessionaire seasonal employee at Canyon Village in YNP. There is scant literature centering concessionaire seasonal employees' lived experiences. Thus, I wanted to gain a deeper understanding as to whether working a seasonal position can lead to an enhanced appreciation of the land, stewardship, and connectedness to nature. I ventured to Canyon Village in the summer 2023 and conducted face-to-face semi-structured interviews (N = 14) with concessionaire seasonal employees from the 2023 cohort. I also conducted interviews via Zoom with cohort 2015. I crafted an autoethnography regarding my 2015 experiences as a seasonal employee. Through inductive coding, I created six major themes: Opportunities Through Seasonal Work, Appreciation of Nature, Experiencing Wilderness, Stewardship, Community, and On the Job Knowledge Transfer, from interviews with seasonal employees, including my experiences as a seasonal employee. Participants articulate the setting of YNP, being immersed in nature, and the social connections formed with other seasonal employees as key attributes of transformation. The mission of the National Park Service (NPS) emphasizes the importance of preservation of natural and cultural resources, focusing on generational enjoyment, education, and inspiration. In addition, there is an emphasis on partnerships with the NPS to ensure these values are met. With these tenets, my research is beneficial to the National Park Service as it focuses on facilitating partnership to contribute to these values outlined in their mission. Concessionaire seasonal employees can serve as a partner to be a part of the goal and mission of protecting cultural and natural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of current and future generations. As such, I have outlined suggestions for the NPS and the concessionaire, Xanterra that will contribute to connection to nature, pro-environmental behavior, and responsible recreation.
Recommended Citation
Coffey, Leah, "Transformative Experiences and Responsible Visitation in Yellowstone National Park: A Study on Canyon Village Concessionaire Seasonal Employees. " PhD diss., University of Tennessee, 2024.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_graddiss/10104