2016 Gatlinburg Wildfire Statistics

The SmokyMountains.com research team recently completed an exhaustive survey of the general public and potential visitor segments to measure the impact of the 2016 Gatlinburg Wildfire on visitor sentiment, likelihood, and perception.

With over 2,000 likely visitors from Tennessee and the surrounding states surveyed, a few pieces of data stand out:

  • 26.43% of people surveyed indicated they are less likely to visit Gatlinburg and the surrounding areas
  • The vast majority of people surveyed (72.4%) inaccurately believe that over 10% of downtown Gatlinburg was destroyed
  • A shocking 20.3% of Tennessee Residents believe that over 50% of downtown Gatlinburg was destroyed in the Gatlinburg wildfire
  • Even though less than 3% of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was destroyed by the wildfire, 44.4% believe that over 25% of the National Park burned down
  • The fire does not seem to impact the perceived risk of visiting Gatlinburg or the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

GATLINBURG WILDFIRE STATISTICS SURVEY RESULTS

Does the 2016 wildfire in Gatlinburg impact your likelihood of visiting Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains area in the next 12 months?

Visitors less likely after Gatlinburg Wild Fire?
Study Sample Size: 500 Likely Visitors
Study Sample Location: Southern States; United States
Study Completion Date: 10/29/2017

During the November 2016 Smoky Mountains wildfire, was at least 10% of downtown Gatlinburg, TN destroyed?

Did downtown Gatlinburg burn down
Study Sample Size: 1,024 Likely Visitors
Study Sample Location: Tennessee Residents; United States
Study Completion Date: 10/29/2017

During the November 2016 Smoky Mountains wildfire, how much of downtown Gatlinburg, TN was destroyed?

How much of downtown gatlinburg burned
Study Sample Size: 1,024 Likely Visitors
Study Sample Location: Tennessee Residents; United States
Study Completion Date: 10/29/2017

In the 2016 Smoky Mountain Wildfire, was over 25% of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park destroyed?

Did the Gatlinburg Wildfire Destroy the Smoky Mountains National Park
Study Sample Size: 504 Likely Visitors
Study Sample Location: United States
Study Completion Date: 10/29/2017

In the 2016 Smoky Mountain Wildfire, what percentage of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was destroyed?

What percent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park burned in the Gatlinburg Wildfire?
Study Sample Size: 504 Likely Visitors
Study Sample Location: United States
Study Completion Date: 10/29/2017

How does the 2016 Gatlinburg Wildfire impact your perception of visitor risk in Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains?

Is Gatlinburg or the Smoky Mountains dangerous to visit?
Study Sample Size: 305 Likely Visitors
Study Sample Location: Tennessee Residents; United States
Study Completion Date: 10/29/2017

Did people die in the 2016 Gatlinburg Wildfire?

Did Gatlinburg Wildfire Deaths Occur
Study Sample Size: 100
Study Sample Location: Southern States; United States
Study Completion Date: 10/28/17

How many people died in the 2016 Gatlinburg Wildfire?

How many people died in the Gatlinburg Wildfire?
Study Sample Size: 100 Likely Visitors
Study Sample Location: Southern States; United States
Study Completion Date: 10/28/2017

Survey Methodology:

SmokyMountains.com and its research team makes use of a tool that uses inferred demographic and location information to employ stratified sampling by distributing the surveys based on the targeted audience. The tools infers demographic data through respondents' browsing history (e.g., infer geography from IP address), then matches them against existing government statistical data. Also, the tool uses post-stratification weighting to compensate for sample deficiencies to remove bias among the survey sample. This gives a more accurate result with lower root mean square error (RMSE) which also makes the results better represent the Current Population Survey (CPS).