FARMINGTON – A majority of nature-based visitors to Franklin County late last summer said gas prices caused them to spend less once they arrived, according to a University of Maine Cooperative Extension survey.

More than 92 percent of out-of-staters said gas prices were not a factor in choosing to come to Maine to camp, hike, canoe or kayak or swim. But 55 percent of Mainers indicated gas prices did influence their plans to come to Franklin County over another destination, the survey showed.

Extension Educator Marc Edwards said more than 80 percent of the out-of-state visitors said the county was their primary destination, he said.

“This is very telling,” he said. “This region of the Western Mountains and Franklin County is a primary destination for out-of-state visitors, though more than three quarters are repeat visitors. What this is telling us is that there is a large market of first-time visitors out there and we are not reaching them.”

The information helps businesses to know who and where to market, although word of mouth and the Internet remain the top source of information used to plan visits, he said.

Traditional forms of marketing such as print and broadcast media are giving way to Web sites, travel blogs, Facebook and podcasting, which provide the opportunity to interact with potential tourists, he said.

As part of the Cooperative Extension’s efforts to support tourism business, local tourism entities such as motels, retail outfitters, a campground, state park, sporting camp, guide service and a small grocery store were given packets to share with tourists. A postage-paid postcard was included for the tourist to send back and an invitation to take the online survey was included.

While the state tourism office performs surveys, the last regional one, extending from Sebago Lake to the most northern part of Franklin County, was done in 2006, Edwards said.

A wider survey across three counties, Franklin, Somerset and Piscataquis, is being planned for July through September. The plan this year is to capture a broader range of visitors by including more motels and retail businesses, he said.