This study measures the impacts of environmental concern and environmental altruism on eco-friendly behaviors, and the impacts of environmentally friendly behaviors on nature-based tourism behaviors ...and ecologically friendly purchasing behaviors. The study sample included a population of tourists and recreationists in three different destinations in Turkey. Data were obtained from questionnaires and were analyzed using a Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM). In addition, a one-way ANOVA test was performed to show the differences in common questions for the three destinations. The findings identified that the independent variables positively affected participants’ environmentally friendly behaviors and purchasing behaviors. Visitors who participated in hiking on Mount Ida displayed more environmental attitudes than visitors in the other areas in all variables other than the ‘environmentally friendly behavior’ scale. Among participants, while environmental tourism behavior was the highest variable, environmental concern was the lowest variable. Study participants displayed environmentally friendly behavior in Köprülü Canyon at a higher level than in the other two destinations. The types of activities performed during the journey were considered in recognizing the environment, taking note of environmental problems and acting.
The objective of this paper is to analyse the modalities of practice for winter and summer activities (hiking, ski touring and snowshoeing) in the Massif of Bauges. Modalities of practice are defined ...from several variables such as level, frequency, and motivation. The methodology combined a quantitative method based on a survey with a qualitative method based on semi-structured interviews. From a general standpoint, the profiles of recreational users in the Massif of Bauges are compatible with the previous observations made of those visiting natural areas, and especially of those participating in adventure sports. They are mainly men over 40 years old, who are university graduates and belong to privileged social categories. Results highlight individuals' different usages of the same activity. Also, it is possible to identify an age and gender effect in the structuring of the modalities of practice.
Hiking is a form of green tourism which deserves promotion and popularization, especially in present day China. However, the risks inherent in hiking could have a negative impact on the development ...of hiking tourism. It is important to better understand how people perceive the risks of hiking and what type of experience attributes they prefer. However, no studies have investigated the nature of risk perception from the perspective of hikers. This study explores the dimensions of the perceived risk of hiking and investigates the associated factors of hiking risk perception as well as hiking preference. A questionnaire with 18 items was used to capture people's perception of hiking risks, and two groups of samples were surveyed. Generally, this study identified two dimensions of perceived risk towards hiking based on a sample of hikers, i.e., physical risk and psychological risk. Demographic variables such as gender, upbringing background, and hiking frequency were shown to predict hiking risk perception while gender and hiking frequency predicted route preference. The personality trait of sensation seeking appeared to be a significant predictor of hiking preference. These findings lend themselves to market segmentation and marketing strategies on hiking tourism.
Summer alpine sports, including mountain biking, hiking and airborne pursuits, have experienced a recent surge in popularity. Accordingly, trauma associated with these activities has increased. There ...is a scarcity of literature exploring clinical aspects surrounding injuries. Specifically, no single article provides a general overview, as individual studies tend to focus on one particular sport. In the present study, we performed a systematic literature review to summarize existing knowledge and explore the potential for prevention and clinical decision making in this group.
Literature searches were performed using the PubMed and Scopus database for the most commonly ventured sports associated with injury: mountain biking, climbing, airborne sports, paragliding, and base jumping. From this search, studies were identified for qualitative and quantitative analyses. These searches were done according to PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews. Studies were then analyzed regarding epidemiology of injuries, relevant anatomical considerations and prevention strategies were discussed.
A broad spectrum of injury sites and mechanisms are seen in mountain biking, climbing or airborne sports. Mountain biking related injuries commonly involve the upper extremity, with fractures of the clavicle being the most common injury, followed by fractures of the hand and wrist. Scaphoid fractures remain of paramount importance in a differential diagnosis, given their often subtle clinical and radiological appearance. Paragliding, skydiving, and base jumping particularly affect transition areas of the spine, such as the thoracolumbar and the spinopelvic regions. Lower limb injuries were seen in equal frequency to spinal injuries. Regarding relative risk, mountain biking has the lowest risk for injuries, followed by climbing and airborne sports. Male alpinists are reported to be more susceptible to injuries than female alpinists. Generally, the literature surrounding hiking and water-related mountain sports is insufficient, and further work is required to elucidate injury mechanisms and effective preventative measures. A helmet seems to decrease the likelihood of face and head injuries in mountain sports and be a meaningful preventive measurement.
The soil is a component of geodiversity, a geoheritage element providing knowledge of how the geosphere works and interacts with other Earth subsystems. To promote soil as a geoheritage element, we ...aim to create a geotouristic trail focused on soil, geomorphology, and geoarcheology in the area of Mt. Cusna (Tuscan-Emilian Apennine National Park, Northern Italy), where there is a 20-years long-lasting history of research on geopedology, geoarcheology, and geomorphology. Along existing hiking paths, five soil profiles are identified as sites of potential pedological interest, whereas three more sites are selected to show the geomorphological context of the area and one the geoarcheological evidence. The soil evidence allows for the reconstruction of paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic conditions, and/or retraction of the human impact that has affected the area over time. In order to communicate the information about the geotouristic trail, illustrative panels were prepared for each trail site and underwent a formative evaluation by students attending academic courses in Natural Sciences to improve the offer. Through the trail, it will be possible to enable the visitor to discover the soil concept, which is often poorly known or even underestimated in its scientific and cultural value. Moreover, the cultural opportunities of the Mt. Cusna geosite will be enhanced.
Hiking is a very popular outdoor activity, and has led to an exponential increase in the number of visitors to natural spaces. The objective of this study was to analyze the circulation pattern of ...visitors to the Caminito del Rey trail, based on the three zones into which the trail can be divided. The sample consisted of 1582 hikers distributed into three different profiles. Of these, 126 utilized an eye-tracking device during the hike, while, for the rest (1456), only their travel speed along the trail was recorded. The use of eye tracking devices identified a greater number of interesting landscapes located in zones 1 and 3 of the trail, and it was observed that the mean travel speed was greater for zone 2 (42.31 m/min) (
< 0.01). Additionally, when the three different visitor profiles were analyzed, significant differences were found between the mean travel speeds according to sectors (
< 0.05). This information is crucial for more efficient management of the trail, as it allows for the development of measures to control and regulate the flow of visitors according to zone, and the design of additional strategies to increase the awareness of the hiker about specific areas of the hike.
The use and creation of undesignated recreational trails can lead to erosion, vegetation damage, unsafe trail conditions, and impacts to local wildlife. The mitigation of undesignated trail use is ...typically addressed indirectly through minimum-impact visitor education programs such as Leave No Trace, or directly through closures or sanctions. In this study, researchers collaborated with City of Boulder, Colorado Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) staff to develop a quasi-experimental field study that examined the effectiveness of indirect (messaging) and direct (barriers) management approaches to mitigating undesignated trail use. The study applied a Theory of Planned Behavior framework, utilized Leave No Trace messaging, and employed a method to pair survey and direct observation data. A total of 2232 visitor parties were observed, and 147 surveys were collected. The combined direct (barrier) and indirect (messaging) intervention was the most effective at mitigating undesignated trail use. Implications for management and future research are discussed.
Se propone la organización de una ruta abierta de senderismo en Baja California (bc) que articula las distintas ofertas particulares, algunas vinculadas a Estados Unidos, dentro de la red de caminos ...rurales que unen a bc desde el pie de La Rumorosa, hasta la llegada al Valle de Guadalupe. Se asume que es el contexto transfronterizo el que genera fuentes de demanda, pero también la creciente influencia de los nuevos paradigmas que promueven un desarrollo regional sustentable. La definición de la ruta se basa en un enfoque descriptivo-cualitativo con diferentes instrumentos de recolección de datos, como recorridos, mediciones y cuestionarios. Se detectaron al menos cinco espacios que están atendiendo población extranjera y fronteriza (El Topo, El Sausalito, Bethel, Escuela de Energía Solar, La Ponderosa), cuya promoción dentro de un esquema articulado de negocios sociales puede generar una dinámica de crecimiento regional.
Sound in the landscape is an element of the multisensory experience of the environment. In areas that are naturally valuable and additionally used for tourism, the quality of this element is much ...more important than in urban areas. The aim of the study was to assess the soundscape diversity of mountain trails included in the Crown of the Polish Beskids (Korona Beskidów Polskich). Two methods were used in the study: The first was sound intensity measurement using a sonometer, which provided information on the physical aspect of the landscape. The second method involved recording all sounds divided into two basic categories: anthropogenic and natural. These results made it possible to propose a new method for assessing the naturalness of the soundscape by plotting naturalness curves. In contrast to frequently used survey-based methods, in this method we minimise subjectivity, which is mainly due to the different perceptions of sounds by the assessors. Given how many psychophysical aspects can affect the reception and perception of sounds, the method of naturalness curves allows for a universal assessment of landscape quality. On all the mountain trails surveyed, the average sound intensity values exceeded 40 dB, which the authors considered to be borderline for areas of natural value and recreational use. In the study area, the influence of anthropopression on soundscape formation was found to be diverse and dependent on many factors. However, there was no clear evidence that tourism was the main negative influence. The plotted naturalness curves showed a large variation between trails, but not all trails showed a correlation between this parameter and the number of tourists on the trail.
PDF
