Social Values versus Interpersonal Conflict among Hikers and Mountain Bikers

Conflict has traditionally been defined in terms of goal interference (interpersonal conflict) where the physical presence of one individual or group interferes with the goals of another individual or group. Recent research has identified social values differences as an alternative explanation for conflict. Social values conflict can occur between users with different beliefs and values, even if there is no contact between them. This article builds on this conceptual distinction by examining social values and interpersonal conflict reported by hikers (n = 210), mountain bikers (n = 163), and those who participate in both activities (n = 400). Data for this article were obtained from onsite surveys. Respondents evaluated unacceptable behaviors associated with hiking and mountain biking. Across all three groups, less conflict was reported for hiking than for mountain biking. To the extent that conflict did exist for hiking, mountain bikers and dual-sport participants were more likely than hikers to report unacceptable behaviors. For evaluations of mountain biking behavior, hikers were more likely than mountain bikers to experience conflict, whereas dual-sport participants fell in between these two extremes. All three groups reported more interpersonal than social values conflict.     

Mountain bike tourism in Austria and the Alpine region – towards a sustainable model for multi-stakeholder product development

This paper interrogates the polarized and heated discussions about mountain bike tourism in Austrian forests, with several organizations favoring permitting biking on all forest roads, using claimed tourism development opportunities, while other stakeholders including hikers, hunters and landowners wish to restrict development. An international literature review on the value and impacts of mountain biking shows that both sides have oversimplified complex cases. The paper draws on 12 in-depth interviews with Austrian tourism destination and mountain bike experts to find ways forward. Results suggest that in Austria, bike tourism will increase in the future, supported by new bike technology, including electric bikes and new hand-held route information technology. It notes the complexity of the market for mountain and other forms of cycle tourism, and the pressing need to create not more trails but more sophisticated tourism products, including appealing and well-maintained trails plus attractive leisure infrastructure (bike rental, service and repair facilities, attractive localities, accommodation suited to the mountain bikers’ needs, etc.). Collaborative planning with all stakeholders, better trail construction standards adapted to differing preferences, needs and environmental conditions as well as clear standards for monitoring are prerequisites of an Austrian strategy for sustainable cycle tourism development and management, which can be replicated elsewhere.     

Local Planning for Recreation and Tourism: A Case Study of Mountain Biking from New Zealand's Manawatu Region

At the local level, planning for recreation and tourism is not necessarily a straight forward process. Local policy makers may be unable to reflect the complexity of the planning process, particularly when it should consider a variety of views representing different stakeholders. In addition, those involved in planning for recreation and tourism have often treated such activities in isolation from other factors which make up the social, environmental and economic fabric of a region. One of the reasons for this may belack of data, and the research in this article seeksto redress a similarlack in relation to mountain biking in the Manawatu Region of New Zealand. The recent increase in the number of mountain bikers world-wide has prompted studies in the USA and New Zealand, which have indicated a growing concern with environmental impacts, demonstrated attitudes of other recreationalists to mountain bikers and identified a number of management issues. This article presents research conducted in association with the Palmerston North City Council. It suggests that planning for recreation and tourism is often an ad hoc and reactive process and recommends the adoption of a more iterative approach.     

Ibiza dances to the rhythm of pedals: The motivations of mountain biking tourists competing in sporting events

Renowned worldwide for its nightlife, Ibiza has been diversifying its portfolio of tourism products by actively committing to sports tourism. The primary objective of this study is to explore the profile of the mountain bikers participating in the 2016 IBIZA BTT, a medium-sized international sporting event, taking place in the Balearic Islands, Spain. The study addresses the analysis of visitor motivations. A sample of participants (n = 499) was segmented using cluster analysis to explore the differences between segments in terms of sociodemographic and behavioral variables. A factor analysis revealed four motivational dimensions: physiological-sensory, utilitarian purposes, hedonic and previous experience. The average values indicated that route signage, good weather, and the cost of the trip were the main motivations. The cluster analysis resulted in three groups of cyclists: multipurpose seekers, utility-prestige and sensory seekers. In order to refine the group profiles, they were crossed with socio-economic and behavioral variables.     

Examining the Differential Impact of Human Crowding Versus Spatial Crowding on Visitor Satisfaction at a Festival

Human crowding at a festival can affect visitor satisfaction differently to spatial crowding. Festival visitors perceive human crowding as a situation in which the festival is full of people. Spatial crowding, on the other hand, is perceived as restricting movement. We hypothesized that human crowding affects visitor satisfaction in a positive way (by increasing positive affect and decreasing negative affect), whereas spatial crowding affects visitor satisfaction in a negative way (by decreasing positive affect and increasing negative affect). We tested these hypotheses using data collected through an on-site survey at the 2012 Seoul Lantern Festival in South Korea: 423 visitors attending the festival completed the survey. The survey results supported the hypotheses. Managerial implications of the findings are also discussed.     

Monitoring visitors to natural areas in wintertime: issues in counter accuracy

The sustainable management of vulnerable natural areas requires accurate measurement of visitor flows, especially in mountain and protected areas. Pyroelectric sensors that detect the heat radiation emitted by human bodies are now commonly used in many regions, including Scandinavia and the UK, to count pedestrian traffic in both urban and natural areas. We used four different tests to investigate pyroelectric counters’ accuracy in mountain winter conditions. Air temperature, distance to sensor, visitor clothing and visitor volume were all found to affect counter error rates. For tests within moderate winter temperatures (between 0°C and ?18°C) counters reported within manufacturer's claimed accuracy at 5% for 2 m range, but for ?21°C and below visitor numbers were over reported by 10.9%. Counter accuracy was generally unaffected by visitor clothing within 2 m of the sensor, but at a 4 m distance counters frequently failed to detect individuals in insulating down jackets more than fleece jackets. Counter error rates were slightly higher in outdoor than indoor tests, but still accurate within 5%. Error rates increased with increasing visitor traffic. The findings provide methodological implications for researchers and managers using automated visitor counters to estimate wintertime visitor use in mountain areas.     

Identifying spatial overlap in the values of locals,domestic- and international tourists to protected areas

Nature-based tourism is increasingly encouraged to support local socioeconomic development in and around protected areas, but managing protected areas for tourism could challenge existing park uses associated with self-organized outdoor recreation and local resource use. We used a web-based Public Participatory Geographic Information System (PPGIS) to identify the most important places and values of local, domestic, and international visitors to Jotunheimen National Park and Utladalen Protected Landscape in Norway. Scenic and recreation values were prioritized by all groups, but local users mapped more values relating to hunting, fishing, gathering and cultural identity. While the three user groups overlapped in some places, we found that they self-segregated to some extent. Our study affirms the importance of spatially explicit analyses to support protected area management. Understanding the spatial distribution of values held by different user groups can aid in designing tourism management strategies that minimize intergroup conflict.     

Integrating agroecology and sustainable tourism: applying geodesign to farm management in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

In Aotearoa New Zealand, Māori land is frequently owned by local communities and managed by trusts. For such arrangements on rural holdings, land managers often wish both to provide for their communities and implement agricultural management practices in a culturally responsive manner. Agroecology offers an alternative model of land management and provides opportunities for the development of visitor programmes to learn about and observe traditional practices. This paper reports on the integration of agroecology and tourism on a working farm in Te Wai Pounamu South Island, Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme successfully applied spatial analysis in a geographical information system (GIS) within an iterative geodesign framework to plan a route for visitor access across the farm, with suitable areas identified for information platforms located strategically along the way. These agritourism related features were visually communicated through maps generated by the GIS. Such visualisation makes the possible consequences of change more accessible and understandable to decision makers. As well as satisfying the need to verify the approach empirically, there are plans underway to apply GIS in this way to other similarly managed farms in Aotearoa New Zealand.

• Highlights:

• Iterative geodesign approach used to evolve sites for access paths and information platforms

• Approach is of public interest, hence the need for planning farm access facilities for tourists

• Agroecology-based plan for managing a traditionally run farm in Aotearoa New Zealand

• Local cultural values addressed by GIS for positive environmental and economic impact

     

Mega-Events and Conflict: The Case of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics

This study investigated the conflict structure in the 2018 mega-event of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Conflict theory was used as the main theoretical underpinning of the mega-event. A survey was conducted to collect the data. The participants were individuals over the age of 20 who resided in Gangwon Province. This study analyzed the data using confirmatory factor analysis, a correlation matrix, and path analysis. The results suggested that conflicts were caused by negative perceptions of the impact of the mega-event. In addition, the conflicts could be classified into conflicts of interest and conflicts of values. This research demonstrated that the conflicts influenced residents’ negative attitudes. In particular, the strongest influences were exerted by environmental perceptions and conflicts of values. These results can be regarded as baseline data when staging events or establishing related policies, as they present specific information about the causes, types, and outcomes of conflicts.     

The Application of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Sustainable Tourism Planning: A Review

Decision-making in tourism development and planning is becoming increasingly complex as organisations and communities have to come to terms with the competing economic, social and environmental demands of sustainable development. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) can be regarded as providing a tool box of techniques and technologies of wide applicability to the achievement of sustainable tourism development. Spatial (environmental) data can be used to explore conflicts, examine impacts and assist decision-making. Impact assessment and simulation are increasingly important in tourism development, and GIS can play a role in auditing environmental conditions, examining the suitability of locations for proposed developments, identifying conflicting interests and modelling relationships. Systematic evaluation of environmental impact is often hindered by information deficiencies but also tools for data integration, manipulation, visualisation and analysis. GIS seems particularly suited to this task. This paper examines the progress tourism related organisations are making towards the utilisation of GIS and its integration with the principles of sustainable development in the UK.