Recreation Specialization and Site Choice Among Vehicle-Based Campers

Recreation specialization theory predicts that individuals will differ in their physical, management, and social setting preferences. Few studies, however, support the hypothesis that individuals choose recreation settings consistent with their level of specialization. This study examined the association between behavioral, cognitive, and affective dimensions of specialization and site choice among vehicle-based campers in Alberta, Canada. Data were collected using on-site interviews and a mail survey. Campers at unmanaged sites (no facilities and services) had higher centrality scores, had greater familiarity with the site and more experience with unmanaged sites, and a higher level of bush skill than campers at managed sites. An ordered multinomial logit model showed that the more familiar individuals were with the site and campground type, the higher the level of bush skill, and the more important and central camping was in an individual's life, the greater the probability of choosing a campground type that required a higher degree of self-reliance and decreased dependence on facilities and services. Higher household income increased the probability of camping at managed sites, suggesting that income might limit the expression of specialization by constraining choice to affordable options.     

Recreation Specialization Among ATV Users and Its Relationship to Environmental Attitudes and Management Preferences on the Island of Newfoundland

The purpose of this study was to identify and document the attitudes, perceptions, and resource management preferences of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) users through the recreation specialization framework. Data were collected on the Burin Peninsula on the south coast of the island portion of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Variables were operationalized using a quantitative survey which generated an 8-item specialization index based on behavioral, cognitive, and affective measures of involvement in ATV riding. Three distinct subgroups of ATV users were identified through K-means cluster analysis. One-way ANOVA tests revealed significant differences across specialization groups. Results document the spectrum of attitudes and management preferences and provide recommendations for outdoor recreation policies that reflect the needs of a wide variety of ATV users.     

Serious Leisure and Recreation Specialization: An Uneasy Marriage

A case is made to wed research on serious leisure and recreation specialization. Before such a marriage can occur, the strengths and differences of the two perspectives must be examined. In this article, four important contributions of the recreation specialization are put forward that will further our understanding of serious leisure and intense forms of leisure. These are (1) there is diversity among participants involved in the same leisure activity, (2) we can quantify recreation specialization and serious leisure, (3) there are gradations of seriousness and specialization, and (4) there are practical applications of understanding that participants vary along a specialization continuum.     

Examining the Relationship Between Motivation,Enduring Involvement and Volunteer Experience: The Case of Outdoor Recreation Voluntary Associations

Voluntary associations representing numerous types of recreation users and environmental issues have recently flourished. However, the literature has not sufficiently studied these associations and their members’ experiences. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of enduring involvement as mediator and moderator on the relationship between membership motivation and volunteer experience of outdoor recreation voluntary associations (ORVAs). Data were collected from an on-line survey of members of three ORVAs in Texas (n = 315). Six distinct dimensions of membership motivation and three dimensions of involvement were identified. Results indicated that enduring involvement fully mediated the relationship between membership motivation and volunteer experience. Members that are motivated to join ORVAs for social networking, civic engagement, and self-enhancement reasons had more volunteer experience through enhanced enduring involvement levels. The moderator effect of enduring involvement was also significant. The association between membership motivation and volunteer experience was stronger as involvement level increased.     

Recreation research and planning in the federal republic of Germany: A commentary

Abstract

German recreation planning is strongly oriented toward the maintenance and provision of outdoor recreation areas. The rapidly growing consumption of outdoor recreation activities within a densely populated area has led to refined procedures of evaluating landuse potential and distributing outdoor facilities within environmental constraints. One such procedure is the use of attractivity models. Such models utilize a matrix of social, aesthetic, physical, and infrastructure attributes to arrive at a ranking of attractivity for given landscapes. The rankings are the basis of general landuse decisions and outdoor recreation investment procedures.     

A decade of injury monitoring in the New Zealand adventure tourism sector: A summary risk analysis

Adventure tourism safety has received relatively little research attention despite the level of risk inherent in many adventure activities. In New Zealand, an absence of surveillance or monitoring of injury in the adventure sector has had important implications for the management of tourist safety. A series of studies conducted by the authors between 1996 and 2006 have sought to address this knowledge gap, with the aim of identifying the extent and nature of adventure tourism injury using a range of primary and secondary data sources. The paper reports on findings from a summary risk analysis of these studies, including evidence for the scale of the adventure tourism injury problem, and ranking of degree of risk for a range of factors for safety in adventure tourism participation. A conceptual model to assist risk management in the adventure sector is presented, and implications of findings for management and the adventure sector are discussed.     

Weather Studies in Outdoor Recreation and Nature-Based Tourism: A Research Synthesis and Gap Analysis

ABSTRACT

The impact of weather on outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism has received increasing attention from the research community during the past ten years. This article synthesizes the results of those inquiries, categorizing their predominant themes and identifying knowledge gaps. One hundred eighty-four weather-related articles drawn from a cross-section of international journals served as the foundation for this work. The research synthesis identified three recurring themes: weather-related variables that influence outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism, the importance of geographic research context, and prevailing activity types. A gap analysis indicated an abundance of underinvestigated topics in weather-related studies in outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism. The article concludes with recommendations for future weather-related studies in outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism developed from the predominant themes uncovered in the research synthesis and research needs discovered in the gap analysis.     

Modeling Daily Outdoor Recreation Participation and Time-Use as a Two-Stage Choice Process: A Finnish Example

This study examines the determinants of daily participation and time-use in nature-based outdoor recreation among the Finnish population, comparing frequently used modeling methods. Using an original time diary dataset, results show that daily participation decision is mainly influenced by age, dog ownership, potential unemployment and timing of the day (weekend vs. weekday, summer vs. autumn), whereas the main determinants for the daily time-use are age, timing of the day, gender and province. Results indicate that a simple two-part model (probit and OLS) is an appropriate approach for modeling the daily decision process concerning nature-based recreation behavior.     

Market Segmentation of International Tourists Based on Motivation to Travel: A Case Study of Taiwan

Tourism represents a principal sector of the economy of Taiwan. Consequently, the government is currently focusing on developing the country as a major tourist destination in Asia. Thus, the primary aims of this research were to explore factors related to tourists’ motivations to visit Taiwan as well as the demographic segmentation of these foreign tourists. Using a convenience sample, 249 surveys were collected and analyzed. The results show that five push (enlightenment and reputation; unusual and affection; freedom; interpersonal communication and sharing; and family and friends relationship) and six pull factors (attitude and quality of service; cost, shopping, and tasting; diverse attraction; culture connections; sport facilities, wildlife and events; and accessibility) play important roles in the motivations of foreign tourists. Furthermore, foreign tourists can be clustered into five groups based on motivation (scenery/knowledge seekers, accessibility/expenditure seekers, relaxation/relation seekers, novelty/experience seekers, sport/service seekers) and five demographic groups (gender, age, marital status, nationality, and income). According to these results, suggestions are made as to how Taiwan could effectively develop tourism policies and marketing strategies to attract international tourists.     

Employee Motivation and Organizational Commitment: A Comparison of Tipped and Nontipped Restaurant Employees

This study explores motivational and organizational commitment factors of tipped and nontipped restaurant employees when differentiated by gender. The data collected from employees of a nationally-known, branded restaurant chain was analyzed using the ANOVA procedure in an effort to determine if significant differences existed between the tipped and nontipped employees relative to their level of motivation and organizational commitment. The results show that limited differences do exist for certain motivational factors and organizational commitment factors when employees were differentiated by tipped versus nontipped employee status and by gender. The study concludes by offering management implications and suggestions for future research relative to implementing operational systems, policies, and procedures that attend to restaurant employee classification difference as well as gender preference.     

饮食旅游动机对游客满意度和行为意向的影响研究

饮食旅游是近年来发展最快的旅游类型之一,但有关游客动机和行为的研究却很少.文章构建结构方程模型,剖析饮食旅游的推动和拉动动机要素,明确旅游动机对游客满意度和行为意向的作用机制.在澳门进行问卷调查获得368个有效样本后,检验假设模型,发现饮食旅游的推动动机为休闲放松、饮食猎奇和文化探索,拉动动机包括饮食产品和配套服务;休闲放松、文化探索和饮食产品对满意度有正向影响,饮食猎奇要素对行为意向有正向影响.文章从供求两方面明确了饮食旅游的参与原因及其后续效应,为发展饮食旅游、提升游客满意度和忠诚度提供了指导.     

Environmental Management Systems in Outdoor Recreation: A Case Study of a Forest Enterprise (UK) Site

Management of environmental impacts is a key requisite to achieve sustainable tourism and recreation; and Environmental Management Systems (EMSs) provide the framework to assess, plan, act upon, control and monitor environmental management and performance. Although a large proportion of tourism and recreation sites would be in a position to work towards an EMS, few of them are aware of what they need to do to implement such systems. This case study analyses to what extent the elements of an EMS are present in the current management of a Forest Enterprise site in the UK providing outdoor recreation, promoting nature conservation and producing timber. This paper demonstrates how an EMS can be applied to put a structure to the management of a multi-purpose site, and concludes that this site, representative of other Forest Enterprise sites, can meet the basic demands of an EMS.     

Motivations of adventure recreation in an emerging market: scale development and an empirical study on mainland Chinese enthusiasts

China has been recognized as one of the world’s largest tourism markets. However, relatively little attention has been given to this market as potential sources of adventure recreation (AR). Based on in-depth interviews of 31 AR enthusiasts, a pilot online study, and a final survey of 202 Chinese AR enthusiasts, an AR Participating Motivation Scale (PMS) for the Chinese market was developed for the first time and five distinctive motivation factors were identified. The similarities and differences between Chinese and Western AR motivation were discussed. It is hoped to highlight a useful approach to understand Chinese enthusiasts’ diverse psychological demand.     

Gangs of Chicago: Perceptions of Crime and its Effect on the Recreation Behavior of Latino Residents in Urban Communities

Perception of safety is an important factor affecting the leisure behavior of Latinos residing in urban neighborhoods. Yet research on how fear of crime and fear of gangs in particular affect leisure of ethnic and racial minorities is underdeveloped. The objectives of this study are to examine how gangs operate in recreation spaces in Latino neighborhoods, how gangs affect the use of outdoor recreation environments and how Latinos respond to these issues. The study is based on focus groups conducted with Latino residents in Chicago. Findings indicate gang members are almost constantly present in parks, which serve as spaces for drug use and distribution. Moreover, gangs operate in other areas of the neighborhood making it unsafe to access parks. Participants employ strategies to address the gang problem including avoidance, protective and collective behaviors.     

旅游劳工职业转换动力实证分析--以九华山为例

学术界一直以来对旅游劳工在产业内部流动的研究较少,旅游职业具有门槛低、类型多、自控性强以及更易建立小生意等积极特性,在伴随旅游地经济快速增长的同时,吸引了大量本地和外地劳工从其他产业部门转移到旅游行业中来,带动了人力资本在产业间的流动.本文以九华山旅游劳工为实证研究对象,探讨了九华山旅游劳工职业转换的动力结构,动机变量的因子分析结果证实了假设的五个因子方向,增加收入和建立小生意成为企业主是九华山旅游劳工转移的首要动因.     

Motivation,Participation, and Preference: A Multi-Segmentation Approach of the Australian Nature Travel Market

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a typology of nature travelers based on their motivations, activity participation, and destination preferences. A secondary analysis from the Pleasure Travel Market Survey for Australia (1994) was used. The results indicated that the proposed ‘motivation-participation-preference’ multi-segmentation bases could classify Australian nature travel market into six segments. They were ‘Physical Challenge Seekers,’ ‘Family Vacationers,’ ‘Culture & Entertainment Seekers,’ ‘Nature Tourists,’ ‘Escape & Relax Vacationers,’ and ‘Indifferent Travelers.’ Travelers among groups exhibited significant differences in terms of their so-ciodemographics, trip-related characteristics, and travel philosophies. Implications of the findings are discussed.     

Perceived Parental Control,Restructuring Ability,and Leisure Motivation: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

ABSTRACT

Leisure is viewed worldwide as an important developmental context for adolescents. As leisure research and programs are shared across nations, it is crucial to examine the cultural equivalence of leisure-related constructs and how they are related. Grounded in self-determination theory, this study explored the influence of perceived parental control and leisure restructuring ability on leisure motivation (amotivation and autonomous motivation) using samples of eighth grade adolescents in the United States and South Africa. Results of multiple-group structural equation modeling showed that the measurement model of the constructs was equivalent across the two samples, but the determinants of leisure motivation differed between the two samples. The findings provide implications for future cross-cultural research in leisure and offer insights on design and adaptation of leisure-based intervention and education programs in different cultural contexts.     

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.     

Combination of Theory of Planned Behavior and Motivation: An Exploratory Study of Potential Beach-based Resorts in Vietnam

The decision-making process of travel destination choice is very complex. Understanding why people travel and what factors influence tourists' travel intentions has been paid much attention by tourism scholars. This study attempted to examine the predictive power of theory of planned behavior (TPB) with the addition of past behavior and travel motivation in predicting behavioral intention of choosing a beach-based resort in Vietnam. Data were collected in three cities in both northern and southern Vietnam from the end of January to post-middle of March 2010 with the participation of 327 international tourists. In general, the results aligned with previous studies which supported the applicability of the TPB model. Attitude and subjective norm but not perceived behavioral control was found to have made a made a significant contribution to the prediction of intention. The findings also indicated both extension factors had considerable impact on behavioral intention of choosing a beach-based resort in Vietnam. Implications and suggestions for future studies were also provided in the last part of the study.