Environmentalism and Tourism Preferences: A Study of Outdoor Recreationists in Sweden

This article explores the linkages between nature-based recreation and preferences of individuals classified as "environmentalists". Following an overview of the literature, this paper reports on an empirical investigation of the nature-based recreation vs. environmentalism nexus using dat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scandinavian journal of hospitality and tourism 2011-06, Vol.11 (2), p.190-204
Main Authors: Wolf-Watz, Daniel, Sandell, Klas, Fredman, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
"friluftsliv"
Business and economics
ecotourism
Ekonomi
environmental concern
Human geography
Human geography, economic geography
Kulturgeografi
Kulturgeografi, ekonomisk geografi
Outdoor activities
SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP
SOCIAL SCIENCES
sustainable development
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Summary:This article explores the linkages between nature-based recreation and preferences of individuals classified as "environmentalists". Following an overview of the literature, this paper reports on an empirical investigation of the nature-based recreation vs. environmentalism nexus using data from a national Swedish survey. Study findings show that environmentalists (environmentally-oriented individuals) behave differently in terms of their recreation-related preferences when compared to non-environmentalists. Environmentalists prefer outdoor activities with little or no impact on the environment as demonstrated, for example, by their avoidance of extractive (e.g. hunting) and motorized activities (e.g. snowmobiling). Despite these differences, the findings were inconsistent in that while environmentalists avoid some extractive and motorized activities, other similar activities were not avoided. Thus, the results question the use of simplistic recreational classification systems for the understanding of activity preferences and the authors call for more in-depth, qualitative research to further understand the nature-based recreation choices of environmentalists. Study findings also show that environmentally-oriented individuals do not hesitate to travel away from residential areas for participation in nature-based recreation. Therefore, this paper helps us to understand which nature-based activities environmentalists demand and can provide a more informed basis for tourism planning and management.
ISSN:1502-2250
1502-2269
1502-2269
DOI:10.1080/15022250.2011.583066