Who is wild enough to hike a wilderness trail?

Abstract

Wilderness trails differ from other hiking trails in South Africa in that there are more risks involved. These types of trials are also becoming more popular. The purpose of this study is to 1) identify the motives of wilderness hikers in Kruger National Park (KNP), 2) cluster wilderness hikers based on their motives, and 3) identify key management aspects that contribute to a high quality wilderness hiking experience. Results indicated that wilderness hiking is a niche market and that there are different clusters of wilderness hikers. Hikers were asked to evaluate the critical success factors that contribute towards a memorable hiking experience. From the memorable experience factors, six factors for developing and managing wilderness trails were identified, and the paper proposes a 3A-typology of wilderness hikers, namely admirers, adventurers and amateurs. The significance of this research supports the importance of market segmentation of the nature tourist as well as the importance of recreational activities within protected areas, which, if managed correctly, create a memorable visitor experience.