Trail accreditation as a mechanism to enhance hikers’ confidence during decision making

Abstract

Though regarded as a “soft” adventure activity, the growing popularity of hiking has led to increased documentation of associated risks and unfortunate incidents. Various systems are being used to facilitate adequate trail management to prevent risks, and information provision through accreditation systems provides a means to manage risk perceptions. However, little research has been done on the influence of accreditation systems on consumers’ decision-making and buying behaviour within the adventure tourism context. This study took a quantitative approach to measure the importance of and future intended response towards trail accreditation among a sample of 926 hiking tourists in South Africa. A hypothetical country-wide implementation of a case study accreditation system was presented to respondents. The study indicates safety-related information as one of the key components of an accreditation system. It also demonstrates a link between trustworthy information, accreditation, and future hiking participation through addressing perceptions of risk.