Hiking tourism – motives and behaviours . A case study

Hiking is a physical activity aiming at recreation, training, and physical fitness. As a rule, people are engaged in this activity during vacations. However, very often, hiking is the main motive for travelling. This very fact allows us to refer to hiking as a distinct type of tourism, being the very reason to make a trip. In Greece, both Greeks and foreigners engage in this activity, following one of the two European long-distance footpaths (E4 and E6). This research aims at investigating motives, attitudes and behaviours of Greek hikers, members of the "Friends of Mountain and Sea Club", who undertake hiking tours in Greece and abroad. The research indicates that the main motive the hikers have, are contact with nature, wish to explore new places, and getting to know the civilization of different regions. On the way to their destination, hikers, in addition to hiking, also visit places and monuments of cultural interest. This form of tourism is environment friendly, as the majority of hikers respect and protect the natural and cultural environment.


Introduction
Hiking -walking in nature -is a natural activity aiming at recreation, training, and physical fitness (Britannica, 2020). It often constitutes a significant part of mountaineering and is a prerequisite for other activities such as backpack-camping, hunting, cross-country skiing, orienteering and other recreation activities in nature. Being capable for walking considerable distances without suffering from fatigue also encourages activities such as birdwatching, photography, enjoyment of natural and cultural environment, etc.
Hikers usually seek to undertake this activity during vacationing, in which case, hiking constitutes a recreation activity. However, very often the primary motive of travelling is hiking, thus hiking tourism evolves as a special form of tourism (Dreyer, et al, 2010, in Γούσιος, n.d, p. 3). According to Nordbø, Engilbertsson and Vale (2014, p. 383), hiking tourism is "the outdoor activity related to vacations and includes short or long duration walking tours in natural, cultural and often rural landscapes".
During the last years, long-distance hiking (LDH) has evolved into popular activity and according to Hardiman & Burgin, 2015(in Happ, Hoffmann, & Martin,2021, it is the fastest developing activity in Europe and the USA. In fact, this activity is considered an integral part of adventure tourism (Breedie, 2003, p. 204;Weber, 2001) and sports tourism (Den Breejen, 2007;Lum, Keith, & Scott, 2020). Moreover, activities associated with trekking are considered eco-friendly and are compatible with environment and wildlife conservation (Brockelman & Dearden, 1990). In the Greek institutional framework, hiking falls into agritourism, but also into sports tourism as well as into ecotourism/green tourism (L. 4582/2018).
The changes that take place in modern man's life, distancing from natural environment and living in prisonlike-cities, have led to seeking for activities that combine training and contact with nature (Boulware, 2003;De Oliveira-Matοs et al., 2017). Studies show that hikers are mainly big city inhabitants that seek for original, innovative and authentic experiences (Alberts & Hazen, 2010;Santamarina & Moncusí, 2014;Silverman, 2015).
Thus, the motives for undertaking hiking activity have to do with the need for contact with nature and unpolluted environments, seclusion, peace and tranquillity, escaping from everyday routine (Kastenholz, 2002;Goldenberg et al., 2008;Den Breejen, 2007, p. 1417, attaining and maintaining fitness and good health by taking part in physical activity (Maas & Verheij, 2007;Maas et al., 2006), amelioration of mental health (Hill et al., 2009;Bowler et al., 2010), sporting activity (Pomfret, 2006;Den Breejen, 2007;Rondrigues, et al., 2010;Pomfret, 2011), spiritual experience, quality of life (Seonjeong, et al., 2018, p. 240), recreation (Manfredo et al., 1983), self-development, companionship, etc. According to Prebensen et al., (2015) and Nordbo & Prebensen (2015), hiking is a perfect example of tourists producing or co-creating an experience through both physical and mental participation in hiking experiences. Svarstad (2010) identifies three categories of motives: a) hiking as recreation activity, b) as critique of society, and c) as confirmation of "the sense of belonging", i.e., interconnection with the traditional way of living.
In Europe, hiking is one of the most popular recreation and vacation activities (Lane, 1999). Hikers usually choose their destination depending on the opportunities offered to enjoy this activity. According to studies, in France and Italy, more than 3.000.000 hikers engage in hiking, while, in the United Kingdom, they come to 10.000.000. Actually, it is asserted that more than 30% of the Swedish and 50% British engage in hiking systematically (Kouchener & Lyard 2000). In Germany, hiking is the third most popular recreation activity (41%) after bicycling (59%) and swimming (57%) (Dreyer, et al., 2010, in Γούσιος, n.d, p. 4). In 2019, about 3,31 million Germans, aged > 14 years, stated that they go hiking in their free time several times a month (Koptyug, 2021).
Surveys show that the individuals interested in hiking and mountaineering activities constitute a significant part of adventure tourism market, in both mild and most extreme forms (Loverseed, 1997). According to UNWTO hiking is a popular recreational activity that constitutes a "core tourism product" around the world (UNWTO, 2019).

Conceptual Definition
The study of the related to the subject bibliography revealed several difficulties in the conceptual definition of the terms. According to Nordbø, Engilbertsson and Vale (2014) the word hiking is common in the English language but can be used in different ways such as 'walking', 'trekking', 'rambling', 'strolling' or 'bushwalking'. Hiking and trekking are the usual terms used in international bibliography, but the term walking is also mentioned (e.g., the website of the European Ramblers Association refers to walking). In the Oxford Dictionary, the term trekking is defined as "to make a long or difficult journey, especially on foot" (Oxford Dictionary, 2021). UNWTO argue that walking tourism can include a wide range of products, but its main characteristics are the duration, from a few hours to a week or so and the absence of special skills or physical strengths of participants. Hiking and trekking are also considered as types of walking tourism (UNWTO, 2019). 2021. Fakultet za sport i turizam, Novi Sad, Tims. Acta 15,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] In Greek, the word 'walking' is used for both terms.
In essence, the term trekking denotes the activity of walking in the mountains and presents a higher level of difficulty than hiking, which is simply walking. Hiking is considered an easier activity compared to trekking and mountaineering. Hiking on easy paths (A) refers to a minimum distance of 5-10 km and on terrain with slight incline and lower altitude differences (300-600 m.), while the latter to a distance of 8-12 km and on paths with higher altitude differences (600-1000 m.). In the opinion of Elli Terzoglou, an experienced hiker and president of the Friends of Mountain and Sea Club, hiking is walking in the countryside or in a natural environment, on pre-made hiking trails or footpaths, taking easy and difficult routes with various difficulty levels, the duration being of half to a whole day or overnight, while the point of departure and that of arrival may also be different. Trekking, as regards the level of difficulty, is between hiking and mountaineering. It is a long arduous journey in wild natural environment for multiple days. It can be done off hiking trails or on difficult terrain. It does not necessarily include mountaineering, it is mostly walking, but climbing is often needed in order to reach some points (Healthy Life Festival, 2018). It requires more effort and it is more demanding and challenging than hiking. You either carry your own gear or have someone else do it (i.e. porters). Accommodation might be at mountain shelters, bungalows, tea houses or in tents. There is usually no means of transport in the selected destinations. It is common in large high mountain areas such as in the Himalayas, in India, in the Andes, in the Alps, etc.
The next and most difficult form of hiking is mountaineering, which involves hiking, climbing, or simply walking using technical equipment. You come across different types of terrain-mainly snow, glaciers, ice, naked rock, or just traversing via ferratas -so mountaineers are trained climbers. It is a technical activity used to achieve the hardest before reaching the summit.
In conclusion, hiking requires a combination of fitness and mental discipline. It is often combined with mountainous regions but also with geomorphic formations such as desserts, tropical regions, glaciers, polar regions, marshes, volcanoes, etc., as well as with visits to monuments and cultural destinations.

Hiking in Greece
As hiking activity is becoming more and more popular, hikers seek constantly for new environments and routes.
In support of the activity at European level, the European Ramblers' Association (ERA) has been formed, to which 65 hiking associations with more than 3.000.000 members from 35 European countries belong. ERA was founded in 2004 with the aim of promoting a Europe wide free and easy access to nature, further investment in the development of marked paths and the integration of walkers' interests in planning and legal regulations (ERA-EWV-FERP, 2021). European paths, which are marked with the letter E, constitute long-distance hiking paths that cross the European continents. A path, in order to be classified as a hiking path, it must cross at least 3 countries and be identified/recommended by ERA.
Path marking and maintenance are carried out by the member countries according to the existing legal framework. In certain countries, the corresponding associations are in charge, while in others it is the local authorities, e.g., municipalities or tourist organizations.

The Research
In Greece, there is the Hellenic Federation of to which the questionnaire was sent replied immediately, and some of them forwarded the questionnaire to 18 nonmembers that often participate in the Club. Afterwards, the questionnaires were coded in SPSS, which is also used for the process and the extraction of the following results.

Conclusion
The research that was carried out on the members of the "Friends of Mountain and Sea Club", reveals that they consider hiking a special form of tourism -hiking tourism-with cultural dimension being a significant factor. Thus, a future research has to take into consideration the above-mentioned limitations.

STATEMENT
In their statements, the authors confirmed the absence of any conflict of interest.