Identification and Prediction of Latent Classes of Hikers Based on Specialization and Place Attachment

Hwasung Song, Alan R. Graefe, Kyungmin Kim and Chanyul Park
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Hwasung Song: Department of Finance and Economy, Suwon Research Institute, Suwon 16829, Korea
Alan R. Graefe: Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
Kyungmin Kim: Department of Gerontology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA 02125, USA
Chanyul Park: Department of Economics, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Seoul 02540, Korea

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to extend previous research by combining the specialization and place attachment concepts. Applying a latent profile analysis (LPA) to data from hikers on the Olle Trail of Jeju Island in South Korea ( N = 428), we classified hikers who share similar profiles based on multiple dimensions of specialization and place attachment, and examined correlates of the derived typologies for drawing managerial implications. We also explored associations between these typologies and outcome variables of hikers. LPA identified three subgroups: “novice” (38%), “affection-driven” (40%), and “expert” (22%). The findings indicated that these groups differed in their past experience and socio-demographic characteristics, such that the “affection-driven” and “expert” groups have more experience in the setting than the “novice” group. These typologies also showed significant associations with hikers’ satisfaction and revisit intention; thus, “novice” hikers tended to be less satisfied with their hiking and the setting. Furthermore, the “novice” group reported lower intention to revisit the setting. Our findings reveal that LPA can be a useful tool for identifying subgroups of individuals who have engaged in particular sets of strategies by incorporating multiple activity-place dimensions.

Keywords: hiking; specialization; place attachment; typology; latent profile analysis (LPA); Olle Trail; Jeju Island; Korea; satisfaction; revisit intention (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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