Digitalization of planning and navigating recreational outdoor activities

Effective visitor management requires reaching visitors with fitting information at the right time through the channels they already use. To identify effective communication channels, 410 recreationists were interviewed in north-east Bavaria to determine how they plan and navigate their outdoor activities. Interviews were conducted onsite (38%) as well as through digital media (62%). The study found that the majority of people use digital tools when planning (86%) and navigating (73%) outdoor activities. Additionally, most people (84%) use more than one tool for planning activities, while almost half (48%) use only one tool for navigation. The choice of tools was largely influenced by the planned activity. Trail running (93%), mountain biking (93%), and hiking (84%) were mostly planned using a digital main tool, while sport climbing was mainly planned using an analog main tool (57%), with 87% of sport climbers using printed guidebooks. Age had a smaller effect on tool choice, with 90% of 30-year-olds using a digital main tool for planning outdoor activities compared to 73% of 60-year-olds. The study demonstrates the importance and the diversity of digital tools used for outdoor activities that need to be considered for effective visitor management in tourism as well as nature conservation.