Outdoor recreation, reasons for individuals participation in nature-based sports whitin the province of Antalya

This study aims to research outdoor recreation and investigate the profile of individuals who participate in hiking-trekking, mountaineering and rock climbing within the province of Antalya and the surrounding area. Their reasons for, and the benefits gained by, participating in a particular activity are combined with some demographic variables to determine the participants' profiles. A survey of 420 individuals has been prepared for this purpose during 2010-2011 and breakdown into the following groups:- Hiking (n = 205), Mountaineering (n = 114) and Rock climbing (n = 101). The survey attempts to establish and evaluate the participant?s reasoning for becoming involved in these activities, the perceived benefits, frequency of participation, who they participate with and money spent in any group activities.The results from the survey have been analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 18.0 (SPSS 18.0).In the data evaluation phase the following statistical definitions were used:- frequency (f), percentage (%), mean ( ) and standard deviation (Ss). Normal distribution and homogeneity conditions were not be performed in this study therefore two non- parametric tests, Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance (?) and the Mann-Whitney U (Z) test, were used to analyze the data. The relationship between the demographic variables of the activity participants, their reasons for participation and any benefits gained through participation in the activity was investigated. One Post-Hoc test, the Bonferroni correction test, was used to find out whether the differences observed between the groups was a result of the analysis. The results were evaluated at the level of 0.05 significance.The results from the survey have shown that the majority of participants were single males; the average age of hikers was age=43.8 most of whom were mainly retired and 41.5% of them had monthly incomes of between 1001 to 2000 TL. The group of mountaineers featured many entrepreneurs, an average age of age=40.94 and 30.7% earned between 1001 to 2000 TL. The group of rock climbers had an average age of age = 29.77, the majority of whom were students with incomes between 0 to 1000 TL. In addition to these findings the study also illustrates that the majority of the participants undertook their pastime within a friendship group (presumably because a high level of trust is desirable for these types of outdoor activities), possessed Post Graduate degrees, were non-smokers and did not drink alcohol excessively. The majority of survey participants had less than five years participation in their chosen activity at the time the survey was conducted. Participants who were interested in rock climbing and mountaineering tended to have had some form of formal safety training. The survey has also illustrated that these people were motivated to obtain and use new skills, experience the outdoors and to reduce their stress levels through relaxation. People who participated in rock climbing described themselves as happier, healthier, stronger, more self confident, refreshed and relaxed. Participants in mountaineering and hiking described similar feelings of increased well being. In particular, hiking as an activity which helped them to learn new skills and meet new people.