Mid Sweden University

miun.sePublications
Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Financing recreational trails through donations: Testing behavioural theory in mountain biking context
Mid Sweden University, Faculty of Human Sciences, Department of Economics, Geography, Law and Tourism. Dalarna University, Borlänge, Sweden.
2023 (English)In: Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, ISSN 2213-0780, E-ISSN 2213-0799, Vol. 42, article id 100603Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

The funding of recreational trails in publicly accessible nature areas is a prevailing challenge for the development of tourism destinations. In some cases, mandatory fees are neither ideologically nor legally supported, meaning that local stakeholders are reliant on the voluntary contributions of trail users. In light of the motivational barriers and uncertainties that hinder recreationists from donating, we tested behaviourally informed interventions to enhance cooperation in such settings. Specifically, we examined the effect of normative social cues on the share and amount of donations for mountain biking trails by conducting a field experiment in a rural destination in Sweden. Consistent with our predictions and previous studies, we found an increase in both the donation amount and share of donators after the intervention. Additionally, our research shows that the change in behaviour seems to be related to the belief about the donation behaviour of others, which can easily be targeted in policies. These findings imply that voluntary contribution schemes enhanced with normative messages can provide effective funding strategies for recreational nature-based trails. The importance of developing these strategies with regard to the local context is highlighted. Management implications: • Mountain bikers are, to a large extent, willing to contribute financially to the upkeep of trails through donations. Proving information about previous contributions and framing techniques to highlight this norm can further increase the share of contributions. • Contributions of approximately SEK100–120 (€9–11) per visit seem to be the norm for mountain bikers in Rörbäcksnäs. • Stakeholders involved in the management of recreational trails might benefit from making more effort to raise awareness about the possibilities to donate, for example through more channels and displays, and by testing different placements and designs. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2023. Vol. 42, article id 100603
Keywords [en]
Conditional cooperation, Pro-social behaviour, Public good, Right of public access, Social norms, Soft policies
National Category
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-47575DOI: 10.1016/j.jort.2022.100603ISI: 000925661800001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85147380189OAI: oai:DiVA.org:miun-47575DiVA, id: diva2:1736642
Available from: 2023-02-14 Created: 2023-02-14 Last updated: 2025-01-30Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. Pro-Sustainable Consumer Behaviour in Tourism and Hospitality: Drivers, Barriers, and Effective Behavioural Intervention Design
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Pro-Sustainable Consumer Behaviour in Tourism and Hospitality: Drivers, Barriers, and Effective Behavioural Intervention Design
2025 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Amid escalating global sustainability challenges, tourism and hospitality (T&H) has emerged as an important arena for understanding and fostering pro-sustainable consumer behaviour. The hedonic priorities and complexity of decision-making in T&H often exacerbate the gap between stated attitudes and actual pro-sustainable behaviour, which contributes to issues like climate change. However, these contexts also offer opportunities to better understand and influence pro-sustainable behaviour through tailored interventions.

Behavioural interventions like nudges have shown promise in terms of guiding behaviour towards desirable outcomes by modifying decision-making environments based on behavioural economics. However, gaps remain with regard to understanding pro-sustainable behaviours across diverse T&H settings and developing effective interventions that T&H providers can implement to enhance informed consumer choices without compromising their experience.

This thesis addresses these gaps by using a mixed-method field experimental approach to study pro-sustainable behaviour in two distinct T&H contexts: donations for mountain-biking trails in Rörbäcksnäs, Dalarna (Sweden), and climate-friendly food choices in restaurants in the Swedish locations of Sälen, Dalarna, and Stockholm. Each setting involved two field experiments – testing social norms and carbon label interventions – which together constitute four independent papers. This field experimental approach not only provides insights into real-life behavioural processes but also incorporates providers’ perspectives on promoting pro-sustainable options, informing the design of context-relevant interventions.

The findings culminate in a framework that researchers, providers, and policymakers can use to design and test behavioural interventions that foster pro-sustainable consumer behaviour in T&H and other out-of-home consumption domains. Methodologically, this framework emphasises the importance of collaborative design and iterative adaptation of interventions based on field experiments, to effectively bridge theory and practice in T&H sustainability. Theoretically, the research offers new insights into pro-sustainable consumer behaviour, highlighting the significant influence of social norms and contextual factors across diverse T&H settings. Practically, the study stresses the need to align interventions with the context-specific goals of consumer segments, showcasing the value of tailored social norm interventions, carbon labels, and staff engagement in promoting pro-sustainable choices while preserving the overall consumer experience.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sundsvall: Mid Sweden University, 2025. p. 282
Series
Mid Sweden University doctoral thesis, ISSN 1652-893X ; 418
Keywords
sustainable behaviour, behavioural interventions, nudge, field experiments, restaurants, food-choice, mountain-biking, donations, social norms, carbon label
National Category
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:miun:diva-53698 (URN)978-91-89786-97-4 (ISBN)
Public defence
2025-03-07, F234, Kunskapens väg 8, Östersund, 09:30 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Projects
Boosting the sustainable food choice to reduce climate footprint at winter tourism destinationsInnovative business models for sustainable nature based tourism via Gamification and Nudge
Funder
The R&D Fund of the Swedish Tourism & Hospitality Industry (BFUF)Dalarna UniversityRegion Dalarna
Note

At the time of the doctoral defence the following paper was unpublished: paper 4 in manuscript.

Vid tidpunkten för disputationen var följande delarbete opublicerat: delarbete 4 manuskript.

Available from: 2025-01-31 Created: 2025-01-30 Last updated: 2025-01-31Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Other links

Publisher's full textScopus

Authority records

Nowak, Marie

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Nowak, Marie
By organisation
Department of Economics, Geography, Law and Tourism
In the same journal
Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism
Other Social Sciences not elsewhere specified

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

doi
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
urn-nbn
Total: 33 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf