engleski

Trail running and trekking activities with potential for development of sports tourism.

The aim of this study was to identify and explain the reasons of growing popularity of trail running and trekkingas recreational activities and to explain increasing interest for these sports. The primary aim was to identify themotivation for participation in trail running and trekking, benefits of those activities, participants’ personalexperiences and to determine differences in listed parameters between men and women trail runners and trekkerand analyse whether trail running and trekking population has interest in other sports. This study included 246participants, 96 of which were women and 150 were men. They filled out an anonymous 21-item questionnaireduring a period of 3 months. The results indicate that the primary motives for practicing trail running and trekkingare entertainment and socializing. Differences between men and women were most prominent in theircompetitive interests ; there were more men than women who participated in these sports from competitiveinitiative. After being exposed to stressful situations at work, existential issues and unhealthy environment, goingto nature and being there in a physically active way provides recovery for modern man. Along with physicalrecovery, socializing with people who are in the same quest for recovery brings multiple benefits. The numbersshow growth and popularization of trail running and trekking in Croatia and in the world. Croatia with itsgeographical position, natural resources and diversity has the ambition and the possibility to become an importantdestination for outdoor tourism, and the tourist season can be expanded from three months to almost all yearround. Investing in this type of recreation promotes the destination and can help to reach the target population.

rail running ; trekking ; recreation

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