Revelation of Nature-minded Travelers: A Study of the Swedish

Abstract

This research delineates the underlying markets of Swedish travelers visiting nature-based destinations in Norway. A total of 2,034 respondents are partitioned into mutually exclusive groups, based on the following four nature-related travel motivations: (1) to experience Norwegian nature, (2) to be active in nature, (3) to travel in a country that takes the environment seriously, and (4) to get close to nature. Consequently, the study reveals three distinct groups: (1) the Hardcore Explorer, (2) the Typical Participant, and (3) the Casual Seeker. All groups noted their most important motivation in this travel is “to experience the beautiful Norwegian nature.” While the Casual Seeker, which represents the smallest cluster, does not regard nature as the main attractor to Norway, the other two clusters are more likely to be motivated by their interest in nature. Relevant discussions and suggestions for future studies are provided in the conclusion.