Social networks and hiking: A comparative study from Iceland, Spain and Sweden

The use of social networks in the practice of hiking has undergone an exponential increase. This surge has generated new realities that have changed outdoor sports, creating new challenges and opportunities for managers of the outdoor activities industry. The present study shows new interactions that are generated at the intersection of the use of social networks and hiking from a quantitative perspective. A total of 560 hikers were surveyed in three prominent hiking destinations: Fullufjallet National Park (Sweden), Laugavegur Trail (Iceland) and Valles Occidentales Natural Park (Spain). The results obtained reveal new insights to the field of hiking in nature. First, Instagram has positioned itself as the social network par excellence in the field of hiking among young people. Second, that most of the functionalities used during hiking are closely related to the social aspect which can be understood through uses and gratification theory. The practical implications of this research have a direct impact both on the supervision of public and natural areas in terms of visitor management, as well as in the field of the outdoor activities industry with the aim of using social networks as an element to better adjust the supply of activities among practitioners.