Trail Runners’ Consumer Profiles: The Landscape Seekers, Sport Devotees, and Eco-Group Travelers

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

This study aims to segment trail runners employing psychographic segmentation, specifically sport commitment, as an understudied variable in sport tourism. The purpose is to identify specific trail runner profiles. An online survey was made available via Facebook through sponsored advertisements in South Africa. The final sample consisted of N = 412 trail runners. Three distinct segments were identified using cluster analysis: landscape seekers, sport devotees, and eco-group travelers. These segments differed significantly regarding the factors influencing their sport commitment, with cluster membership influenced by demographic characteristics, behavioral intentions, and sought-after event attributes. To foster the expansion of trail running events in South Africa, it is imperative to concentrate efforts on enhancing accessibility through diverse routes across varied terrains, implementing comprehensive training programs catering to runners of all levels, and deploying strategic marketing initiatives to raise awareness and participation.