Abstract

This study was performed to identify the tendency and benefits of outdoor recreation in rural areas. The preferences and importance of the benefits of outdoor recreation activities in rural areas were simultaneously compared and analyzed through the discussion of a four quadrants portfolio map using importance-performance analysis. The social benefits in quadrant i had the characteristics of 'sharing nice experiences with others', 'having contact/interchange with others', 'colleagueship/helping each other', 'being together with friends', and 'making new friends.' These social benefit types were perceived as very important characteristics, but the real level of achievement was rather low. Thus it seems necessary, in the process of program development, to apply the social benefit types to the characteristics of the participants. The experience of nature and relaxation benefits in quadrant ii had the characteristics of 'relaxation and recreation', 'understanding nature', 'nature experience', 'getting away from everyday life', and 'experiencing new things.' These benefits and experience of nature were regarded as very important characteristics by the participants in outdoor recreation and, at the same time, their real achievements were highly recognized, thus they seemed to be proper types for the goals involved in developing an outdoor recreation activity program in rural areas. The personal and challenge benefits in quadrant iv had the characteristics of 'training of mental ability', 'improvement of self-esteem', 'fitness', 'increase in determination', 'possible danger', 'achievement', 'excitement', and 'adventure.' These benefits had less importance to the participants, but had relatively high achievement, thus it might be important to make further suggestions for the direction of development according to the participants' tendency, seasons and facilities.

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