From tents and maps to vans and apps: Exploring camping mobilities

Abstract

Mobile camping in a tent or vehicle is an increasingly popular way for tourists to experience place and movement as part of their leisure travel. Allowing tourists to save money, stay close to attractions, and maximise flexibility in their travel, camping provides a convenient accommodation option for domestic and international tourists alike. In the past, camping research has often been conceptualised using theories related to place. Contemporary camping can be interpreted as increasingly mobile in both the movement of people and information, which complements traditional conceptualisations of camping in the literature and in management approaches. Through 17 exploratory qualitative interviews with camping managers in the Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts of New Zealand, this research considered camping manager perspectives on the increasing mobility of camping in New Zealand. Qualitative analysis of these interviews, using Cresswell’s mobilities concepts as a framework, revealed a dynamic camping landscape inextricably enmeshed with complex political meanings about campers and movement. The findings allow the characterisation of campers as Self-Sufficient Spenders, Basic Budgeters, and Kiwi Classics—each representing distinct profiles in relation to mobilities notions of rhythm and speed. Subsequently, we suggest that the increasing mobility of camping needs to be acknowledged both in management approaches and future conceptualisations of camping.

摘要

在帐篷或汽车里露营是一种越来越受欢迎的方式, 游客可以通过这种方式来体验地方和移动, 这是他们休闲旅行的一部分。露营既省钱, 又离景点近, 还能最大限度地提高旅行的灵活性, 为国内外游客提供了方便的住宿选择。在过去, 露营研究通常是用与地方相关的理论进行概念化的。当代露营可以解释为在人员和信息的移动中更具流动性, 这补充了露营文献与露营管理方法中对露营的传统概念。通过对新西兰麦肯齐区和怀塔基区的露营经理进行17次探索的定性访谈, 本研究考虑了露营经理对新西兰露营日趋流动性的看法。本文采用克雷斯维尔（Cresswell） 2010年的移动性概念为框架, 对这些访谈进行定性分析, 揭示出一个动态的露营景观, 与露营车与移动的复杂政治含义密不可分。研究结果允许将露营者概括为自给自足的消费者、基本预算者和新西兰经典款——每一种都代表了与移动节奏和速度概念相关的不同特征。随后, 我们建议, 在管理方法和未来的露营概念方面, 露营的流动性需要得到承认。

Keywords:

• Camping
• freedom camping
• mobile camping
• tourism
• outdoor recreation
• mobilities
• qualitative interviews
• New Zealand

关键词:

• 露营
• 自由露营
• 移动露营
• 旅游
• 户外游憩
• 移动性
• 定性访谈
• 新西兰

Acknowledgments

The research team would like to thank the Centre of Excellence for funding and supporting this project, Dr Michael Mackay for his input in the early stages of the research, and the participants who were involved in the research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 A New Zealand standard which certifies that a vehicle meets the sanitary and ablutionary needs of its occupants for a minimum of three days (Standards New Zealand, 2011).

2 Bach (pronounced ‘batch’) is a commonly-used term in New Zealand to describe a small holiday home.

3 A public holiday weekend which occurs in October, towards the end of spring in New Zealand.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Lincoln University Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism in Regions, Landscapes and Communities.

Notes on contributors

Niamh Espiner

Niamh Espiner was the Lincoln University Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism scholar in 2019 and is a recent graduate of a Masters degree at Lincoln University. Her research focusses on meanings and experiences of camping in New Zealand.

Emma J. Stewart

Emma Stewart is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Environment, Society and Design at Lincoln University with an interest in human dimensions of climate change in alpine and polar environments.

Helen Fitt

Helen Fitt is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Faculty of Environment, Society and Design at Lincoln University. Her research focusses on the social meanings of transport, particularly in relation to sustainable and alternative forms of transport.

Shannon Page

Shannon Page is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Environment, Society and Design at Lincoln University with an interest in the environmental impacts of transport.

Stephen Espiner

Stephen Espiner is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Environment, Society and Design at Lincoln University. His research focuses on the human dimensions of protected natural area management, with reference to nature-based recreation and tourism and visitor management issues.