Recreation Specialization Among New Zealand River Recreation Users: A Multiactivity Study of Motivation and Site Preference

Abstract

This study explored the influence of specialization and activity on motivation to participate and site preference among three activities: whitewater kayaking, multisport racing, and fishing. Subjects consisted of 270 river-based recreationists in New Zealand. MANOVA results indicate a moderate effect for activity on motives to participate and site preference and a weak effect for specialization. Inter-activity motivation and site preference differences reveal similarity between whitewater kayaking and multisport and distinct differences between these and fishing. In these data, the distinctive nature of the activity provides greater explanatory power for motivation to participate and site preference than does the specialization construct.

Keywords:

• motivation
• recreation specialization
• site preferences

Acknowledgments

This study was conducted with funding from Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) as part of a national survey of river-based recreation. A summary report on the project can be obtained from: http://www.sparc.org.nz/research-policy/research-/research-grants/awarded-grants#april07