Sport destination development—insights from alpine hikers

Abstract Nature-based-sports activities and hiking as a current trend have already been the focus of the management of sport destination development. However, there is a lack of research on what makes sport destinations attractive for hikers and how these aspects form destination attachment. This study thus contributes to previous research by examining hikers’ perceptions of factors relating to destination attractiveness and attachment of hiking destinations and by considering hikers’ destination-based emotions as an underlying mechanism. Two qualitative studies following an exploratory perspective show that scenery, amenities and sustainability are most relevant for a hiking destination’s attractiveness and attachment. The quantitative study confirms these factors being important for destination attractiveness and development and further shows that attractiveness drives hikers’ destination-based emotions and resultant destination attachment. Overall, this study contributes to the literature by considering sustainability scenery as relevant for attractive destination development. Resultant outcomes encourage hiking destinations to develop specific products for hikers and consider their needs in terms of nature-based and sustainable hiking products.