Matching destination difficulty and participant capability in outdoor recreation and tourism: role of third-party certifications for 15 activities in 52 countries

For safety and satisfaction in outdoor recreation and tourism, participant or client capability must match destination difficulty. Social trends have increased demand by inexperienced clients. Tour operators and tourists rely on third-party difficulty gradings and participant skill certifications. These operate as autonomous information sources within destination matching. We analyse their significance using iterative thematic analysis of participant observations by 14 coauthors for 15 activities in 52 countries. We find that certifications are used at 5 scales: destination, infrastructure, tour operator, guide or instructor, and individual clients. Currently, guide certification is most widespread. We propose that site grading and client certifications may expand, with increasing regulation and training. Drivers of expansion include insurance, marketing, adoption of outdoor recreation and tourism in healthcare, and legal permitting and insurance requirements for access to public and private parks and other lands.