ABSTRACT
This research focuses on the intersection between nature-based, adventure, and transformative tourism, sustainability, and experience design through examining Airsoft as an adventure nature sport with increasing worldwide popularity. Despite its vast potential and complex value chain, it has been overlooked from the scientific and practical tourism perspective.
This research aims to examine where Airsoft-related tourism fits in the tourism typology spectrum and how to design the experience in this unperceived nature-based adventure tourism niche to be valued as high quality by Airsoft players. A complex four-phase mixed-sequential qualitative-quantitative method was applied.
The results reveal its specific nature in terms of experience design, particularly regarding the rating criteria of an Airsoft gaming event and associated organizational features. In addition, Airsoft players’ play-related motivations, play-environment preferences, and attitudes towards sustainability place them into described NBT, adventure, and transformational tourism frameworks.
Research results could improve the quality of experience design in Airsoft travel in the NBT context, leading to appropriate management and marketing. In addition, meeting the research gap and Airsoft-related tourism introduction into academia could lead to its balanced recognition and support.
