GHTer Survey: What Makes a Long-Distance Hiking Trail Truly Great?

A Bachelor Thesis Project by Matteo Lazzarotto

Hi! My name is Matteo Lazzarotto, and I’m a student at the University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons (Switzerland). For my bachelor thesis, I’m researching something that many people around the world are passionate about – long-distance hiking – and for this I need your help.

Whether it’s famous trails like the Pacific Crest Trail, the Great Himalaya Trail or the Camino de Santiago, or smaller regional routes in countries like Switzerland, long-distance hikes offer something unique: time in nature, a personal challenge, a journey through landscapes and cultures. And yet, despite this growing popularity, we still don’t know much, when it comes to academic research, about what actually makes a long-distance trail successful. That’s what I want to find out.

Why This Project?

My idea came from two observations: more and more people are drawn to long-distance hiking, but there’s very little structured insight into why they choose the trails they do. What makes someone pick one trail over another? What features are most important? What makes people recommend a trail or return to it?

To explore this, I contacted a a Swiss organization that manages and promotes hiking trails, including seven long-distance routes. With them I want to figure out the success factors of the trails in general, but also which Swiss long-distance hiking trail should be promoted futher. To figure out the success factors I want to hear from hikers all over the world.

What the Survey Is About

At the heart of the project is a survey for people who have completed at least one long-distance hike. It takes about 10 minutes to fill out and asks questions like:

• What influences your choice of trail?
• Which factors are most important to you — scenery, infrastructure, signage, solitude, safety, cultural elements, etc.?
• What duration do you prefer for a long-distance hiking trail?
• How important are certain environmental factors for you when choosing a trail (scenic beauty, wildlife observation, nature protection etc.)?

By collecting and analyzing these responses, I hope to identify common patterns and better understand what matters most to long-distance hikers.

Why Your Input Is Important

This research depends on real hikers sharing their experiences. Whether you’ve done a 100 km trail or a 3,000 km epic, your perspective matters.

By filling out the survey, you’re helping me with my thesis — but more importantly, you’re contributing to a better understanding of how trails can be designed, promoted, and improved in the future. The results could be valuable to trail organizations, tourism offices, and other hikers alike.

Even more helpful: if you know others who’ve done a long-distance hike, I’d be really grateful if you shared the link with them. Hiking communities are incredibly strong — and this project needs that kind of connection to grow.

How the Results Will Be Used

All answers are anonymous and used only for academic purposes. I’ll analyze the data as part of my thesis and hope to present some key findings about what makes a trail truly work from the user’s point of view.

If you’re curious about the results, feel free to let me know — I’d be happy to share a short summary once the project is finished.

Take The Survey

Here are the links to the survey — available in English and German:

English: https://qualtricsxm8vgcpm23w.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8uLo4IlG2leb1kO
Deutsch: https://qualtricsxm8vgcpm23w.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1M8Fk42kug7HMG2

Thank you so much for your time, your help, and your passion for hiking. I’m really excited to see what we can learn from the global hiking community — and grateful for every single response.

Best wishes and happy hiking,
Matteo Lazzarotto
University of Applied Sciences of the Grisons
WhatsApp: +41 76 342 28 99