Camping

Synonyms / Other Terms Used

Bivouacking, Camping Site, Campsite, Campground

Category

Travel, Tourism, Concessions, Public Facilities, Activities, Outdoor Activities

Message / Function

To indicate the location of public camping facilities

	Source	Description
	ISO 7001	Wigwam style tent on a base, tree
	Slovenia 2015	Wigwam style tent on a base
	BS 8501:2002	Wigwam style tent
	ÖNORM A 3011	Wigwam style tent
	Tern	Wigwam style tent
	Picto'grafics	Wigwam style tent with asymmetric opening
	SSRS	Wigwam style tent with inverted v like opening
	Dreyfuss	Ridge tent
	SADC	Ridge tent with asymmetric opening
	Nova Scotia	Ridge tent with asymmetric opening, tent pegs at the edges
	CNFC	Ridge tent in outline, tent pegs at the edges
	U.S. National Park Service	Ridge tent on base
	NPS	Ridge tent on base
	NZS 8603	Oblique view of ridge tent
	Eco-Mo Foundation	Oblique view of ridge tent
	EJP	Oblique view of ridge tent
	Handbuch wien.gv.at	Oblique view of ridge tent in outline
	Pacific Bell	Oblique view of ridge tent
	PC	Front view of house tent, stakes
	Peru MST	Front view of dome tent, two tent pegs and lines at the edges
	Dutchicon	Oblique view of ridge tent, three tent pegs

Discussion

Gehringer (1979) asked 300 subjects from seven countries to draw a symbol for camping site. Results were very homogeneous with 95 % of the drawings showing a tent and 3 % showing a caravan.

The selection above corresponds to these findings. While both U.S. National Park Service variants seem rather abstract, most pictograms are easy to recognize as images of tents.

This is especially true for the pictogram labeled as Eco-Mo Foundation. In a Japanese study to propose domestically unified graphical symbols based on scientific methods, it proved to be well comprehensable with an excellent comprehension score of 94.1 (Eco-Mo Foundation, 2001).

Recommendation

Camping

We recommend the use of a wigwam style tent as shown in pictogram No 43 from ÖNORM A 3011 part 2, which is symmetric, has no superfluous elements and is still easily recognized, and also works as small scale reproduction.

Tests of pictograms of referent Camping

Eco-Mo Foundation (2001): Test data of public information symbols in Japan - Procedure for the testing of public information symbols by the Study Committee. ISO: ISO/TC 145/SC 1 N 329.

Fiori, S. R. (2008): Mapas para o turismo e a interatividade - proposta teórica e prática. Tese de Doutorado - Depto. de Geografia, FFLCH-USP.

Gehringer, J. (1979): Untersuchung über die zeichnerische Gestaltung von Pictogrammen in Abhängigkeit von einigen Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen, sowie Überprüfung einiger Bildzeichen auf ihre Erkennbarkeit. Dissertation, Psychology Department, University of Vienna.