Although there is no formal definition of Adventure tourism, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) defines it as a trip, local or international, that includes a combination of physical activity, natural environment, and cultural immersion. In other words, adventure tourism aims at pushing one’s physical boundaries to explore remote, exotic, and sometimes hostile areas. All the while experiencing new cultures and a vast array of emotions ranging from fear to excitement.
The roots of this new growing trend in tourism originate back to the early days of exploration when extreme areas such as the Himalayas or Antarctica remained inaccessible to most men. This was mainly due to the strenuous physical training and technical knowledge required to achieve such uncommon fits at the time. Over time, as the knowledge and the technology required to go on these adventures evolved, so did the number of people able to discover these once inaccessible jewels of nature. As such, highly trained pioneers who took on the world’s highest peaks and deepest seas with very limited technological equipment led the way to a broader scope of adventurers.
In 2019, adventure tourism’s global market size reached 0.65 billion U.S. dollars and is projected to reach 2.02 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, marking a 10.7% increase. This growing trend can mainly be attributed to the increasing number of young people living in urban areas, who wish to reconnect with the earth in a more simple, physical sense. This in turn allows for new remote areas to distinguish themselves as truly unique destinations and to flourish from the economic benefits of those in search of once in a lifetime adventure. Additionally, this new generation of adventure tourists helps to highlight the natural and cultural values of a destination, hence promoting its preservation. As such many countries including Greenland, Kenya, and Costa Rica thrive on this growing global market. Adventure tourism also helps to create committed, eco-friendly adventurers who learn to further cherish nature and promote sustainability.
Furthermore, adventure tourism is not to be confused with mass tourism. Contrarily to the ladder which heavily relies on economies of scale and little overall sustainability, adventure tourism aims at respecting natural and cultural resources while preserving endangered species and vulnerable ecosystems. Adventure tourism also guarantees an influx of high-value travelers outside of regular mass tourism peak seasons. Not to mention that these high-value travelers are most often willing to pay premiums for traditional and exciting experiences. Such premiums usually going directly into the local economy. In comparison, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) found that on average 80% of the capital spent by travelers in all-inclusive vacation packages that mass tourism promotes goes back to international conglomerates and not local businesses.
Of course, the picture is never that black and white, and some adventure tourists might be closer to regular mass tourists than the original explorers mentioned above. It is therefore vital for this industry and all of its participants, from the equipment suppliers to the local guides, and the tourists themselves, to understand the principles of sustainable and ethical adventure tourism activities.
Finally, this increasing willingness by the general population to physically reconnect with the natural world in a more simple, sustainable way might help redefine what traveling really means.
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