Adventure travel now a big niche
Many travelers still think of the adventure market as small potatoes but a new study shows it is a US$89 billion business, excluding airfare and gear/clothing purchases.
Consumers spent more than $89 billion, excluding airfare and gear/clothing purchases,
The Adventure Tourism Market Report study also estimates that almost a quarter of those traveling from the three regions studied (North America, Latin America, Europe) took holidays involving adventure activities, according to a George Washington University study.
“Instead of being seen as a small, niche market, the study shows that adventure tourism is a sizeable market with the potential for significant economic growth opportunities,” said Dr. Kristin Lamoureux, director of George Washington’s International Institute of Tourism Studies.
In the Adventure Tourism Market Report, adventure tourism encompasses domestic or international travel featuring physical activity, nature-based travel and cultural experiences.
Adventure was further subdivided into hard adventure, soft adventure and “other travel.”
Hard adventure includes climbing, trekking and other similarly physically taxing activities, while soft adventure includes bird watching, safaris and similar pursuits.
The benchmark study surveyed people from countries within North America, Latin America and Europe, regions that the Adventure Travel Trade Association says account for 72.8 percent of all international tourism expenditures and 68.7 percent of all international departures.
Based on departure figures reported by the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization), as well as the percentage of adventure trips reported by survey respondents, statistical analysis determined that nearly 150 million adventure trips are taken every year.
The study found that adventure travelers tend to be both affluent and educated. They also are typically environmentally and culturally aware consumers. Adventure travelers are drawn to adventure travel due in part to its focus on responsible and sustainable development.
The study is important because it shows the large potential of this travel market.
By David Wilkening
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