Profile of an adventure traveller: Female and forty-ish
NEW YORK: If you’re wondering who’s doing the most adventure travel these days, the answer may surprise you: women, and not the hairy-chested image of the macho man often associated with this fast-growing segment of the travel market.
Women make up the majority of adventure travellers worldwide, according to the first annual Adventure Travel Industry Survey, Practices and Trends, released by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).
The most common destination these days: South America.
Another trend in the report: about half of tour operators who are not currently using travel agents to sell their products plan to do it in the future.
Gender, travellers’ destination preferences, and sales channel data represent just some of the information in the 50+ page, first-of-its-kind survey, according to ATTA.
Customer profile information, common practices in marketing, staffing, sales, certifications, risk management training, sustainable practices, and related information considered valuable in developing effective operations also are contained in the results.
ATTA’s Practices and Trends is specifically designed to contain information from and for tour operators and adventure travel accommodations, the group says.
Some highlights from interviews with travellers representing 35 countries:
• Women comprise 52% of adventure travellers.
• 41-60 year olds comprise the highest participating age group.
• 46% of all companies offer sustainability program/s for customers.
• The average land cost for an adventure travel trip: US$2,122.
• 83% of survey respondents realised revenue increases between 2004 and 2005.
Report by David Wilkening
Ian Jarrett
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