Tour participants want more action
An informal tour operators poll shows Americans are looking for more action while on vacation.
Nearly two out of three tour operators said adventure travel is on the rise, according to the U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA).
“Results were mixed when it comes to ‘slow travel,’ meaning stay-put vacations or tours taking more time to cover an area or visiting an area more in depth,” said USTOA.
More than 50% of respondents cited year over year growth, but more than one third also reported no growth in this area. The increased interest in active vacations was reflected in the types of packaged vacations being booked.
FITs scored the greatest gain. More than 80% of respondents said this category has experienced growth in 2007 compared to 2006. Independent tours came in second at 73%.
“In what may reflect a slight maturing of the market, while more than 50 percent reported growth in independent packages (usually prepackaged hotel and other arrangements), a full third said there had been no change in this category,” said USTOA.
Previous research indicated that baby boomers are fueling the growth in active vacations, according to Bob Whitley, USTOA president.
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Global tourism exceeds 1.5 billion travelers announces UN-Tourism
Qatar Airways offers reduced timetable to over 60 destinations
WTTC global tourism reached record economic impact of 11 trillion in 2025
Hands In, UATP join forces for airline multi-card payments
Overseas travelers to the United States declined by 2.5% in 2025