The adventure tourism sector has grown 195% from 2010 to 2013, with further growth expected, although trends show that adventure travellers are increasingly booking direct. These are some of the findings containing on the UNWTO Global Report on Adventure Tourism 2014, released this week by the World Tourism Organization, together with the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).
According to the report, in 2010 the first global adventure tourism market sizing study was conducted by ATTA, The George Washington University (GWU) and Xola Consulting. It found that the global value of adventure tourism was US$89 billion (R991 billion). The study was repeated in 2013 and found that 42% of travellers departed on adventure trips, making the sector worth US$263 (R2, 93 trillion). This was attributed to increases in international departures, in travellers going on adventure trips and in average spending.
The report showed growing markets for adventure tourism to be mainly Europe and North and South America. South America, particularly, saw an 11,6% increase in the adventure travel population between 2009 and 2010. “With rising levels of disposable income, many emerging economies have shown fast growth over recent years, especially in markets in Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, the middle east and Africa,” the report states
In the adventure tourism sector the trend has been towards ‘disintermediation’, meaning the removal of the middle man, a tour operator or travel agent, who has traditionally connected the consumer in the source market to the provider or ground handler in the destination market. As the traveller can access information and trusted consumer reviews online, he is more likely to go straight to the provider.
The AdventurePulse: USA Adventure Traveller Profiles, a study of the US adventure travel market, indicates 71% of US adventure travellers are making arrangements solely on their own. This trend is more prominent in developed adventure travel markets but will likely cause change in developing countries’ supply chain in the coming decades.
While emerging economies are slowly outpacing developed economies for departures and spending, UNWTO predicts that by 2015, adventure arrivals in emerging economies will exceed those in advanced economies. By 2030, 57% of adventure arrivals will be in emerging economies. To accommodate the surge in demand, supply is expected to increase.
Growing adventure travel activities include cycling, backpacking, trekking and hiking. Cycle tourism is on the rise across the world, with an increase number of adventure tourists embarking on both road and mountain biking tours and taking part in or observing events.
In 2010, the University of Wisconsin-Madison released The Economic Impact of Bicycling in Wisconsin. According to Dr Richard Weston of the University of Central Lancaster: “This study shows that cycle tourism is more sustainable environmentally, socially and economically. Being less reliant on air travel, cycle tourism disperses visitors to areas that traditionally do not attract tourism and supports employment in local economies.”
Growth is focused on developed nations. However, for growth in emerging markets, more knowledge on adventure tourism and investment is needed.
The full report can be accessed here.
