Once upon a time, tourism was very much about relaxing at resorts or being taken by a tour guide through a city’s most famous sites. Today’s travellers, however, especially those that fall into the millennial category, want something more from their travel experience. They seek thrills that they believe cannot be found in your run-of-the-mill city tour or at a popular resort. They want to be physically challenged and have their skills tested, at least to some degree. In short, they want adventures. These adventures can be anything from skydiving, to backpacking, to sea exploration. The demand is so great for adventure tourism, in fact, that, according to analysts at Technavio, the global adventure tourism market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 46% by 2020.
What can account for such high demand?
One of the reasons why adventure tourism is experiencing such immense growth is because of human beings’ high stress levels, especially in countries like the U.S., where day-to-day life is incredibly exhausting. Individuals are seeking an escape, but not just the simple kind of escape, i.e. lying on a beach. They want something that will truly counteract their stress by increasing their adrenaline levels and providing them with a rush of endorphins.
Another reason has to do with a desire to take risks. This may be in relation to the very competitive culture that has been created by the previous generation and felt by the current one, or it may simply be a desire to push the limits on experience. Whatever the case, risk-taking certainly seems to be a driving factor behind why so many of today’s travelers want to go bungee jumping rather than float in a resort pool.
Finally, social media plays an important role. With Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram’s latest introduction of stories, sharing and showcasing on social media have become daily activities. Individuals want something newsworthy and impressive to show their friends, family, and others on social media, and adventure tourism certainly gives them that. Further, seeing others partaking in these types of adventures ultimately makes them far more desirable and encourages others to do the same.
Adventure tourism is ultimately a good thing
Adventure tourism offers several interesting benefits. First, it gives travelers the opportunity to see another part of their destination that they might not otherwise visit on a traditional tour, while at the same time helping them to relieve stress. Second, it means additional sources of revenue for the destinations themselves. Third, it can lead to the repurposing of scenic areas and natural resources for tourism purposes. For instance: according to an article published by The Hindu this month, dam sites in Bangalore, India will be used by The Water Resources Department to promote tourism through water sports and other adventure activities. This is just one example of the ways in which available areas and resources are being used to fulfil the demand for adventure tourism.
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