Adventure tourism is one of the fastest-growing segments of the global travel industry. Today, more and more travelers are choosing activities and extreme sports over a traditional sightseeing tour. Thus, we can observe a growing demand for outdoor adventures that provide excitement and challenge to tourists. From hiking and skydiving to bungee jumping, the areas of adventure tourism have expanded widely, covering the preferences of all thrill-seekers. As the phenomenon of interest, this industry keeps on growing, and its future looks bright.
Why Adventure Tourism Appeals to Modern Travelers
Adventure tourism has become popular over the past decade due to the growing demand for travel experiences. Modern tourists, especially from the generation of millennials and Gen Z, are searching for more than merely sightseeing. According to, adventure travelers look for new experiences that will provide excitement, challenge, and the opportunity to achieve personal growth. When it comes to adventure tourism, it is defined as a type of travel that includes rugged, thrilling, and physically demanding activities that require specialized training and equipment. For example, in the case of rock climbing, white-water rafting, and paragliding.
New Zealand: A Case Study in Adventure Tourism
The trends related to adventure tourism were explored in a case study in 2019, where the growth of this type of travel in New Zealand was investigated. As a popular destination among adventure travelers, New Zealand is a home of a wide variety of extreme sports and outdoor activities. For the country, the adventure travelers contributed to at least $2 billion thanks to international as well as domestic tourism. Furthermore, between 2015 and 2019, the number of international adventure travelers increased by 35%. Finally, one of the most popular activities is the adventure tour of skydiving over Lake Taupo and bungee jumping in Queenstown, which is regularly attended by thousands of travelers from all over the globe.
The Promising Future of Adventure Tourism
Looking into the future, it is expected that by 2030, the global adventure tourism market will exceed $1 trillion, at an annual growth rate of 17%. Moreover, since tourists continue to exhibit interest in adrenaline-fueled experiences, places all over the world will expand their travel plans to satisfy the increased demand for extreme travel experiences. Thus, the adventure tourism industry appears to be one of the industries with the most promising prospects, and adventure destinations in Asia, South America, and Africa are expected to heavily contribute to the market.
Key Motivations Behind Adventure Travel
There are seven main reasons why thrill-seeking tourists will start to prefer extreme sports travel to other types of vacations:
- Adrenaline Rush
Extreme sports, such as, for instance, skydiving, bungee jumping, and zip-lining, create an intense adrenaline rush that quenches the thirst of most adventure seekers. It is expected that by 2025, 40% of adventure tourism activities will involve adrenaline-fueled experiences that test tourists’ limits. - Personal Growth
Many adventure tourists believe that extreme sports offer them a unique opportunity for personal growth and advancement. Overcoming fears such as the necrophobia experienced by the majority of people, who have little to no experience of climbing the mountains or trekking through wilderness, allows tourists to build self-confidence. - Connection to Nature
Outdoor tourism and adventure travel entail interactions with nature in a variety of landscapes, such as mountains, rivers, and others. Many travelers are under the impression that such experiences give them a special connection with the environment, which can boost their environmental awareness and proclivity for adventures. - Getting Away from the Mundane
Adventure tourists are likely to seek refuge in the thought that they are leaving behind the drudgery of the ordinary and taking on something extraordinary. It is expected that by 2030, extreme sports travel will grow by over 30%, making it one of the most active parts of the tourism sector. - Physical Challenge
Most extreme sports require an activity level of around 7 or more, making them a great option for a traveler that wishes to challenge themselves. Physical challenges are attractive for people that look for a reason to keep fit. Some popular options may include hiking tours, mountain biking, and scuba diving. - Social Media and Storytelling
Currently, social media platforms provide great opportunities to expand the audience and share interesting stories. Most adventure tours provide travelers with an opportunity to capture a mesmerizing photo and share their experience. It generates a lot of buzz, turning adventure tourism into the action sports tourism industry. - Sense of Achievement
No matter the type of activity, extreme tour completion is always an achievement. Travelers that enjoy such experiences are more likely to repeat their trips in hopes of finding something new to challenge themselves with.
Adventure Sports and Outdoor Activities: A Growing Trend
There is no secret that outdoor activities have become quite popular a long time ago, and most of them were closely related to adventure travel. Collectively, such activities include exploring wilderness areas, participating in some action sports, and spending time around nature. Overall, the increasing popularity of adventure travel is derived from the broader travel trends change. Many travelers are in search of replacing things with experiences, finding peace outside urban areas, enjoying excitement, and enduring the great outdoors.
Costa Rica: A Leader in Adventure Tourism
In a 2020 case study of the advent of adventure sports in Costa Rica, it was noted that the outdoor tourism industry contributed considerably to the country’s economic growth. There were over 2 million people being considered adventure tourists visiting the country every year. Costa Rica, in total, dedicated 45% of all tourist spending on outdoor adventure activities, which they funneled through their efforts to promote the country as an excellent adventure destination. The successful promotion is essential given that there will be an anticipated 50% growth in the outdoor market share of the global adventure travel market.
Innovative Technology Shaping the Future of Adventure Tourism
The practice of adventure tourism and extreme travel is a rapidly changing field of interest as it continues to expand. There is no end to discovering and experiencing thrilling exposed activities, and as such, the growth in demand will result in more adventurous extreme travel experiences. These do not just include extreme exposure sports, like paragliding, kite surfing, or even space tourism, and can extend to more than extreme traditional and popular experiences like rock climbing or mountain skiing.
Patagonia: A New Frontier for Outdoor Adventure
According to a 2021 case study on hiking trips and wilderness exploration in Patagonia, adventure vacations that combine physical challenges with beautiful views are increasingly attractive to travelers. The report revealed that bookings for multi-day hiking tours of the remote national parks in Patagonia increased by 25% as people were willing to experience untouched wilderness.
Adventure Tourism by 2040: What to Expect
By 2040, adventure tourism will finally be the largest sector in the travel industry, since the potential growth rate is 15% per year. Adventure tours will be more specialized, appealing to the travelers’ level of skill or interest. In particular, beginner adventure vacation tours will introduce amateur travelers to easy hiking, kayaking, and zip-lining. Advanced adventure tours will address extreme thrill-seekers who will be able to enjoy an exciting jump from the mountain, base jump, or participate in an ultramarathon.
