THE Professional Adventure Travel Associationwhich champions and supports adventure travel initiatives across the world, this year released its year-end regional reports on the state of the adventure travel industry, revealing new trends, as does that Europe is the most popular region for cycling adventures or that Latin America is the most popular region for wildlife and nature photography.
Looking at data from the year 2023, ATTA's reports show how different regions differentiate themselves in their adventure offerings and the trends we see continuing to grow this year and beyond.
North America's adventure travel industry continues to grow
Wild bison grazing in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. (Photo credit: Adobe Stock/donyanedomam)
The adventure tourism industry in North America saw strong growth from 2022 to 2023, with a post-pandemic boom during this year. Despite this growth, North America also had the lowest guest-to-guide ratio in the world for tour operators, with one guide for every five guests.
The main adventure activities in North America are safaris and wildlife viewing, hiking, trekking and walking tours, cultural and culinary adventures, and cycling tours.
The United States is also the top destination for 19% of travelers, meaning it is the top overall host market for adventure travel, both domestically and internationally.
“Clearly, the North American traveler is resilient and a driving force in global adventure travel. With baby boomers still at retirement age, I wouldn't expect this to end anytime soon, although in my opinion destinations would do well to pay attention to the potential of Asian travelers in as future source markets,” said Russell Walters, regional director of North America at ATTA.
The only problem facing North American tour operators going forward is that they are way behind in sustainability certifications: while 64 percent of global tour operators prioritize sustainability, only 25 of North American tour operators -Americans hold or seek to obtain certification.
Latin America repositions itself as leader in adventure travel
White-faced capuchin monkey at Manuel Antonio National Park (Photo via Noreen Kompanik)
Latin Americathe region that is home to Central America, South America and the Caribbean, is far from being just a vacation destination: rather, it has transformed itself into a leader in sustainable adventure travel.
The average number of customers per tour operator in the region increased by 34% between 2019 and 2023, with Chile the second most popular adventure travel destination in the world.
While wildlife and nature photography is the sixth most popular adventure travel activity globally, it ranks second in Latin America, largely due to the region's natural biodiversity and endemic species. .
The region also prioritizes sustainability more than any other region in the world, with 67% of the region's operators reporting having or working toward sustainability certifications.
“Over the past few years, we have seen increased interest from adventure travelers looking to complement their outdoor activities with cultural and culinary experiences. This appears to be a great opportunity for Latin American destinations that offer a wide range of local experiences connecting with local indigenous communities,” said Nicolás Caram, ATTA Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. .
Europe leads in cycling and older adventurers
Cycling along the river with AmaWaterways (Photo credit: AmaWaterways)
Europe has had no problem growing and recovering its adventure travel offering post-pandemic. Cycling in all its forms remains the most popular adventure travel activity in Europe, and it's no wonder: cycling offers travelers an easy and engaging way to discover the charming towns the region has to offer , and current infrastructure supports cyclists more than other regions. .
The region also attracts an older population of adventure travelers: while the global average of adventure travelers is 48 percent over the age of 51, 56 percent of adventure travelers in Europe are over the age of 51 . Culinary experiences, including food and wine tours, are also growing in number. increasingly popular in Europe.
The main destinations are Italy, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, both for North American and intra-European tourists.
Sixty percent of tour operators in Europe have or are in the process of obtaining sustainability certification.
Europe will face challenges in the future with an aging demographic: attracting families and young travelers will be key to growth in the future.
“Destinations are increasingly promoting new products and regions as they expand their adventure-focused offerings. This strategy not only helps extend the tourist season, but also attracts a wider range of travelers,” said David Symes, ATTA Regional Director for Europe. “I am sure that the Balkans and Nordic regions are likely to see continued growth in demand for adventure travel, as will the mountainous regions of Central Europe.”
Asia Pacific leads in climbing and camping activities
Yungang Buddhist Caves in China. (Photo credit: mogamju / Adobe Stock)
THE Asia-Pacific region is only growing in its adventure travel offerings. Group travel fell from 49 percent to just 24 percent compared to 2019, but the vast majority of trips include FITs, made up of families (26 percent) and couples (30 percent).
India is the fifth largest source market for adventure travel in the world. Japan continues to be popular, but China and Southeast Asia continue to gain popularity each year. South Asia and Oceania both declined in popularity in 2023, likely due to rising airfares and changing travel desires.
The main adventure travel activities in the region were hiking, trekking, walking and cultural activities. Although gastronomy is immense in the region, it has become less popular than expected.
Yet the area is popular for a unique adventure experience: rock climbing and camping. Home to several major mountain ranges and plenty of places to pitch a tent, Asia-Pacific leads the world in this category.
Fifty-seven percent of operators in the region said they are seeking sustainability certifications. While there is room for improvement, they are ahead of the global curve.
“In 2025, I think we can expect hiking and cultural activities to remain among the top five most popular adventure activities in Asia Pacific,” said Hannah Pearson, APAC regional director at ATTA. “I also expect to see Oceania once again become a trending destination, driven by a greater focus on general adventure travel in the region. However, it will be interesting to see if camping and climbing maintain their popularity, or if they are just a flash in the pan for the region, becoming new entrants in 2024.”
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