Veilletourisme.ca published an article about how adventure tourism is embracing bigger approach to sustainability criteria. It emphasizes that companies engaged in adventure sports decide to go down the path of sustainability in the hopes of preserving their key resources and meeting the needs of their clientele.
According to TripAdvisor, in 2012, 70% of American travellers said they planned to make more environmentally responsible travel choices in the next twelve months; for its part, Trendwatching predicted that in 2013, tourists will be trying to make more tangible, environmentally beneficial contributions to destinations.
Outdoor travel companies are becoming more and more profitable. In fact, according to a study from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), 63% of adventure tour operators saw gross revenues increase in 2011. The study goes on to say that adventure tourism receipts went up by 17% between 2009 and 2010, indicating the market is in a growth phase.
In addition to the rise of adventure tourism, several studies conducted in 2012 show how consumer values are changing and many people today give great importance to sustainable development. Therefore, companies engaged in tourism have reformulated their offer and give more importance to sustainability in their business.
According to Chris Doyle, ATTA Executive Director-Europe, the tourism industry must develop in a more responsible manner and redouble its efforts to preserve culture, flora and fauna. He adds that the best way for the industry to increase its impact is to convert travellers into defenders of destinations and their local cultures and environment. For this reason, more and more travel companies are adopting social and environmental best practices to meet the needs of adventure tourists.
Finally, the article gives several examples of sustainable tourism like the use of the bicycle, the importance of involving the community with tourism and the fight for the preservation of the flora and fauna of the place visited.
You can access the full article on sustainable tourism here.
Article: DCB Turisme i Desenvolupament Local @DCBTurisme