| The phenomenal growth of the adventure travel | | | | opportunities to experience specific physical |
| industry in recent years has seen an almost | | | | activities (eg. rock climbing, diving, snow-boarding, |
| limitless variety of adventure travel products | | | | kayaking, abseiling) that involve greater levels of |
| become available in international travel and tourism | | | | skill and, within acceptable limits, risk. With |
| markets. But what exactly is adventure travel, | | | | traditional outdoor recreation, the primary |
| what features define the market segment, and | | | | attraction is the specific setting: with adventure |
| how can the quality of adventure travel products | | | | travel, however, travellers are attracted primarily |
| be assessed? | | | | by the activities offered. Adventure travel is |
| Adventure travel developed as a segment of the | | | | therefore primarily associated with travel products |
| tourism market during the latter half of the 20th | | | | where the primary purpose is to engage in |
| century out of the more general traditional notion | | | | activity and participatory experience rather than |
| of outdoor recreation. Adventure travel differs | | | | the more passive sightseeing associated with |
| from from earlier forms of outdoor recreation, | | | | traditional outdoor tourism. |
| however, in that it offers travellers greater | | | | |