Last day I’ve found a great PDF [#] about a Marketing analysis of the Adventure tourism market.

I’ve read a good Psychographic profile of what an Adventure traveller is.

I was too curious because there are a lot of websites, tour operators, magazine that refer their business about “Adventure Travel”

But what exactly is Adventure travel and who is the Adventurous people who travels?

It was a good question, because when I’ve started this blog I didn’t know exactly what were all the Adventure travel activities.

Generally the most known are:

• Outdoors
• Hiking, Trekking, Walking tours
• Mountain biking and Bicycling
• Animal watching, Birding
• Etc…

So I did a little search on Google to find a profile that will help me find my target audience…the results were amazing!

I’d like to share my findings. I hope this could help other people like me to have a clear idea of what adventure travellers are and how to reach them.

The profile of the Adventure traveller

Starting by Demographics, generally, people that choose to practice outdoor adventure activities are:

• The most part of travellers are women that travel “Solo” or with a “Female friend”
• Average age 45-60 years
• Men are generally seniors who are early retired or your grand parents
• All have high level of istruction (College, Hold professionals, Specialty)

Behaviors

• Follow word of mouth, advices from their friends, trip notes, customer reviews or testimonials (Written, Audio or Video)
• Don’t like big corporations

Activities they like

• Fitness oriented
• Healthy and exiting activities
• Watch shows on TV about: History; Culture; Wildlife
• Actively contribute to charity organizations
• Like to visit museums and art galleries
• Some of them like Relax and/or Luxurious
• Educational travels

Needs

• Like little travel company with peer to peer tailor assistance
• Love customization
• Search for safe destinations
• Want an experienced adventure travel company
• Look for fun activities to do
• Unexpected tourist destinations
• Want someone who hears them and gives answers to their questions

Motivations

• Stay 50 weeks of the year in an office and have the desire of getting away for an experience off the beaten paths
• Like travel environmentally friendly and immerse in the nature
• Learn from news cultures
• Hear and speak different languages
• Reflect on ancient religions
• Try new activities
• Eat in ethnic restaurants
• Are skeptical of large scale advertising
• Don’t shop for the cheapest items and prefer good value

Way of travelling

• Solo
• Couples
• Private groups
• Honeymooners
• No package tours or Fancy resorts

How to use these data

• Useful to find communities and provide the right contents.
• Find the right web 2.0 service to find interested travellers
• Calculate how much on-line effort you’ll need to attract them

Outdoor activities they like to do

[#] Backpacking. Backpacking (also tramping or trekking or bushwalking in some countries) combines hiking and camping in a single trip. A backpacker hikes into the backcountry to spend one or more nights there, and carries supplies and equipment to satisfy sleeping and eating needs.

[#] Ballooning. A balloon is a type of aircraft that remains aloft due to its buoyancy. A balloon travels by moving with the wind. It is distinct from an airship, which is a buoyant aircraft that can be propelled through the air in a controlled manner. It is also distinct from aerostat, which is a balloon that is moored to the ground rather than free-flying.

[#] Bicycling. Cycling is a means of transport, a form of recreation and a sport. The bicycle carries riders across land, through tunnels, over bridges, snow, or, less frequently, over ice (icebiking). Cycling involves riding bicycles, unicycles, tricycles, quadricycles and other similar human powered vehicles (HPVs).

[#] Bird watching. Birdwatching or birding is the observation and study of birds with the naked eye or through a visual enhancement device like binoculars. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are more readily detected and identified by ear than by eye. Most birders and birdwatchers pursue this activity for recreational or social reasons, unlike ornithologists, who are engaged in the formal scientific study of birds.

[#] Bungy Jumping. Bungee jumping (or bungy jumping) is the sport that originated from New Zealand and was created by maverick daredevil A J Hackett, and his original jump from a bridge in Greenhithe, Auckland. The sport denotes jumping from a tall structure while connected to a large rubber cord. The tall structure is usually a fixed object, such as a building, bridge, or crane; but it is also possible to jump from a movable object, such as a hot-air-balloon or a helicopter, that has the ability to hover over one spot on the ground; fixed-wing aircraft are clearly unsuitable because they only stay aloft when moving rapidly forward. The intense thrill comes as much from the free-falls as from the rebounds.

[#] Camping. Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants, known as campers, get away from civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or more nights, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, a primitive structure, or no shelter at all.

[#] Canoeing. Canoeing is the activity of paddling a canoe for the purpose of recreation (also called a float trip), sport, or transportation. It usually refers exclusively to using a paddle to propel a canoe with only human muscle power. A kayak is propelled using a paddle with two blades where the paddler sits with their legs in front of them, whereas canoes are propelled using single- or double-bladed paddles where the paddler is kneeling or sitting.

[#] Climbing - Mountain-Rock. Ascending rock formations, often using climbing shoes and a chalk bag. Equipment such as ropes, bolts, nuts, hexes and camming devices are normally employed, either as a safeguard or for artificial aid.

[#] Cultural activities. ‘Cultural tourism’ (or culture tourism) is the subset of tourism concerned with a country or region’s culture, especially its arts. It generally focuses on traditional communities who have diverse customs, unique form of art and distinct social practices, which basically distinguishes it from other types/forms of culture. Cultural tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres. It can also include tourism in rural areas showcasing the traditions of indigenous cultural communities (i.e. festivals, rituals), and their values and lifestyle.

[#] Diving-scuba. Scuba diving is the act of swimming underwater while using self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. By carrying a source of breathing gas (usually compressed air), the scuba diver is able to stay underwater longer than with the simple breath-holding techniques used in snorkeling and free-diving, and is not hindered by air lines to a remote air source.

[#] Dogsledding. A dog sled is a sled pulled by one or more sled dogs used to travel over ice and through snow. Numerous types of sleds are used, depending on their function.

[#] Ecotourism. Ecotourism, also known as ecological tourism, is a form of tourism that appeals to the ecologically and socially conscious individuals. Generally speaking, ecotourism focuses on volunteering, personal growth, and learning new ways to live on the planet; typically involving travel to destinations where flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Responsible ecotourism includes programs that minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, in addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, an integral part of ecotourism is in the promotion of recycling, energy efficiency, water conservation, and creation of economic opportunities for the local communities.

[#] Educational Programs. Outdoor education usually refers to organized learning that takes place in the outdoors. Outdoor education programs often involve residential or journey-based experiences in which students participate in a variety of adventurous challenges such as hiking, climbing, canoeing, ropes courses, and group games. Outdoor education draws upon the philosophy and theory of experiential education and on environmental education.

[#] Hang-gliding. Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies an unpowered and light foot-launchable glider aircraft known as a hang glider. Most modern hang gliders are made of an aluminum -or composite- framed fabric wing which lacks moving control surfaces. The pilot is mounted on a harness hanging from the airframe and exercises control by shifting his body weight.

[#] Hiking. Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. It usually takes place on trails in rural or wilderness areas.

[#] Horseback riding. Equestrianism refers to the skill of riding or driving horses. This broad description includes both use of horses for practical, working purposes as well as recreational activities and competitive sports.

[#] Kayaking. Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking is differentiated from canoeing by the fact that a kayak has a closed cockpit and a canoe has an open cockpit. They also use a two bladed paddle. Another major difference is in the way the paddler sits in the boat. Kayakers sit in a seat on the bottom of the boat with their legs extended out in front of them. Canoeists will either sit on an elevated bench seat or kneel directly on the bottom of the boat.

[#] Mountain Biking. Mountain biking usually refers to the sport of riding bicycles possessing particular design characteristics, mountain bikes, off-road, although sometimes the term simply refers to riding a mountain bike. The sport requires endurance, bike handling skills and self-reliance. It is an individual sport which can be performed almost anywhere. Mountain biking is roughly broken down into five categories: cross country, downhill, freeride, dirt jump and trials/street riding.

[#] Mountain Climbing. Mountaineering is the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, trekking and climbing up mountains. It is also sometimes known as alpinism, particularly in Europe. While it began as an all-out attempt to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains, it has branched into specializations addressing different aspects of mountains and may now be said to consist of three aspects: rock-craft, snow-craft and skiing, depending on whether the route chosen is over rock, snow or ice. All require great athletic and technical ability, and experience is also a very important part of the matter.

[#] Orienteering. Orienteering is a running sport involving navigation with a map and compass. The traditional form (sometimes referred to as “Foot Orienteering” or “Foot-O”) involves cross-country running, though other forms have evolved. The competition is a timed race in which individual participants use a special purpose map and a magnetic compass to navigate through diverse terrain (often wooded) and visit, in sequence, control points that are indicated on the map. The course of control points is kept a secret from competitors before the start, when they are provided with a detailed topographic map on which the course is marked. Competitors start at staggered intervals, are individually timed, and are expected to perform all navigation skills on their own.

[#] Paragliding. Paragliding is a recreational and competitive flying sport. A paraglider is a free-flying, foot-launched aircraft. The pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing, whose shape is formed by the pressure of air entering vents in the front of the wing.

[#] Rafting. Rafting or whitewater rafting is a recreational activity utilizing a raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers.

[#] Rappelling. Abseiling is the process of descending on a fixed rope.

[#] Rogaining. Rogaining is the sport of long distance cross-country navigation. It is closely related to orienteering and many people enjoy both sports. For all participants, compared to an orienteering meet, a rogaine: Is a much longer event, usually 6, 8, 12 or 24 hours; Is a team sport (important for safety, given the long duration); Has checkpoints (controls) assigned point values reflecting the distance from other checkpoints and the technical difficulty (terrain, navigation) of visiting them; Requires each team to plan the order in which to visit checkpoints, so route choice is a very important element.

[#] Safaris. A safari is an overland journey. It usually refers to a trip by tourists to Africa, traditionally for a big-game hunt and in more modern times to watch and photograph big game and other wildlife as a safari holiday.

[#] Sailing. Sailing is the art of controlling a sailing vessel. By adjusting the rigging, rudder and dagger or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails (main and/or jib) in order to change the direction and speed of a boat. Mastery of the skill requires experience in varying wind and sea conditions, as well as knowledge concerning sailboats. Today most people enjoy sailing as a recreational activity. Recreational sailing can be further divided into racing, cruising and “daysailing” or dinghy sailing.

[#] Skiing. Snow skiing is a group of sports and activities holding in common the use of skis, devices which slide on snow and attach with ski bindings and ski boots to people’s feet. Skiing sports differ from snowshoeing in that skis slide, and they differ from ice-skating, water skiing, and in-line skating by being performed on snow. Although snowboarding shares the general characteristics of skiing sports, it evolved from surfing and skateboarding and so is not considered a type of skiing.

[#] Skydiving. Parachuting is an activity involving a preplanned drop from a height using a deployable parachute. One type of parachuting is skydiving, which is recreational parachuting, also called sport parachuting.

[#] Snorkeling. Snorkeling is the practice of swimming at the surface of a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters, a wetsuit may also be worn. Combining these tools allows the snorkeler to observe underwater attractions for extended periods of time with relatively little effort.

[#] Snowshoeing. Snowshoes, sometimes colloquially referred to as webs, are footwear for walking over snow. Snowshoes work by distributing the weight of the person over a larger area so that the person’s foot doesn’t sink completely into the snow, a quality called “flotation”. While today they are mainly used for recreational purposes, primarily by hikers and runners who like to continue their hobby in wintertime, in the past they were essential tools for fur traders, trappers and anyone whose life or living depended on the ability to get around in areas of deep and frequent snowfall.

[#] Soaring. Soaring is a mode of flight in which height is gained slowly by using air that is moving upwards. It arises in the flight of both aircraft and birds.

[#] Spelunking. Caving, also called spelunking, is the recreational sport of exploring caves. In contrast, speleology is the scientific study of caves and the cave environment.

[#] Trekking. Backpacking (also tramping or trekking or bushwalking in some countries) combines hiking and camping in a single trip. A backpacker hikes into the backcountry to spend one or more nights there, and carries supplies and equipment to satisfy sleeping and eating needs.

[#] Windsurfing. Windsurfing is a surface water sport using a windsurf board, also commonly called a sailboard, usually two to five meters long and powered by a single sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating flexible joint called the Universal Joint (U-Joint). Unlike a rudder-steered sailboat, a windsurfer is steered by the tilting and rotating of the mast and sail as well as tilting and carving the board.

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