Adventure Tourism Strengthens National Economies
A study conducted at George Washington University's tourism department shows that birdwatching, whitewater rafting, and other nature-based tourism can be crucial for a country's economy.
A study conducted at George Washington University’s department of tourism studies shows that birdwatching, whitewater rafting, and other nature-based tourist activities can be a decisive factor for a country’s economy.
Adventure tourism has gone from being a small niche market to a billion-dollar industry, thereby providing significant opportunities for economic growth.
According to the study, which includes countries in North and South America and Europe, consumers are estimated to have spent over 89 billion dollars on adventure travel during 2009. This excludes air travel and equipment purchases. Equipment purchases alone reportedly amounted to 53 billion dollars.
The typical adventure traveler is well-off, highly educated, environmentally and culturally conscious, and chooses nature-based travel because of its focus on responsible and sustainable development.
