Adventure Tourism

Adventure tourism is an umbrella term used for a broad range of tourism activities that include at least two of the following three elements—namely, physical activity, natural environment, and cultural immersion as defined by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). Many times, the cultural factor is absent in the case of adventure tours. Adventure sports are seen as the major component of the tour, but cultural immersion is considered to provide a fuller experience and most often is a necessary component of the “softer” adventure than of an extreme or “hard” adventure. Recreation and sports tourism are sometimes classified as a subdivision of adventure tourism.

The ATTA classifies various adventure tourism activities as soft and hard depending on the physical engagement and the risks involved. Some ...