Once a niche market, adventure travel has grown massively in the last ten years. Research commissioned by the Adventure Travel Trade Association indicates that nowadays around 150 million adventure trips are taken every year.

According to the study, 16% of all international departures from Europe, North American and Latin America are taken specifically for adventure travel trips.

Adventure travel can cover a wide range of activities, but broadly speaking has three main components: physical activity, cultural immersion and the outdoors. Activities can range from strenuous high altitude treks to wildlife tours and even international volunteering.

Whatever activity they undertake adventure travellers share a common attitude. According to ATTA “adventure travellers place a higher importance on exploring new places, time to be in nature, meeting and engaging with local cultures and pushing their physical limits.”

Adventure travellers are better informed than the usual holiday goer too. “The travellers now are experienced, they are experts and have information from the web, and when they come to the country they know exactly what to do and where to go, and they’re asking for experiences that we didn’t offer before.”

With a growing interest in eco-friendly travel and sustainable tourism, the adventure travel market looks likely to grow even further in the coming years.

Inspire offers a range of adventure travel opportunities, including volunteering abroad and trekking.