Adventure Tourism Industry Research Articles

Challenges, experiences, and coping behaviors among SMEs in the adventure tourism industry after the COVID-19 pandemic: A case from Pokhara, Nepal

The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges, experiences, and coping strategies among the SMEs involved in the adventure tourism sector in Pokhara, Nepal, after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a qualitative approach and conducted in-depth interviews with a total of 30 entrepreneurs and upper-level managers working in adventure tourism SMEs in Pokhara, Nepal. The researchers employed purposive and snowball sampling to select the interviewees. This study highlights the voices of managers working in SMEs involved in Nepal's adventure tourism industry and provides insight into their experiences, challenges, and coping strategies. The findings were used to build a conceptual model of the challenges, experiences, and coping strategies among adventure tourism SMEs operating in Pokhara, Nepal. Moreover, this study describes the experiences and reactions among the CEOs and upper-level managers of SMEs working in the adventure tourism sector. The findings provide important evidence for documenting unprecedented situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic and can be utilized to develop tourism policies and support systems for SMEs in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Managerial implicationsThis study identifies challenges stemming from the adverse economic impacts and explores coping mechanisms at individual and organizational levels after the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of Pokhara, Nepal. SMEs in adventure tourism rely heavily on adventure tourism and did not have enough resilience and recovery strategies. The strategies of identifying resources, increasing capabilities, and enhancing the network and cooperations were identified. It highlights the pivotal role of leadership and collaborative efforts among core stakeholders such as private associations, INGOs, and government sectors. Overall, it offers insights into challenges, crisis management and resilience in the adventure tourism SEMs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conceptualizing the adventure tourist as a cross-boundary learner

In recent years, the adventure tourism sector has seen new travelers seeking self-transformation, learning, and an expanded worldview rather than risk and thrill. They have attracted attention for their contribution to the local economies. However, their motivation behind seeking such goals through adventure tourism remains unknown. Therefore, this study proposes a hypothesis explaining their transformation. An explanatory hypothesis is that adventure tourists possess the evaluation axis of cross-boundary learners who discover new selves through serendipitous encounters and events. Cross-boundary learning, a part of organizational learning, can be conceptually identified with planned happenstance theory (psychology) and effectuation theory (management) that locates self-transformation source in given non-cognitive abilities. Also, adventure tourists have an “ambivalent value” allowing them to simultaneously evaluate the exploitation of knowledge from the servicescape and the exploration of knowledge from the ethnoscape. This conceptual model thus bridges theory and practice for the development of the adventure tourism industry. Management implicationsThe findings of this study can be summarized as follows.•Adventure tourists have ambivalent values of knowledge exploration and exploitation;•They become adventure tourists when they incidentally encounter ethnoscapes that are specific to and still rooted in the region of their travel destination; and•What makes them adventure tourists is a cross-boundary learning mindset, which can be confirmed by measuring their non-cognitive abilities.Based on the above, the management implications are that adventure tourism operators should.•Focus their attention not only on the sophistication of their services, but also on preserving the ethnoscape of the business area; and•Plan for the generation of communities of practice in destinations that facilitate cross-boundary learning including knowledge exploration and exploitation by travelers.

Regenerative adventure tourism. Going beyond sustainability – a horizon 2050 paper

Purpose This study aims to provide an overview of the regenerative concept and how this can be implemented in adventure travel. It looks into the history of sustainable adventure tourism and showcases best practice examples. This study is encouraging operators within the adventure tourism industry to adopt a regenerative approach. Design/methodology/approach A comprehensive literature review on the paradigm of regenerative tourism has been conducted and applied to the adventure tourism industry. Three case studies of selected adventure tourism operators have been selected to enforce this concept. Findings With nature being an essential element of adventure travel, the industry has a long history in terms of sustainability. While tour operators, destination management organisations and other stakeholders are working towards sustainable products, consumers are still convenient and not willing to restrict themselves. The attitude behaviour gap is also noticeable in this segment and a rethinking is necessary. Through the pandemic and the climate crisis, among other aspects, a shift within the tourism industry is inevitable. Adventure tourism can be a role model in this process and good examples from the industry give hope for change. A concept that focuses on the solutions to address the polycrises is regenerative development, which is based on an ecological worldview and a living systems thinking and aims to restore locally visited communities and environments. Numerous operators have already taken measures to help local communities, such as starting projects for nature conservation or encouraging social justice. Research limitations/implications This is a conceptual review without an empirical foundation. The best-case examples are based on an Anglo-Western perspective. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to provide an overview of the current state of research into sustainable adventure tourism and categorise it within the concept of regenerative tourism.

Whakaari/White Island disaster. An analysis informed by sociological theories of risk

On December 9, 2019, the volcano on Whakaari/White Island, a popular New Zealand (NZ) tourist destination, erupted. Twenty-two people died. Drawing on sociological theories of risk, most particularly on systems-thinking, this qualitative analysis describes the origins of the disaster, formulates questions for the authorities and suggests actions to reduce the chances of a repeat. It is concluded that the safety culture of NZ’s adventure tourism (AT) industry requires attention. It is also concluded that bureaucratic devices such as the adventure tourism insurance cover provided by NZ’s Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) may have encouraged, through a risk-compensation dynamic, greater risk-taking. It is suggested that improved oversight will deliver a safer adventure tourism industry. It is recommended that the authorities investigate to what extent insurance cover influences business practices.

Natural Resources for Adventure Tourism in the Western Region of Mongolia

The tourism industry has become one of the major economic sectors and has been contributing significantly to the socioeconomic development of the country. In the recent years, special interest tourism which is driven by one’s personal interest, passion and novelty has grown dramatically among the various types of tourism. Out of all special interest tourism types, we selected and researched adventure tourism. The range of adventure tourism services that are currently being developed in Mongolia is limited, not particularly inventive and lacks the ability to take the full advantage of accessible opportunities. This kind of tourism is restricted to only a few types of activities, such as horse and camel riding, cycling, hiking and mountain climbing. According to the researchers, the majority of travelers are more interested in skill-based adventure tourism in remote areas and less skill-based adventure tourism in well-known tourist hotspots. The natural resources found in the western region of Mongolia are uncommon in other countries of the world, which is advantageous for the development of adventure tourism. Nevertheless, it is necessary to study these natural resources carefully to identify opportunities particularly for the development of adventure tourism. Natural resources for adventure tourism are categorized into two primary groups: land and water including elements such as mountains, rocks and sand dunes, rivers and lakes. In this manuscript we present indicators for identifying mountains, each element’s potential. As a result, potential natural resources for the growth of adventure tourism industry in the western region of Mongolia were defined.

Exploring the pathways to enhanced task performance: the roles of supportive leadership, team psychological safety, and mindful organizing

PurposeThe study investigated the predictive role of supportive leadership and psychological safety for mindful organizing and the subsequent impact of mindful organizing on individual task performance. Mindful organizing, a concept from high-reliability organizations (HROs), can improve performance in various industrial settings. The limited availability of novel predictors for mindful organizing necessitates exploring this concept in the context of adventure tourism.Design/methodology/approachThrough a cross-sectional research approach, 394 respondents were selected from the adventure tourism industry in Malaysia. The proposed causal research model was evaluated through structural equation modeling (SEM), aggregation and bootstrapping.FindingsPsychological safety and supportive leadership significantly impacted mindful organizing. Mindful organizing, in turn, was positively associated with individual task performance. The mediating role of mindful organizing between psychological safety and task performance was statistically significant. However, the mediating role of mindful organizing between supportive leadership and task performance was not statistically significant.Practical implicationsManagers in the adventure tourism industry should consider applying mindful organizing to increase employee productivity and develop collective sensemaking. Also, developing a culture of support among managers and coworkers, emphasizing the team's psychological safety, may boost the morale and productivity of the workforce.Originality/valueThis research has identified and empirically tested new antecedents, psychological safety and leadership for mindful organizing in the adventure tourism context and has addressed a significant research gap (Sutcliffe et al., 2016) by broadening the scope of mindful organizing research to encompass contexts beyond those exclusively considered HROs.

Las Torres Reserve’s Sustainable Tourism Practices in Patagonia

Summary This case study is focused on the Chilean adventure travel company, Las Torres Reserve, which has incorporated sustainable tourism practices into its hospitality business in Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia. The information in this study was gathered through onsite interviews and online research with Las Torres Reserve marketing and management staff during a visit to Las Torres Reserve and the W Circuit in Torres del Paine National Park. The case study used interview and online research to describe the background, history and vision, and sustainable management practices the company has pursued to support conservation of the land and provide education to visitors from all over the world. A thorough presentation of the business and its staff’s practices is outlined, including its variety of accommodation options, sustainability practices, and the work its non-governmental organization (NGO) is doing to support conservation. Hospitality businesses that are in the adventure tourism industry can use this case study as an example of how business management and sustainability initiatives can be used to sustain both a successful tourism business and the land that is essential to its long-term success. Information © The Author 2023

Assessment of the Potential of Adventure Tourism in the Mt. Kenya Region

Today, adventure tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of the global tourism. It has experienced phenomenal growth in the last twenty or so years. However, despite this phenomenal growth, there is still conceptual ambiguity in literature on this niche market. Research on adventure tourism is limited but this is gradually changing. The purpose of the study was to discuss the prospects of developing adventure tourism in the Mt. Kenya region and challenges likely to be faced. The area has been a major tourist destination since colonial times, especially for mountaineers and campers. However, little effort if any has been made by various stakeholders to develop adventure tourism in the area. Available literature on adventure tourism in the Mt. Kenya region is scanty. This study aims to fill this research gap. A descriptive research design was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data provided information on opinions of tourists and industry officials interviewed concerning prospects and challenges for developing adventure tourism in the study area. Quantitative data provided information on major tourist attractions for adventure tourism in the study area. Data collection techniques such as questionnaire survey and interview schedules were used to assess the possibility of developing a viable adventure tourism industry in the area. SWOT analysis was used in the study to explain the current constraints and potential for adventure tourism in the Mt. Kenya region. In-depth literature review and SWOT analysis revealed that many prospects exist for adventure tourism in the study area. Mountaineering, rock climbing, camping and bungee jumping were identified as possible activities that can be developed and expanded for adventure tourism. Therefore, all the stakeholders in the tourism industry in the region should market the area more aggressively locally and internationally.

Climate change and adventure guiding: The role of nature connection in guide wellbeing.

Ecological challenges are quickly shaping the future of the tourism industry with an increasing focus on how to develop more sustainable adventure tourism practises. Adventure guides play an important role in this transition and in shaping client experiences, however there is a need to better understand how climate change may have important impacts on guides' wellbeing. This study explored adventure guides' experiences of nature connectedness and potential links between climate change, nature connexion, and wellbeing for adventure guides. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (x = 11) with adventure guides were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis to explore these relationships. Adventure guides reported experiencing meaningful connexions and relationships with the natural environments in which they worked, while also highlighting why not all types of nature nor time spent outdoors facilitated this connexion. Guides that reported being more connected to nature also reported a higher sense of environmental responsibility, and guides described how this often created “ethical dilemmas” in seeking to resolve tensions between their deep connexion to nature and unsustainable practises that their guiding work often entailed. Analysis also highlighted the value and wellbeing guides derived from sharing their love of nature with clients. These findings expand emerging theoretical models of adventure guide wellbeing, and suggest a range of practises that can support a more ecologically sustainable adventure tourism industry.

Assessing the tourists satisfaction of adventure lodges: a case study of Tadom Hill Resorts, Malaysia

ABSTRACT This paper aims to measure the satisfaction level of tourists on the attributes associated with adventure lodges. The Holiday Satisfaction Model (HOLSAT) was used to determine the gaps between the expectations of tourists and the experience on 21 adventure lodges attributes. Results were drawn from a questionnaire survey of 280 Malaysian and international tourists who visited the Tadom Hill Resorts located in Selangor, Malaysia in 2018. Data derived from the analysis was plotted into a two-dimensional graph showing the mean score for expectations (Y-axis) plotted against the mean score of experiences (X-axis). Findings reveal that only three attributes gave the most satisfaction to tourists with a significant level at 0.001, with one attribute showing a significant level of dissatisfaction by the tourists. Therefore, the attributes that failed to satisfy tourists should be further investigated to develop strategies to attract tourists and the development of the adventure tourism industry in Malaysia.

Analysis of the Effect of Social Support on Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Tourism Industry – Based on the Perspective of Living-Ecology-Production Integrated Space

A series of problems, such as disordered development of urban production and living space, low land use efficiency, and ecological environment pollution, appear in the rapid industrialization and urbanization process to seriously hinder the sustainable development of human social economy and ecological environment. In this case, scientifically planning national space and coordinating spatial function become the key problems in the construction of sustainably developing ecological civilization under the background of new-style urbanization and new rural development. The establishment of national spatial system living-ecology-production integrated function coevolution mechanism is the current scientific problem for solutions as well as the key in the implementation of future national spatial planning. Aiming at employees in tourism industry in Guilin, Guangxi, total 460 copies of questionnaire are distributed. After deducting invalid and incomplete copies, 362 valid copies are retrieved, with the retrieval rate 86%. According to the results to propose suggestions, it is expected to help promote the sustainable competitive advantage of industry with the application of living-ecology-production integrated space.

Adventure tourism innovation: Benefitting or hampering operations?

Despite its recognised importance to tourism, very little is known about innovation and innovative practices within the sub-sectors of tourism, such as adventure tourism. Further, despite the known benefits of innovation, not all innovations are adopted and the ones that are do not always have a successful outcome. Through a qualitative case study of the US aerial adventure industry, this paper highlights the advantages and disadvantages innovation may have on operational risk management as well as understanding why seemingly critical innovations are not adopted. Unlike tourism in general, the industry is relying heavily on radical innovations as it continues to grow. Numerous benefits are highlighted, yet also indicate a resistance to adopt innovations. The study demonstrates how adventure tourism, in its adaption and managerial processes, seeks balance by using well-tested safety technologies and measures against the incentive to enhance such thrill effects that will appeal to customer. Management implications•This paper documents the advantages and disadvantages of innovation within adventure tourism, in particular the US aerial adventure industry, and it demonstrates the managerial ambiguities.•The paper finds that whilst innovations have had positive implications upon the industry, they have also led to further challenges in terms of changes in competitions.•The adventure tourism industry seeks to balance its cycles of innovation, and safety is a contributing factor that stimulates innovative activity, alongside the concern for customer thrill experiences.

Between space and place in mountaineering: navigating risk, death, and power

The liminal status of mountains makes them attractive destinations for adventure, and related tourism and recreation activities. Stemming from critiques of Nepal’s growing adventure tourism industry, and recognising the centrality of Sherpas’ roles within it, of interest are the ways Climbing Sherpas experience liminality in mountaineering. Liminality, an anthropological concept introduced by Arnold van Gennep (1960), becomes transformative as Sherpas use encounters with death and periods of uncertainty to take stock of the purpose of their lives. Moreover, analysis of narrative findings reveal that Sherpas assert individual freedom and collective agency in response to the dangers and demands of Nepal’s commercial mountaineering industry, thereby shifting power relations on the mountainside. These findings challenge assumptions of immobile host populations that underlie some of the current understandings within tourism scholarship. Additionally, exploring the liminal landscapes of the mountainside draws attention to critical concerns regarding tourism (and its associated industries) as a mechanism for economic development.

Human Capital Capabilities for Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Tourism Industry

The aim of this article is to discuss the main Travel and Tourism competitiveness indicators which take into consideration human capital capabilities as a key factor when determining competitiveness. Human capital competitiveness in the tourism industry will be analyzed based on the internationally accepted methodology Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI). Analysis will focus on the globally most competitive countries in tourism and on countries in the Southern European region. The research shows that even though human capital is not always emphasized when competiveness evaluation is carried out in the tourism industry, human capital capabilities are a key factor taken into account in the competitiveness assessment data. In many countries the competitiveness of human capital in tourism is lower than desired, providing opportunities for additional investment in competitiveness through education and more-efficient labor market practices. Research methods used in the study include the systematic and logical analysis of scientific literature and synthesis.
 
 
 Keywords: human capital, labor market, travel & tourism competitiveness, tourism industry

Conceptualising family adventure tourist motives, experiences and benefits

Families are becoming increasingly important to the adventure tourism industry, yet previous research neglects to investigate these tourists, instead focusing on family participation in non-adventure holidays and recreational activities. This conceptual paper develops a theoretically grounded perspective of family adventure tourists and considers the following research questions: Which key motives encourage families to participate in adventure activities while on holiday? What are the experiences of families during adventure activity participation on holiday? What benefits do families gain from these experiences? The paper addresses a research gap through synthesising previous research findings pertaining to family tourists and recreationists, adventure tourists and recreational adventurers. It makes connections between these studies to develop fruitful insights into family adventure tourists. It adopts a whole family approach as the perspectives of children and their parents are equally important in progressing understanding of these tourists. Many older family tourism studies only investigate parental viewpoints, yet children are integral to shaping the family holiday experience and understanding them is essential for organisations striving to deliver fun, enjoyable and challenging family holidays which satisfy parents as well as children. The paper presents a conceptual model of family adventure tourists, which illustrates the multidimensional journey families take before, during and after their adventure holiday. The paper highlights the complexities of understanding families who partake in adventure holidays and the key considerations that adventure organisations need to take into account in designing such holidays. It also makes suggestions for further research on family adventure tourists. Management implicationsThe key findings from this paper have several management implications for the adventure tourism industry:•There is strong and continued growth in the demand for family adventure holidays, and participation is associated with numerous benefits which can lead to improved family functioning.•Understanding the family adventure tourism market can assist organisations to design suitable holidays which take into account the complexities of families and the multifaceted needs of parents and their children.•In developing these holidays, organisations need to consider that: families enjoy packaged as well as independently organised adventure holidays; they participate in a range of hard and soft adventure activities; there are motivational differences between parents and children; holidays need to combine activity experiences with opportunities for downtime and relaxation to ensure all family members are happy; activity participation may trigger family conflict at times due to the challenging nature of adventure; and, holidays should facilitate opportunities for family togetherness, bonding, communication, relationship-building, consolidation of family values and traditions, and other benefits.

An analysis of the South African adventure tourism industry

South Africa has many of the physical resources that support an adventure tourism industry. Thus, since the 1990s, adventure tourism has grown enormously and is now a significant industry in its own right. Geographically it is spread across the entire country. The industry, however, suffers from policy neglect – both from South African tourism authorities and the national government. So, if South Africa is to continue to foster economic growth through tourism, policy-makers need to maximize the potential of adventure tourism. This study shows there is a great diversity in the types of adventure tourism products on offer, with three well developed sub-sectors: namely hard, soft and nature-based adventure. A tourism policy directed at supporting these market segments can assist in promoting their growth, as the South African adventure tourism market is far from saturated.

Knowledge development in adventure tourism businesses – the influence of serious leisure

ABSTRACTThe development of high quality adventure tourism products requires continuous knowledge development. This development is challenged by the short seasons and the low wages of the adventure tourism industry. Eight case studies of adventure tourism businesses in Norway and New Zealand identified blurry borders between work and leisure in the adventure tourism industry. Through interviews and participant observation, characteristics of serious leisure [Stebbins, R. A. 1982. “Serious Leisure: A Conceptual Statement.” The Pacific Sociological Review 25: 251–272] were identified, as entrepreneurs and employees of adventure tourism businesses were involved in specific leisure activities taking place in the same natural environments as the commercial activities. The findings suggests that knowledge and motivation related to serious leisure can benefit the adventure tourism industry by motivating employees to stay with the industry and invest in training, through international work mobility and the creation of knowledgeable milieus. The study is intended to increase awareness on how knowledge developed through serious leisure can benefit the tourism industry.

The influence of the environment on adventure tourism: from motivations to experiences

Inherent in most definitions of adventure tourism is the fact that it takes place in natural outdoor settings. Yet, the influence of this setting on the behaviour of adventure tourism consumers has yet to be adequately addressed. This study, therefore, investigates the relative strength and nature of environmental influences on adventure tourists in both motivations for participation and in the context of the experience. The results are based on questionnaires collected from 459 participants in adventure tourism activities along the southern coast of South Africa. They show that, although the majority of research on adventure tourism focuses on the ‘thrill’ involved, the environment is increasingly recognized as influential. The assessment of motivations, using a push and pull factor approach, demonstrates that the environment not only plays an important role in attracting adventure tourists towards specific destinations, but that they also seek out interactions with nature. In addition, participants suggested that the environment is an especially significant component of their experiences. The fact that the findings demonstrate the importance of the environment in both the motivations and experiences of adventure tourism participants, means that such an approach would make a definite contribution to discussions, planning, and policy linked to the adventure tourism industry.

Locating South Africa within the global adventure tourism industry: the case of bungee jumping

Abstract Bungee jumping is a global phenomenon and is an important sector of the adventure tourism market, acknowledged as an iconic form of hard adventure. Commercial operators are located in North and South America, Asia, Europe and Australasia. In Africa, commercial bungee jumping takes place in Uganda, Zambia and South Africa. This paper fills a gap in the international literature by firstly providing an overview of the global bungee industry, and secondly locating the South African bungee jumping sector within it. Thus, the supply side of the market is analysed geographically, with a focus on iconic, African and South African jump sites. The study found that bungee jumping takes on a similar form across the globe, notably, a high staff to client ratio; the need for strict safety measures; the provision of additional adventure activities on or near the site and the sale of souvenirs. The paper presents the hither to unknown commercial signature of bungee jumping. Finally, the case for South Africa’s commercial bungee jumping industry as a globally being globally competitive one is presented.

A study on the effects of different factors influencing on customer loyalty, profitability and word of mouth advertisement for gaining competitive advantage in tourism industry

Article history: Received December 2, 2013 Accepted 8 May 2014 Available online May 15 2014 This paper presents an empirical investigation to study the effects of various factors influencing on customer loyalty, profitability and word of mouth advertisement for gaining competitive advantage in tourism industry. The study designs a questionnaire in Likert scale and distributes it among a random sample of 500 people who purchased some tours from travel agencies. Using structural equation modeling, the study has determined a positive and meaningful impact of pricing strategy, amenity, tourism services, content of trip, marketing mix elements, brand equity, competitive advantage and being exclusive on gaining competitive advantage. In addition, being exclusive and value creation influence positively on word of mouth advertisement. Finally, value creation influences on profitability, positively. © 2014 Growing Science Ltd. All rights reserved.