Travelers are now demanding adventure tours that include outdoor activities rather than just sightseeing, according to a new report.
According to the “2024 The Outdoor Adventure and Activity Traveler” report, which surveyed 1,000 adults, 59% of travelers participated in an outdoor adventure activity last year, TTW reported.
Notably, 80% of outdoor activity participants were under the age of 55, reflecting a younger demographic, with 30% of them earning more than $150,000 a year.
The frequency of activity participation has also increased, with three out of four travelers saying it is “essential to participate in an outdoor activity while traveling,” and the number of activities during travel rose from an average of 3.5 in 2019 to 4 last year.
By type, water activities such as rafting, kayaking, paddle boarding, jet skiing, and scuba diving saw the largest growth, jumping from 20% to 49%, while interest in land activities such as biking, hiking, trekking, and ATVs increased from 34% to 48%.
However, the average spend per activity also surged, more than doubling from $144 in 2019 to $300 last year.
The Korean-American travel industry in the Los Angeles area is also responding to the growing demand for such activity tours by developing and expanding related products.
“We are offering small groups for trekking, golf, skiing, and hang gliding,” said Steve Cho, executive director of Aju Tour. ”Our golf tour is scheduled for six groups between September and November, and we are also offering tours in conjunction with the Boston and LA marathons. In the winter, we’re organizing a group ski trip to Utah. Cycling and water sports tours will also be available in the future.”
PRT Tour is also currently offering Niagara jet skiing, ziplining in Costa Rica, and a two-hour trek in Yosemite Valley. “Recently, there has been a growing interest in active tourism rather than just sightseeing, so we have been working hard to develop activity products. The newly launched Las Vegas tour includes rafting down the Hoover Dam,” said Taejoon Park, director of PRT Tour.
“Golf tours for four to eight people are popular, and we are planning to add five to 10 more tours, as the booking rate has increased by about 50 percent compared to last year,” said Grace Lee, a manager at Four Seasons Tour.
“Small groups are increasingly taking hiking tours to explore the Giant Canyon Valley, and couples and families are also taking aerial tours of Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon in helicopters and light aircraft.”
Online searches and videos such as YouTube were the most common ways to find information about activities, followed by friends and family recommendations, travel websites, and social media, the report found.
Paula Weisenbeck, marketing director at Polaris Adventures, an outdoor adventure company, said, “There is a growing enthusiasm for outdoor activities as people crave new and unique ways to experience the outdoors in memorable ways,” adding, “It’s important to share these moments with family and friends as they connect with nature and push their boundaries.”
BY NAKI PARK, HOONSIK WOO [park.naki@koreadaily.com]
