Second of Three Parts

REGIONS of interest to Adventure Travelers tend to be popular precisely for the qualities of their attractions to mainstream travelers. Track record would vouch for the current popularity of Argentina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Chile, China, India, Greenland and Iceland.

Though according to the 2007 UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, Asia is the star worldwide performer right now with a 10% increase in visitation over the previous year, it is China which got the biggest share of the pie. According to Walters, the Pulse Check conducted by ATTA on the mood in the adventure travel is largely positive; thus he is very optimistic that the future could be very promising for the Philippines.

With correct positioning, the Philippines has great potential because more and more people are increasingly searching for rewarding, enriching experiences, local community interaction, heritage, nature viewing and interpretation.

This trend has not gone unnoticed by large travel entities such as the cruise line, with adventurous shore options including canopy tours, sea kayaking and diving excursions. We are also noticing the general travel and leisure web portal sites showing an interest in the adventure travel sector. We can see some very influential mainstream media and entertainment companies entering the arena. Disney Corporation offers Adventures by Disney in its website.

Why would big corporations become involved in adventure travel is not necessarily because that’s the way it has to be – BIG! It just highlights the fact that adventure tourism is in an interesting stage right now. If big corporations with millions of dollars of research at their fingertips are excited by the concept of adventure, then we are on the right track. It makes the job of creating consumer awareness that much easier, it allows operators to concentrate on the quality of the trips and the interaction with the environments.

Walters came up with some recommendations based on the five emerging themes that they at the ATTA are noticing:

Time-Starved Adventurers. Many of today’s “adventurers” want to have their activities done in a day and be back at the resort for cocktails at dusk. This trend is a great opportunity to create short hikes, weekend stays, sampling activities for urban folks to experience the rural scenery.

These people are restless. They often want to pack in as many activities as they can in a short period of time. They can be prone to book late, resulting to a proliferation of Last Minute Travel sites.

The Experience Economy. Baby boomers are a key tourism market right now. They have affluence with as much as 70 – 80% of available disposable wealth. They want to buy experience and they are willing to pay. They have money but limited time.

They want active cultural, natural, unique experiences. As their time is limited, careful sequencing of packages and itineraries is very important. Even on vacation, these individuals do not want to waste a minute, they appreciate attention to details. The Adventure Traveler wants unique experiences, not contrived; they want local, not some McDonald’s cookie cutter formula.

Authenticity is Everything. Throw away the generics at all costs. It is not just what our guests want; it is also about the preservation and empowerment of the local economies, arts and traditions.

In product development, find out what the primary lure is. Is what we are doing authentic? How can we improve on the experience?

Walters observed that the Philippines is at an adventure crossroad: one way leads to high volume, low specialty mass travel tours perhaps aimed at the Korean market where the experiences are just skin deep, merely stage performances featuring costumed locals. The other way leads to low volume, high value trips which incorporate highly experienced, trained local guides sharing their history, interpreting their culture for visitors in small intimate groups.

Collaboration is Key. The adventure sector is in general a highly fragmented industry made up essentially of a large number of small operators with very specific knowledge of their own region or area of expertise. This is true of the rest of the world including the Philippines. This small human scale is to a large degree what the consumer is buying, but has drawbacks from the operational level specifically in regards to training, best practices, access to funds for growth, and in marketing. (To be concluded)

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