The planetary escapade question marketplace is present worthy $1.16 trillion, according to caller figures from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). The revision follows the work of UN Tourism’s World Tourism Barometer, which forecast planetary tourism receipts to scope a grounds $1.73 trillion successful 2024 – an 11% summation connected 2023 and 14% supra pre-pandemic levels. Based connected the ATTA’s 67% marketplace share, the worth of escapade question has been adjusted from $966 cardinal successful 2023 to $1.16 trillion today.
Adventure question has evolved dramatically implicit the past decade. From a niche class focused chiefly connected adrenaline-fueled activities, it has go a cardinal operator of planetary tourism growth. Today, the traveler illustration is not lone defined by hiking, biking oregon kayaking, but besides by the hunt for authentic experiences of culture, quality and section culture.
The ATTA study, conducted successful collaboration with EF Adventures and CBI, was based connected surveys of 5,000 travelers successful 13 countries. The findings amusement that 67% of planetary travelers place arsenic “Open to Adventure”, portion the basal of “purebred” escapade travelers has accrued from 30% to 41%.
Travelers who walk more
The economical value of the manufacture is arsenic impressive. The mean escapade traveler spends $265 per nighttime and takes trips lasting 11 days – that’s astir $3,000 per trip. Extended stays and precocious regular budgets marque this assemblage invaluable to destinations and providers.
Four cardinal categories
The ATTA divides the marketplace into 4 groups:
Adventure Intensives (14%): question aggravated enactment and idiosyncratic development.
Nature Enthusiasts (12%): absorption connected wildlife and landscapes.
Cultural Explorers (27%): similar taste experiences and gastronomy.
Experience Samplers (14%): harvester elements of culture, activities and exploration.
Although the categories differ, travelers often determination betwixt them, depending connected the destination, the institution and the signifier of life.
Sustainability arsenic a priority
The probe shows that sustainability is present a determining factor. Travelers similar small-scale, locally organized experiences, with constricted groups and an accent connected preserving quality and strengthening communities. Meanwhile, online platforms specified arsenic GetYourGuide, TourRadar, Evaneos and Airbnb Experiences person fixed caller impetus to tiny and medium-sized operators.
As ATTA notes, “by investing successful authentic, locally rooted and sustainable experiences, the manufacture tin unafraid semipermanent worth and societal benefits, portion reducing antagonistic impacts.”
Challenges and opportunities
To capitalize connected growth, destinations are called upon to foster longer stays, showcase section traditions and cuisine, and signifier products for antithetic types of travelers. Operators, connected the different hand, request to physique sustainable credentials and put successful partnerships with section communities.
The emerging mediate people and the luxury conception are gaining peculiar importance, arsenic the conception of luxury shifts from comfortableness to entree to unique, transformative experiences.
Global dimension
The survey was conducted successful the archetypal 4th of 2025 with the information of travelers from the United States, China, India, Brazil, Mexico, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, among others. This multinational attack demonstrates that the displacement towards escapade and experiential question is not a inclination constricted to 1 continent but a planetary phenomenon.
With a worth of 1.16 trillion dollars and increasing societal and economical importance, the escapade question manufacture is nary longer considered “alternative”. On the contrary, it is present a decisive unit shaping the aboriginal of planetary tourism.