1. ADVENTURE-SEEKERS: These travelers enjoy more challenging and active itineraries and destinations. Their travel preferences can include real physical challenges such as mountain-biking, bungee jumping,zip-lining, white-water river rafting, scuba diving, mountain climbing, surfing and skydiving among other sports. They will choose desti- nations that are more isolated or remote. This type of travel is sometimes referred to as “hard adventure” travel.

But the most common adventure-seeker looks for a trip with “soft adventure”. Soft adventure involves staying at hotels rather than camping in remote locations. Meals are eaten in local, authentic and less-known restaurants as opposed to dining around the campfire. Campfire meals, sleeping in tents and walking for long distances at higher elevations would be considered “hard adventure”.

The Adventure Travel Trade Association published data about adven- ture travel trends in 2007. A consulting company surveyed adventure tour operators and cited the following adventure traveler preferences:

Percentage of surveyed travelers Adventure travel preference81% Hiking or walking68% Cultural activities55% Trekking54% Wildlife/nature53% National parks

Table 1.1—Top adventure travel activitiesDestination Example of adventure activities available

Rwanda Tracking and observing mountain gorillasZambia Kafue national Park safarisBhutan Valley trekking

China Biking tours of a rural country sideAntarctica Observing penguin colonies

Australia Exploring undeveloped coastlinesCroatia and Montenegro Mountain climbing and hiking

Central Europe Cross-county biking toursBrazil Sailing the coastline in colonial vessels

Alaska Sailing the Inside PassageMexico Tracking gray whales in migration

Montana, USA Mountain climbing in Glacier National Park