The travel industry has grown explosively since the 1950s: According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, international tourism arrivals have grown from 25 million in 1950 to 684 million in 2000; 1 billion international tourist arrivals are expected in 2020. A movement away from the destination-based trips of yesteryear (which might have focused on photographing the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum and the Leaning Tower of Pisa) toward more experiential trips has emerged. According to a study on tourism trends, travelers today seek unique ways to spend their vacation and find meaning through interacting with their surroundings, and tourism providers offer more tailor-made, off-the-beaten-path packages. In addition, the increased popularity of active lifestyles has meant that many travelers seek ways to integrate their love of a particular activity into a trip to a new destination.
There is no "typical" sports or adventure tourism trip; it all depends on your interest and comfort levels. If you'd like to design an active and challenging adventure tourism expedition, for example, you might consider a trip to northeast Cambodia, where a two-hour motorbike ride to a six-hour boat trip upriver leads you to Virachey National Park, where you'll hike the remnants of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, spot tiger footprints and day-glo butterflies, and sleep under the brightest stars you've ever seen. If you're more of the sporting type, you could travel to Japan to try your hand at the ancient sport of Yabusame, or travel to watch the Football World Cup, Wimbledon, or the Olympics--just be sure to research in advance whether and how you can get tickets.
While you're planning your trip, be sure to check whether the activities you'll be doing will be covered by your travel insurance. If planning a trip to remote destinations, it's best to go with at least one other person, particularly if you're a woman. Check in advance to see what weather conditions you can expect during the time of year you plan to travel, and check with the tour or activities providers to be sure proper safety precautions are in place. Finally, when you're on your trip, don't forget to stay properly hydrated and aware of any personal medical or nutrition needs.
If you plan to take a particular course as part of a trip oriented around sports tourism, be sure to check out the accreditation or level of strenuousness of the program you'll enroll in before you pay any money. Some yoga courses, for example, could be led by teachers who are less advanced than you are, or a bicycle trip you hope will test your endurance could be nothing more than a pedal down a gravel pathway. Better to ask questions when choosing a sports activities provider when it comes to ensuring that someone of your level of skill, experience and fitness will be able to fully enjoy the experience.
As tourism experiences are becoming more "boutique" in feel, as illustrated by the growing popularity of adventure and sports tourism, markets are opening for individual providers of exceptional sports or adventure experiences to make a name for themselves and outcompete mass-market tourism services. For example, a 2007 study of sustainable tourism development in rural areas conducted on behalf of USAID found that adventure tourism activities are favorably aligned with sustainable development objectives, channeling economic benefits of development back to community members rather than to large foreign or commercial tourism interests. So, when planning your trip, remember that the choices you make will impact not just the memories you take home, but also the communities you visit and people with whom you interact.
