According to the first annual 2006 Adventure Travel Industry Survey, Practices and Trends by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA): women comprise the majority of adventure travelers worldwide; South America ranks highest in terms of increasing destination interest among consumers; and 50% of tour operators who don’t currently use travel agents to sell their product plan to do so in the future.

ATTA’s annual trade survey is expected to serve as the standard in reporting on the state of the adventure travel industry, and is designed to capture emerging trends and trade indicators. Excerpts from the fourth-quarter 2006 Adventure Travel Industry Survey, Practices and Trends, for example, reveal such data as:

Customer Information:

    * Women comprise 52% of adventure travelers

    * 41-60 year olds comprise the highest participating age group

    * Highest year-to-year, increased consumer regional interest:  S. America 

Operations:

    * 46% of all companies offer sustainability program/s for customers

    * Average land cost for an adventure travel trip: $2,122

    * 83% of survey respondents realized revenue increases between 04 and 05
          o On average, 25% reported revenue increases, 22% profit increases

Sales/Marketing/Reservations:

    * Search Engine Optimization ranked the top ("extremely effective") booking source, followed by word-of-mouth and repeat clients

    * 35% of businesses do not allow customers to book online

    * 50% of those who don’t work with agents intend to in the future

Benchmark survey questions were crafted to capture data which lays the framework for year-to-year comparisons. Baseline business matters addressed in the survey include such questions as: Who is the average adventure travel customer? What kind of revenues and profit does this industry realize? What changes in the consumer, changes in destination interests and threats to the industry do industry professionals see? Results are meant to aid adventure travel tour operators and accommodations to understand how they’re faring operationally compared to others worldwide, to help them to identify trends and shifts in consumer behaviors, and more.

In addition to appendices representing raw data from narrative survey responses, primary categories detailed in the ATTA’s Practices and Trends include answers to more than 70 questions addressing:

    * Operations
    * Customer Information
    * Marketing and Advertising
    * Sales and Reservations
    * Certification, Training and Risk Management
    * Responsible/Sustainable Practices
    * Lodges/Resorts
    * Tour Operators

Survey results are available at no cost to ATTA Members and to those organizations who participated in the survey.