By Chris Peters
Karen Moore has seen zebras graze in Botswana, wandered amongst hill tribes in Thailand and trekked through the Anapurna region in Nepal. Last year, she climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa.
Moore, 36, is one of a growing number of adventure tourists.
Throughout her twenties, she went on conventional trips. She met Goofy at Disneyworld, played slot machines in Vegas and bronzed on the beach in Cancun.
But Moore says she got tired of the traditional vacation destinations and yearned for a culture shock. At 31, she took her first adventure vacation. She hasn’t looked back.
What began as a desire to see different cultures has now become the basis for her job. Moore is the manager of the Adventure Travel Company on Clarence Street.
“My job subsidizes my travel habit,” says Moore.
Caroline Jumeau, a consultant with the company, recently sent a 73-year-old Ottawa man trekking to the world’s third highest peak, Kanchenjunga, in northeastern Nepal.
“Adventure travel isn’t age specific,” says Moore, who plans on being an adventure tourist for the rest of her life.
Adventure, spiritual and eco-tourism sectors have emerged in the tourism industry over the past 15 years.
The Adventure Travel Society defines adventure tourism as “travel to an unusual, exotic, remote, or wilderness destination.”
The society, whose sponsors include National Geographic and Lonely Planet, is associated with the Canadian Tourism Commission, and Conservation Corporation Africa.
Adventure tourism can be strenuous, as in climbing expeditions and white water kayaking. However, it can also be gentle, as in rafting or sea kayaking.
Eco-tourism is a more recent development that stresses environmentally conscious tourism, such as photo safaris and archaeological digs.
Spiritual tourism derives from ancient religious pilgrimages to places such as Mecca, Jerusalem, and Canterbury. Modern adaptations combine outdoor activities, such as hiking, with spiritual activities, such as yoga or meditation.
A study completed last June by Statistics Canada shows that adventure, spiritual and eco-tourism sales increased by 119 per cent between 1993 and 1999.
A study by Transport Canada over the same period shows that overall tourism spending in Canada increased by only 37 per cent.
Although adventure tourism is only a small component of Canada’s tourism industry, the total revenue for the segment was $360 million in 1999.
The Adventure Travel Society claims “nature, cultural, and adventure travel” is the fastest growing tourism segment.
Elsa Dussault, a part owner and manager of Club Adventure on Parent Street, thinks that increased job stress leads people to seek adventurous vacations. “The more people work, the more adventure tourism increases,” says Dussault.
The boom has extended to the education sector as well. Many colleges now have adventure and eco-tourism courses in their tourism and hospitality departments.
The University College of the Cariboo in Kamloops, B.C. even operates a two-year diploma program in adventure tourism.
“People are looking to work in the natural environment,” says Dave Twynam, the associate dean for the college.
Jumeau says adventure tourism is growing because tourists want “something different and not so mundane.”
The majority of her clients are young professionals in their late 20s and early 30s who want more than a typical Caribbean holiday.
Most adventure trips last two weeks to a month, the most common ones chosen are Nepalese treks, Peruvian Inca trail excursions, and African safaris.
The prices vary considerably depending on the distance, size of the group, quality of accommodation and food, and the diversity of activities. As a rough guideline, typical prices for a trek range from $1,800 to $2,900 and can go as high as $6,000 excluding airfare.
Airfares range from $800 for South American destinations to $2,000 for African and Asian destinations.
Two of the Centretown agencies that specialize in adventure tourism find it profitable.
Moore says the Adventure Travel Company’s sales target increased by 10 per cent to $1.3 million this year.
Dussault says sales at Club Adventure have increased by 10 per cent each year since it opened 15 years ago. Its sales forecast for this year was $8.8 million before Sept. 11.
Dussault says sales are down about 30 per cent but are rebounding.
“All the Arab countries are down,” says Dussault.
Moore indicates a similar drop. She expects, “with some luck,” to reach $1 million in sales this year.
Adventure Travel Society’s Web site says, “we are more aware of aware of our health, yet more office bound than 10 to 20 years ago, so there is an urgency to get out.”