Fitting the adventure traveler profile perfectly Does the latest issue of National Geographic sit atop your coffee table? Are you a single and young-ish nature lover who makes regular stops at outdoor retailer Timberland? Odds are you fit the adventure traveler profile perfectly.
That’s according to the latest report out of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, which paints a profile of the typical adventure traveler and thrill seeker after surveying 838 international respondents from North and South America and Europe.
Adventure seekers are younger than their non-adventure travelers, with an average age of 36. The market is also dominated by single men (57 percent) who’ve never been married.
About one in four thrill seekers also have a four-year degree at minimum (37 percent), including 11 percent who hold a professional degree.
On average, they pull in a middle-class income of about $46,800 and may subscribe to publications like National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, and Men’s Health.
Thrill seekers who choose to spend their holidays backpacking, heli-skiing, paragliding, trekking or rock climbing are also nature lovers and choose their next vacation destination based on areas of natural beauty.
By comparison, non-adventure travelers who may opt for a cruise or sightseeing tours rank the presence of friends and family at their chosen destination as the most important factor when planning their holidays.
On a global scale, the most popular outdoor retailers among adventure travelers are Timberland, Quiksilver, Gore-Tex, The North Face and Salomon.
Regionally, Patagonia is also popular among South Americans, while LL Bean is popular uniquely among North Americans.
Average spending also spiked nearly 20 percent from $593 in 2009 to $947 in 2012. South Americans have emerged as the biggest spenders, shelling out an average of $1,333 on hard adventure travels (activities like heli-skiing and paragliding) and $1,501 in soft adventures (like canoeing and cycling).
Source: Relaxnews