What are the key trends shaping the adventure tourism industry in India today, and how are operators adapting to meet the changing expectations of travelers?
Indian travellers who are totally new to the outdoors and adventure tourism are mostly driven to unorganized trekking programs or self-drive tours (the latter are better managed on surface), with motorcycle tours being more popular. Foreign clients usually come through very organized companies looking for the aha moments of solace, cultural immersions & comfort trend in the outdoors. Operators in today’s time are again in two categories…the unorganized with very limited experience & the others with good amount of experience affiliated to tourism bodies… Organized operators are struggling to get the message across why they should be preferred over fly-by-night operators. The bigger challenge is perception outdoors can be done cheaply, so why use an established company?
How has adventure tourism evolved since the time you joined the industry? Have you noticed a move towards soft adventure, glamping, and luxury adventure experiences?
Way back in 1988 carrying a rucksack on a Delhi bus used to get one a lot of stares. In those days, adventure was a totally unknown path or territory. My friends back then couldn’t understand what I was doing with foreigners in the mountains. I always dealt with foreigners & back then there used to be hard trekking groups who were very serious about long outdoors treks ranging from 10 to 21 days crisscrossing the Himalayan ranges in a caravan (similar to the Silk Route ones). These were self-contained or even serious climbing expeditions. Trans-Himalayan jeep safaris were rarer…
Now it is a totally a new space, more comfort has been thrown in, with better quality of vehicles, roads have become much safer to drive, enroute facilities, petrol stations etc are aplenty. More so over the last one decade the trend has moved a bit to the New Buzz Active comfort holidays, multi-active family trips, with an infusion of local cultural dives and food thrown in… It’s not really glamping (which is still very niche) but surely more comfort oriented. ‘Luxury adventure’ is a very strange phrase to define…for me being in the mountains with that fresh air and views surrounded by simple people is in itself a luxury. Having said that there is a small section of city souls who like to replicate their home comforts in the outdoors…There is a demand for that & that’s why one has seen the new breed of more comfort hotels and camps all across the outdoors.
With the rise in demand for sustainable tourism, how is the adventure tourism sector balancing the need for thrilling experiences with environmental conservation and community engagement?
This is an important question, but honestly very few players are taking this seriously. Some efforts are being made by a few but they haven’t even scratched the surface. The larger public which is stepping into the outdoors is not at all aware or sensitive at all on how to make the balance—I find them the bigger problem for our outdoors…Some companies are surely trying to engage local communities by forging common paths of collective working & understanding.
What role does technology play in enhancing adventure tourism experiences, and how do you see innovations such as virtual reality, GPS tracking, or AI-based planning influencing the future of the industry?
Technology can play a very limited role in Adventure Tourism experiences. This is totally run by a human interface otherwise it will fail… I don’t think we can put AI in-charge of our outdoors. GPS tracking is surely useful for certain sections of people who wish to venture out on their own for safety aspects. I don’t believe in virtual reality tools…Just be in the outdoors and enjoy the ‘real world’, feel, smell, dance on a mountain top or a meadow.
Has there been a shift in the industry after Covid? What changes have you observed?
It’s been a shift for the worst for the outdoors…mass tourism hubs became bigger, more pressure has been put on fragile eco systems, human waste has increased, plastic has increased, everyone wishes to tick off a destination, these new-found social media influencers are the worst thing that is happening to our Industry. Changes: thousands of people taking to the outdoors with no knowledge of the territory they are entering or going to has led to an increase in accidents, serious ecological impacts to our environments & beyond.
How is the adventure tourism industry addressing the challenges of safety standards, especially in extreme activities like mountaineering, white-water rafting, or paragliding?
The responsible companies running these activities stick together and follow the highest standards of safety, etc. However, they are outnumber by the unorganized sector which is many folds bigger. ATOAI plays an important role in engaging with state governments and local associations on these aspects but honestly there has to be a larger industry will and cooperation with state governments to follow through this together. The local pressures mostly scuttle the larger sense of doing it right.
How important are government policies, infrastructure development, and international partnerships for the growth of adventure tourism in India, and what further improvements are necessary to boost the sector?
It’s absolutely important to implement policies on the ground and not only on paper. The right sort of infrastructure on the ground sends a very positive signal around the world, and is the key to growth. Currently the international partnerships are all happening due to the private initiatives of the tour operators, They are putting their sweat & blood into that aspect. Tour operators are walking the globe to boost the Indian subcontinent’s Adventure Tourism share. Sure, the Government can do much, provided there is a political will to do so. Almost 73 percent of the Himalaya are within Indian borders. How many of us even know about this in India, forget the world? We need to market the Great Indian Outdoors loudly around the world rigorously for at least five years to catch peoples’ attention. India needs to be marketed as a One-Stop for Multiple Outdoors for Everyone.
Disclaimer:
This article contains sponsored content that may not reflect the independent opinion or views of FinancialExpress.com. Further, FinancialExpress.com cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of any information presented here. Please consult a certified financial advisor before making any decisions based on this article.