1st Edition

Routledge International Handbook of Adventure Tourism

Edited By Gill Pomfret, Adele Doran, Carl Cater Copyright 2025
512 Pages 80 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

512 Pages 80 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

512 Pages 80 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This handbook presents the latest research, industry trends, developments and initiatives in adventure tourism. It explores conceptualisations of adventure tourism, historical and intellectual developments, insights into adventure tourists and the supply side of adventure tourism, and sustainable and inclusive adventure tourism. With contributions from leading international researchers, 28... Read more

List of figures

List of tables

List of boxes

Foreword

List of contributors

Acknowledgements

 

Introduction

 

PART 1

Adventure tourism: An introduction

 

1.     Reconceptualising adventure tourism

Outi Rantala, Gill Pomfret and Adele Doran

 

2.     History of adventure tourism

Carl Cater

 

3.     The idea of adventure: From human conquest to being-with the world

Peter Varley and Simon Beames

 

4.     Emerging and transformational trends in issues related to adventure tourism and recreation

Alan Ewert, Amy DiRenzo and Jon Frankel

 

5.     Quantitative research methods in adventure tourism

Tahir Albayrak and Meltem Caber

 

6.     Qualitative methods in adventure tourism research

Tove I Dahl, Tim Dassler and Arild Røkenes

 

PART 2

Consumers of adventure tourism

 

7.     The adventure tourist

Gill Pomfret

 

8.     Adventure tourism segmentation

Melissa Jeanette Lötter

 

9.     Adventure tourism and tourist experience: Revisiting diversity and inclusion

Vinathe Sharma-Brymer, Eric Brymer and Soumya Mitra

 

10.  Adventure tourism in South Korea and Taiwan: Through the lens of colonial modernity

Young Sook Lee and Ming Feng Huang

 

11.  Adventure tourists and technology

Ingo Janowski, Sarah Gardiner and Anna Kwek

 

12.  Psychological well-being and adventure tourism: Implications for people and places

Susan Houge Mackenzie

 

PART 3

The supply of adventure tourism

 

13.  The structure of the adventure tourism industry

Manuel Sand and Sven Gross

 

14.  Sustainable adventure tourism products and destinations

Jelena Farkić and Steve Taylor

 

15.  Balancing experience production, safety legislation, and protection of the environment in adventure tourism

Arild Røkenes and Sigmund Andersen

 

16.  Risk management for guides and adventure businesses

Jon Heshka

 

17.  Adventure tourism leadership that SELLS

Jason King, Christopher Webber and Ashley Hardwell

 

18.  The adventure tourism professional: Becoming and being a guide

Mat Groves, Tamara Griffiths and Peter White

 

19.  Experiential marketing and value co-creation in adventure tourism

May Kristin Vespestad

 

20.  Technology and adventure tourism management

Cam O’Beirne

 

PART 4

Sustainability and inclusivity

 

21.  Adventure tourism and climate change

Claire Backhouse and Steven Gillespie

 

22.  Environmental management of adventure tourism

David Huddart

 

23.  Adventure tour operators in natural areas: Unpacking values in national parks

Po-Yu Wang, Tamara Young and Kevin Lyons

 

24.  Host community involvement in adventure tourism

Chiedza N. Mutanga, Monkgogi Lenao and Joseph E. Mbaiwa

 

25.  Indigenous adventure tourism and authenticity

Juha Saunavaara and Takafumi Fukuyama

 

26.  Gender and adventure tourism

Maggie C. Miller and Jenny Cave

 

27.  Outdoor and adventure activities as a space of refuge for LGBTQ+ people

Bart Bloem Herraiz and Elía Velo Camacho

 

28.  Disability and accessible adventure tourism

Jasmine Goodnow and Kristen Chmielewski

Biography

Gill Pomfret, PhD, is an associate professor in tourism at Sheffield Hallam University (UK). Her research focuses on consumer behaviour in outdoor tourism and recreation, primarily the psychological aspects of adventure tourists, and different types including mountaineer tourists and family adventure tourists.

Adele Doran, PhD, is a researcher and consultant of adventure tourism and outdoor recreation. Her research focuses on the experiences of outdoor adventure participants, including their motivations, barriers, and well-being; equality, diversity, and inclusivity in outdoor adventure; responsible behaviour in and custodianship of the outdoors; adventure media and marketing; and decent work within the outdoor sector.

Carl Cater, PhD, is an associate professor in tourism at Swansea University in Wales, a visiting professor at the University of Highlands and Islands, Scotland and President’s International Fellow at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. A geographer at heart, his research centres on adventure tourism and ecotourism and their contribution to development.