Iceland is the best country in the world when it comes to its potential for adventure tourism, according to new research.
Germany, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland make up the rest of the top five in a scorecard for adventure travel compiled by the Adventure Travel Trade Association. Countries were ranked in ten different categories, beginning with their natural resources: coastline, population density, and other physical characteristics.
Cultural resources like national parks or UNESCO world heritage sites were also factored in along with adventure activity resources that allow for outdoor, nature-based activities. They also looked at tourism infrastructure particularly things that tempt adventure travellers like availability of trail maps, eco-lodges, access to trained guides and so on.
Their ‘Adventure Tourism Development Index’ also ranked countries by region with Iceland coming out on top in the competitive Europe and North America section. New Zealand was rated best in East Asia and the Pacific, Croatia in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Chile in Latin America and the Caribbean. Also ranked top in their respective regions were Israel, Bhutan, and Botswana in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The report said adventure tourism had significant benefits for countries not just in terms of attracting tourists but also helping preserve their heritage. It explained: “For countries and communities fortunate enough to possess outstanding natural and cultural characteristics, adventure tourism can provide a source of sorely needed income and an incentive to conserve vestiges of the past, current cultural identities and ecological wonders.” Adventure tourism is big business and was worth an estimated US$263 billion back in 2012, the most recent year for which data is available.
The Adventure Travel Top Ten:
1. Iceland
2. Germany
3. New Zealand
4. Norway
5. Switzerland
6. Canada
7. Australia
8. Finland
9. Austria
10.Denmark
