Why More Young People Should Get Involved in (Sustainable) Adventure Tourism (Amber, 17) – YTN
Amber Higgins, 17, is a Travel and Tourism student from the UK. She is passionate about exploring unique cultures and learning about the travel industry.
- Why More Young People Should Get Involved in (Sustainable) Adventure Tourism (Amber, 17) – YTN – August 20, 2020
The Young Traveler’s Network series showcases candid guest interviews of young people worldwide and the inspiring stories of how they navigate their lives and travels. They share their stories to educate, inspire, and empower others to see the world!
This week a Young Traveler named Amber Higgins , 17, shares ways that young travelers can be mindful of sustainability while adventure traveling in all parts of the world.
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In recent years adventure tourism has become extremely popular with Gen Z because it’s a fun way to get even further outside of your comfort zone while traveling.
Some adventure tourism requires more skill and precision—like paragliding or scuba diving—whereas activities like horse riding and canoeing can be almost tranquil.
Have you ever wanted to test your limits by sky diving, or kayaking in choppy waters? Here are some things you might want to know before jumping into adventure tourism.
Hiking in Petra, Jordan
Ziplining is exhilarating!
Gen Z can find self-confidence in adventure tourism
Younger travelers can find their confidence in adventure travel! Delving into this niche makes you want to try new and challenging experiences. Even outside of traveling this skill can help with overcoming personal obstacles as well as physical.
The experiences that are available in the industry succeed in promoting and increasing the interest of adventure through fitness activities. There are plenty of health benefits connected to adventure tourism, both mentally and physically.
It is common knowledge that exercise and fresh air will help you sleep better, and better sleep quality will further help your moods and mental well being. Other health benefits include improving your immune system and giving your brain a good reboot!
Horse riding in Mallorca, Spain
Paddleboarding in the Bahamas
Snow hiking to spot the Northern Lights
What should I consider when it comes to adventure tourism?
Many of these experiences are exhilarating and wild, and many things should be considered before your travels. Visiting indigenous destinations has recently become a popular experience among young people.
However, within the industry, it is slowly becoming less of cultural experience and more of a business opportunity for the locals who are offering certain activities to tourists. You should be aware of who you’re giving your business to before participating in any experiences while traveling.
Pro tip: Before your travels, make sure to research the culture first and make sure it isn’t exploiting people’s way of life for the benefit of adventure tourism; this is something everyone should be mindful of in the future of the industry.
How can I also be mindful of the planet?
It is important to consider pollution and climate change when being an adventure traveler (or when traveling in general). The three most common types of pollution that appear are air, water, and land pollution.
Young travelers, more specifically Gen Z are also becoming more concerned with this issue.
We should be mindful of how wildlife is affected as a result of these activities. For example when scuba diving, if tourists touch or break off parts of the ocean’s reef, the coral experiences stress.
They are living fauna and when this happens they automatically depend on intrusive instincts. This results in bleaching, which kills off the reef and is becoming a large problem within the adventure tourism industry.
Deciding where to travel is an important thing to consider when taking into account how this affects the planet. One of the main destinations that are vulnerable to the effects of the adventure tourism industry is Antarctica, where traveling may go kayaking or whale watching.
Global warming is an important issue in the world right now, and the sea levels are constantly rising which puts tourists at risk. Places such as Australia and California have a high risk of forest fires which also pose a risk to tourists.
12 Common Characteristics Of People Who Love Traveling
If you are like me, you absolutely love to travel. It is a part of who you are. And when you are asked why you travel by friends, family or complete strangers, you will list a myriad of reasons:
- You love meeting new people.
- You love experiencing new things.
- You love seeing new places.
- You love tasting new foods.
- You love adventure and the spontaneity that the journey brings.
- You enjoy pushing yourself out of your comfort zone
- You enjoy the personal growth that happens within you through the culmination of everything you experience and the people you meet.
I want to specifically touch on this last point – the personal growth and the transformation that happens within because this can be difficult to express, unless you actually give it some serious thought. I know I struggled to express this in words when I returned from backpacking on my own for over a year. I had undergone a massive change personally. But, what exactly did this look like on paper?
Let’s analyze 12 common characteristics of people who love traveling. Bear in mind that many of these are learned traits that are refined the more one travels. And if you are an aspiring traveler – the best advice I can give you is take the plunge. Traveling will change you for the better. Without a doubt.
1. We are adventurous
Traveling more often than not involves venturing out into the unknown. It involves traveling to a new place, meeting new people and engaging in new experiences. As travelers, we naturally have an adventurous spirit. It is part of who we are, and the more we travel, the more we feed this spirit. Adventure is our normal.
2. We are empathetic
We have a strong sense of empathy. This is a culmination of our diverse experiences, the diverse cultures we encounter and the diversity of the people we meet. We may encounter immense poverty in certain countries. We will share stories with random strangers. We will work random jobs, from being a bartender, to a cleaner and even a waiter.
We have experienced tough times such as being stranded or having our bags stolen. All these experiences and encounters allow us to accept and appreciate differences amongst people. They allow us to see the world differently and see things through another persons’ point of view.
3. We are willing to learn; we are curious
As we move from place to place and meet new people we continuously find ourselves learning new things (whether out of choice or not). We become intensely curious about everything and are eager to learn new things, whether it be cultural customs or a new skill.
4. We welcome change; it’s a way of life
When we travel, the only constant is change. We find ourselves surrounded by new people and new places regularly. Over time, we learn to welcome those changes. We learn to expect them. When we meet a new person, we are cognisant of the fact that that person has their own travel itinerary in mind and they probably won’t be around forever. Change becomes a way of life.
5. We have higher self-awareness
Self-awareness refers to our knowledge and awareness of our own personality and character. It also allows us to understand ourselves better and how others perceive you. It is the first step in developing your EQ and it is shaped by our experiences. As travelers, we draw from a diverse spectrum of experiences as it relates to people and cultures. Through traveling often and reflecting on those experiences we develop higher self-awareness.
6. We have higher self-esteem
Whilst we travel, we find ourselves continuously pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones. We talk to random strangers. We meet new people at hostels. We create travel plans on the move. We overcome challenges such as having to deal with having money stolen (this happened to me; my entire account was cleaned out in New Zealand). All this improves our confidence in our own abilities; to overcome any challenges that are thrown our way. Traveling develops our self-esteem.
7. We know ourselves better
This may seem cliché, but it’s true. Traveling teaches us about our strengths, our weakness, what we like and don’t like. It teaches us about our personality.
For example during my travels, I spent time living and working on a dairy farm (very remote) and also time living and working in a city, where I lived with 16 people in a house. I enjoyed both experiences, but at some point, I either longed for more human interaction (when working on the dairy farm) or more ‘me-time’ (whilst working in the city). I am an introvert and an extrovert. What have you learned about yourself through traveling?
8. We are more observant
“A traveler without observation is like a bird without wings.” – Moslih Eddin Saadi.
It may not seem obvious that we as travelers are observant. After all, there is so much that we need to take in as we move from place to place. Surely our brains will filter out a lot of information as to prevent information overload?
If you think about it though it is for that exact reason that we are more observant. We have become accustomed to taking in a lot. A sensory overload if you like. Of sights. Places. People. Our brains are well accustomed to taking in a lot more and as a result we filter out less. We have trained ourselves to observe more. And besides, we have far less distractions such as mobile phones and laptops.
Why You Should Consider Adventure Travel
#travel #adventuretravel #adventure #adventurejunkie #travelinsurance
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Why You Should Consider Adventure Travel
Travel and adventure go hand in hand. Probably if you look back to the beginnings of travel, it was the thrill and adventure of venturing into unknown places that fueled travel. With the development that the world has seen in transportation and communication the raw adventure that one used to associate with travel has come down and consequently resulted in a whole new genre of travel – Adventure Travel.
The travelers of today seek more from their travel than the mere visiting of places and ticking off names from a bucket list. Most travelers today have an insatiable appetite for adventure and are always on the lookout for adventure travel experiences, the more extreme the better. The accompanying risk makes the adventure all the more enticing and irresistible. The mere mention of adventure sports like Paragliding, River Rafting, Bungee Jumping, Snorkeling, Hot Air Ballooning, Sky Diving, Scuba Diving and many more are enough to get the adrenaline rushing.
Reasons why you should consider adventure travel
- Improves physical health
- It helps reduce stress
- It gives a sense of accomplishment
- You learn new skills
There are countless places on the surface of the earth to quench your thirst for adventure travel. Ranging from the rainforests of Africa, the desert sands of the Sahara, to the snowy cold Himalayan ranges, the world packs adventure in every nook and corner. But the utmost thrill of adventure is experienced with the unexpected. Finding adventure around the bend in the road unexpectedly takes the excitement to an altogether different level.
Adventure Travel Destinations in India
India, is a treasure trove of adventure travel destinations, Goa, for example, is the best spot for Flyboarding and Scuba Diving in India whereas beautiful Kerala ranks top for Parasailing and Canoeing and Kayaking.
On the other hand, how can you forget the wettest place on our planet Earth, Mawsynram? Frolicking in the rain at the wettest place on earth is in itself an adventurous high.
The caves in Meghalaya also shouldn’t be excluded from the list given that the state of Meghalaya has possibly the best places to go for caving in India.
Adventure Travel Destinations in the World
To talk about the best adventure spots in the world, Angel Falls in Venezuela can’t be missed given that it’s the tallest waterfall in the world. Gansbaai in South Africa, the best spot if you want some extreme fun adventures underwater. It’s guaranteed to have a clear glance of whales as long as you play it cool. Oymyakon in Russia is specifically suggested for those who are always on the lookout for a travel destination with cold temperatures to fulfill their adventure travel needs. It’s the coldest place on earth with the average temperature of about -58 degrees F. You can witness here the grounds totally covered in white ice.
On the other hand, those who are always seeking out for a dry place for adventure travel, the destination is the Atacama Desert in Chile. You may have to think of buying the best kind of sunscreen before you plan to travel to this place since it’s the driest destination on earth. To move further on, if you are looking for the hottest place to add more flavor to your adventure travels, do consider Lut Desert in Iran. But be cautious, you will certainly need a good game plan to keep yourself cool and hydrated while you travel this place since the temperature here is as high as 158 degrees F.
Traveling far away from the maddening crowd, to travel the road less traveled, and to go where few dare to venture. If this is your travel philosophy then you must consider traveling to Tristan da Cunha in the United Kingdom. It’s the most isolated place on earth and sure to give you an all-time high.
The more extreme the adventure travel experience that you immerse yourself, the more the risks that are involved. Every moment you are exposing your body to risk. Risk of injury or health issues or even something more serious. Risk is a part and parcel of adventure travel undoubtedly, but it is prudent to take precautions and follow all safety norms.
How to Minimize Risk
A travel insurance plan goes a long way in minimizing risks. Just have a travel insurance plan. Travel insurance will work like a shield when you travel to any destination, anywhere in the world. The job of travel insurance is to protect the insured persons against various travel-related complications such as luggage loss, flight delay, stolen baggage and as well as provides medical assistance in case of any injuries or physical troubles. Whether you are traveling to a foreign country for education purpose, job purpose or adventure travel purpose, you should always ensure that you have a good travel insurance plan.
A travel insurance policy is a must in case of adventure travel, given that it includes a lot of risks. How would you deal with such circumstances where you go through any medical emergencies that need emergency hospitalization when you travel overseas? You can’t really predict your medical expenses when you travel plus it will certainly hamper your vacation. Therefore buying travel insurance is a must before traveling to any destination. A travel policy compensates all the damages and losses that you may face while on vacation. Make sure you have an adequate travel insurance plan before you pack your bag and head out on to your next adventure travel destination.
A lot of companies are available in India to choose and buy travel insurance from. You can purchase it online without hassle as well. The online insurance portals like GIBL.IN, Policy Bazaar, Bank Bazaar etc are some of the ranked websites for buying instant travel insurance. We find GIBL as one of the best insurance portals available in India from where you can easily purchase travel insurance plans.
| Click here to get the best Insurance plans in India. |
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Travel with a travel insurance policy to enjoy fully your adventures to the hilt.
Adventure travel is beneficial to your body and mind and it enlightens your soul. We have given you enough reasons as to why you should consider adventure travel. Do you agree?
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Source https://www.packslight.com/young-people-in-sustainable-adventure-tourism/
Source https://www.lifehack.org/414583/12-common-characteristics-of-people-who-love-traveling
Source https://imvoyager.com/why-you-should-consider-adventure-travel/#:~:text=The%20travelers%20of%20today%20seek%20more%20from%20their,adventure%20travel%20experiences%2C%20the%20more%20extreme%20the%20better.
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