Chapter 5. Recreation
Don Webster
Learning Objectives
- Differentiate between recreation, outdoor recreation, adventure tourism, and nature-based tourism
- Describe the significance, size, and economic contribution of this sector to the overall tourism industry in BC
- Identify key industry organizations in recreation, outdoor recreation, and adventure tourism
- Classify different subsectors of recreation, outdoor recreation, and adventure tourism
- Recognize the unique challenges facing recreation, outdoor recreation, and adventure tourism in BC
Overview
In this chapter, we discuss the concept of recreation in tourism and hospitality. Recreation can be defined as the pursuit of leisure activities during one’s spare time (Tribe, 2011) and can include vastly different activities such as golfing, sport fishing, and rock climbing. Defining recreation as it pertains to tourism, however, is more challenging.
Let’s start by exploring some recreation-based terms that are common in the tourism industry. Outdoor recreation can be defined as “outdoor activities that take place in a natural setting, as opposed to a highly cultivated or managed landscape such as a playing field or golf course” (Tourism BC, 2013, p. 47). This term is typically applied to outdoor activities that individuals engage in and that are located close to their community. When these activities are further away, and people must travel some distance to participate in them, they are often described as adventure tourism.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), adventure tourism is “a trip that includes at least two of the following three elements: physical activity, natural environment, and cultural immersion” (UNWTO, 2014, p.12). Examples of adventure tourism in BC include river rafting, helicopter skiing, and rock climbing.
Take a Closer Look: UNWTO Global Report
The Global Report on Adventure Tourism by UNWTO offers an in-depth analysis of the global adventure travel sector. It can be found at http://affiliatemembers.unwto.org/publication/global-report-adventure-tourism
Adventure tourism can be “soft” or “hard.” Differentiating between the two is somewhat subjective, but is loosely based on the level of experience required, the level of fitness required, and the degree to which the participant is exposed to risk (UNWTO, 2014). Examples of soft adventure include wildlife viewing or moderate hiking, whereas river rafting or rock climbing would usually be considered hard adventure.
Another term that is used, one that overlaps with the definitions of outdoor recreation and adventure tourism, is nature-based tourism, which refers to “those tourism experiences that are directly or indirectly dependent on the natural environment” (Tourism BC, 2005b, p.6). This term is often used to describe activities that are closely connected to nature, such as whale watching, birding, or self-propelled travel such as hiking and kayaking.
As you can see, there are challenges in cl