Careers in Adventure Tourism

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Introduction

Eligibility

Job Prospects

Remuneration

Institutes

Useful Contacts

Adventure Tourism is one among the various fields in the travel and tourism industry. In a country like India, where travel and tourism industry plays an important role in earning revenue, Adventure Tourism has great significance.

Adventure Tourism is a leisure activity that takes place in an unusual, exotic, remote destination, or in the wilderness where the traveler should expect the unexpected. The main facets of adventure tourism usually include traveling to a distant location, interacting with different cultures and undertaking a physical activity of some kind. Adventure tourism includes wildlife tourism, trekking, mountain climbing, paragliding, angling, biking, scuba-diving, kayaking, rafting, parasailing, bungee jumping etc in rural or remote areas.

India, being a place of diverse terrain with mountains, rocks, forests, beaches, desert and rivers, offers much scope for adventure tourism, making it more exciting for an adventure seeker. With increased number of global and Indian travellers seeking adventure, today adventure tourism in India offers many challenging career opportunities. We all like a bit of adventure in our lives. That’s why many tourists are no longer satisfied with holidays just chilling on the beach and watching the clouds float by, they prefer doing something more adventurous than that. The involvement of the media (television channels such as National Geographic, Discovery, AXN, Animal Planet etc.) has given additional inducement to people to plan an adventure holiday rather than a routine vacation.Adventure travel/tourism is typically grouped into two categories - 'hard' and 'soft' adventures. Hard adventures involve some kind of extreme and often dangerous sporting activity. Paragliding, rock climbing, surfing, and scuba diving in remote and exotic locations are some examples of hard adventure. Soft adventures are leisurely, often educational and don't involve hazardous or strenuous activities. Bird watching, architectural tours and religious pilgrimages to remote destinations are some examples of soft adventure.

Most people working in the adventure tourism sector have some kind of qualification in tourism, outdoor sports, or management. By taking courses in adventure sports, one can become instructors or tour operators in specific adventure sports. A career in adventure tourism usually stems from building on your own interests in adventure sports. This means a certification in the field alone is not considered as qualification you must really have an interest in a particular outdoor sport such as mountaineering, diving, rafting and paragliding. Getting a certification or degree or diploma in the subject field, can sharpen this interest/skill. Ministry of Tourism has formulated a set of guidelines on Safety and Quality Norms for Adventure Tourism. Adventure Tour Operator (ATO) has to be approved by Ministry of Tourism. Financial assistance is also provided by several state governments in the adventure tourism sector for the development of tourism infrastructure in Adventure Tourism destinations and for purchase of water sports equipments.

To be in the field of Adventure tourism you must be adventurous, confident and passionate. Not only do you have to be confident in your own ability, you need to have the expert ability to teach others as well as to deal with emergency situations. As this tourism sector involves dangerous activities you are all the more responsible for the safety of the tourists. Other attributes include physical fitness, coordination skills, critical thinking skills, good communication skills, planning and organizational skills. An ability to get along and work well with others is also necessary. They must also have expert knowledge of safety and emergency procedures. Proficiency in at least one foreign language is necessary as the candidate might have to deal with tourists from across the world.

As people get more adventurous to try out new destinations and recreation, there is a growing need for qualified adventure instructors. Opportunities in Adventure Tourism can be as a Tour Guide, Adventure Tour operator, Outdoor Education Officer, Safari Guide, Adventure Sports Trainer, Travel and Information Consultant, Diver, Adventure Sports Photographer, Wildlife Photographer and so on. They can find employment with tour companies, excursion agencies, holiday resorts, leisure camps, commercial recreation centres, sports centres and athletic clubs. One can even set up their own adventure sports centre where they can offer services and impart training in their area of specialization.

Job in adventure tourism sector does not have structured salaries. Salary varies depending on the location, career opportunity, responsibilities and whether the position is seasonal or full time. In most cases adventure tourism jobs are seasonal. Hence one cannot expect fixed income throughout the year. However in the beginning of this career, you can get salary ranges from Rs. 7,000 - 12,000 per month. Income in self-employment venture depends upon the nature and size of the operations, it can be more than those who work under someone.

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