Page 44 - December 2022/January 2023 #177

RLI LEISURE INSIGHT

Express Your Passion

In this month’s Leisure Insight, Ben Barker, Managing Director – Extreme
Destinations takes some time out to discuss the rise of adventure and
extreme sports, how the last few years have been a catalyst for the market
and that now it is time to capitalise.

he movement towards an active lifestyle has surged over the respect throughout all development stages right through to the daily
past few years, globally, with overwhelming growth identified operation of an adventure sport destination.
Twithin the extreme and adventure sports sector as opposed During the 2022 Commonwealth round table session held in Kigali,
to mainstream sports. over 120 Sports and Health Ministers, industry professionals and
Unlike traditional sports, extreme and adventure sports are not about stakeholders, agreed that (at the time) the upcoming Birmingham
uniforms, coaches or scripts. Expressing yourself through action is the Commonwealth Games would be an opportunity to leverage on
key. It’s a passion, an attitude, a way of life and even a religion. Whether the power and popularity of sport to drive social change, promote
on land, air or water, extreme and adventure sports offer that freedom, sustainable development and improve global health. This growing global
individualism and pure physical expression with a high degree of risk sentiment has encouraged many governments and authorities to take
compared to highly regulated and organised mainstream sports. action to provide the funds, facilities and services necessary to drive both
The key difference between extreme sports and adventure sports is mental and physical well-being, tackle the social issues and improve local
that an extreme sport usually requires greater expertise, training and communities.
years of dedication to master, whereas an adventure sport can usually Having said this, not all destinations have the expanse of land nor the
be enjoyed with little to no prior experience under the supervision of a steep budget requirements needed to dedicate to the development of
trained professional with clearly communicated safety protocols. large-scale adventure sports arenas, trails, pistes and more. The current
As part of EXTREME’s vision to “Drive positive change through economic climate and the risks involved in adventure travel whether it’s
extreme and adventure sports”, we ensure that we keep abreast of the the increasingly unpredictable weather conditions or social dangers, may
shifting landscape of trends across the adventure sports and adventure also have an impact on the adventure travel sector. For this reason, it is
travel sector. Mindful that not everyone in the industry or with an interest vital that authorities and investors also give importance to indoor leisure
in adventure sports have the time or often even the capabilities to sift and entertainment adventure sports spaces, capable of bringing the
through all the research, we recently gathered the trends and insights outdoor environment inside. These allow visitors of all ages, capabilities
from the past few years into a brief document which we shared with our and beliefs to have fun whilst learning and growing within their sport.
partners in the industry, to guide us as we design, develop and operate Here complete beginners can feel undaunted to practice side by side with
outdoor and indoor adventure sports offerings. elite athletes and benefit from the support systems available that can take
One of the most stand-out trends was the demographic change in them from grassroots to professional. From skateparks and pump tracks
participants. There was a time when extreme and adventure sports were to challenging climbing walls and mind-blowing surf pools, technological
associated with 25-35 year old ‘adrenaline-junkies’. However, recent advancements in the development of leisure and entertainment spaces
trends have shown a drop in this perceived barrier to entry. Regardless have facilitated the incorporation of those sports once deemed niche
of age, gender or physical ability, the uptick of such sports has surged, into creative centres now able to cater to the masses.
with an estimated 490 million participants worldwide in an industry now The trend is showing that the global market is no longer satisfied with
worth well over US$200bn per annum. the norm. With greater awareness of the need to place their mental
Having been physically confined and restricted in movements over the and physical wellbeing at the forefront, the yearning for more happiness
past two years, there is also now a notable increase in interest to be and social interaction, the ability to challenge oneself, to protect the
outdoors and to step out of one’s comfort zone. Previous fears have natural playground the planet provides, to discover and to experience
been set aside and age does not appear to be a limitation. The goal adventure, clearly shows that the market demands more and perhaps
has changed with more people seeking to tick off those bucket lists, the only space that will be able to satisfy all of these will be the extreme
take on new challenges or simply enjoy a new hobby. Sales of extreme and adventure sports leisure and entertainment sector.
and adventure sports equipment saw a significant rise especially in the
second quarter following the lockdown period as people sought new
activities to keep them entertained. This was most remarkable in the
outdoor individual sports and home workout sector.
Also growing exponentially has been the global adventure sports
tourism market, predominantly amongst those adventurers seeking
unexplored destinations and immersive, authentic experiences.
Adventure travel globally is the fastest growing travel segment.
Governments and destinations are strategising and developing initiatives
to tap into this growth, paying attention to the various segments within
this market be it soft adventure, land-based adventure, family segment
and the 20-30 year old segment.
These increases in demand to explore, experience and be active has
not gone unnoticed by governments and developers. Sites have been
identified across all continents and plans put in place to add value to
natural surroundings and urban areas. Whilst development is deemed
vital for the growth of an economy, provision of employment and for
the health and wellbeing of a country’s population, attention is also
being given to the rising demand from consumers to ensure that the
environment and its surrounding communities are treated with utmost

44 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL DECEMBER 2022/JANUARY 2023