Adventure Travel Education

ADVENTURE TRAVEL SUPPLY CHAIN: COMPLEXITIES, CHALLENGES & PREFERENCES

• Management
• 2023

• Given the global environment of the tourism industry, it is ever more important for companies to collaborate within their supply chain and to find partners with similar values. This report takes a deeper look at the adventure travel supply chain components, defines different types of adventure suppliers (also known as service providers), and investigates their preferences and challenges that they are currently facing.

  The goal of this report is to help adventure travel companies better understand the ecosystem in which they work. While the report focuses on suppliers, the connection between buyers and suppliers is also examined to acknowledge their differing preferences. Based on the findings, recommendations are made to help the industry move forward to ensure traveler expectations are met.

  Key Findings

  • All companies that have an effect on the pre-trip, en-route, and destination on-site travel experience are part of the tourism supply chain.
  • Suppliers (and buyers) are struggling to find technology to manage their business. Many are turning to costly and time-consuming custom-built solutions for taking bookings and payments.
  • Suppliers prefer to work with outbound tour operators and other individual suppliers, although DMCs can also be valuable and important partners at times.
  • Indirect marketing through travel advisors, tour operators, and OTAs is the most popular way that suppliers reach travelers, followed by digital ads and direct email marketing.
  • Suppliers most often sell their products to travelers through tour operators or through travel advisors/agents, but selling direct is also popular. Third-party online travel agencies (OTAs) are the least common way to sell.
  • While buyers and suppliers are primarily looking for each other in the same places, suppliers slightly prefer conferences/trade shows, and buyers tend to look for referrals from other industry professionals. Both commonly seek each other through trade associations, such as ATTA.
  • Although associations are valuable ways to meet new potential partners, building relationships and trust are more important for both buyers and suppliers when choosing others to work with. Budget/price ranks about halfway down the list for both.