Tourism, Security and Safety From Theory to Practice

Concept Definitions
Adventure tourism
A broad spectrum of commercialized recreational operations
that facilitate tourists’ deliberate engagements with elements of risk emanating from
the natural environment (Hall, 1992).
The participant
The characteristics of the participant, including their past experi-
ence in the activity, form the first of three core elements which significantly determine
the outcome of an adventure tourism experience.
Management
Management techniques employed by the adventure tourism operator,
such as ensuring that their guides hold the appropriate first aid qualifications and hav-
ing crisis management plans in place, make up the second of three core elements that
affect the outcome of the adventure tourism experience.
The setting
The unpredictable and dynamic nature of most adventure tourism set-
tings is the third core element of the adventure tourism experience.
Commercial adventure tourism operating environment
The combination of legal,
social, environmental, managerial, and operational elements of concern or influence in
adventure activity operation.
Note
1
This chapter was previously published in slightly different form as: Morgan, D.,
and Fluker, M. (2003). 
The Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management,
10(1), 46–59.
Review Questions
1. What is the most important lesson to be learned from the 1999 Interlaken canyon-
ing disaster?
2. Discuss the possible risks, from both the operator and client perspective, inher-
ent to the following activities: white-water rafting; bungee jumping; and horse
trekking.
3. Explain the potential implications for an adventure tour operator holding an unreal-
istic understanding of their client’s perceptions of the experience.
4. Which factors in Figure 1 (the commercial adventure tourism operating environ-
ment) does the operator have the most control over? Which factors does the opera-
tor have the least control over? Justify your answer.
5. Accreditation can assist adventure tourism operators in meeting a designated level
of safety. Besides legislation, what strategies can encourage adventure tourism
operators to become accredited?
Risk Management for Australian Commercial Adventure Tourism Operations
165
H7898_Ch09.qxd 8/24/05 9:54 PM Page 165

---

6. Imagine that you are the office-based manager of a company that organizes multi-
day bushwalking tours in remote locations. You have just received a satellite phone
message from one of your guides in the field. She told you that ‘“a landslide bring-
ing down tons of stones, mud, and rubble has just destroyed the campsite. Between
six and ten of the party are yet to be accounted for.” Describe the steps that you
would take to manage this crisis.