Adventure Tourism Development Index
Grounded in the core elements of nature, culture, and physical activity, adventure tourism offers immersive experiences that connect travelers more deeply with people and place. The Adventure Tourism Development Index (ATDI), created by the Adventure Travel Trade Association in partnership with the GW International Institute of Tourism Studies, is the only global ranking system that evaluates adventure tourism potential in 186 countries. It combines data from global databases with insights from industry experts to guide tourism planners, policymakers, and Destination Management Organizations (DMOs).
For 2024, the ATDI has been updated to reflect the evolving industry. The framework now features nine pillars across three refined categories—Enabling Environment, Resources, and Readiness—offering a clearer, more accurate assessment. New indicators on inclusion, digitalization, and infrastructure ensure the index remains relevant for today’s adventure tourism landscape.
This resulted in a restructured framework, updated factors, and refined indicators to better reflect emerging trends in adventure travel. Key updates include:
- Reducing the number of pillars from ten to nine for a streamlined framework.
- Expanding the indicators from 19 to 23, introducing 17 entirely new metrics to address sustainability, resilience, and evolving market dynamics.
- Adding the Climate Resilience pillar, reflecting the growing importance of sustainable and responsible tourism practices.
By combining objective data from global databases with insights from industry experts, the ATDI offers a robust analysis for adventure travel decision-makers, such as destination management organizations (DMOs) and trade associations.
Explore the 2024 Regional ATDI Reports
Previous ATDI Reports
- 2020 Adventure Tourism Development Index
The 2020 Adventure Tourism Development Index report covered the updated rankings of adventure travel destinations and was expanded to consider what makes an adventure destination competitive in changing times. It also included the companion GSTC Global Destination Sustainability Report, a product of a partnership with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The companion report was designed to more deeply explore the sustainability dimension of adventure tourism competitiveness worldwide by analyzing 24 destinations that have applied the GSTC Destination Criteria and Indicators.
- 2018 Adventure Tourism Development Index
The 2018 Adventure Tourism Development Index report marked a decade since the launch of the ATDI. In addition to assessing countries’ potential and readiness to compete in the global adventure tourism market, the report included a social media listening component for the first time: a study about what travelers are saying about hiking, the world’s most popular adventure activity.
- 2016 Adventure Tourism Development Index
The 2016 Adventure Tourism Development Index report reviewed country-level and regional trends over a six-year period, focusing on ten categories including government policy, safety & security, health, natural resources, adventure activities, entrepreneurship, tourism infrastructure, and brand.