Adventure Tourism Development Index
A global benchmark for adventure tourism competitiveness.
Evaluating 186 countries across nine pillars to measure readiness, resilience, and long-term potential.
Adventure tourism continues to evolve — shaped by climate urgency, shifting traveler expectations, digital transformation, and renewed attention to sustainability and inclusion. Today’s adventure traveler is not only seeking physical activity and immersion in nature, but also meaningful cultural exchange, responsible travel practices, and destinations that demonstrate resilience in the face of environmental and global challenges. Increasingly, travelers are making choices based on a destination’s environmental stewardship, social well-being, and authenticity.
The 2024 Adventure Tourism Development Index (ATDI), produced in partnership with the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), offers a comprehensive look at how 186 countries are positioned to compete in this dynamic and rapidly maturing sector. The Index captures both the foundational conditions that enable tourism to thrive and the assets that make destinations uniquely compelling for adventure travelers — from biodiversity and cultural heritage to entrepreneurship and infrastructure.
More than a ranking, the ATDI serves as a strategic diagnostic tool for destination leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders. It evaluates countries across nine pillars — spanning sustainable development, safety, health, climate resilience, natural and cultural resources, entrepreneurship, infrastructure, and image — to assess not only current competitiveness, but long-term potential. By examining these interconnected dimensions, the Index highlights where destinations are strong, where gaps remain, and where targeted investment can yield meaningful impact.
This edition marks a methodological reset following the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting the new realities facing destinations worldwide. With updated indicators, revised weighting, and the addition of Climate Resilience as a standalone pillar, the 2024 ATDI aligns with a tourism landscape increasingly defined by environmental responsibility, inclusive growth, and adaptive capacity. These changes recognize that competitiveness today depends not only on assets, but on governance, preparedness, and strategic coordination.
In a world where global travel patterns are shifting and resilience is paramount, the ATDI provides a forward-looking framework to help destinations understand where they stand — and where they can lead — in the future of adventure tourism. For decision-makers, it offers evidence to guide policy, strengthen public-private collaboration, prioritize sustainable investment, and position destinations for long-term success in an increasingly competitive global market.
Key Insights from the Report
1. Sustainability and Climate Resilience Define Competitive Advantage
Destinations that prioritize sustainable development and climate preparedness are rising to the top. The introduction of a dedicated Climate Resilience pillar reflects a structural shift in how competitiveness is measured. Countries that demonstrate strong environmental governance, inclusive development, and climate mitigation capacity are better positioned for long-term success in adventure tourism.
2. Natural and Cultural Resources Remain the Core Drivers
With 40% of the total index weighting, Resources carry the greatest influence in overall rankings. Biodiversity, protected areas, and cultural heritage continue to anchor adventure tourism competitiveness across both Advanced and Emerging Economies. Emerging destinations in particular show that strong natural capital can offset infrastructure or economic constraints — if managed strategically.
3. Readiness Turns Potential into Performance
Scenic landscapes alone are not enough. Entrepreneurship, infrastructure, and destination image determine whether countries can convert assets into viable adventure markets. Strong business ecosystems, air connectivity, and clear brand positioning separate destinations with potential from those achieving sustained growth.
Top Performing Advanced Economies
Germany leads overall, demonstrating consistent performance across all nine pillars — particularly in Cultural Resources, Natural Resources, and Climate Resilience. France and Switzerland follow closely, with strong infrastructure, image, and entrepreneurial ecosystems supporting their adventure tourism sectors.
Germany
France
Switzerland
Norway
Austria
Top Performing Emerging Economies
Costa Rica ranks first in its category, driven by top-tier performance in Sustainable Development and strong global brand recognition as a nature-forward destination. Chile and Thailand demonstrate how strategic investments in enabling environments and readiness can elevate competitiveness.
Costa Rica
Chile
Thailand
Brazil
China
The Nine Pillars of Adventure Tourism Competitiveness
The ATDI framework evaluates destinations across three interconnected dimensions: Enabling Environment, Resources, and Readiness. Together, these nine pillars provide a comprehensive view of a country’s potential to compete in the global adventure tourism market.
Enabling Environment (30%)
The Enabling Environment reflects the foundational conditions that allow adventure tourism to develop responsibly and sustainably. It includes Sustainable Development, Safety, Health, and Climate Resilience — pillars that measure social well-being, governance stability, healthcare capacity, and environmental preparedness.
Destinations that perform well in this dimension demonstrate strong institutions, inclusive growth, and the ability to manage both present and future risks. These fundamentals create the stability and trust that adventure travelers — and investors — rely upon.
Resources (40%)
Resources form the core of adventure tourism competitiveness and carry the greatest weight in the index. This dimension includes Natural Resources and Cultural Resources — the landscapes, biodiversity, protected areas, heritage sites, and living traditions that draw travelers in the first place.
From intact ecosystems to UNESCO-recognized heritage and vibrant cultural practices, these assets shape a destination’s identity. Countries that actively protect and steward their natural and cultural capital strengthen their long-term market position and global appeal.
Readiness (30%)
Readiness measures how effectively a destination can transform potential into performance. It includes Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure, and Image — factors that reflect business dynamism, transport and tourism capacity, and global brand perception.
Even the most resource-rich destinations require strong entrepreneurial ecosystems, reliable connectivity, and a compelling international image to compete. Readiness ultimately determines whether adventure tourism can scale sustainably and deliver economic and community benefits.
Explore the 2024 Regional ATDI Reports
Regional dynamics influence competitiveness. The ATDI highlights distinct geographic strengths:
- East Asia & Pacific: Strong performance in sustainable development and image, led by New Zealand.
- Latin America & Caribbean: Globally competitive in natural resources and sustainability, with Costa Rica and Chile leading.
- Sub-Saharan Africa: Exceptional natural resource competitiveness in Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia.
- South Asia: Bhutan and India demonstrate strong safety and cultural resource performance.
Understanding regional positioning allows destinations to benchmark against peers and identify strategic growth pathways. Click on the images below to explore the regional reports.
Have questions or comments about the 2024 Adventure Tourism Development Index? Contact us at iits
gwu [dot] edu (iits[at]gwu[dot]edu).
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.