Mountaineering Adventure Tourism And Local Communities

This timely book explores how hiking, trekking and climbing mountains, increasingly popular leisure activities, can stimulate change and create opportunities for sustainable development. Using empirical evidence from interviews held in the Himalayas combined with a theoretical grounding, it focuses on the socio-economic and environmental issues of the impact of mountaineering adventure tourism on local communities.

This book offers a critical account of the historical evolution of mountaineering and its relation to the phenomenon of tourism, providing an overview of recent developments linked to the diversification, commodification and commercialisation of mountaineering activity. Mountaineering, broadly defined as hiking, trekking and climbing, is now a mass phenomenon, with continually growing numbers of trekkers, climbers and religious tourists hiking in mountain regions. Increasing visitor numbers require the current policies to be updated. The environments around high-mountain areas and their local resident communities, until recently cut off from civilisation, are sensitive to outside influences and have been abruptly exposed to the impact of mountaineering and related activities. This is the first book to disentangle overlapping terms and definitions related to mountaineering tourism. It identifies the key terms and turning points in mountaineering tourism and discusses the impacts of mountaineering tourism from an environmental, socio-cultural and personal perspective and identifies current tourism management policies. Finally, this book provides a continuum between the past and future of mountaineering tourism and aims to provide policy suggestions for sustainable management of fragile mountain regions. This will be of great interest to upper-level students and academics of tourism, as well as industry representatives and policymakers with an interest in adventure tourism and mountaineering.

Discover the secrets to success in sport-related tourism and adventure travel!This essential handbook of sport-related travel provides an in-depth look at an international industry growing by leaps and bounds. Sport and Adventure Tourism serves as a unique reference resource for sports and tourism professionals, educators and students, presenting an invaluable overview of a niche market that’s rapidly outgrowing its niche. Covering every aspect of sport tourism from historical, economic, and sport-specific starting points, the book features thoughtful and incisive commentary from the foremost experts in the field.Presented in a concise, easy-to-read format, Sport and Adventure Tourism provides an unrivaled orientation to all facets of sport-related tourism and leisure management. Sports travel (both participatory and spectatorial) and adventure tourism are examined in terms of size and growth of the market, marketing and management strategies, and future prospects. The book includes international, up-to-date case studies, links to relevant Websites and an extensive roster of references.Sport and Adventure Tourism examines all aspects of sport-related tourism, including: planning, developing, and marketing an event skiing and snowboarding boating, sailing, and fishing the “phenomenon” of golf tourism mountain-based adventure tourism the growing spa industry virtual sports tourism-an alternative to travel This one-of-a-kind primer presents an informative study of sports, leisure, and adventure travel, covering everything from golf tourism to heli-skiing to sports event and spa tourism. A handbook for professionals, a textbook for academics, and a highly readable introduction for anyone interested in sport-related travel, Sport and Adventure Tourism is an essential guide for anyone who takes a not-so-leisurely approach to leisure time.

In May 1993 the British Mountaineering Council met to discuss the future of high altitude tourism. Of concern to attendees were reports of queues on Everest and reference was made to mountaineer Peter Boardman calling Everest an ‘amphitheater of the ego’. Issues raised included environmental and social responsibility and regulations to minimize impacts. In the years that have followed there has been a surge of interest in climbing Everest, with one day in 2012 seeing 234 climbers reach the summit. Participation in mountaineering tourism has surely escalated beyond the imagination of those who attended the meeting 20 years ago. This book provides a critical and comprehensive analysis of all pertinent aspects and issues related to the development and the management of the growth area of mountaineering tourism. By doing so it explores the meaning of adventure and special reference to mountain-based adventure, the delivering of adventure experience and adventure learning and education. It further introduces examples of settings (alpine environments) where a general management framework could be applied as a baseline approach in mountaineering tourism development. Along with this general management framework, the book draws evidence from case studies derived from various mountaineering tourism development contexts worldwide, to highlight the diversity and uniqueness of management approaches, policies and practices. Written by leading academics from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, this insightful book will provide students, researchers and academics with a better understanding of the unique aspects of tourism management and development of this growing form of adventure tourism across the world.

The Himalayas, with their grandeur and cultural richness, magnetize global travelers searching for an escape from the ordinary. However, behind this allure lies an ecological responsibility and sustainability imperative. Many involved with the tourism industry in mountainous regions have been confronting the stark realities of tourism's impact on these delicate ecosystems. There is an urgency to address the challenges posed by climate change, all while safeguarding the indigenous traditions that define the Himalayas. Mountain Tourism and Ecological Impacts: Himalayan Region and Beyond unravels the intricate connections between tourism development and its far-reaching implications. This comprehensive exploration delves deep into the heart of the Himalayan region and beyond, shedding light on the diverse dimensions of mountain tourism and its profound impact on local environments, communities, and cultural heritage. This book reveals the tapestry of tourism experiences found in the peaks and vistas of the Himalayas. It delves into eco-tourist's delicate dance with fragile ecosystems, the coexistence of travelers and wildlife, the exhilaration of adventure tourism, and the spiritual pilgrimages that draw seekers from across the globe. This book comprehensively explores the pivotal role of preserving local cultures and underscores this as a key element of conserving the pristine natural habitats. This book is ideal for academics and researchers, tourism professionals, environmentalists and conservationists, government and NGOs, and travel enthusiasts.

In May 1993 the British Mountaineering Council met to discuss the future of high altitude tourism. Of concern to attendees were reports of queues on Everest and reference was made to mountaineer Peter Boardman calling Everest an 'amphitheater of the ego'. Issues raised included environmental and social responsibility and regulations to minimize impacts. In the years that have followed there has been a surge of interest in climbing Everest, with one day in 2012 seeing 234 climbers reach the summit. Participation in mountaineering tourism has surely escalated beyond the imagination of those who attended the meeting 20 years ago. This book provides a critical and comprehensive analysis of all pertinent aspects and issues related to the development and the management of the growth area of mountaineering tourism. By doing so it explores the meaning of adventure and special reference to mountain-based adventure, the delivering of adventure experience and adventure learning and education. It further introduces examples of settings (alpine environments) where a general management framework could be applied as a baseline approach in mountaineering tourism development. Along with this general management framework, the book draws evidence from case studies derived from various mountaineering tourism development contexts worldwide, to highlight the diversity and uniqueness of management approaches, policies and practices. Written by leading academics from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, this insightful book will provide students, researchers and academics with a better understanding of the unique aspects of tourism management and development of this growing form of adventure tourism across the world.

Mountaineering has served as a metaphor for civilization triumphant. A fascinating study of the first ascents of the major Alpine peaks and Mt. Everest, The Summits of Modern Man reveals the significance of our encounters with the world’s most forbidding heights and how difficult it is to imagine nature in terms other than conquest and domination.

Walking tourism is one of the most popular ways to experience a destination. It allows to engage with local people, nature and culture, and meets the growing demand of travellers of outdoor activities. Walking tourism can be developed anywhere as a sustainable tourism offer and can bring social and economic benefits for local communities.

This book investigates the consequences of mountaineering (hiking, trekking, climbing) on the natural environment. These consequences are divided into three groups: 1) transformations caused by the mountaineer’s, or other people’s, stay in a mountaineering region; 2) transformations caused by the mountaineer’s travel (movement) through a mountaineering region, with the consideration of the ground type (rock, rock and grass, grass, residual soil, snow, ice), and 3) transformations caused by the use of mountaineering equipment. Each of the three groups are examined individually for their direct interference with the environment, i.e. caused by the main activities of climbing, trekking and hiking (both for elite and mass mountaineering) and their indirect interference caused by auxiliary activity (mainly in the case of mass mountaineering). Auxiliary activity includes guide services, transport of equipment, use of base camp facilities and the delivery of artificial support equipment, and supports the main activity. The consequences of mountaineering on the natural environment are characterized in terms of individual components of the environment (land relief, soil, vegetation, fauna, and landscape) and location/zone of mountaineering activity (hiking, trekking or climbing zone). Because of the connections and interdependence between particular components of the environment (biotic and abiotic), only preservation of each of them can bring the desired effect – a reduction in the negative impact of mountaineering. This book presents comprehensive research outcomes and serves as a platform for more detailed, future studies.

CLICK HERE to download the first 50 pages from Climbing the Seven Summits * First and only guidebook to climbing all Seven Summits * Full color with 125 photographs and 24 maps including a map for each summit route * Essential information on primary climbing routes and travel logistics for mountaineers, with historical and cultural anecdotes for armchair readers Aconcagua. Denali. Elbrus. Everest. Kilimanjaro. Kosciuszko. Vinson. To a climber, these mountains are known as the Seven Summits* -- the highest peaks on each continent. If you've ever dreamed of climbing Denali or Everest, or joining the even more exclusive "Seven Summiters " club, then Climbing the Seven Summits is the guidebook you need to turn your dream into reality. With Mike Hamill as your guide, you will discover different approaches to tackling the list, as well as details on what you'll need to plan an expedition and what to expect from each climb. For each mountain you'll learn about documents and immunizations, expedition costs, training, guiding options, climbing styles, best seasons, essential gear, day-by-day itineraries, summit routes, maps showing approaches and camps, regional natural history, cultural notes, and even post-climb activities like going on safari in Africa or wine-touring in South America. Throughout you'll also find helpful and inspiring stories from the likes of Conrad Anker, Vern Tejas, Damien Gildea, Eric Simonson, and other famed climbers. Special insider tips from Hamill, based on his years of experience, as well as full-color photographs of each peak round out this collectible guidebook. And, because there remains some controversy about whether Kosciuszko in Australia or Carstenz Pyramid on the island of New Guinea is the "seventh summit," this guidebook to the Seven Summits actually covers eight mountains! *Within mountaineering circles there is debate over which peaks are considered the official Seven Summits. For the purposes of this guidebook, the Seven Summits are based on the continental model used in Western Europe, the United States, and Australia, also referred to as the 'Bass list.'