How safe is adventure tourism in New Zealand? An exploratory analysis

The paper reports findings from a multidisciplinary programme of research, the major aims of which were to determine the nature and extent of the New Zealand adventure tourism injury problem. Analysis of hospital discharge an d mortality data for a 15-year period identified adventure tourism-related activities as contributing to approximately 20% of overseas visitor injurie s, and 22% of fatalities. Activities that commonly involve independent-ungu ided adventure tourism, notably mountaineering, skiing and tramping, contri buted most to injury and fatality incidence. Horse riding and cycling activ ities were identified from hospital discharge data and adventure tourism op erators' reported client injury-incidence, as the commercial adventure tour ism activities most frequently involved in client injuries. Falls were the most common injury events, and a range of client, equipment, environmental and organisational risk factors were identified. Possible interventions to reduce injury risk among overseas and domestic adventure tourists are discu ssed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.