Extreme tourism involves traveling to destinations or participating in activities that are adventurous or dangerous. It can be arranged by the traveler or an adventure travel company. Critics argue it can lead to environmental damage. Some extreme tourists travel to dangerous places, while others participate in activities like cage diving or skydiving. Working with an experienced travel agency is recommended. Opponents believe it can put areas at risk of destruction, such as Antarctica.
Extreme tourism, also sometimes referred to as shock tourism, is travel strongly characterized by a sense of adventure or even physical danger. The “extreme” aspect of this type of tourism can derive from a destination itself or from one or more activities that take place during one’s trip. Extreme tourism can be arranged by the traveler himself or can be coordinated by an adventure travel company. Critics of this type of tourism argue that it can lead to environmental damage.
In some cases, extreme tourism derives its sense of thrill or risk from a destination. Some extreme tourists travel to places that are considered moderately or even extremely dangerous for physical or political reasons. For example, they may travel to regions that have been affected by nuclear disasters, such as the area surrounding the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine, or to countries at war.
Another form of extreme tourism involves traveling to a destination to participate in one or more adventurous or potentially dangerous activities. While there are many different extreme activities one can participate in, most of these activities are physical in nature. For example, an extreme tourist may take a trip that involves cage diving with great white sharks, BASE jumping or skydiving from a static point such as a skyscraper or cliff, trekking through a desert, or exploring underwater caves.
Some travelers plan their own extreme tourism trips, while others work with an adventure travel agency. Since extreme destinations and activities can carry a variety of risks for the traveler, many travel experts recommend booking your travel through an agency. Working with experienced extreme travel professionals can help ensure that the traveler receives adequate accommodations and supplies during the trip, and that he receives adequate medical care in the event of an injury. An extreme travel company may also be able to connect the traveler with local guides or translators when needed.
Opponents of extreme tourism believe this form of travel could put some areas of the planet at greater risk of destruction. For example, extreme travel to Antarctica has increased significantly from the late 20th century to the early 21st century. Many conservationists and scientific researchers argue that continued Antarctic tourism can lead to pollution of the continent and the introduction of invasive foreign organisms, which could threaten the existing purity of its ecosystems.
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