Ranked: best countries for adventure travel

The best countries for adventure travel have been ranked by a panel of experts. We review the results below

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has named Iceland the best country for adventure travel for the third year in a row. The small Nordic island nation, famed for its geysers, volcanoes, geothermal lagoons and cinematic landscapes, remains an attractive destination for adventure seekers, particularly those concerned with sustainability.

Switzerland, with its long history of Alpine tourism, was ranked second, while New Zealand, one of the world’s best hiking countries for hiking, took third place. Germany, Canada and Australia also performed well, as did the other Nordic countries.

Established in 1990, the ATTA is the largest global network of adventure travel leaders. With the help of its 30,000-strong community of people involved in adventure tourism, the ATTA produces the Adventure Tourism Development Index (ATDI), a global ranking of adventure travel around the globe.

The ATDI uses a panel of 360 industry experts as well as data such as gross domestic product (GDP), population density, protected areas, the Environmental Performance Index, the World Resources Institute and travel advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

Experts must have over five years of experience in the adventure travel industry to be considered for the panel. On average, those selected have 15 years of experience in tourism and 12 years in adventure travel.

10 best countries for adventure travel

1. Iceland
2. Switzerland
3. New Zealand
4. Germany
5. Norway
6. Finland
7. Sweden
8. Canada
9. Denmark
10. Australia

Key findings

As the world faces unprecedented challenges in the form of climate change and a global pandemic, the report also highlights the need for the world’s leading adventure travel destinations to build back more sustainably.

Iceland, which topped the ranking of the best countries for adventure travel, scored particularly well in the Adventure Activity Resources category. Switzerland, in second place overall, was highest ranked in the Sustainable Development category and consistently performed well across most other categories.

In general, countries around the world are increasing the amount of protected marine and terrestrial areas which, in turn, protect the habitats of many endangered species.

Island nations typically performed well in the Sustainable Development Policy categories. Barbados and Seychelles have led the way in implementing policies designed to mitigate and adapt to climate change and, as such, have seen positive results in their Environmental Performance Index scores.

Overall, the worst-performing countries tend to be developing nations and are often in a post-conflict or conflict situation, such as Sudan and Somalia. While tourism is not a priority for these countries, it is worth noting that many popular adventure tourism destinations, such as Rwanda, Croatia and Slovenia, have had relatively recent civil wars and used adventure tourism as a vehicle for economic development, job creation and rebuilding post-conflict.

“The coronavirus pandemic demonstrates the urgent need for a sustainable leadership approach — one that focuses on resiliency, resourcefulness and efficiency.”

– Adventure Tourism Development Index

The UK slipped out of the top 10 due to a weak score in the Natural Resources and Adventure Activity Resources categories. The country was recently named one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world with one in seven native species facing extinction and more than 40% in decline.

The USA dropped three places due to lower scores in the Natural Resources and Cultural Resources categories. This is likely due to recently downgrading or downsizing protected areas during the Trump administration (although some are beginning to be restored). Additionally, the Everglades National Park in the USA remains on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Complete ranking

The best countries for adventure travel ranking is based on the ATDI, produced by the ATTA in conjunction with the George Washington University International Institute of Tourism Studies.

The index does not capture visitor numbers and is not a ranking for the volume of tourists.

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Lead image: Zhukova Valentyna/Shutterstock