Should adventure tourism be developed and promoted as a tourism niche in Gozo?

Abstract

In Gozo, there is the need to diversify tourism (i.e. to attract niche markets to mitigate seasonality) rather than depend on the day trippers. Niche tourism markets offer destinations higher-spending tourists and lower seasonality issues. Therefore, this research aims to explore whether adventure tourism can and should be developed as a tourism niche in Gozo. To get a good background to the study, the first part of the research includes a review of the literature. Then, the chosen methodology for carrying out primary research which is conducting interviews with professional people operating an adventure-tourism-related organisation in Gozo, is discussed and justified. Subsequently, the findings from the interviews are discussed and analysed, followed by a conclusion of key results and recommendations for the way forward of adventure tourism in Gozo. This research shows that adventure tourism has the potential of becoming a sufficient niche tourism market in Gozo because it can mitigate seasonality, spread the concentration of tourists across the island, increase the variety of things to do and ultimately, put Gozo on the map. The recommendations put forward by this research are based on the primary research findings. This research suggests that there should be a public-private collaboration to regulate adventure tourism in Gozo and to increase the awareness of Gozo being an adventure destination. Moreover, this research also recommends that new adventure activities be introduced and that current adventure activities be developed further. This can de done by benefitting from funding and promotional schemes available.