The Quiet Boom - Soft Adventure and Group Travel: The Next Big Opportunity
20-May-2025
Category: News Stories
The way people travel is changing—and fast. More and more, travelers are moving beyond sightseeing toward something deeper: connection, movement, and meaning. Nowhere is this shift more evident than in the adventure travel sector—a market growing at over 14% annually and projected to reach $1 trillion globally by 2032.
The term ‘Adventure Travel’ may have you immediately thinking of thrill seeking or adrenaline filled trips, but it seems that travelers interests are more geared towards soft adventure and small group journeys.
Soft adventure merges desires of cultural immersion and storytelling with light activity, such as hikes and exploring naturally occurring wonders across Asia. We are seeing more and more demand for trips like this, that encompass small group travel.
There are examples all across Asia of activities perfect for this market:-
Being guided through the hill tribes of Northern Thailand by local Karen guides
Paddleboarding through Krabi’s mangrove forests
Kayaking through the cave systems of Laos
Biking in Cambodia's Kampong trails
Cooking and harvesting with farmers in Vietnam's Mekong Deltas and so much more
Small group formats make soft adventure all the more appealing as the culture, language and logistics can often be unfamiliar to first time visitors. Group based soft adventure offers safety and confidence in remote and unknown settings, social interaction with like minded travelers and expert guidance whilst exploring.
This way of travel is ideal for journeying through South East Asia due to its rich history, ever growing infrastructure, endless warm and welcoming communities and, while largely explored, also holds many unknown and undiscovered places for adventure.
At PathDMC, these are exactly the kinds of requests we cater to, with our trusted local guides, inclusive itineraries to suit everyone and immersive cultural experiences. We provide unique and special trips that will live in memories long after returning home.
Contact us at hello@pathdmc.com to find out more about what we can offer.
The term ‘Adventure Travel’ may have you immediately thinking of thrill seeking or adrenaline filled trips, but it seems that travelers interests are more geared towards soft adventure and small group journeys.
Soft adventure merges desires of cultural immersion and storytelling with light activity, such as hikes and exploring naturally occurring wonders across Asia. We are seeing more and more demand for trips like this, that encompass small group travel.
There are examples all across Asia of activities perfect for this market:-
Being guided through the hill tribes of Northern Thailand by local Karen guides
Paddleboarding through Krabi’s mangrove forests
Kayaking through the cave systems of Laos
Biking in Cambodia's Kampong trails
Cooking and harvesting with farmers in Vietnam's Mekong Deltas and so much more
Small group formats make soft adventure all the more appealing as the culture, language and logistics can often be unfamiliar to first time visitors. Group based soft adventure offers safety and confidence in remote and unknown settings, social interaction with like minded travelers and expert guidance whilst exploring.
This way of travel is ideal for journeying through South East Asia due to its rich history, ever growing infrastructure, endless warm and welcoming communities and, while largely explored, also holds many unknown and undiscovered places for adventure.
At PathDMC, these are exactly the kinds of requests we cater to, with our trusted local guides, inclusive itineraries to suit everyone and immersive cultural experiences. We provide unique and special trips that will live in memories long after returning home.
Contact us at hello@pathdmc.com to find out more about what we can offer.
