British tourist William Hayley-Borrel celebrates the New Year practising power-kiting moves on Blouberg beach near Cape Town, Jan. 1, 2002. Moving up from second slot in 2011 Virtuoso Luxe Report, South Africa tops the list of Virtuoso’s popular adventure travel destinations in 2012. A haven for adventurous trails, South Africa offers climbing, surfing, diving, hiking, horseback safaris, mountain biking, river rafting and many more exciting adventures. The African country's long coastline and rich wildlife offers a lot of daring adventure travel experience.REUTERS/Mike Hutchings
British tourist William Hayley-Borrel celebrates the New Year practising power-kiting moves on Blouberg beach near Cape Town, Jan. 1, 2002. Moving up from second slot in 2011 Virtuoso Luxe Report, South Africa tops the list of Virtuoso’s popular adventure travel destinations in 2012. A haven for adventurous trails, South Africa offers climbing, surfing, diving, hiking, horseback safaris, mountain biking, river rafting and many more exciting adventures. The African country's long coastline and rich wildlife offers a lot of daring adventure travel experience.REUTERS/Mike HutchingsPeople swim in the Celeste River waterfall at Tenorio Volcano National Park in Upala, Costa Rica. The small Central American nation now attracts more than 2.2 million visitors annually.ReutersA great blue heron perches on a rock in the Galapagos islands April 29, 2007, where British naturalist Charles Darwin conceived his theory of evolution. The volcanic islands retain its position at number three in 2012 Virtuoso Luxe Report. Galapagos Islands around the equator in the Pacific Ocean is known for its rich wildlife. Tourist activities on the islands feature snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, wildlife viewing, mountain biking, horseback riding, scuba diving and camping.REUTERS/Guillermo GranjaWhile New Zealand is a known destination for sightseeing, mountain lakes and its picturesque South and North Islands, a lot of hiking and camping activities makes this island country an adventures’ paradise. Moreover, the country's vast landscapes, magnificent shoreline and glacial mountains offer one of the wildest travel experiences, varying across cycling funs, underwater adventures, mountain biking, trekking and the like. New Zealand was ranked fourth in 2011 Virtuoso Luxe Report as well. Pictured: Visitors on a jet boat take in the sights of Taupo's Huka Falls on the Waikato river Sept. 28, 2011. Taupo, one of many New Zealand towns, is known for it's natural scenic beauty and outdoor adventure activities.REUTERS/Mike HutchingsA kite surfer gets air on Sydney's Dee Why Beach June 16, 2011. The fifth most popular adventure travel destination, Australia, was Virtuoso’s advisors’ choice last year as well. Going beyond Sydney’s Opera House, Australia lets you take the adventure trail on the roads less-travelled. The country has many natural wonders, beaches and the dry regions to be explored. What could me more adventurous than taking the road less-travelled?REUTERS/Tim Wimborne
Travel advisors at Virtuoso, a leading luxury travel network in the Americas, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, have released the names of five of the most popular destinations for adventure travel in 2012. In their highly acclaimed 2012 Virtuoso Luxe Report, the travel experts identify places from across the globe that will be visited the most this year by tourists looking for the thrill of adventure sports.
Based on their annual survey of over thousands of tour agencies, the advisors also found signs that world travel may not be too badly affected by rising fuel and hotel prices in 2012, as there is growing interest in looking for new places and new adventures.
"This year's report demonstrates that international travel continues to be the most popular type of trip in 2012," the advisers said in the report.
The fact that off-beat countries like Cambodia and Belize have made debuts in the list offers further proof global travellers are looking to explore exotic and hitherto unexplored locations.
The report suggests internationl travel will continue to be hugely popular in 2012, with high-end river cruises gaining in favour (named as the second of five biggest emerging travel trends, behind family and multi-generational travel). In addition, the report also expects adventure holidays, travel for celebratory purposes and luxury cruises to be as popular this year. The point is that travel trends for 2012 seem to be predicated on the essence of adventure.
Start the slideshow to explore the most popular adventure travel destinations in 2012 if you are looking forward to mountaineering, scuba diving, para sailing, trekking, bungee jumping, mountain biking, river rafting and more during your international holiday this year.
