Capturing Adventure: Trading experiences in the symbolic economy

Abstract

In the early twenty-first century, participation in adventure sports activities represents a fertile means of reinforcing personal identity and cultural distinction, secured through the quest for, and accrual of, symbolic capital. This article draws on a case study investigation of one Scottish whitewater rafting company to explore the technologically mediated nature of the accrual of symbolic capital in the adventure sports sub-field. It is concluded that experiences have emerged as new tradable commodities. An industry of commercial adventure organisations has emerged to service a demand characterised by a quest for managed instantaneous gratification and edited memories, rather than for authenticity and self-discovery. At the soft, or mass, end of the adventure market, it is perhaps now possible to talk in the language of 'post-adventure' whereby both producers and consumers stage a theatrical performance which produces a visual representation of authentic experience transferable to a virtual witnessing audience. The post-adventure experientialists, although possessing little knowledge of the intricacies of the adventure sports activities in which they participate, know and value them in terms of their mediatised status value and cool fashion statement. Whereas the adventurer of the past secured status through achievement, the post-adventurer has no such concerns as their gazing social network recognises and bestows value to displays of spectacle, style and show.

Professional adventure tourists: Producing and selling stories of ‘authentic’ identity

“…McGillivray and Frew (2007) found the symbolic capital gained by tourists in shortterm mass adventure activities was of an 'ephemeral quality', yet could enable an 'infinite re-telling (and selling) of a tale' by tourists and companies (pp. 73-74).…”

“…A motivation for inexperienced tourists to undertake guided adventures is the perceived control of danger and uncertainty that guides provide (Pomfret, 2010). The adventure tour also provides the potential to create differentiating stories of active lifestyles and leisure identities relationally benchmarked and authenticated by the guides' status (Fletcher, 2010;Kane and Zink, 2004;McGillivray and Frew, 2007;Pomfret, 2010). Investigating symbolic capital in a single case study at the 'soft, or mass, end of the adventure market', McGillivray and Frew (2007) suggested that 'both producers and consumers stage a theatrical performance which produces a visual representation of authentic experience transferable to a virtual witnessing audience' (p. 74).…”

Rush as a key motivation in skilled adventure tourism: Resolving the risk recreation paradox

“…Adventure tourists pay for risk recreation activities (Breivik, 1996;Lipscombe, 2007;Page, Bentley, & Walker, 2005), but adventure tour operators aim to minimise risks (Buckley, 2006;Cater, 2006;Morgan, 2010). The orthodox response to this paradox (Buckley, 2010a;Cater, 2006) is that adventure tour operators sell their clients the semblance of risk so as to confer social capital (Bartkus & Davis, 2009;McGillivray & Frew, 2007), whilst protecting them from real risk so as to avoid illness and injury, medical and legal costs, and poor publicity.…”

“…Climbing and mountaineering have been studied most frequently, with at least 15 analyses in the past three decades (Berger & Greenspan, 2008;Bratton et al, 1979;Breivik, 1996;Carnicelli-Filho, Schwartz, & Tahra, 2010;Delle Fave, Bassi, & Massimini, 2003;Ewert, 1985Ewert, , 1993Ewert, , 1994Feher, Meyers, & Skelly, 1998;Kiewa, 2001;McIntyre, 1992;Mitchell, 1983;Pomfret, 2011;Rossi & Cereatti, 1993). There are ≥11 analyses of whitewater rafting and kayaking (Arnould & Price, 1993;Arnould et al, 1999;Carnicelli-Filho et al, 2010;Cater, 2006;Cater & Cloke, 2007;Fluker & Turner, 2000;Holyfield, 1999;Holyfield & Fine, 1997;Jones, Hollenhorst, Perna, & Selin, 2000;McGillivray & Frew, 2007;Wu & Liang, 2011); 2≥7 of skydiving and parachuting (Allman et al, 2009;Carnicelli-Filho et al, 2010;Celsi, Rose, & Leigh, 1993;Klausner, 1967;Lau-rendeau, 2006;Lipscombe, 1999;Lyng & Snow, 1986); ≥6 of surfing and sailboarding (Buckley, 2002a(Buckley, , 2002bDolnicar & Fluker, 2003;Farmer, 1992;Irwin, 1973;Wheaton, 2000); ≥2 of skiing and snowboarding (Gilbert...…”

Motivations and Experiences of Whitewater Rafting Tourists on the Ocoee River, USA

“…Adventure tourism includes activities such as rafting, kayaking, backpacking, sailing, snowshoeing, spelunking, sky diving, mountain climbing, surfing and hang‐gliding (Sotomayor & Barbieri, ), while activities such as whitewater rafting and kayaking have been utilized as prime examples of adventure tourism in the literature (Arnould & Price, ; Ralf Buckley, , b; Carnicelli‐Filho, Schwartz, & Tahara, ; Cater, ; Fluker & Turner, ; Houge Mackenzie, Hodge, & Boyes, ; Mcgillivray & Frew, ). These adventure tourism activities can be separated into two distinct groups: soft activities and hard activities (Schneider & Vogt, ; Schott, ).…”