The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) estimates that four out of ten international travelers include adventure Activities in their travel plans. Mauritius acknowledges a substantial growth in this sector over the last 10 years and thus the need to regulate this sector has become evident. The Tourism Authority, rightly, focuses on the Adventure Related Ecotourism Activities (ARETA) as this segment is attracting more and more tourists, as well as residents. A new set of standards for such activities is now on the table. The standards are inspired by those of the ATTA, adapted to the local realities and has been named as the ARETA.

The list of activities falling under the ARETA standards are as follows :

• Land-based activities :
  • Ground level : hiking (further slit in 3 grades)
  • High-Angle base : Mountaineering, Abselling, Canonying, Rock climbing, Bungee Jumping, Ziplines, Cableways, and Canyon-swings

• Vehicle based activities :
  • Mountain bikingOn road bikingElectric bikesSegwayOff road toursQuad-biking
  • Safari truck tours

• Water-based activities
  • Sea, river and lake kayaking
  • River hikes (without ropes)

Every ARETA operator shall hold a valid Tourist Enterprise License, submit all applicable and necessary clearances and documents as prescribed. This condition clearly states that the ARETA is not a license in itself, but an additional certification to a Tourist Enterprise License holder. An interesting point to consider when non-Mauritian investment is concerned. It is known that the Tourism Enterprise License contains major restrictions for foreign investors / operators. It would be interesting to explore the exact conditions imposed for ARETA in this situation.

The applicant should also ensure that it has, among its staff, the requisite experience in running the proposed business, covering both the technical and non-technical aspects. Self-employed operators should demonstrate their professional, physical and technical competencies. Medical fitness is a pre-requisite, requiring a Medical Fitness Evaluation but also a Technical Competency test as per a defined Competency Test sheet. Needless to say, that first aid / wilderness first aid as per set standards are also required.

Beyond the above, competencies will also need to be demonstrated in Customer Care, Group Management, Communication and sustainability. In the definition of the ARETA, sustainability refer to the ‘Leave No Trace’ principle where environmental impacts are minimized, based on a sustainable practice model. This definitely leads to an aspect of ‘education’ where the operators need to thoroughly educate their clients on the impacts of their actions which could be as ordinary as leaving waste behind, equipment and clothing, conscientious food, respect of wildlife and consideration towards others.

Adventure activities cannot be dissociated to risks. There is a general standard applicable with regards to Safety Management system, whereby operators shall apply an updated Safety Management System (SMS) including all the processes and interaction required. For instance, the SMS shall cover : Risk Assessment & Mitigation Plan, Equipment & Maintenance Plan & Emergency Action Plan & Participant Safety. All activities, occurrences and any other items are to be recorded in a logbook, offering traceability to all parties concerned.

The general standards do not leave any space for ambiguity. Everything is so well defined and precise. Activities, for example, are further broken down into sub-categories, catering for specifics of each operation.

We would be glad to share the knowledge gathered through our examination of the documents and our readings from different other sources.

If you are planning to operate an adventure-based ecotourism enterprise in Mauritius, we would like to hear from you !

(c) http://www.gibsonandhills.com