ABSTRACT
Introduction The idea that people’s lives can sometimes be changed for the better as a result of travel experiences appears frequently in the tourism literature (Reisinger, 2013a). Transformation through travel is generally understood as a personal change outcome that a participant associates with a signifi cant tourism experience (Saunders, 2014; Saunders, Laing & Weiler, 2014); however, what counts as transformation through travel varies substantially. It can include increasing cultural or environmental awareness, stimulating inner psychological development or growth through transformative learning (Morgan, 2010) or permanently altering participants’ values and behaviours in ways which promote sustainability (Lean, 2009). Moreover, the emerging fi eld of transformative tourism (Lean, 2009; Reisinger, 2013b) highlights a growing focus on tourist experiences, including adventure travel activities, which are conceived and marketed as change inducing.
