Hundreds of thousands of people take part in organized activities abroad every year.

Adventure tourism refers to a tourism trip that includes at least two of the following three elements - physical activity, natural environment, and cultural immersion. It often involves risk and some skill from the tourist. They can be great fun, broaden horizons, and teach new skills. But, if the venture isn’t managed properly, the consequences can be very serious, resulting in an accident, injury, or even loss of life.

Adventure travel is supposed to be challenging. But regardless of your age, destination, or chosen activity, your safety should be of paramount importance.

Whether you’re a student going on a geography field trip; a young person planning a gap year or adventure holiday; someone in their forties taking on a charity challenge; or a pensioner considering a volunteering project; standard BS 8848 can offer you peace of mind. Providers that comply with the standard must endeavor to keep participants safe and informed at all stages of the venture. If you, a family member or a friend are planning an adventurous activity abroad make sure that the chosen provider complies with BS 8848 best practices.

What Does Standard BS 8848:2014 Cover?

BS 8848:2014 Specification for the provision of visits, fieldwork, expeditions, and adventurous activities outside the United Kingdom can be used by providers of any adventurous activities abroad, including; adventure holidays, gap-year travel, volunteering projects, charity challenges, expeditions, field research, and educational visits.

In summary, BS 8848 requires an adventure tourism organization to have the following:

• A single provider – one clearly identified person, or organization, to take overall responsibility for the whole venture

• Informed choice – participants to be given clear information about the venture, and potential risks, before they book.

• Capable staff – all ventures to be run by competent and experienced people

• Good preparation and planning – policies and procedures put in place to identify and manage risk at every stage of the venture

Any UK organization (e.g. schools, charities, or tour operators) planning an adventurous activity abroad, for individuals or groups, can use the standard and should consider its requirements.

Even when adventuring, with a BSI Knowledge subscription your team will have access to all your BSI standards in one place, wherever they are and whenever they need them, through a fast, simple, and intuitive platform. It provides you with the best practice insights and up-to-date standards to help ensure the safety of your clients. Request to learn more.

Why is Standard BS 8848:2014 Important?

Organizers of adventurous activities, from schools to travel and tour operators, need to know the risks involved and how to manage them effectively. If the appropriate level of planning, risk assessment, or training is not in place then the consequences can be serious.

BS 8848 enables organizers of adventure travel to put in place a system to assess and manage risks, covering both the venture itself and the capabilities and experience of venture leaders and participants.

This standard can also provide assurance to participants that venture providers are following good practices to help reduce the risk of injury or illness. It sets out to help ensure operational systems are effective at managing risk and help reduce the likelihood of incidents. In so doing, BS 8848 reassures those wishing to be involved in a venture, demonstrates a duty of care to employees and others, and provides a means of demonstrating that good practice has been followed.

To read more about how to gain customer trust in the tourism industry, click here.

How to Comply with Standard BS 8848:2014

Organizations that comply with BS 8848 must:

Assign clear roles and responsibilities - Identify one individual or organization as the ‘venture provider’ who is accountable for all parts of the venture, including those run by third parties. Assess the services of any third-party providers, for example, for travel, accommodation, or venture activities. Give clear instructions to the leadership team about following procedures and supervising participants.

Appoint competent staff - Assign an overall group leader who knows and understands the skills of the group. Recruit leaders with the right skills, training, and experience for the activity being undertaken. Carry out relevant checks on all staff working unsupervised with children under 18. It can be used in conjunction with standard BS EN 15565:2008 specifies minimum requirements for the provision of professional tourist guide training and qualification programs.

Plan and prepare - Plan and research all aspects of the venture – including the location, transport, accommodation, and equipment – to assess them for suitability and safety. Prepare an itinerary and budget for each venture. Collect information about participants, including any pre-existing medical conditions, to assess that the venture is suitable for everyone involved. Check the availability of local medical services and support for each venture.

Provide clear, accurate information - Before booking give potential participants clear and detailed information about activities; the expertise of the leaders; potential safety issues; price; itineraries; and any prerequisites for travel (e.g. fitness or training), so that they can decide if it’s the right venture for them. After booking provide detailed information about accommodation, transport, meals, payment schedules, insurance, and the participants’ own responsibilities (for example to obtain relevant visas or insurance).

Safety management - Develop written plans to identify, assess and then manage potential health and safety risks. These should cover the venture itself, plus the capability and experience of the venture leaders and participants. Make sure that everyone involved in the venture is aware of the risks of specific activities and locations – for example, dehydration or altitude sickness – and understands what to do to minimize these risks.

Emergency plans - Produce a written ‘incident and emergency response plan for each venture to detail what should happen if things go wrong. Ensure that all staff is aware of the emergency plan; have access to medical advice and support; and know what to do and who to contact in the event of illness, accident, or emergency.

Make sure your adventure tourism organization is operating to best practices by adding standard BS 8848:2014 to your collection today.