Commercialisation of outdoor environments & experiences Concept two Commercialisation of outdoor environments & experiences

Commercialisation Commercialisation is the process of bringing a product into the market. That means selling a product (physical or an experience). Outdoor environments and experiences are seen as commodities that can be packaged and sold.

Commercialisation shapes relationships The selling of experiences has shaped or changed our relationships with outdoor environments. People can now quickly access and experience the outdoors without the time hassles of organising it themselves. The following are ways that relationships have been shaped.. Seeing places they otherwise would not have: people are able to access environments that they normally may not be able to - this might lead to a greater appreciation of the natural world.

Experiences can be tiered: those who can afford extreme/remote/high end places, while those who can’t go to lesser ‘remote’ places. Some may not be able to visit these at all. Environment seen as a commodity: outdoor experiences can be bought and sold according to consumer demand/trends. Far more people are given access to environments, equipment and experiences that may have been out of their reach. People don't have to work very hard: physically and mentally. E.g. GPS tells you where to go,tent is put up in a matter of minutes. Perhaps this makes experiences less meaningful?

Gear/Equipment Outdoor gear is also an example of commercialisation. It’s fashionable to have the latest season’s gear and that’s how it’s marketed. 4wd’s are marketed at people who will never take them off road. Products are marketed to make you believe that if you buy this gear, you will be able to adventure… See below…

It looks like the pro’s (such as Mr It looks like the pro’s (such as Mr. Olden :) ) are using Macpac for their adventures, if I buy some, I can adventure like they do!

Better buy some Icebreaker Merino products for winter!

Mt Everest In the early days of mountaineering, the only expeditions were for the real experienced, skilled mountaineers. Taking years of preparation, searching for support and sponsors. Today you can buy a place on a commercial Everest expedition!

There’s even a Scoopon available There’s even a Scoopon available! A cheap adventure to the worlds most challenging frontier is a click and a paypal transaction away.

Positive impacts of commercialisation Greater choice of locations for activities More equipment providers = better equipment Greater access to professional instructors Improved access to outdoor environments Economic benefits for providers Providers can educate participants on the importance of outdoor environments and their protection

Negative impacts of commercialisation Loss of native vegetation and habitat for things such as car parks, toilets, ski runs, dune stairs. Loss of independence due to crowded venues Increased degradation through erosion and pollution etc. Loss of other resources e.g. water for snow making

Examples Summary table on p196 of the textbook. You should be able to match specific examples from your studied environments to these.