ASHEVILLE, NC (March 12, 2004) – The onset of spring signals a change of season for some, but for many it means one thing – Spring Break.
Once synonymous with beaches and wild parties, the Spring Break of the 21st century is all about diversity, encompassing everything from alternative volunteer trips to outdoor adventure.
“Many students have found the best Spring Breaks discovering a new place,” according to Student.com, which bills itself as a Web community for college students. While beach vacations are still popular, an increasing number of non-beach locations are being cited by students as their getaway preference.
In the mountains around Asheville, home to the tallest peaks in the Eastern U.S., adventure appears to be a driving force in the decision-making process for students as well as families.
“The beach is becoming cliché,” said Craig Plocica, director of sales for Nantahala Outdoor Center, one of Asheville’s adventure-based outfitters. “We have responded by opening our river operations earlier each year due to a growing demand from spring travelers, particularly student Spring Breakers and families on vacation.”
Plocica said it’s not surprising that college-aged students are looking for a different kind of excitement, but added that families are also looking for soft adventure opportunities where they can interact with one another in a natural environment.
According to the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), Americans are making outdoor excitement part of their vacation experience. Its research shows that 92 million adults (46 percent) took soft adventure vacations such as a skiing and horseback riding trips in the last five years, while 31 million (16 percent) took hard adventure vacations including mountain climbing, sky-diving and cave exploring.
“Travelers seem to be looking for unique experiences,” noted Stuart Cowles, owner of ClimbMax, a downtown Asheville indoor climbing facility and operator of ClimbMax Mountain Guides, which provides guided climbs around the world. “This is also a great time of year for climbing trips as everything is starting to bloom in the national forests around Asheville. It’s a great way to get a bird’s eye view of the emerging spring color.”
Spring travelers can choose from a variety of package deals in the mountains of Western North Carolina at a number of Web sites, where visitors can also get updated bloom reports and a list of springtime activities. Additional family savings coupons are also available on the site.
For more information about attractions, accommodations, events and deals in Asheville, call (800) 280-0005 or visit www.exploreasheville.com.
Interactive Asheville |
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