Adventure tourism, as we have seen, is an 'industry' dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises and the entrepreneurial flair of individuals. These enterprises also give lie to the capitalist theory that entrepreneurs will always seek to maximize profits. Many entrepreneurs in this sector clearly do not try to make as much money as possible, but instead endeavour to achieve a high quality balanced lifestyle that provides enough money to allow them and their families to live comfortably while giving them enough free time to enjoy leisure activities or time with their family. This approach to entrepreneurship seems to be growing in popularity in todays world and adventure tourism offers some excellent real world examples.
Adventure tourism is a service industry where the human resources that staff the industry are of great importance. The safety and enjoyment of adventure tourists is often dependent on the quality of people such as tour leaders guides and instructors. There are many technical qualifications and professional bodies that regulate the quality of such staff, but there is still a lack of formal education and training for those involved in the management of adventure tourism. Volunteers also play a significant role in staffing the adventure tourism industry. It is, of course, more difficult to manage and control the activities of volunteers, but they are an indispensable resource for many adventure tourism organisations