Earlier this month, more than 120 industry professionals gathered in London for the third edition of SASTEX — the Summer Alpine Sports Trade Exchange.
Hosted at Red Bull’s striking Covent Garden headquarters, the event brought together tour operators, destinations, buyers and media for a day focused on the fast-evolving summer alpine market.
Mountain Trade Network founder James Gambrill shared new research showing that the UK summer alpine market is significantly larger than previously estimated.
UK outbound summer alpine travel market estimated at 5 million trips
The UK outbound summer alpine travel market, previously estimated at around 500,000 trips, has now been revised to more than 5 million. This increase reflects a broader definition of mountain travel, encompassing everything from hiking and cycling to climbing and high-altitude escapes.
Gambrill’s data showed that UK travellers took around 95 million overseas trips last year, spending more than £70 billion, with active and adventure travel now accounting for over 30% of holidays.
Younger audiences growing
Demographics are also reported to be shifting. Travellers aged 35–54 still dominate, but younger audiences are growing, with 18–34s up 67% year-on-year.
While hiking remains the most popular pursuit, the research showed that water sports and climbing are both on the rise, and mountain biking continues to hold strong appeal.
While July and August remain peak months, September is emerging as the ‘Goldilocks’ option – neither too hot, nor too cold, nor too busy.
The key takeaway from SASTEX 2026 was that the summer alpine market is no longer a niche. It is a complex, fast-growing and highly fragmented space, with different audiences, motivations and behaviours shaping demand throughout the year.
For destinations and operators, success will depend on understanding this complexity — and adapting quickly.
