Activity Holidays

Specialist Reports Activity Holidays Activity Holidays Safety 

This is of course vital and there have been well publicised cases of fatalities with organisations which were not sufficiently expert.

AALA

44 Lambourne Crescent, Cardiff Business Park, Llanishen, Cardiff CF14 5GG
(029) 2075 5715
aala
In 1996 the government introduced a licensing system to regulate the provision of adventure activities to young people under the age of 18. This was partly in response to the deaths of four children in 1993 while canoeing under poor supervision.

The Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) inspects the safetymanagement systems of centres which offer certain adventure activities thatare carried out away from the centre (such as climbing and trekking in remote areas). If the centre meets the necessary requirements, then it's issued with a licence. Licensing does not extend to cover standards or quality of service. If a centre does not require a licence because it doesn't provide licensable activities, then you should look for other forms of accreditation by the appropriate governing body, for example the Royal Yachting Association, the British Canoe Union or the British Horse Society.

If you book an overseas activity holiday with a British tour operator offering British-run activities you can look for membership of appropriate British organisations. If the operator uses local instructors you should ask searching questions before undertaking anything at all dangerous.