AMGA Report Reveals Guides Contribute Significant $ to Industry

The AMGA recently published its first annual State of the Guiding Industry Report (SOGI), which revealed the significant impact guides have on the outdoor industry as a whole. Not only do guides contribute millions of dollars in annual sales on guide-related equipment alone, says Executive Director Betsy Winter, but they also have a huge online and in-person network of people they communicate with on a regular basis.

In fact, guides directly contact well over 700,000 people each year through skiing and climbing guiding. And with 65% using social media platforms to market their businesses, their potential reach is upward of 90 million.

The SOGI grew out of a revealing member survey conducted in April of 2013, which was designed to collect up-to-date member demographics and feelings toward the AMGA, as well as set a framework for improvement and effort in the future by the AMGA. The 730 male and 88 female voluntary participants answered 61 questions, including written responses. The AMGA focused on the results of the “overall vibe” of the study, with particular interest in the written-response questions.

Researches took that information to the next level by examining nearly 20 additional sources, including outdoor industry reports, reports from the National Park Service, and many others. The full SOGI report is published below. You can also download the PDF by clicking here.

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