Argo XTVs for Ecotourism: Better for the Environment and Your Bottom Line
If you have a business that offers expeditions or tour support, it makes sense to shift towards ecotourism. It keeps you on the right side of legislation, protects the areas you work in, and lets you take advantage of this booming segment of tourism. Any easy way to start the transition is with your vehicles. Argo’s XTVs can help your business operate in a way that’s friendly to the environment while offering customers something beyond a cookie-cutter outdoor experience.
What is Ecotourism, and How Can it Help My Business?
Whether it’s called green, nature, sustainable, responsible, mindful or ethical tourism, the concept remains the same:
– Tourism should be environmentally friendly.
– Nature and local culture must be protected.
– Tourism should support local communities.
No matter what your specialty is, there are customers who see the benefits of this movement. Hunters want to preserve the habitats of their prey, hikers want to connect with nature, and travelers of all types looking for an “authentic” experience.
For outfitters and tour operators, ecotourism makes good financial sense. This travel segment has been growing 5% per year, and currently represents 11.5% of the tourism industry. Making your tours eco-friendly can make them more appealing to customers. It also may help you meet environmental requirements for operating in sensitive areas, letting you offer unique experiences to your customers.
Low Impact By Design
While the aquatic and off-roading abilities of an amphibious ATV may be the main reason you’re considering Argo, there’s a lot to be said for these vehicles’ eco-friendliness. Those same design features that make an XTV unbeatable for wilderness travel also make them some of the lowest impact off-road vehicles on the market.
To maximize traction and buoyancy, an amphibious ATV uses 6 or 8 giant tires. This spreads out the vehicle weight, reducing ground pressure. As a result, they cause less erosion, less soil damage, and less plant damage. If you don’t need your Argo to travel across deep water, you can outfit it with treads. This increases the contact patch, putting ground pressure below that of the human foot.
Mechanical components are built into a hull that keeps water out. This also means it keeps fluids in. If something happens to cause a fuel or oil leak, these fluids stay in the vehicle.
Commercial engines from Vanguard and fuel injected engines from Kohler use a fraction of the fuel of conventional off-road vehicles. The 7-gallon fuel tank can keep the engine running up to 8 hours.
Flexibility for Simpler Logistics
How good is an Argo? Tour operators and outfitters aren’t just using them to replace trucks, they’re also using XTVs to replace horses and pack animals. This simplifies logistics, reducing the total amount of infrastructure your business needs. Fewer buildings and lower supply requirements reduce the impact on the environment and your wallet.
Choosing a Model That’s Right for Your Tour Business
Around the world, people depend on Argos for everything from remote hunting excursions to rescue operations after natural disasters. This flexibility means there’s a model to suit your needs, whether it will be used to transport customers, provide tour support, or help with construction and maintenance.
The Huntmaster series is built primarily hunting and fishing, but it’s perfect for any job where you want to stay out of sight when enjoying the great outdoors. Argo partnered with Mossy Oak to bring their Shadow Grass Blades and Break Up Country patterns to their vehicles. This makes it easy to get matching equipment, so you and your customers can blend in with your surroundings.
For the ultimate in comfort, check out the Aurora series. This all-new design offers more legroom, and its new beadlock rims allow lower tire pressures for a softer ride. The 850 SX-R comes with a ROPS from the factory, which is perfect for adding a fabric top and windshield to protect passengers.
Need to maintain trails? The Conquest line has a large rear cargo area for carrying equipment. The Conquest XT-X comes with a dump bed, while the XT-L has a work light and mobile tool chest for remote location work. Need more room for excursions? The Conquest 800 Outfitter is built for touring, fitting the cargo area with seats, letting it carry up to 6 people.
What about equipment? Argo has you covered there, too. Every model has ample on-board cargo space that can be expanded with front and rear racks. Add an amphibious trailer, and you can haul supplies across water and steep inclines.
We’re Serious About the Great Outdoors
Shank’s Argo has helped commercial operations with their outdoor equipment since 1984. We can help you find and outfit a vehicle for your business’s needs, and provide the support you need to keep it running. Visit our showroom at 4900 Molly Pitcher Highway in Chambersburg, PA or see our current stock at www.shanksargo.com.