Adventure tourism is defined by its purposeful pursuit of risk. The guide plays a critical and paradoxical role: that of both producer of risk (what route to climb, what path to take down a rapid) and simultaneously the protector against that risk. This paper examined the role that co-workers play in helping the guide understand and balance these safety priorities. This proposition-guided qualitative study of whitewater rafting guides examined how the guide team influenced the individual guide's safety motivation. Social influence was found to create performance expectations and foster social identity with the group. This social identity was found to influence self-concept and internalization of group safety values. Trust emerged as a powerful mechanism enabling safety performance and serving as proof of guide competence. Implications of these findings are discussed with regards to adventure tourism management.
