45 Countries Represented at 2008 ATTA Summit Events
SEATTLE, WA, August 27, 2008. With one week remaining before its September conference and nine weeks remaining before its October conference, already more than 700 executives representing 45 countries have registered for the upcoming Adventure Travel Trade Association's (ATTA) two adventure travel trade-only conferences in 2008, which, when combined, represent nearly double 2007's total participation levels and countries represented.
Executives from 33 countries will gather in S~ao Paulo, Brazil on September 3-7 for the Adventure Travel World Summit - South America, while 26 countries are already represented at the Adventure Travel World Summit - Europe. The Europe Summit is slated for October 21-25 aboard a Hurtigruten vessel sailing from above the Arctic Circle in Norway to Bergen.
Swelling interest from destinations' tourism boards, marketing organizations, tour operators and specialty travel agents throughout the global adventure travel sector influenced the ATTA's decision to offer up two conferences on two continents in 2008. The U.S.-based ATTA selected South America and Europe to more effectively promote continental and regional collaboration.
"With incredible support from the industry and our strategic partners, the ATTA has helped to catalyze a networking and collaborating community within the adventure travel industry," said ATTA President Mr. Shannon Stowell. "As a result, we're witnessing record participation levels, amazing numbers of business deals being struck and more importantly, the emergence of a progressive, engaged and well-networked group seeking responsible solutions for a thriving, sustainable future."
Organized by the ATTA, Adventure Travel World Summit trade-only conferences are attended by executive-level delegates representing different sectors of the travel industry. ATTA Summits host diverse government tourism board and marketing organizations from Greenland, Mongolia, Switzerland, Chile, Finland, Argentina, Belize, India, Peru, and Norway among many others, as well as tour operators from Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. Representatives from international conservation organizations, major media outlets, educational institutions, and travel agencies will also attend.
The popularity of adventure travel is believed to be the culmination of several factors. Among them:
o widespread societal interest in healthy and "greening" lifestyles;
o increased interest in authentic travel experiences;
o increasing industry-wide adoption of sustainable living and travel practices that benefit local communities and their economies;
o growing consumer demand for more affordable physical, cultural, and nature-based travel alternatives to "traditional" holidays;
o emerging destination awareness of and interest in pursuing low-impact adventure travel products (in lieu of massive development projects);
o emergence of a young generation with high awareness of and interest in global interconnectivity between people worldwide; and
o efforts led by the ATTA to create synergy among influential organizations in the international adventure travel industry.
Summit conference sessions will offer market professionals the tools needed to grow and improve their businesses, promote and professionalize adventure travel worldwide, and increase business-to-business networking and collaboration. In addition, ATTA Summit events address regional business needs and discuss cultural and environmental sustainability issues impacting the world today. Both Summits offer peer-to-peer networking, professional development programs, and adventure familiarization and press tours.
The ATTA is co-hosting ATWS - South America with the Brazil Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (ABETA), and partnering with Innovation Norway for the ATWS-Europe. Major Sponsors of both 2008 Adventure Travel World Summits include: Brazil Tourism, ExOfficio travel clothing, Innovation Norway, Men's Journal magazine, and W.L. Gore and Associates. Key Sponsors include Adventure Central, Alpine Tourist Commission, Best of the Alps, Chile, National Geographic Adventure, and Peru.
More information about the ATTA's ATWS events is available at www.adventuretravelworldsummit.com.
Established in 1990, the Seattle-based ATTA (www.adventuretravel.biz) is a global membership organization dedicated to unifying, professionalizing, promoting and responsibly growing the adventure travel market worldwide. ATTA Members include tour operators, destination marketing organizations, tourism boards, travel agents/agencies, guides, lodges/resorts/attractions, media, and service providers. Host of the Adventure Travel World Summits, the ATTA provides professional support, development, education, research, marketing, career building, networking and cost saving resources to its members.
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