The Dawn of the New Adventure Traveler? Ten Industry Leaders Sound Off on Shifting Traveler Expectations and Disintermediation
The UN World Tourism Organization’s Secretary General Taleb Rifai indicated at the 2012 Adventure Travel World Summit that the old way of doing travel and doing business in tourism is not sustainable and that the model of tourism has shifted. Mr. Rifai stated, “Adventure tourism is the future of tourism”. Adventure tourism, in fact, is [...]
CNN: Safety, Price & Reputation Top Global Traveler Concerns

May 21
Destination websites are the #1 source of travel information A global study of CNN consumers’ travel perceptions and behavioural trends has revealed that safety and security is of greater concern when choosing an international travel destination, than any other deciding factor – for more than two thirds of global respondents. 67% say ‘safety and [...]
New & DifferentOnline ‘Chatter’ to Help Shape Thomas Cook Strategy

May 21
Thomas Cook is claiming a travel industry first with the launch of a bespoke 24/7 social media monitoring facility. The Thomas Cook Listening Lab will use a specially trained team to monitor online ‘chatter’ about the group’s 60+ global brands in over 180 languages. The team will identify social ‘brand champions’ and who the company [...]
Trend WatchAppetite for European Tourism is Expected to Remain Through 2013

May 21
Brussels – The European Travel Commission (ETC) is delighted to announce that the first quarterly report on European Tourism in 2013 – Trends & Prospects has just been published. International arrivals and nights to Europe for the first months of 2013 point to a slower, but continued growth for most of the reporting destinations. As [...]
Spotlight: SustainabilityA Uranium Mine in the Selous: 60 Million Tons of Radioactive Waste in Africa’s Last Great Wilderness?

May 21
Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like the travel industry has yet fully awakened to the massive changes that are likely to result to the environment and ecosystem in Tanzania and elsewhere in Africa due to the events described in this guest post from Friends of Serengeti. Please take a moment to read this article [...]
Spotlight: SustainabilityAncient Mayan Pyramid Bulldozed for Road Fill in Belize

May 20
Last week private contractors bulldozed a Mayan pyramid in Belize that dates back 2,300 years, in order to use the rubble as gravel for a new road. CNN reports that the land was privately owned and that archaeologists are asking for legal action to be taken against both the owner and the construction company. Jaime [...]
Asia Industry Partner NewsPATA Carries Forward Pledge to the Complete Visitor Economy

May 20
UNTWO and private sector support goals of the ‘CVE’. Advancing the complete visitor economy to boost jobs and social development should also be consistent with environmental care. ‘”We need to tread likely as we develop,” said PATA CEO Martin Craigs. “We have a duty to energize and motivate and do as little harm as possible.” [...]
Spotlight: SustainabilityThe Conservation Alliance Announces 2013 Outstanding Partnership Awards
May 20
Assistant Editor’s Note: The following story is a re-print from SNEWS, and is published here with full permission from Verde Public Relations. Bend, OR – Mountain Equipment Co-Op, Outdoor Gear Exchange, and Patagonia have been selected as the winners of The Conservation Alliance Outstanding Partnership Award for 2013.The award recognizes member companies who go above and beyond in building relationships with Conservation Alliance grantees. All Conservation [...]
Spotlight: DestinationsU.S. Vacationers are Planning Ahead, Seeking Value Over Budget, and Leaving The Kids Behind

May 20
The fourth largest hotel and resort portfolio in the U.S., Destination Hotels & Resorts, predicts 2013 trends. Englewood, CO. – A new consumer survey focused on travel for the upcoming summer season unveils some surprising trends, from a renewed interest in planning ahead to a primary focus on value rather than strict budget considerations. Results [...]
May 20 — IGLTA and ACTE Join ECPAT’s Fight Against The Sexual Exploitation of Children by Sign The Code
May 2 — Gear Review Special: National Geographic ‘Gear of the Year’
Apr 30 — Projected Bookings from the United Kingdom and Germany to the United States
Apr 17 — Largest Native American Powwow Celebrates 30 Year Anniversary
Apr 17 — European Travel Commission Elects Manuel Butler as New President
Apr 17 — The New Chinese Tourists Aren’t Coming – They’re Here.
Apr 16 — Peaks of the Balkans is Declared Winner of the Prestigious WTTC Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2013
Apr 16 — UN Tourism and Crime Bodies to Call on Tourists to Play a Role in Reducing Illicit Trafficking
→ More Trade News HeadlinesLuxperience

Luxperience is THE luxury travel event based in the Australasia and Pacific region that connects high end experiential travel providers with exclusive buyers in a three day business exchange from 2 – 4 September, 2013 in Sydney, Australia. At Luxperience, we are dedicated to providing the luxury and...
TrekTraka

TrekTraka is a powerful sales lead generation and social media marketing tool for Adventure Travel and Cruise operators. TrekTraka taps deeply into the social networks of your clients, keeping their friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn (and also via email) constantly up to date with...
→ More ATTA Member ProfilesIntangible Benefits May Outweigh Salary in Retaining Experienced Managers
May 21
Editor’s Note: We found the leadership principles of this article to be valuable not just for retail organizations, but all businesses. It has been republished here for our readers with full permission by the Outdoor Industry Association. Senior managers are the lifeblood of a successful outdoor specialty store. Over time, they can contribute significantly to a [...]
3 Reasons Why Responsive Web Design is the Best Option For Your Mobile SEO Strategy

Apr 16
Assistant Editor’s Note: Jay Taylor is Founder & CEO at Leverage Digital Media, a Tampa-based digital marketing agency, where he has helped hundreds of companies establish online brand identities and implement profitable digital marketing initiatives. Jay is also a columnist at Search Engine Watch, one of the leading news and information providers for the search engine marketing [...]
New Facebook Changes Headed Our Way (Again)

Mar 20
By Nicole Petrak, New Media Projects & Assistant Editor Facebook has announced an upcoming site re-design, one that will mostly shift the Newsfeed as we know it and has some interesting implications for brands. The company says users can expect an experience more like a “personalized newspaper,” where their social content will be blended with [...]
→ More Business InsightsDesigning a To-Do List for Tourism in the Western Balkans

May 21
Editor’s Note: This article was written by Kirsi Hyvaerinen of National Tourism Organisation of Montenegro and features the ATTA’s Chris Doyle, Executive Director of Europe. “Designing a To-Do List for Tourism in the Western Balkans” was the motto of a two-day event at Sipcanik winary (Plantaze) near Podgorica, organized by Regional Competitiveness Initiative Project (RCI/ USAID). The overall goal was [...]
ATTA Members Webinar: Video Storytelling in the Digital Age

May 21
ATTA Guest Presenter Richard Bangs Thursday, June 20 10:00 AM PST / 17:00 UTC Register Now Learn how to use and create video to capture the attention of your desired audience and influence the decision making process. The host and presenter, Richard Bangs, will cover the following topics during this webinar, followed by Q&A with listeners: [...]
GSTC Interviews Shannon Stowell on Values Statement Decision

May 21
Editor’s Note: This interview was conducted by The Global Sustainable Tourism Council’s Talia Salem and was originally published here. Longtime partners of the GSTC, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) recently published its Values Statement for the first-time. These values will help guide the ATTA, its membership, and its mission going forward. The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria were included [...]
The Current State of The Travel & Tourism Industry

Apr 16
By David Scowsill, WTTC’s President and CEO Travel & Tourism, one of the world’s largest industries, outperformed the global economy in 2012 and grew faster than many other notable industries such as manufacturing, financial services, communications and retail. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) economic research, in 2012, Travel & Tourism grew [...]
→ More Lessons & InsightsGear Review Special: National Geographic ‘Gear of the Year’
May 2
Editor’s Note: We’re pleased to feature National Geographic’s Spring / Summer version of ‘Gear of the Year,’ published here with their permission. Spring is a time for renewal—for assessing your gear, making repairs, and deciding when to make the leap into trying something new. This season’s crop of newly minted outdoor toys and tools is [...]
Green World Adventures Costa Rica Signs the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism (GCET)

May 24
Green World Adventures became signatory of the Commitment on the 13th of May, 2013, at an event held in the context of the 55th Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for the Americas in San Jose, Costa Rica, in the presence of H.E. Mr. Allan Flores, Minister of Tourism of Costa Rica, and Mr. Taleb Rifai,...
Exotissimo Travel Working With TUI Nordic To Offer New Travel Options In Myanmar
May 21
Bangkok - Exotissimo Travel, Asia’s leading DMC and Scandinavian tour operator, TUI Nordic, are now working together in Myanmar to offer travel experiences that were previously unheard of. Blessed with stretches of untouched coastline, Myanmar is home to some of Asia’s most beautiful yet unvisited...
IAATO 24th Annual Meeting Concludes in Punta Arenas, Chile; Antarctic Tourism Statistics for 2012-13 Season Released

May 21
Providence, RI – A new five-year Strategic Plan, an expanded Membership and committee structure, and a new yacht dockside observer program were among the items adopted at the 24th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), held April 22-24 in Punta Arenas,...
May 21 — Conde Nast Chooses Journey Mexico’s Founder as Top Villa Specialist in 2013
May 21 — Immersion Journeys Awarded Two Travel Awards in the Month of May
May 21 — Jordan Campbell’s New Documentary Film Chronicles Blindness and Peace in South Sudan
May 20 — Nicaragua’s Environmental Pioneers Envision Sustainable Tourism In Tandem with Upscale Eco-Lodges
May 20 — Eagle Creek, The Escondido Creek Conservancy and Outdoor Outreach Team Up For Service Day April 2013
May 20 — South African Airways and Etihad Airways Forge Strategic Partnership
May 20 — The Road From Karakol Wins Top Award at 5Point Film Festival
May 20 — Uganda Wildlife Authority Offering Additional Gorilla Permits
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