Adventure Tourism Development Concepts Presented in the Philippines
May 29, 2008
Conference supports Philippines Department of Tourism campaign to position country as emerging Asian adventure destination (SANTA FE, NM) – May 29, 2008 – Christina Heyniger, Adventure Travel Trade Association Associate (ATTA) and President of Xola Consulting Inc., will join ATTA Advisory Board member Russell Walters from Northern Outdoors and as a keynote presenter at Adventure Philippines: a Seminar of Adventure Tourism on June 3-5, 2008. Heyniger and Walters will present on June 3 the Adventure Tourism Development Index (ATDI), a new industry standard for the development of sustainable adventure tourism. Subject matter addresses two important subjects relative to sustainable and responsible development in adventure tourism worldwide: Adventure Tourism as a Vehicle for Development, and Adventure Tourism: Best Practices. In the former, insights will be shared regarding the ground-breaking Adventure Tourism Development Index launching this year by the Adventure Travel Trade... Read More →
By the NumbersExpedia.ca Reveals Canadians Seeking Adventure Off the Beaten Path This Summer
May 29, 2008
- First Ever Expedia.ca Travel Trendwatch® Report finds that 70 per cent of Canadians are likely to travel to a lesser known destination in Europe -TORONTO, ONTARIO–Expedia.ca(TM), Canada’s most visited full-service online travel service, has released the inaugural Canadian edition of their Travel Trendwatch(R) report, focusing on the upcoming summer travel season. The issue predicts continued travel growth to emerging summer hot spots in Europe such as Iceland, Dubrovnik and Budapest as well as interest in more adventurous destinations including Nepal and Peru. Interest in ecologically friendly resorts, green travel and meaningful vacations is also on the rise in Canada. With the summer travel period around the corner, Expedia.ca’s Travel Trendwatch(R) report offers insight on changing travel behaviours, up and coming travel hot spots and alternatives to popular European destinations for globetrotters. “We have designed the report to provide a fulsome look at travel... Read More →
By the Numbers70% of Travelers Surveyed Seek New Places and Experiences
May 29, 2008
STEVENS POINT, Wis., May 29 /PRNewswire/ — With Americans trailing the rest of the world in annual number of vacation days, a recent survey conducted on behalf of AIG Travel Guard, one of the nation’s leading providers of travel insurance and assistance plans, sought to find out if Americans work too hard. The survey indicated that despite dreams of long vacations, Americans are cutting short their vacation days and canceling or postponing trips.A recent nationwide survey of 735 American travelers, conducted by Ruf Strategic Solutions on behalf of AIG Travel Guard, found that 33 percent of those polled said that they end up not using two or more vacation days each year. Some 13 percent of those polled said they have been forced to cancel or postpone a scheduled trip last year due to a work related conflict. The average number of vacation days per year in the U.S. is 13, according to a 2007 study by the World Tourism Organization (published by Pearson Education, as Infoplease).... Read More →
Partner News Spotlight: SustainabilityAdventure Tourism and “Development”
May 21, 2008
This entry is the first in a series of perspectives about adventure tourism and development to be presented in 2008 by the collaborative partners referenced in this article. For the past few years, the ATTA has been working with its partners to raise the profile of adventure tourism with organizations and people supporting human and environmental development initiatives. We’ve tried to connect with these groups and help spread the word about the positive benefits of adventure tourism market development. One of the key ways in which we’re seeking to lead this industry and support its sustainable development is through the Adventure Tourism Development Index. Created in partnership with The George Washington University and Xola Consulting, the ATDI captures the factors necessary – everything from government policy on to market image - for competitive adventure tourism and provides destinations with a blueprint for sustainable adventure tourism market development. It... Read More →
ATTA "In the News" Media Buzz“Riding the Hulahula…” Lands Favorable Reviews
May 19, 2008
Both the New Orleans Times-Picayune and The Adventure Blog had solid things to say about this month’s launch of Riding the Hulahula, a new adventure book geared toward +50 travelers, but which has something for just about every member of the family and features numerous ATTA Member companies. As covered in the (New Orleans) Times-Picayune: BOOKIT Riding the Hulahula to the Arctic Ocean: A Guide to 50 Extraordinary Adventures for the Seasoned Traveler” By Don Mankin and Shannon Stowell;National Geographic, $18.95 While one trip focuses on camping in Antarctica and another on sea kayaking in the northern reaches of Canada, among others of these “50 Extraordinary Adventures” are journeys for older — OK, fairly fit — travelers who are more into satisfying their curiosity about other parts of the world than into roughing it. Many of the accounts are told in first-person by travelers, who, in the words of writer Pico Iyer, travel to “slip through... Read More →
ATTA President Gains Special Insights During South Africa Trade Journey
May 19, 2008
I recently attended Indaba, Africa’s largest travel trade show, which attracted nearly 13,000 travel professionals who primarily sell Southern Africa. The event was in Durban, South Africa and was an incredible introduction for us to the trade of that region. I also had the honor and opportunity to speak at the Responsible Luxury Summit, hosted by ATTA member CCAfrica. It was a spirited gathering of approximately 100 tour operators, media and lodge owners discussing the subject of responsibility in the luxury tourism sector. It was encouraging to hear this influential group taking stands and moving forward on not only putting their own operations under the magnifying glass of sustainability and responsibility, but also how they are making efforts to gently encourage travelers to think about their own responsibility as well. An enlightening experience. At the ATTA, we consider adventure tourism to be a mix of physical activity, cultural immersion and environmental interaction at it’s... Read More →
Member Press ReleasesNorthern Outdoors Honored as a 2008 Yankee Magazine Editors’ Choice
May 13, 2008
Maine-based outdoor adventure resort Northern Outdoors to be recognized in Yankee Magazine’s Travel Guide to New England on newsstands now… Northern Outdoors, Maine’s premier resort for outdoor adventure, has been recognized as a 2008 Editors’ Choice award winner in Yankee Magazine’s Travel Guide to New England, on newsstands now through the end of August. Compiled from the experiences of Yankee Magazine editors and writers, the Editors’ Choice highlights favorite restaurants, overnight accommodations, and attractions from across New England, with information and resources categorized by state and region. “Yankee’s editors and our trusted legion of travel writers select our Editors’ Choice winners,” says Yankee editor Mel Allen. “From their own experiences and tips from our readers, they research and find the most deserving establishments in New England. Recipients range from the rustic to the refined, but all are noteworthy... Read More →
ATTA EventsCOMPLETED! ATTA San Francisco – East Bay Area Regional Meeting – May 30th
May 12, 2008
COMPLETED: Please join ATTA on Friday, May 30, from 11:30 AM to 1:30PM EST at the REI Berkeley retail store at 1338 San Pablo Ave (near Gilman) (Directions). ATTA’s Chris Doyle, along with one of the newest members of the ATTA team, Lisa Alley, Business Development Manager, will serve as your hosts for this lunchtime gathering where we’ll network, collaborate and discuss challenges and opportunities facing our industry — specific agenda posted below. Lisa brings to the ATTA international economic development experience in Bulgaria, El Salvador and Indonesia, special adventure development work recently in Northeastern India, as well as a stint with National Geographic Traveler magazine researching and writing for the Geotoursim editor. Anticipated attendees for our first East Bay gathering primarily include leading adventure travel tour operators, destination marketing organizations, tourism boards and journalists. Each of our regional meetings this year has created a mini-Summit-like... Read More →
Partner News Travel & Outdoor GearATTA Program Helps Destination Achieve More Than Ten Million Impressions in North America
May 12, 2008
Gear Manufacturers’ FAM Trip Brings Destination to Core Groups of Outdoors-People A new ATTA program that brings outdoor gear manufacturers to adventure destinations recently resulted in promotions for Icelandair that achieved an estimated 10 million ‘touches’ to outdoors-people in North America. The program utilizes ATTA staff’s combined 40+ years experience in the outdoor industry to recruit key brands for a destination’s FAM trip (in this case, working with Icelandair). The brands use the trip for product photographs for their advertising, promotional materials, in-store ‘point of purchase’ displays, product hang-tags, media placement and outreach, and even videos and a MySpace.com site. “ATTA’s staff was critical in reaching out to the right people at the right brands for this trip. If it were not for their help, this trip wouldn’t have been the success it was,” Melissa Andretta, Icelandair’s Marketing Manager for The Americas.... Read More →
ATTA Press ReleasesApril & May, New and Returning ATTA Member Update
May 12, 2008
Since the March installment of AdventureTravelNews, 54 organization have either newly joined the Adventure Travel Trade Association or have renewed their membership. This group of new and renewing members represent diverse regions like spatters on a globe: Tanzania, Argentina, Mongolia, Madagascar, Switzerland, Turkey and Dominica, among many other countries. Be sure to read profiles and news for many of these organizations. Renewing Members Adventure Canada Alltournative Backroads BikeHike Adventures Bredeson Group LLC Classic Journeys Discovery Expeditions Belize Ltd Explorandes Florida Keys and Key West Fosshotels & Inns of Iceland H2O Patagonia Katadyn Klein Tours Kumuka Mountain Lodges of Peru Myths and Mountains Northern Outdoors PromPeru ROW Adventures Shikhar Travels India Ltd. Southern Explorations LLC Summit Expeditions and Nomadic Experience Thomson Family Adventures Trek Travel Tucano Reps. Peru Latin Trails Uncharted Outposts USI Travel Insurance Services VBT Bicycling... Read More →
