ACCT to Expand Focus on Zipline/Canopy Tours

Press Release:  (Chicago, IL) -- The Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT), a nonprofit trade

association, has been setting standards for the challenge course and zipline/canopy

tour industries since 1994. These standards have been used for many years when

installing and inspecting zipline/canopy tours. Due to the recent growth and

development in the zipline/canopy tours industry, ACCT is now refining the standards to

more specifically address zipline/canopy tours, in alignment with the continual

development of challenge course standards.

     A Zipline/Canopy Tours committee, which is comprised of builders, trainers, owners and

operators of zipline/canopy tours has been formed and includes representatives from a

variety of countries. The committee will undertake further refinements of the installation

and inspection standards to incorporate new developments in zipline/canopy tour

technology and to create operations standards specifically for this industry.

     An ANSI (American National Standards Institute) accredited standards developer,

ACCT has a history of incorporating a variety of public input in the standards setting

process, creating consensus standards which are applicable worldwide. ACCT

standards have been recognized as the industry standards in almost every relevant

court case since the standards have existed, some of them in courts outside of the

United States. Many insurance programs also use the ACCT standards in their

underwriting guidelines.

     ACCT currently has over 1600 members. Non-U.S. membership is in the 8-10% range.

Attendance at the last annual conference topped 650, with a session on zipline/canopy

tours drawing a large crowd.

     As various jurisdictions look at regulating and overseeing the operations of challenge

courses and zipline/canopy tours, ACCT looks to educate and advocate for challenge

courses and zipline/canopy tours through the activities of their Government Relations

Committee.

     With the growing number of guests participating in zipline and canopy tour activities, it is

imperative to reduce the risk of injury as much as possible. Adhering to the ACCT

Standards that have been tried and tested will help ensure that a program or tour has

done the utmost to remain a safe and fun activity for participants.

     If you would like a copy of the ACCT Standards or would like to become a member of