(SEATTLE) – Adding to its global network of tourism associations, the Adventure Travel Trade Association has secured new agreements with the Australia Tourism Export Council (ATEC)/Backpacker Tourism Advisory Panel (BTAP) and the U.K.-based African Travel and Tourism Association, now marketed under the title, Advancing Tourism to Africa.
Dubbed the Association Partnership (AP) program, the Adventure Travel Trade Association has assembled 25 organizations since the AP’s 2007 inception, each of which share a common interest in actively collaborating to unify, network, promote, professionalize and responsibly grow the adventure travel market. Productive peer-to-peer networking and community collaboration continue to serve as the driving force behind increased participation in the AP program.
With the newest member additions, these alliances will help expand marketing networks between North America and European organizations with those in Australia and Africa. Nigel Vere Nicoll, CEO of Advancing Tourism to Africa said, “The synergy between our two associations presents an unparalleled opportunity to develop and stimulate new links with travel specialists in U.S.A. and Europe and the diverse product of the vibrant African tourism market.”
Representing thousands of individual organizations including tour operators, destination marketing organizations, tourism boards, guides, accommodation, media and service providers, the AP program helps tourism professionals on six continents to better network and improve cooperation within the specialized adventure sector of the travel and leisure industry. The AP also improves intelligence gathering and sharing on critical matters such as sustainable tourism, best practices, trends and research, marketing, risk management and matters essential to raising the quality and professionalism of the industry.
Active Association Partnership program members, including the newly added associations, are:
Africa
- Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA)
- African Travel and Tourism Association (aka, Advancing Tourism to Africa)
- Bhutan – Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators
- Japan – Japan Ecolodge Association
- Nepal – Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA)
- Thailand – Thai Ecotourism & Adventure Travel Association (TEATA)
- France – French Ecotourism Association
- Scotland – Wild Scotland (WS)
- Sweden – The Swedish Ecotourism Society/Nature’s Best
- Jordan – Jordan Inbound Tour Operators Association (JITOA)
- Canada
- Aventure Ecotourisme Quebec (AEQ)
- Paddling Ontario Alliance (POA)
- Wilderness Tourism Association of the Yukon (WTAY)
- Mexico - Asociación Mexicana de Turismo de Aventura y Ecoturismo (AMTAVE), Mexican Association of Adventure Tourism and Ecotourism
- United States - The Dude Ranchers' Association
- Argentina – Asociación Argentina de Ecoturismo y Turismo Aventura (AAETAV)
- Brazil – Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Turismo de Aventura (ABETA), Brazilian Adventure Travel Trade Association
- Chile – Corporación de Promoción Turistica (CPT), Tourism Promotion Corporation of Chile
- Dominican Republic – Organización Dominicana de Turismo Sostenible (ODTS)
- Ecuador – Ecuadorian Ecotourism Association (ASEC)
- Guyana – Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG)
- Peru – La Asociación Peruana de Turismo de Aventura y Ecoturismo (APTAE), Peruvian Association of Ecotourism and Adventure Tourism
- Trinidad and Tobago – Trinidad and Tobago Incoming Tour Operators Association (TTITOA)
- New Zealand – Tourism Industry Association New Zealand
- Australia Tourism Export Council (ATEC)/Backpacker Tourism Advisory Panel (BTAP)