Adventure Travel World Summit
Making Business Happen Inside the 2011 AFAR Exchange Global Marketplace
November 15, 2011
Photo: K. Gill Within the colonial courtyard and garden of the El Carmen Cultural Centre in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Day 2 of the Adventure Travel World Summit saw successful business-to-business meetings in the AFAR Exchange marketplace. Now in its third year as a full day component of the Summit, marketplace forges successful long-term partnerships between tour operators around the globe. Limited to 100 exhibitors (adventure-focused tour operators and destinations from around the world) and with a heavy emphasis this year on promoting Mexico’s adventure tourism opportunities, the comfortable venue and structured, mostly pre-scheduled meetings allowed outbound operators, wholesalers and specialty agents to learn firsthand about new regions, develop itineraries and check in with current partners. The 2011 AFAR Exchange featured tour and service providers from 40 countries and 12 Mexican states. Buyers participated from a wide range of micro- to large-sized businesses, but... Read More →
Adventure Travel World Summit
Chiapas is Ready for the 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit
October 13, 2011
Lorenzo Campos Maurer, Katyna de la Vega, Rodolfo López Negrete, Antonio del Rosal. More than 650 tourism industry professionals, from 54 countries, will be gathering in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas for the 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit. In a press conference with the Federal and Chiapas State Government, Mexico announced that everything is ready for the country to host its biggest international tourism event of the year. Rodolfo López Negrete, Director of Consejo de Promoción Turística de México, said that hosting this event is key to increase tourist arrivals to Mexico because “in all the previous hosting cities, the Summit has been a watershed for local tourism industry, and we can assure that Mexico will have the same impact and success.” Chiapas offers solid important tourism infrastructure, with 794 hotels (17,293 rooms) and 1,242 restaurants. Katyna de la Vega, Director of the Commission for the Development of Alternative Tourism in Chiapas, declared... Read More →
Adventure Travel World Summit
Lucerne, Switzerland Announced as the 2012 ATWS Location at Concurrent Press Events in North America
September 28, 2011
Chris Doyle presents to San Francicso media about the ATTA and ATWS. The Adventure Travel Trade Association today made two nearly simultaneous announcements yesterday revealing Lucerne, Switzerland to be the host of the 2012 Adventure Travel World Summit. The first was delivered by ATTA Vice President Chris Doyle at a press event in San Francisco, presented by Swiss Tourism and its regional partners, and attended by local consumer media. Shortly after, President Shannon Stowell also announced the winning bid at the Future of Tourism event in Toronto, held by ATTA member GAP Adventures, in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and Planeterra.org, in honor of World Tourism Day. President Shannon Stowell accepts a Swiss cow bell at the announcement in Toronto. The Future of Tourism event featured industry expert panelists across a range of sustainable tourism topics, in an effort to initiate increased visibility and conversation globally around... Read More →
Adventure Travel World Summit ATWS Press Releases Featured Article
Lucerne, Switzerland Selected to Host the 2012 Adventure Travel World Summit
September 27, 2011
(SAN FRANCISCO/TORONTO) – SEPTEMBER 27, 2011 – Lucerne, the famous resort town at the shores of Lake Lucerne in the heart of Switzerland, right at foot of Mount Pilatus and the Alps, has won the bid to serve as Destination Host to the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s (ATTA) ninth annual Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS). Expected to draw 600 adventure tourism professionals from more than 50 nations, the ATWS will be held October 8-11, 2012 at the KKL Luzern (Culture and Congress Centre), built by renowned architect Jean Nouvel. Announced by the ATTA and Switzerland Tourism officials today during events in San Francisco and Toronto, the ATTA reported its decision came after extensive review of several sites throughout the world. In addition to meeting all prerequisites outlined in the bidding process, Lucerne won the 2012 ATWS bid primarily for its long-standing partnership with the ATTA and readiness to share its extensive experience in modern adventure travel and tourism,... Read More →
ATWS Press Releases
Adventure Travel Trade Association Launches “Changing the World” Video Contest
August 29, 2011
Winning Video to Premier at the ATTA’s October 2011 World Summit photo: Eduardo Doig of Viajes Pacifico Seattle, WA.—The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) today announced its first ever video-contest, exclusively for the more than 600 Adventure Travel World Summit delegates expected for the October 17-21, 2011 Summit in Chiapas, Mexico, a sold-out executive conference themed, “Prosper with Purpose”. The winner of the 60 second video – selected through private voting by Summit Delegates – who best conveys how his/her business is changing the world for good through adventure travel experiences will be announced and earn a seat next to Bill Richardson at the event’s closing dinner after his keynote address on Oct. 21st, in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas. Richardson, a former U.S. Congressman, Secretary of Energy, Ambassador to the United Nations, Governor of New Mexico and U.S. Presidential candidate will speak (in English and Spanish) on peacekeeping through tourism.... Read More →
Adventure Travel World Summit ATWS Press Releases Featured Adventure Travel World Summit News
ATTA and Away.com to Award Three Tour Operator Scholarships for the 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit
July 12, 2011
Call for Qualified Applicants – July 29, 2011 Submission Deadline (SEATTLE) July 12, 2011 – Providing financial support to early-stage adventure tourism enterprises is the purpose behind the Tour Operator Scholarships launched today by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and Away.com. Away.com is a leading travel website that inspires travelers on where to take their next vacation, and is owned by Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW). Deserving scholarship winners for 2011 will gain access to the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s global network of more than 750 members, its membership resources, and travel fare and a delegate seat for the 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit set for October 17-20 in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. Scholarship winners will use these ATTA resources to help them grow their business, network, develop their professional skills, and be inspired by industry peers and influencers, all with the end goal of providing them the chance to take... Read More →
Adventure Travel World Summit Featured Adventure Travel World Summit News
2011 Adventure Travel World Summit – New Developments
April 13, 2011
Bullish and earlier-than-normal support continues for the ATTA’s 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit, all while the ATTA and its Summit partners make significant and steady strides toward delivering the industry’s leading annual gathering. Recent Summit developments include: Day-by-Day Agenda released – blending the best of inspiration, networking and B2B, with knowledge, insight, skills, adventure and entertainment 2011 ATWS attracts more and earlier registrants than in previous years – more than 200 delegates representing 38 countries are already registered Early and serious Sponsor backing sets encouraging tone for Summit “AFAR Exchange” fully booked – Suppliers quickly nab space in the “AFAR Exchange” (the Summit’s one-day, business-to-business marketplace) earlier than expected, giving Buyers an optimum, adventure-specific array of new and different product, destinations and partners, with an especially strong showing of Latin American Suppliers Read More →
Adventure Travel World Summit Featured Adventure Travel World Summit News
Early and Serious Sponsor Backing Sets Encouraging Tone for Summit
April 13, 2011
Summit sponsors receive: extensive branding, networking, lead generation, and promotions of their products, services and destinations. Early sponsor support for the 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit is indicative of an industry that’s gaining strength. What’s more is that sponsorship is coming from myriad directions, reflecting the diversity of the ATTA’s membership – from destination tourism, technology providers, media, online trip aggregators and travel agencies, gear companies and others. Such diversity then opens up new doors for entertaining, distinctive and creative sponsorship concepts that complement our strong showing of return sponsors. An ATTA sponsorship not only supports the sponsor’s business and organizational brand development, but provides direct support of the Summit, helping fuel energy and entertainment, featured speakers and colorful execution of each annual Summit, factors which help distinguish the adventure travel community’s annual gathering from... Read More →
Adventure Travel World Summit ATTA Press Releases ATWS Press Releases
Adventure Travel Association Announces Bill Richardson’s Participation in 2011 World Summit in Chiapas, Mexico
April 12, 2011
Govenor Bill Richardson - 2011 Featured Speaker (SEATTLE) – Governor Bill Richardson will be the featured closing keynote speaker at the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s (ATTA) Adventure Travel World Summit on October 20, 2011, in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico. Known for his work as a diplomat and special envoy on sensitive missions to win the release of hostages, American servicemen and prisoners in North Korea, Iraq, Cuba and Sudan, Richardson has recently founded the Richardson Peace Institute which will train government entities in peacekeeping and hostage negotiations. “Throughout my travels in the effort of diplomacy worldwide, it has become clear that connecting on a basis of a sense of place can be a lynchpin for creating peace,” said Governor Bill Richardson, who served as Governor of New Mexico between 2002 and 2010. “To truly make progress in any business, understanding of local cultural heritage and possessing a sense of adventure is... Read More →
Adventure Travel World Summit Featured Adventure Travel World Summit News
Registrations, Sponsorships, Progress for ATTA’s 2011 Adventure Travel World Summit Outpaces Plans
February 2, 2011
What a difference two years make. By February 1st, 2009, despite the ATTA’s best efforts to generate early interest in its marquee annual event, the Adventure Travel World Summit, registrations were at an all time low during the Early Bird (pre-April) period ahead of the annual fall gathering. Fortunately, for the ATTA and the Summit, the industry eventually rallied and the event drew more than 500 delegates representing 42 countries in Quebec, Canada. In the face of serious economic turmoil, the global adventure tourism community braced for troubling economic times – most looked inward and worked diligently to ensure that personal and professional fundamentals were in order. Still, more than 500 believers leaned into the 2009 Summit, investing limited resources into the high value gathering where intimate access to an effective business-to-business marketplace, networking and professional development held court. A compelling notion: adventure travel industry leaders investing during... Read More →
