Member Press Releases    

Taoiseach & Tánaiste launch The Gathering Ireland 2013 & ask every community in Ireland to play a part

May 11, 2012

“The Gathering gives each and every one of us an opportunity to do something positive for our country in our own unique way.” An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore have asked every community in Ireland to get involved in The Gathering Ireland 2013, the biggest tourism event ever held in Ireland. Speaking at the launch today in Dublin Castle, the Taoiseach and Tánaiste also urged businesses, clubs and organisations right across the country to get involved in The Gathering. An Taoiseach said: This initiative needs the widespread participation of communities and local organisations all across Ireland. The Gathering gives each and every one of us an opportunity to do something positive for our country in our own unique way. It’s all about you, your family, your neighbours, your sports club, your college. Whatever community or group you belong to, we would like you to start planning special events to highlight what is great about that community, and about Ireland. The Tánaiste... Read More →

Member Press Releases    

Abenteuer Afrika’s Baby BOOM!

May 10, 2012

ATTA Member Abenteuer Afrika has shared the following newsletter announcing their very own baby boom – five babies born to staff in the same time period. The tour operator has responded by building an on-site nursery – talk about work-life balance!  Read More →

Member Press Releases    

Sustainable Travel International and ecoism Proving the Value in Social Enterprise-Nonprofit Partnership

May 9, 2012

Through collaboration and resource sharing, sustainable tourism marketing partnerships succeed in delivering ROI, credibility, and integrated thinking. The result: destinations and travel companies develop plans and products designed to benefit the local community, while protecting valued tourism resources. Portland, OR. and Vancouver, WA. - Global non-profit Sustainable Travel International and ecoism, the sustainable tourism and strategic marketing firm, are determined to advance responsible travel and tourism globally. The new strategic partnership will help clients across all sectors of travel and tourism benefit from the extensive marketing, sustainability and industry experience the two organizations possess. The STI-ecoism partnership provides a collaborative approach for destinations and travel companies. “Through their work for the GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council), ecoism has demonstrated a unique ability to integrate sustainability into cost-effective marketing,... Read More →

Member Press Releases    

Leading Family Adventure Tour Operator Discovers Only 20 Percent of Children Involved In Family Vacation Decisions

May 9, 2012

Kids-Only Focus Group Reveals Travel Expectations of Teens and Under Billings, MT – Award-winning tour operator Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA), the active travel company setting family adventure vacations standards in The Americas, Europe, Africa and Caribbean, learned recently during an online focus group for kids that few children (20 percent) have a say in family vacation planning, that children want most to see new places on vacation (as opposed to spending quality time with their family) and that if a guide is involved, the Pied Piper must have a generous sense of humor. These tidbits came out during ALA’s on-line focus group on April 15 that engaged over 50 youngsters ages 8 to 15 for 55 minutes on “What Kids Want on a Family adventure Vacation.” “New findings will be incorporated into this year’s spring guide training and into future trips,” said Dan Austin, ALA’s founding director.  “The purpose of this focus group was to stay ahead of the pack, improve upon what... Read More →

Member Press Releases    

Red Mangrove Galapagos and Ecuador Lodges Adds State-of-Art Medical Facility To New Dive Academy Opening in Fall 2012

May 9, 2012

Quito, ECUADOR - Red Mangrove Galapagos and Ecuador Lodges, the region’s leading hospitality company for active adventure and dive vacations, announces that it has added a recompression (hyperbaric) chamber and hyperbaric medicine facility to the Red Mangrove Dive Academy scheduled to open in the fall of 2012.  This will be a full-service, state-of-the-art diver education center and the largest in Ecuador. Diving Project Manager Caleb Hayes said that this important treatment facility is a part of the Divers Alert Network’s (DAN) International Preferred Provider Network. “Associating the facility with the world’s largest diver safety organization and its accident insurance plans will greatly improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of care rendered on behalf of the injured diver. This association will also provide unique and long-term educational and training opportunities to the region’s diving community,” said Hayes. Hayes explained that diving medical physicians are trained... Read More →

Member Press Releases    

Inkaterra Wins 2012 “Tourism for Tomorrow” Conservation Award

May 9, 2012

Lima - Inkaterra, Peru’s leading provider of luxury and sustainable hospitality, has won the 2012 award for Conservation at this year’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are organized by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), and the 2012 winners were announced this week at the WTTC’s Global Summit in Tokyo. “This is wonderful news for the entire team at Inkaterra; we are honored to have won such a prestigious and highly regarded award. It is a testament to 37 years of hard work, dedication and determination to always be at the forefront of conservation and sustainable tourism,” says José Koechlin, CEO of Inkaterra. The Tourism for Tomorrow Awards are one of the world’s highest accolades in the travel & tourism industry and are aimed at recognizing the best-of-the-best in sustainable tourism worldwide. All applicants go through a rigorous process that includes site visits, and winners are chosen by an international team of... Read More →

Member Press Releases    

Development Marketplace: Reducing Impacts of Ranching on Biodiversity

May 9, 2012

The proposal that the Sierra Gorda Ecological Group (GESGIAP in Spanish) presented to the World Bank’s Development Marketplace, “Reducing cattle-ranching impacts on biodiversity” was selected from among 1800 other projects from throughout the world. After going through a competitive selection process in 2008, representatives from 100 projects attended the event at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington D.C. where judges finally chose 18 winning projects, including GESGIAP’s. Over the last three years, our project has truly reduced pressure on the forests and biodiversity in the Sierra Gorda through environmental service payments to local landowners, the operation of pilot farms that show that cattle-ranching can be profitable and does not need to damage biodiversity, as well as a strong teaching component based on organic and sustainable agricultural and livestock production. On 24th-26th April 2012, we were honoured to receive a delegation from the World Bank who came to... Read More →

Member Press Releases    

Northern Outdoors to Host 2012 Untamed New England Adventure Race – June 19-24, 2012

May 7, 2012

Northern Outdoors will once again host World Class expedition adventure racing when the 2012 Untamed New England Adventure Race comes to Maine’s rugged wilderness. Beginning June 19th, 50 international teams will begin a four-day, non-stop adventure with trekking, paddling, mountain biking, trail running, orienteering, and more. The challenging racecourse was designed by Untamed New England and Northern Outdoors. The Forks, MAINE - Northern Outdoors is thrilled to announce it will host the four-day 2012 Untamed NE Adventure Race this June, bringing adventure racing back to Maine’s rugged wilderness after a 17 year hiatus. On June 19th, 50 international, mostly coed, four-person teams from six countries – including Denmark, Ecuador, France, and Sweden’s world champions of adventure racing “Thule Adventure Team” – will charge off the starting line in The Forks, Maine to begin a grueling, non-stop, multi-sport expedition. Teams will power hundreds of miles through some... Read More →

Member Press Releases    

Red Mangrove Galapagos and Ecuador Lodges Announces Opening of US-Based Sales / Marketing Office

May 7, 2012

Quito, ECUADOR – Hernan Rodas, the visionary founder and owner of Red Mangrove Galapagos and Ecuador Lodges, the region’s leading hospitality company for active adventure, announced on May 1st, 2012 the opening a US sales office to serve as the reservations call center in North America. At the same time, to better address the needs of this market, a new website has been created for the North American traveler. Rodas has been instrumental in shedding light on and underscoring the variety and benefits of a land-based Galapagos vacation with multi-island accommodations that his company owns and operates available for guests who prefer terra firma over cruising options. “Having an office in the US will streamline communications and provide a higher level of comfort for those making payments from the North American market,” said Rodas. “The office has a direct link with our reservations system and will be able to provide real-time information to our North American guests.” After... Read More →

Member Press Releases    

National Geographic Traveler Magazine Selects Immersion Journeys for List of “50 Tours of a Lifetime”

May 7, 2012

New York, NY - Immersion Journeys was selected as one of National Geographic Traveler magazine’s 2012 “50 Tours of a Lifetime” and was featured in the magazines’ May 2012 issue, as well as listed on a special Tours of a Lifetime page on their site. The selection process was competitive but our itinerary for Ghana: Wildlife & Heritage was chosen for being authentic, innovative, and immersive. We were also recognized for being among the best-guided and most sustainable tours. National Geographic Traveler has the largest audience of any travel magazine, with more than 7.5 million readers. Their readers love to travel, with the highest passport ownership, most international and domestic trips, and most outdoor recreation spending of any other travel title. See our feature in the May 2012 issue or view details here.  Read More →

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