Media Buzz
Orbitz Worldwide and Adventure Travel Expert Richard Bangs Partner to Produce Inspirational Travel Series for Public Television
May 4, 2012
“South America: Quest for Wonder” Highlights Major South American Landmarks Served by LAN Chicago, IL – Orbitz Worldwide has partnered with award-winning travel journalist/producer Richard Bangs on his “Quest Series,” a new program for public television that will take viewers to geographic and cultural wonders of the seven continents and also provide consumers visiting Orbitz.com with a rich library of adventure travel content that Bangs will produce exclusively for Orbitz.com. “South America: Quest for Wonder” is scheduled to air this October on public television as the first installment of the “Quest Series.” Bangs recently returned from a four-week production trip to South America, where he and his team flew on LAN Airlines and its affiliate carriers on a journey to capture breathtaking footage of South America’s iconic destinations including Easter Island, the Iguacu Falls, Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands. Postproduction... Read More →
ATTA Press Releases Media Buzz
Spate of Adventure Travel Media Coverage Captures Center Stage Nationally
April 17, 2012
Adventure tourism’s recent flurry of earned editorial media coverage in major media outlets throughout the U.S. lends more credence to mounting evidence that suggests “adventure” is gaining favor as a top choice among travelers. Between April and May 2012 alone, adventure travel is featured prominently in Travel + Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, Outside Magazine and Men’s Journal, as well as in the April 14 and 15 2012 feature stories in The Wall Street Journal and The Seattle Times respectively. And, it’s no accident. In addition to supporting trends suggesting that travelers are awakening to more responsible tourism choices, that there are more innovative product/itinerary options, that lifestyles are changing and leaning more toward enriching, in-depth travel experiences and healthier activities, to name just a few, the ATTA and its membership is working behind the scenes with travel journalists internationally to provide expert voices, resources and brand new subject... Read More →
Media Buzz
North Carolina, Where ‘Hunger Games’ was Filmed, Getting Ready for Fan Tourism
April 3, 2012
Assistant Editor’s Note: The ATTA is witnessing an increasing trend of mainstream media influencing adventure tourism, and therefore we believe the article below is relevant. Please also read our recent guest article from best-selling author John Shors, on How Literature Inspires Travel. The Washington Post has reported that the hit new film, Hunger Games, is already driving up tourism in North Carolina, where the movie was filmed. The movie, which is based on the best-selling, post-apocalyptic series by Suzanne Collins that chronicles a group of teenagers being forced to fight each other to the death in a futuristic reality show, already brought an influx of money to the state when filmmakers spent more than $60 million shooting there, employing approximately 5000 people. Now, the area is preparing for a tourism boom. The abandoned mill village where much of the film was placed is private property, and the owner has already reported being “bombarded” with visitors. North... Read More →
Media Buzz
A New “Golden Age of Travel” Will Create Jobs Worldwide and Boost the Global Economy
February 13, 2012
Exclusive Study of Global Opinion Leaders Reveals that Travel Breaks Down Cultural Barriers and Promotes Soft Diplomacy. Mariott London County Hall (Courtesy of Mariott). DAVOS-KLOSTERS, SWITZERLAND - In a global study released today at the World Economic Forum, it was revealed that international travel is considered even more important than the Internet, TV/movies, or political diplomacy at stimulating the economy and breaking down cultural barriers. The independent study was conducted by Penn Schoen Berland on behalf of Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) and included the views of 1,100 global travelers and opinion leaders from eight countries, including Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. Ninety-six percent of respondents, who ranged in age from under 35 to over 50 years old, believed that travel and tourism stimulates the economy, while 77 percent felt that “the more people experience other countries and cultures, the more peace... Read More →
Media Buzz
New Breed of Chinese Traveller Can Be Targeted by Niche Travel Companies
November 15, 2011
A new type of Chinese traveller more interested in a quality travel experience than simply ticking off the sights is emerging. Speaking Tuesday 8 November at World Travel Market, the leading global event for the travel industry, China Outbound Tourism Research Institute Director Professor Doctor Wolfgang Georg Arlt said the new type of tourist is far more likely to be interested in niche product than before. He added: “Now for the first time you have a chance to get hold of extra Chinese customers who might be more interested in your product if you package it right and sell it right.” Arlt said the new consumers were emerging as a result of the country’s increasing wealth with many now simply wanting to relax, have an enjoyable experience and do things like shopping rather than simply join large groups of sightseers. Dragon Trail Co-Founder and President Jens Thraenhart agreed, adding: “Chinese consumers are being moved towards an experience-based model rather than a price-based... Read More →
Media Buzz
UNWTO Conference Forges Closer Relationship Between Tourism and the Media
September 15, 2011
Focusing on the people behind the tourism numbers and maintaining an honest and open relationship with the media: these are among the main recommendations to emerge from discussions between media representatives and tourism officials attending the first UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and the Media (12-13 September, Zagreb, Croatia). Under the title ‘Tourism in the Headlines’ and in partnership with the Government of Croatia and the World Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers (FIJET), the conference aimed to analyze the relationship between tourism and the media and address why, despite being one of the world’s largest economic sectors, tourism is not sufficiently featured in the political, business or financial news. Opening the conference, Croatian Prime Minister, Jadranka Kosor, stressed the relevance of tourism as “an engine of economic growth and one of the most effective creators of new jobs,” pointing to the need to reflect this message in the media. This... Read More →
Media Buzz
The Rising Prominence of Adventure Tourism and Its Staying Power
August 15, 2011
Assistant Editor’s Note: The following article was originally published in the August 2011 issue of Leisure Group Travel Magazine as a guest post by ATTA Vice President Christopher Doyle and Christina Heyniger. By: Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), Christina Heyniger, Strategic Accounts at Vital Wave Consulting, and the 2010-11 Adventure Tourism Development Index Tourism continues to occupy an important position in the global economy. It has been called the greatest voluntary transfer of wealth from rich to poor countries (Ashley, 2009). And, in both developed and developing countries, the sector commands attention as a means of sustainable economic development. For example: Ecuador’s president Rafael Correa’s 2011 goal is to see tourism become the chief source of income (over oil) for the country, and in the United States, President Obama signed the Travel Promotion Act, the first-ever national travel promotion and communications program to attract more international... Read More →
Media Buzz
Europe Bets on Tourism to Spur Economic Rebound
July 18, 2011
Leeds, England (Flickr Creative Commons: Matt Gorecki) A recent Reuters article on msnbc.com poses tourism as the answer to some of the economic woes hitting the European Union, both as a driver for jobs and as a source of income from visitors. With almost ten million EU citizens working in tourism, and another ten million in related fields, the industry drives more than 500 billion euros to the regions gross domestic product. This amount is doubled when related industries such as transportation and construction are taken into view. The EU seems to be moving away from an internally competitive tourism environment to one that recognizes the need to increase resources supporting tourism and market the region as a “unified destination” to better compete for the increasingly diverse global traveler. The European Commission and the Parliament’s tourism committee are working in conjunction towards this “European Label,” as a key driver to restoring the local economy. In... Read More →
Media Buzz
A First for the TODAY show (NBC): The TODAY show heads to Québec
July 18, 2011
New York, NY – For the first time in its history, the fourth hour of the popular American show TODAY will be taped outside the United States. Québec, specifically Montréal, will play host to the filming of two episodes of this daily morning show. The initiatives undertaken by the Ministère du Tourisme, through its Destination Québec office in New York, as well as the Canadian Tourism Commission, in collaboration with Tourisme Montréal, have succeeded in attracting the star hosts, Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, along with some 60 members of their production team. Of the two shows filmed in Montréal, one will be broadcast live from Place Jacques-Cartier on July 14, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The hosts will take this opportunity to spotlight the charms and various attractions that make Québec a treasured destination among American tourists. Guests will also be received on the set to share their passion for Québec with some four million faithful viewers. “We’re extremely... Read More →
Media Buzz
Travelmole: Thumbs Up for Mexico Travel
June 14, 2011
Trekking in Sierra Norte. Photo: The Muddy Boot. Travelmole reports that despite continued media attention around drug violence and U.S. travel warnings, travel to Mexico continues to increase – as an example, bookings to the region made through Expedia are up almost a quarter in the last year while Visa noted that inbound visitor spending has increased by $.04 billion since 2009. The article noted: Mexico’s Tourism Secretary Gloria Guevara Manzo also said that the country had “made real and sustained progress in making Mexico safe and secure,” which has been its biggest problem in recent months. Its beautiful beaches and rich cultural heritage remain its major attractions for visitors, maintains Max Katz of Baja Real Estate Group. “With the extra dollars being invested into safety and security, we are looking forward to a more prosperous year ahead of us,” he said. For more details, including the top five safest travel destinations in Mexico, read... Read More →
