Letter from the Editor – May

Reporting from Stockholm, Sweden, on May 19th…meetings today included relationship-building with VisitSweden.com, The Swedish Ecotourism Society and Nature’s Best, a 80-member group of tour operators here in Sweden. ATTA’s visit here builds upon the ATTA’s 2008 Adventure Travel World Summit (host destination: Norway) efforts to strengthen the global network within Scandinavia.

Our visit here comes on the heel’s of last week’s trek through New York City, where National Geographic Adventure graciously hosted more than 90 adventure travel trade professionals at our May 13th regional meeting, which included ATTA member tour operators, destination marketing organizations and service providers, plus an impressive contingent of influencers new to ATTA and eager to connect, plus quality media keeping tabs on our industry’s progress. Attendees networked early in the meeting, gained insights from ATTA updates, and then participated in several group discussions.

Given the gravity of the crisis in Mexico concerning the so called “swine flu”, the ATTA lent Mexico Tourism Board’s Deputy Director Clara Torres the floor to provide the very latest update from Mexico: her update served as the first discussion item about crises affecting the entire supply chain and moved quickly into discussions about media treatment of crises and the need for industry-wide contingency planning. Perceptual issues also became a hot-button of discussion for the group, and emerged out of further exploration of special marketing and promotional strategies that could help our industry weather challenging economic times.

These were just two of the key topics addressed at our most recent ATTA regional meeting – stay tuned to another regional meeting update when ATTA President Shannon Stowell arrives in the Boulder/Denver, Colorado to host at REI the May 29th regional meeting there. Of course, in between our physical world meetings, jump into AdventureTravelNews.com, contribute to our updates and to stay tuned on the latest from the field.

Yours in adventure, Chris Doyle
Editor

May ATTA Regional Networking Meetings

Coming in May, the Adventure Travel Trade Association will host three regional industry gatherings -– titled the “Meeting of the Minds” — in New York City, Vancouver and Boulder, Colorado.

VANCOUVER MEETING DIRECTIONS

1055 Dunsmuir St, Suite 1400. Corner of Dunsmuir and Hornby

NYC MEETING DIRECTIONS

711 5th Avenue, 17th Floor. Between 55th and 56th in the Coca Cola building. You will need to be on the RSVP list to check in with the building reception. Photo ID required.

FRONT RANGE MEETING DIRECTIONS

1789 28th StWhile driving north on 28th, REI will be on your left shortly after Canyon Blvd.

In Vancouver, B.C. on May 5th, the meeting will be at the Canadian Tourism Commission’s offices from 11:00AM to 1:00PM. RSVP here.

The New York City meeting will be on May 13th, between 11:30AM-2:00PM, at the National Geographic Adventure offices, in Midtown Manhattan. RSVP here.

The Front Range meeting will be in Boulder, Colorado on May 29th, from 2:00 – 3:30 PM at the REI store in Boulder. Register here. This meeting will be preceded by a TravelGeeks meeting that starts at 12:30PM.

ATTA Members’ attendance and lunch are free, and for non-members the cost is $35 (payable online or via cash/check on-site).

During these meetings, Tour Operators, DMO/Tourism Boards, Media, and Specialty Adventure Travel Agents will gather to:

• Participate in vibrant, peer-to-peer networking
• Access the latest news and updates from the ATTA, the field and the industry at large
• Learn and share the latest in marketing strategies, trends and research – ATTA will deliver Q1 2009 survey results
• Identify current strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities facing the industry
• Seek areas of opportunity to collaborate, share resources and minds for mutual gain

Connect with industry experts and come prepared to share and discuss how you and your organization can navigate, survive and thrive in these changing times.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort

Nestled in the heartland of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, Crested Butte is the place to inspire your passion for adventure. With vibrant Victorian store-fronts and expressive local characters, the small historic town remains true to its heritage and radiates an unparalleled welcoming spirit that takes you back to a simpler life and time. Because of its widely diverse landscape, whether you are a beginner or a national champion, you will be able to find a new challenge each time you visit. From world-class mountain biking, to legendary skiing and snowboarding, to a secluded fly-fishing experience, Crested Butte provides year-round opportunities to quench your inner thirst for adventure.

Positive change abounds and excitement surrounds the upcoming seasons – new programs, fresh faces, and most of all Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s commitment to our friends that keep coming back for more. Here, you will be inspired by Colorado’s True Colors and revel in a sense of freedom and distinction that begins with your arrival in Crested Butte. After getting here, adventure is limitless and we implore you to be inspired by your passion.

Highlights include travel incentives for visitors to our beautiful valley as well as bold new directions for CBMR. But as change occurs, we maintain a profound respect for what has made Crested Butte “Colorado’s Last Great Ski Town.” It is exactly that spirited nature, commitment to preservation and dedicated community that makes Crested Butte the perfect destination for anyone wanting to break out of the typical.

Crested Butte Mountain Resort wants you to get the most out of Crested Butte as possible. Contact us and we’ll see what trails we can share together.

As a proud member of the ATTA, our goals are to network, create partnerships and alliances, and connect with fellow members to find ways for success in our business and be a resource for other members. Crested Butte – our motto is “Inspire Your Passion For Adventure” and we deliver. Home to wildflower festivals, the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, world famous skiing and snowboarding, and more year-round adventures for all ages, abilities, and desires, our partnership with ATTA is to make us a unique destination for all adventure travelers wanting to break out of the ordinary.

ExperiencePlus! Bicycle Tours

Founded in 1972, ExperiencePlus! is a bicycle tour company that focuses on actively engaging travelers—both physically and intellectually. They were the first U.S. based tour operator to offer bicycle trips in Italy, and since then have expanded to offer trips to over 15 destinations, coupling passions for exciting cycling and exploration to create unique travel opportunities for cyclists worldwide.

Encouraging authentic and engaging cultural exploration, the company specializes in innovative and strategic bicycle tour offerings, with an emphasis on personal attention; extraordinary cycling routes marked with easy to follow chalk dust arrows, high quality bicycles, and a “family” of interesting, fun, and down-to-earth customers.

Currently, ExperiencePlus offers unique bicycle tour opportunities in: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, and Uruguay. Through their partners they have trips in: Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, and USA.

A family-owned company that has spent more than 35 years dedicated to bicycling and the bicycle tour industry, ExperiencePlus! is a leader in international bicycle tourism. The ExperiencePlus! story began in 1972 when founders Rick and Paola Malpezzi Price cycled west from their family’s farm in Forli, Italy, marking the first U.S. commercial bicycle tour through the country. In 2008 Monica and Maria Elena, Rick and Paola’s daughters decided to purchase the company and continue the family tradition. Both Monica and Maria Elena have grown up guiding trips as well as actively participating in the designing of new tours.

Our Tours and Customers:
With a special focus on cycling routes designed for cyclists by cyclists, excellent tour leaders and authentic cultural experiences, ExperiencePlus! caters to the active traveler that is curious about visiting new cultures and enthusiastic about being outside. In addition, ExperiencePlus! customers are not shy about stopping and getting a cappuccino when they want, or taking a break to visit a Romanesque church that is off the beaten path.

Tour pricing includes: Comfortable lodging in 3- or 4-star hotels centrally located for easy town square access; all breakfasts and a majority of multi-course dinners featuring seasonal specialties and cultural beverages, wine or beer included; use of a high-quality 24-27 speed road bike, hybrid, tandem, or mountain bicycle geared specifically for specific tour terrain; and full van support to carry luggage or tired cyclists.

ExperiencePlus! also offers a greater variety of trip lengths so whether you prefer seven to eight day trips or 10- to 13-day, there is an itinerary for everyone.

Travelers are automatically enrolled in ExperiencePlus’ Re-Cycle Program, in which travelers take four tours, and their fifth will be discounted by 50 percent of the average price of the previous four. The tenth trip is discounted by 100 percent of the average price of the previous nine!

Expanding Services:
In 2005 ExperiencePlus! began to rent bikes to travelers interested in touring on their own in Italy and France. This small endeavor has now become its own division of ExperiencePlus! Today, BikeRentalsPlus!, www.bikerentalsplus.com, partners with BikesPlus! SAS, an Italian company to offer bicycle rentals and incoming tour services in over 100 locations in Italy, France, and soon, many more European destinations. In addition, BikeRentalsPlus.com offers competitively priced self-guided tours as well as customized options and itineraries for a variety of cycling vacations. Perfectly placed in central Italy BikeRentalsPlus has helped provide bicycles, vans, itineraries and routes to incoming cycling tour operators for over 4 years now.