For the first time since launching its AdventureEDU program, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) will host a full-day AdventureEDU session in conjunction with AdventureNEXT. The two-track, in-depth program will be held 7 November 2018, preceding the rest of AdventureNEXT Latin America being held in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, beginning later that day.
AdventureEDU trainings are generally invitation-only events designed by the ATTA’s specialty education branch, but AdventureEDU Jumpstart opens the door to AdventureNEXT Latin America delegates to tailored, hands-on sessions free from other distractions. Industry practitioners will lead the two tracks — one for tour operators and one for tourism boards — through modules allowing delegates to walk away with up-to-date content, ready-to-apply solutions, and inspiration for implementation.
“At AdventureEDU trainings, participants have a chance to really dig into the issues they deal with every single day. Because the sessions are highly interactive, people have a chance to discuss their challenges with colleagues and with educators who are practitioners, and who live and breathe in the marketplace every day. Through hands-on activities, participants often design strategic solutions they can begin using in their businesses the day after the training,” said Milena Nikolova, director of knowledge and AdventureEDU at the ATTA. “It is very exciting that we are able to offer these focused content sessions to delegates within the framework of AdventureNEXT for the first time.”
One of the signature strengths of AdventureEDU trainings is that they are delivered by industry practitioners who bring a wealth of real-life experience and insights generated through their own lessons learned in the international market. The AdventureEDU Jumpstart tracks in Brazil will be led by Ena Buenfil and Jorge Moller.
An owner of her own tour company known for its high quality and safety standards, Buenfil has 15 years of experience in the adventure tourism industry. Currently the vice president of AMTAVE (Mexican Association of Adventure Travel and Ecotourism), Buenfil has professionally refined skills in product development, branding, operations, and sales and marketing. Moller, who has been working in tourism since 1985 as a tour operator specialist with Indigenous communities and instructor at the Universidad Católica, is an expert in marketing, product development, and destination growth. One of his most notable strengths lies in combining environmental goals with market success. Moller is currently working with several Latin America destinations to help them demonstrate their value in national and international markets.
AdventureEDU instructors have experience leading professional trainings of this format in destinations around the globe. Both sessions will be conducted in Spanish.
This program is designed to advance the market preparedness of participants and enable AdventureNEXT Latin America delegates to be more productive in business-to-business Marketplace meetings during the last two days of AdventureNEXT Latin America. The tour operator sessions will focus on contemporary adventure traveler demands and how these should be reflected in product development and itinerary design. Delegates will learn how to better communicate the benefits of their offerings in ways that are attractive to industry partners and individual travelers. During the invitation-only tourism board track, delegates will be exposed to identity enhancement principles that can be applied to destinations in ways relevant to today’s dynamic and attention-deprived market.
Tour operators may enroll in the program for a special rate of $250 USD. Delegates can choose to attend only AdventureEDU Jumpstart (7 November), the AdventureNEXT Latin America plenary sessions and Marketplace (7-9 November), or the entire AdventureNEXT Latin America event (7-9 November).
Registration is now open for AdventureNEXT Latin America and AdventureEDU Jumpstart.