Supporting women to thrive both within their organizations as well as the larger industry is the aim of the Outdoor Industries Women's Coalition (OIWC). As the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) advances on its one year anniversary as a Corporate Member of OIWC, it joins the ranks of 76 outdoor companies also committed to same objective. ATTA finds the partnership provides further professional development to its female team members and also is significant in contributing to its larger goal of creating synergies between the outdoor and adventure markets.
Alice Gifford, ATTA Member Advocate, who participates in OIWC events and uses the online network and newsletters, remarked, “Unlike the leaders of ATTA who come from the gear and apparel business, my own background is within the travel industry. As the ATTA builds a bridge between these two related industries, my role as the Member Advocate is better fulfilled with an understanding of the goals and challenges of each.”
ATTA’s intent in actively engaging in the OIWC, beyond the core goals of the group, is to further develop key relationships with decision-makers in the Outdoor Retailer (OR), ski, and bike industry spaces. Active membership is one of the many ways that ATTA strives to better understand the outdoor industry viewpoint in order to better expand the adventure travel industry as a whole and provide opportunities for collaboration.
Sally Grimes, Executive Director of OWIC, noted, “Because OIWC's history revolves around the Outdoor Retailer, Interbike and SIA trade shows, members tend to be on the product or retailer side. Working with the ATTA opens the door to a network of women focused on helping people use those products in the outdoors. Whether they work for an outfitter, tour operator or adventure travel service company, these women bring a valuable perspective to the OIWC network while gaining insight into the world of outdoor products.”
Additional ATTA involvement in bringing these two segments together include the Adventure Travel HUB presence at Outdoor Retailer – the outdoor recreation industry’s leading trade event which draws more than 1,000 exhibitors and approximately 40,000 industry attendees semi-annually, manufacturer / destination FAMs, one-on-one partnerships, and by organizing smaller scale networking events such as AdventureDrinks (a monthly networking gathering organized by ATTA and its members in cities around the country) for a wide range of travel and outdoor industry professionals.
Gifford adds that the OIWC membership has been personally beneficial as well: “I was drawn in by the closeness of this community of women who all work passionately towards their professional goals while balancing home life and families. After meeting such influential women at their events with inspiring stories to share and getting more involved, I've learned that OIWC is true to its mission - provide power, influence and opportunity for women in outdoor-related businesses.”
For information on joining the Outdoor Industry Women’s Coalition, please visit the membership section of their website.