ATTA continues to promote the development of adventure tourism in Chile by implementing the second phase of AdventurePro, appointing Nicolás Caram as the country manager for the coordination of the Chilean market, and hosting AdventureNEXT Patagonia, Magallanes in September 2022.
The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)'s AdventurePro started in Chile in 2020, designing a Roadmap for the Development of Adventure Tourism. The second phase of the AdventurePro program was successfully completed in 2021, which focused on the implementation of the first year's Roadmap. This work involved a diverse group of ATTA experts with the objective of advising on the development of national norms and safety standards for the regulation and proper functioning of the adventure industry in Chile.
This program was carried out through specialized work in three main areas. First, a proposal was developed for a technical norm that would include the Safety Management System as a future standard to be established for the regulation of the industry. For this purpose, international best practices and standards defined by ISO 21101 were taken into consideration as a reference for Chile. In addition, a set of tools were developed to facilitate its adoption by companies.
Then a system was proposed for the homologation of adventure guides’ certifications. This equivalence allowed the identification of national and international certifications for guides in different adventure tourism activities, comparing knowledge and competencies accredited by their peak bodies. This will allow them to be recognized by the regulation and promote their use in the Chilean market.
Finally, the second phase of AdventurePro involved a community-building program to strengthen associativity and governance among adventure tourism companies and services at the national level. Participants came together in a collaborative process to build a common vision for the sector, understand the power of the industry network and outline joint steps for the short and long term. The spirit of cohesion and collaboration in the adventure community led to laying the groundwork for a group of professionals looking to expand the effects of associativity and collaboration to a greater level within the country. Through a set of workshops, actors were able to provide feedback on the proposals for standards and certifications involved in the first two parts of the program, giving them greater feasibility and a local perspective.
The second phase of AdventurePro was carried out for the Undersecretary of Tourism and the National Tourism Service-Sernatur. ATTA continues to be interested in the implementation of the Roadmap for the Government of Chile and to keep promoting the development of adventure travel throughout the country and its destinations. To this end, ATTA has established a Country Manager, Nicolás Caram, for its coordination and management in Chile.
Nicolás Caram has recently joined the ATTA team with the objective of expanding its reach and impact in the adventure trade in Chile. By developing and facilitating networking opportunities, working with destinations, and promoting the professional growth of the industry, the goal is to closely guide a country recognized as a global adventure tourism powerhouse.
Nicolás holds a degree in Business Administration from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and a master’s degree in Local Economic Development from The London School of Economics and Political Science. He has more than 10 years of experience in the public and private sector, developing adventure tourism in Chile and the international market. His incorporation into the ATTA team responds to a strategy to closely promote the development of countries and regions with high potential in the adventure sector.
Furthermore, in September 2022, Chile will host AdventureNEXT Patagonia, in the southern region of Magallanes. Delegates assisting mention this is a great opportunity for the country to send a wide message of openness and readiness to receive international tourists again.