(SEATTLE, WASH.) – Global warming, poverty alleviation and cultural conservation headline, while strategic insights, best business practices and practical tools sessions complete the 2006 Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) “Today’s Tools for Tomorrow’s Adventures” agenda announced today by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), which presents the trade-only event in Seattle October 19-21, 2006.
Summit keynotes, sessions and activities are designed to meet the immediate and future needs and hands-on business style of leaders in the adventure travel community.
Overarching themes to be discussed by keynote speakers and addressed during the daytime activities will mirror pressing topics in the news today, many of which have a direct impact on the viability of adventure travel: global warming and climate change; rural economic development and poverty alleviation through responsible, community-based tourism; and cultural and heritage conservation. Special concentration will be placed on the industry’s business tactics that help lead to a positive, sustainable bottom line for adventure travel as a whole, and positive changes for each constituency involved: businesses, travelers, and the people, cultures and natural environments visited around the globe.
Among the dozens of leaders presenting during the Summit, first-released session speaking roles belong to top executives of Amadeus, Berkely Agency, Virtuoso’s V.A.S.T. group, OpenTravel Alliance, Yahoo!, Adventure Collection, Trusted Adventures, National Geographic, Forest Watch, Mexico Tourism, Switzerland Tourism, India Tourism, CC Africa, Buffalo Tours (Vietnam), Geographic Expeditions, Polar Expeditions, Africa Foundation, Alltournative, Archaeology Institute of America, Discover Magazine, Outdoor Industry Association and dozens of others representing international media, technology concerns, tour operators, specialty adventure travel agencies, and marketing/PR/branding experts.
A keystone feature for attendees are the daytime “tracks,” where attendees will examine business strategies to help improve organizations’ bottom lines. Attendees will choose from among 30 interactive forums, workshops, roundtable and panel sessions in two tracks: Better Business and Selling Adventure. Business and marketing tracks, presented by experts representing each niche of the industry, include sessions geared specifically toward tour operators, specialty adventure travel agents, lodges and attractions, tourism boards and destination marketing organizations.
Better Business session topics will address day-to-day adventure travel operational needs, such as the how-to’s of supply-chain collaboration, complex product distribution, booking technology, risk management training and certification, business transition and market access. Selling Adventure in-depth sessions cover such matters as customer relationship management, search engine optimization, evaluating and maximizing the value of trade shows, hands-on public relations workshops and internet marketing.
Concurrent to the business and marketing tracks, the Adventure Travel World Summit includes an exhibitors’ hall featuring destinations, travel gear and apparel, and adventure travel products and services. Further networking suites will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis.
In addition to structured networking adjacent to the tracks, the ATTA has launched an online networking community enabling all registered Summit attendees to make important business connections and to maximize their time at the October conference. Accessible to Summit registrants, Summit Connections, The Networking Schedule Planner of the Adventure Travel World Summit, facilitates business-to-business networking. Summit Connections provides all Summit attendees an online forum to network with other attendees before, during and after the Summit to pre-arrange meetings, share information and conduct business.
Presented by the Adventure Travel Trade Association, the annual Summit is designed for industry executives and decision makers within the travel and tourism industry with a vested interest in the adventure travel community. The outcome of the ATWS is to help participants go back with tools to better their business, enable the industry to better serve travelers, promote responsible adventure tourism, and optimize the industry’s market potential through productive debate, dialogue and collaboration.
In-depth session schedules will be available at www.adventuretravelworldsummit.com on August 1st. Summary descriptions with the names and biographies of presenters will be updated on the site by August 15th.
Online registration is accessible at www.adventuretravelworldsummit.com. Registration fees are $750.00 (USD) for ATTA Members and $950.00 for non-members. For information about an upcoming Summit preview conference call, email [email protected].
Initial sponsors of the Adventure Travel World Summit include Tourism India!, Orbitz.com, ExOfficio, National Geographic Adventure, Yahoo!, AdventureCentral.com, Qatar Airways, Quotient Marketing and Eagle Creek.
The Seattle-based ATTA (www.adventuretravel.biz) is a strategic membership organization dedicated to raising the profile of adventure travel globally. Established in 1990, the ATTA provides services, knowledge, and connections that help its members succeed in their businesses and contribute to responsible industry growth.
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*Conference speakers, sessions and events are subject to change.