The new ATTA Campfire Chat series brings inspiration and vision from dynamic thought leaders whose areas of expertise inform and guide the adventure travel industry. Along with other efforts to regularly engage the global ATTA community in your remote settings, these virtual interviews hosted by ATTA executives are designed to provide a brief but thoughtful reflection on issues you are facing now that will affect tourism tomorrow.
ABOUT ELIZABETH BECKER
Elizabeth Becker, is the award winning journalist and author of “OVERBOOKED, The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism” and the classic “WHEN THE WAR WAS OVER, a history of the Khmer Rouge and modern Cambodia.” She has reported on international and national affairs as a correspondent at the New York Times and the Washington Post and was the senior foreign editor of National Public Radio.
Listen in and get ready for our next Campfire Chat with Robert Swan, polar explorer, environmentalist, and founder of 2041 Foundation.
Many salient points from this brief interview, Ms. Becker’s vast experiences play out well and offer some excellent starting points. As a travel operator we are formulating not only new guidelines ( travel, risk management, social distancing) in reaction to the pandemic, but as Ms. Becker mentioned, future environmental concerns. As we debate and discuss these guidelines it reinforces the need for some central rules/guidance that an outfit like the ATTA can provide. The pandemic, environmental concerns, changing political dynamics all call for a more centralized view to tackle problems. Perhaps ATTA can be a model for this centralized world leadership in hopes we can see these models further develop in other arenas ( health, economics, education). I would speculate that guidance from the ATTA would be well received by outfitters not just in terms of direction by experts, but to develop a cohesive strategy.
I loved this talk, way to kick off the campfire chats with such an incredible host! I truly appreciated her vision of flight free days, taxing environmental degradation and the tourism industry accepting regulations.
I also loved your comments on 1.0 to 4.0, we’re going back to the whiteboards and digging deep again and rejuvenating the entrepreneurial spirit that drives us.
This talk made us double down on our focus on only providing human-powered activities and outfitters and continuing our focus on hand-selecting experiences after a thorough review instead of a ”come all and we’ll sell anything over-tourism mindset” that can sometimes creep to try to grow bigger and faster.
Thank you for starting these campfire chats!
Reet
TripOutside
Great talk! Like previous commenters I liked the breakdown of Tourism 1.0 –> 4.0.
I sincerely hope this does lead to more eco-tourism, more mindful travel, and people forming deeper connections with the environments and cultures we travel in.
Jake
Lost Travel Co
As a tourism structure representing local rural communities, we have identified a need of diversifying tourist activities in our destination to keep tourists longer.
We would like to partner and synergize with you in order to share some ideas which adventure activities could suit our destination.
Great way to kick off the camp fire chats by one of the industries most respected authors on tourism. For operators that have been working so hard to ward off “over tourism” in there countries this could be the time to push for “slow tourism” in every sense. SLOW DOWN, Limit the number of travelers and admissions and enforce regulations.
The way each country decides to re-open, airlines industry decides to fly, hotels and restaurants bookings will all be a clear reflection of each industry/governments adherence to social responsibility.
Nancy T
Our Own Expeditions
Albania
Thank you all for your excellent insightful comments!! Noted!
Shannon
Is an encouraging piece and relates bordon
Is an interesting piece work