The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has long stood for a purpose-driven approach to tourism, empowering the global travel community to preserve natural and cultural heritage while creating economic value. With the launch of its Sustainability Fund in 2024, that mission took on a sharper focus, backed by $48,800 in contributions from events and projects around the world.
Origins: A Strategy Rooted in Purpose
The Sustainability Fund grew out of ATTA’s two-decade legacy of initiatives in conservation, climate action, and responsible business. Event-generated contributions are channeled into the fund, directly linking the association’s flagship gatherings with measurable impact. As ATTA CEO Shannon Stowell has often emphasized, “leading by example” is not optional—it is the standard.
Where the Money Went
The 2024 fund was divided equally between conservation and climate education. Half ($24,400) was directed to the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF), where ATTA already contributes significantly through in-kind support. These combined efforts not only help grassroots projects protect the natural and cultural resources that underpin adventure tourism, but also qualify ATTA for its 1% for the Planet certification. The other half was invested in Tomorrow’s Air, the ATTA-founded initiative advancing carbon literacy and tangible climate action through education, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and carbon removal technologies.
Featured Initiatives
- Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF): Since its inception in 2016, ATCF has spotlighted and funded conservation projects worldwide. With its 2024 allocation from the Sustainability Fund, ATCF further scaled projects protecting ecosystems critical to the future of adventure travel.
- Tomorrow’s Air: Born in 2020, Tomorrow’s Air has become the travel industry’s first collective movement for climate education and carbon removal. Through the Sustainability Fund, resources supported climate-conscious training, SAF contributions, and ongoing education for travelers and industry leaders alike.
Together, ATCF and Tomorrow’s Air demonstrate how conservation and climate innovation are not parallel tracks but deeply connected. Collaborative projects now under discussion between the two entities highlight opportunities to amplify their impact by linking nature-based solutions with climate-positive technologies.
Looking Ahead
The Sustainability Fund is just beginning. ATTA’s Sustainability Team will continue to manage carbon measurement, reduction planning, and transparent reporting, with annual updates on fund allocations. Future strategies include working toward a 5-10% reduction in per-delegate event emissions and exploring new ways to grow the fund, potentially through structured surcharges or expanded partner contributions.
For the adventure travel community, the message is clear: sustainability is not a side project, but a collective investment in the future of travel. And as the first $48,800 shows, even modest beginnings can spark meaningful change when channeled with purpose.