(Seattle) - July 2008 - In Berkeley, California, Seattle, Vancouver, Wash., Boston and New York City between May 30th and June 26th, ATTA hosted nearly 150 adventure travel industry professionals at its Regional Networking Events. With two Adventure Travel World Summits away from U.S. soil in 2008, ATTA stepped up its commiment to major markets throughout the U.S. On July 8th, the ATTA will host yet another regional networking event, this one in the Boulder/Denver market, and another in August during the Outdoor Retailer Trade Show in Salt Lake City.
While the ATTA takes the opportunity to update adventure travel industry executives (comprising tourism boards, tour operators, agents, transportation sector, accommodations, media and others), the primary objectives of the meeting include creating a lively community of those who are active in influencing the industry and to discuss pressing industry issues. At each of the ATTA's second quarter meetings (earlier this year, the ATTA hosted meetings in San Francisco, New York and Seattle), the primary industry-issue discussion centered on the state of the economy and its impact, perceived and real, on the adventure travel sector.
Below are excerpts of the telling discussion from the June 26th New York City ATTA Regional Meeting, hosted by ATTA Major Sponsor Men's Journal in the Wenner Media Board Room. In most regional meetings, many industry executives (primarily tour operators) note banner sales and revenue for 2008, with some cautionary notes for 2009 - mainly, that growth is expected, but most commonly, only single digit percentage growth forecasts. Others point out increasing airfares, surcharges and air carrier route changes and cancellations are causing concern. Hear more in the video...