When Shannon Stowell, the CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), took the helm of the association 20 years ago (the “Old ATTA,” as he likes to call it), he had no idea that the organization — which, at the time, mainly encompassed U.S.-based rafting companies — would evolve into an international and multidisciplinary association that touches all corners of travel, from travel advisors and tour operators to gear companies, distribution channels, technology and more, all united under the focus of education, sustainability and accessible adventure for all.
And this year, on April 1, Stowell and his team are celebrating the 20th anniversary of “the new ATTA.” Here, he chats with us about the changes he’s seen in the adventure travel space, the importance of striving toward continual learning and improvement, and what’s in the pipeline for the organization in the months to come.
The ATTA is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Are there any special plans or initiatives in store for the milestone?
Some people aren't aware that the ATTA existed before I came onboard. And so really what we're celebrating is 20 years of the ‘new ATTA’ on April 1. We're planning on having a lot of fun this year; we'll be celebrating it officially in Panama at the Adventure Travel World Summit [in October.]
We partnered with Lee Kitchen — he's a former Disney guy — and he's going to come to Panama. We've hired him to come and help us basically capture what the community feels about the last 20 years, and then also capture where the next 20 [are headed]. We'll be doing some looking back, and also some vision work as a giant community in Panama, which will be really fun.
Our message to the members is going to be: “It's all about you.” We exist because of the members. And we get a lot of credit for doing wonderful things in the industry, but a lot of that comes from the people we have met, learned from and partnered with. It really is a true community, so we'll be celebrating that community of amazing people.
And we started in 2023 [asking], ‘What’s our vision for 2028?’ So we’re doing some internal planning too, as to how we chart the course of our future as best we can.
Shannon Stowell, CEO of ATTA
Credit: 2024 Shannon StowellWhat do you consider to be some of the most significant accomplishments or milestones throughout your time at ATTA? Are there any particularly memorable moments that stand out to you?
Reflecting on this today, it's definitely a never-ending learning process. The road to sustainability never ends, and neither does the road to learning.
One of the big decisions that stands out in my mind is being challenged by one of our members, who is now actually working at ATTA. It was 2009, and he challenged me directly to use the ATTA to be a strong voice for sustainability. At the time, we were recovering from the 2008 financial crisis, and we had made a misstep in trying to do two summits in one year. Of course, we had no idea what was coming, so our second event was low in attendance. To be completely candid, we just about went under. So, getting challenged to really focus on sustainability issues … it was important to me, but I also needed to meet payroll to stay afloat. He said, ‘It’s not either/or, buddy. It’s both.’ And he was right. It was a lightning bolt moment. And what we all learned through that process is that it was the opposite of what I had imagined — taking a much stronger stance attracted more members.
Another moment that really stands out was our [2011 summit in Chiapas, Mexico], when Felipe Calderon, the former president of Mexico, opened our event. We didn't know if he was going to be able to come until the literal last hour, and we had put our delegates through a nightmarish security procedure that was required. But he was so theatrical. He loves adventure travel. And so, to have the president of a country so aligned with us … it was magical to see everything come into line.
Calderon was particularly a deep-diver with us, so that was a real boost for us. I think we realized how important adventure travel is as a tool for economic growth, for sustainability and for inclusion of underrepresented groups of people. So, it was really meaningful for us.
Reflecting on this today, it's definitely a never-ending learning process. The road to sustainability never ends, and neither does the road to learning.
The ATTA recently announced a new sustainability policy, resource center and fund. Could you tell us more about ATTA’s stance on sustainability, and the key components of this news?
We've been focusing on sustainability for a long time but, like I mentioned earlier, you're never done. I [have been able] to just watch the patterns and trends of conversations and comments [about sustainability], and the industry was asking us to step it up again and to bring together resources.
We need to show that we're making progress, because there's so much talk in the travel industry about sustainability. We're working on reducing our own carbon footprint by 5-10% every year. We partnered with a bunch of different organizations [including] Green Key, Blue Flag, Travelife, and others — working with a lot of different organizations and certification bodies, to bring those to our members. Those will all be in our new Sustainability Resource Center. And then we are also creating this fund that is money we have decided to earmark within each summit ticket, or each event ticket, and we’re taking a percentage of that and setting it aside to put into our efforts to support the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund.
What are some current trends in the adventure travel space? How has this changed over the last 20 years?
My observation is that the biggest shift is that the cultural piece [of adventure travel] has become front and center. And I think even when I started 20 years ago, adventure travel was much more about adrenaline and risk, first ascents and first descents, and first contact with people groups, that sort of thing. And we still fight this misperception that adventure travel is always risky. People are shocked — and, I think, slightly disappointed sometimes — when I tell them that the No. 1 activity offered by our members is walking. It's hiking, walking and trekking.
We still fight this misperception that adventure travel is always risky.
And I've noticed that it's become all about the people over the years. Adventure travel is very much focused on experiential cultural experiences, things like meals, music, dance, rituals, arts and crafts. The cultural pillar of adventure travel has become much more front-and-center than it was.
There’s also a trend toward smaller groups, and more remote locations. And fewer shorter-haul flights within countries. There’s a push to trains and buses.
How does the ATTA support its members, particularly travel advisors? How can this group learn more and engage with the organization?
We welcome travel advisors who are interested in active, eco, wildlife, nature and culture trips. And many of our tour operator members also want to meet those advisors. I would say the biggest value we bring is just making those connections.
We are also able to provide a lot of trend information reporting that an individual company wouldn't be able to do on their own, because we have this broad reach. We put travel advisors on “Adventure Weeks” so that they can experience a destination and then sell it better. And then we're doing events in Ecuador, Finland, Fiji, Panama, the U. S., Austria, Norway and Japan this year. And with every single one of those, there will be travel advisors involved in that.
We also created a free community membership, so if somebody doesn't have the budget yet or wants to just dip their toe in the water, we welcome that.
Looking ahead, what are the ATTA's priorities and goals for the future? Are there any new initiatives or projects on the horizon that you're particularly excited about?
We are going to do a climate and innovation event in Norway in October, and that is new for us. It’s focused only on travel, climate and solutions. We’ve got some potential investors who invest in climate tech, who can bring new knowledge that we don’t have. We are working with Outside [Magazine]. Outside is putting on the Outside Festival in Denver this summer, and we are helping them with the Travel and Adventure Hub. And then Gustavo Timo, our vice president of product and growth, and I will be taking an 18-week course on sustainability with Tourism Cares.
I've got an amazing team, ambassadors and board. So, I feel powered up for 2024 and beyond.
Editor's Note: This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
