For the first time since 2019, members of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) gathered in person for the organization’s largest annual event: the Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS). Held this year from Oct. 3-6, the event drew more than 750 delegates to the lakeside city of Lugano, Switzerland, where they enjoyed four days of networking, exploring, learning and more.
The ATWS 2022 theme of “Air. Water. Fire. Earth.” was woven throughout the conference experience, starting with what ATTA likes to call its “pre-summit adventures.” For the dozens of attendees who participated, these multi-day trips served as an introduction to Switzerland as they explored various regions of the country, from the famous town of Interlaken to Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton that hosted and co-sponsored ATWS 2022 alongside Switzerland Tourism.
What to Expect at ATTA’s Annual Adventure Travel World Summit
Each pre-summit adventure included a different set of activities, with some participants trekking through snow and ice and spending the night in mountain huts, while others scaled the sides of mountains on a via ferrata; plunged into icy-cold water on a canyoneering expedition; hiked from one scenic village to another; and learned to cook risotto the Swiss way.
And keynote speakers throughout the summit touched upon the theme’s four elements in different ways with talks that addressed inclusivity in the travel industry; how society can be intentional in the rebuilding of a post-pandemic world; the role of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology as a force for positive change; and much more.
Event attendees participated in various activities, such as canyoneering in Iragna Canyon.
Credit: 2022 Mark EdwardsThe tour operators and travel advisors in attendance were also able to participate in a variety of small-group sessions with a solutions-oriented approach to tackling big issues, such as reversing biodiversity loss and moving toward carbon-neutral trips. Meanwhile, other sessions gave practical tools and advice on digitizing a business and making the most of content marketing, among other topics. Travel advisors and buyers also had the opportunity to meet with potential suppliers during a marketplace session designed to bring like-minded businesses together.
Setting Standards for the Adventure Travel Industry
The common message prevailing throughout all the sessions and keynote addresses was clear: The adventure travel industry has an important part to play in promoting sustainability and shaping the world’s post-pandemic recovery in a responsible manner.
Case in point: Switzerland’s Swisstainability campaign was front and center at ATWS. For example, all attendees were given a complimentary Swiss Rail Pass to navigate the country using public transportation. Additionally, in an effort to reduce the event’s carbon footprint, all meals were vegetarian, using locally sourced ingredients, and the venue offered plenty of recycling stations, along with other zero-waste initiatives. The result was a carbon-neutral event.
Furthering ATTA’s commitment to sustainability, it was also announced during AWTS that Travelife and its partners, including ATTA, had released 38 activity sustainability standards for the tour operator industry.
These standards aim to set the bar for responsible participation in adventure activities, such as community-based tourism, wildlife-watching tours, mountain biking, surfing and stand-up paddleboarding, hiking, trekking and more. The ultimate goal of the Activity Codes of Best Practice is to help tour operators worldwide minimize the impact of visitors and maximize the benefit for the people and places in a destination.
“The codes of best practice is one more key step in making sustainability actions to be adopted by the tourism sector globally,” said Gustavo Timo, vice president of ATTA product and destination development in a press release. “It is a practical approach to make sustainability a reality in daily operations from a wide range of adventure and nature travel activities.”
Looking Toward a Brighter Future for Adventure Tourism
In his keynote address, titled “Fire: Our World in Transition,” entrepreneur and Alaya co-founder Jean-Claude Razel issued a challenge for the travel industry to move toward a future that is decarbonized, local, and educational:
“A transition narrative [is needed] for tourism: Less is better,” Razel said. “Don’t sell what customers want. Start selling what destinations need.”
During the final keynote session, Switzerland Tourism passed the baton — in the form of an embroidered, personalized Swiss cow bell — to the host of next year’s ATWS: Hokkaido, Japan.
ATTA CEO Shannon Stowell also addressed the crowd of nearly 800 people hailing from dozens of nations around the world and reiterated the importance of the final element of the event’s theme: Earth.
“Earth grounds us,” Stowell said. “We all know the joy of walking through forests, on sand and soil while barefoot. That connection you get with the elements when you are in nature, on a trail or in a desert or open plain, walking long enough that you get into ‘the zone’ ... it brings us lucidity, humility and can guide us to responsibility.”
ATWS 2023 will take place in Japan on Sept. 11-14, 2023.
