Washington, DC, August 25, 2009 – Two newly featured forums scheduled for the Adventure Travel Trade Association's 2009 Adventure Travel World Summit, both addressing sustainable tourism, will gain heightened conservation expertise and perspectives through the first-time conference collaboration between the ATTA and The International Ecotourism Society (TIES).
ATTA and TIES, which for years have together explored common interests in promoting responsible tourism and sustainable practices, are co-developing and will co-lead the Meeting of the Minds and Collaborative Learning interactive forums. The ATTA’s trade-only Adventure Travel World Summit is set for October 19-22 in Charlevoix, Québec Province, Canada.
"Tackling matters such as sustainable tourism requires the best minds,” said ATTA President Shannon Stowell. “The Summit offers a timely and high quality setting to join minds, debate openly, share resources, bring common visions together, and to ensure these discussions continue long after conference. With the ATTA and TIES collaborating, we've got an incredible opportunity to create the perfect forum for the subject."
ATTA and TIES guided, the two-part Meeting of the Minds "Sustainability" forums will address key challenges and opportunities concerning a variety of topics (e.g., carbon offsets, voluntourism, education, outreach, training, etc.) brought forth by the global adventure travel industry for collective brainstorming, dialogue and debate. Whereas the Meeting of the Minds “think-tank” forums will focus on broad industry matters, the two Collaborative Learning "Sustainable Tourism in Emerging Destinations" forums will provide delegates the chance to share and explore their own real-world case studies to build understanding, to gain practical tools, insights and action plans for organizational implementation.
"Participating in the ATTA's Adventure Travel World Summit is a great opportunity for our two organizations to visibly convey our shared interests in sustainability initiatives," said TIES Chair Dr. Kelly Bricker. "We're thrilled to represent TIES global network at the Summit, where sustainability is at the forefront of innovative and interactive discussions. TIES will be able to contribute to and help strengthen the industry-wide efforts to mainstream sustainability through education, collaboration and proactive outreach."
Others actively contributing sustainability expertise to these forums include:- Dr. Rachel Dodds - Icarus Foundation
- Richard Edwards - Planeterra
- Megan Epler Wood – EplerWood International
- Sarah Fazendin - The Fazendin Portfolio
- Christina Heyniger - Xola Consulting
- Nadia LeBon - Mountain Lodges of Peru
- Brad Nahill - SEE Turtles
- Wallace J Nichols - OceanRevolution.org
- Daniella Ruby Papi - PepyRide
- Valere Tjolle - VISION on Sustainable Tourism
Adventure Travel World Summit sponsors include: Host Destination Tourisme Québec and Aventure Ecotourisme Québec; Major Sponsors ExOfficio and Men’s Journal; and Key Sponsors Alpine Tourist Commission, Archaeology Magazine, Best of the Alps, Brazil, Tourism Promotion Corporation of Chile, Eddie Bauer, Innovation Norway, and National Geographic Adventure. Summit registration and program information is available on the Summit website.
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About The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)
TIES is a non-profit association committed to promoting ecotourism, which is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people" (TIES, 1990), through outreach, education, and collaboration. TIES' global network supports and is supported by members from over 90 countries, who are leading the vital efforts to make travel and tourism more sustainable. A global source of knowledge and advocacy, TIES' Your Travel Choice Blog offers an interactive platform to engage, educate and inspire everyone to make travel choices that make a difference.About the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)
Established in 1990, the ATTA is a global membership organization dedicated to unifying, networking, professionalizing, promoting and responsibly growing the adventure travel market. ATTA members include tour operators, destination marketing organizations, tourism boards, specialty travel agents, guides, accommodations, media and service providers. Host of the annual Adventure Travel World Summit executive trade conferences, the ATTA also makes possible www.Adventure.Travel, the traveler's hub of physical, cultural and nature-based adventure travel and guide to trusted tour operators from around the globe.
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