One of the key announcements at this year’s Adventure Travel World Summit in Panama was the launch of the new Member HUB – an online platform and mobile app for the ATTA community to share news, engage in meaningful industry discussions, and network with peers, media, and more all year long. The HUB provides access to membership benefits and an interactive membership directory. Members are encouraged to utilize the app to maintain ongoing conversations, engage with fellow community members, and stay connected after events like the Summit.
I recently had the chance to speak with one of the key leads on this project, Lesley Francois, the Director of Community at ATTA. She has more than a decade of experience working in the travel industry and across many niche travel sectors in program management, and holds a Master’s degree in Communication from the University of Washington, where she specialized in communities and networks.
Here’s what she had to say about the new Member HUB, the background of its redesign, its potential to increase connection and collaboration among members, and the platform’s new capabilities for serving the ATTA community.
Tell me about the redesign process – when and why was this project begun, and what went into its development and execution?
The HUB redesign project began several years ago under the leadership of our former Vice President of Community, Mira Poling Anselmi, and our Director of Product Strategy, Murray Bartholomew. Seeing a decline in use, they gathered member feedback to envision a more engaging platform that genuinely reflects our collective needs. The project was initiated with a strong focus on integrating community feedback to ensure the new HUB was truly built for the community, with their insights at its core.
I joined the effort in August 2023, working closely with Mira to scope the vision for this new HUB. Together, we explored best practices in online community building as we worked to design a platform that would maximize engagement and deliver meaningful benefits to our members.
Did anything surprise you along the way? Or did you make any big changes to strategy as you discovered new capabilities of the technology?
Yes, we quickly realized that while a fresh platform and design were important, the real success is less about technology and more about the people and strategies behind it. With this in mind, we invested significant time into evaluating and refining our engagement strategy and online community framework in addition to the work we were doing on the technical side, like designing a new community platform and mobile app.
That realization must have brought some challenges with it – how did that influence your engagement strategy?
Primarily it meant developing a comprehensive plan that acknowledged a critical truth: effective community building requires commitment to a member-centric approach and focusing on ways to connect members to each other.
But building any online community in today’s fragmented digital world presents another key challenge: with so many platforms vying for attention and users' expectations constantly evolving, associations face significant hurdles in establishing a space where members feel connected and engaged.
What sets the ATTA community apart in today’s competitive attention economy?
Fortunately, the ATTA has a strong foundation as it embraces this digital shift. Over decades, we have grown into a vast, global network of members who share a sense of trust and camaraderie. This established rapport in our community base already exists, we are just bringing it more intentionally to an online space. My hope is that this 20 year legacy provides a springboard for evolving into an online community that can thrive and grow despite the challenges of digital fragmentation.
Let’s talk about some of the features of the new HUB – what are they and how do they better serve members of the ATTA?
One of the primary features we’re most excited about in the new HUB is its mobile app. Recognizing that our global community is frequently on the move – or on the trail – we understood that mobile accessibility was essential. For many, mobile availability is more than just convenience; it's an accessibility concern. By providing a mobile-friendly platform, we aimed to make the HUB inclusive and available to as many members as possible.
Another significant improvement is the inclusion of all three of our membership tiers, which now extends to our free community members. Previously, there was no mechanism to invite our free community members to access the HUB. Now, every member, regardless of their tier, can access the HUB and engage with its resources, with specific features and spaces unlocking based on different membership levels.
What about from the perspective of your role – what potential and new opportunities do you see for using the HUB in your role as Community Director?
The platform itself, hosted by Circle – a leading community platform provider – was selected for its strong product designed to foster community connections. This robust infrastructure also enables us to host online events and webinars more seamlessly, which we plan to expand for our members in 2025.
I am excited to host and plan webinars, online meetups, and virtual events that deepen member engagement. More importantly, we aim to leverage this new tool to connect members to each other in more meaningful ways and create opportunities for interaction. I also love that a more active online community presents an opportunity for members to share feedback and shape the future of how the ATTA can better serve our member base and the adventure travel industry.
There are a wide variety of spaces and channels to navigate – how should members best approach exploring the new HUB? Are any areas free to community members?
For our professional and business members, we’ve introduced a “Start Here” page to help them get oriented with the new platform, accompanied by a comprehensive HUB Guide. I highly recommend that members begin there and explore spaces relevant to their interests and needs. This orientation step ensures that everyone can navigate the HUB confidently and make the most of what it offers.
My first ask for all members is simple: introduce yourselves. Our community has always been known for being warm and welcoming. I invite all members to come into the HUB, say hi, reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, and start putting faces to the names of the individuals and companies that make up our global network.
What is your hope and vision for the new HUB?
Our vision for this project was rooted in capturing the essence of what defines the ATTA community: the relationships, the shared values, and the deep sense of purpose that binds us together. Our events are known for delivering palpable energy and a type of unique camaraderie that comes from being in person with such an inspiring group. These global gatherings, hosted in various corners of the world, have long been the heartbeat of our community experience.
Our goal with the new HUB is simple: to give the ATTA community an online gathering place and a global home. A home where the ATTA community can connect – not just during events, but throughout the year. We hope the HUB delivers connection beyond our physical gatherings, creating an accessible networking space and resource for members year-round.
The HUB is available on a web browser and as an app in the Apple App store and in Google Play for Android users. All members sign in using their ATTA account information. If you don’t have an ATTA account, you can create one here. Community Members have access to ATTA news and events in the HUB. To unlock even more features, we invite you to consider upgrading your membership for additional benefits.
