(SEATTLE) June 23, 2015 - From March 7 - 15, 2015, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA; www.adventuretravel.biz) together with the tourism board of Baja California Sur had the pleasure of showcasing the region to a group of experienced outbound tour operators, specialized media and influencers from the adventure travel industry during Mexico’s first AdventureWeek.
The Baja California Sur Tourism Board prepared an itinerary that hit untapped locations and activities throughout Baja Sur, including a sunset at “Lands End” in San José del Cabo, swimming with whale sharks in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Espiritu Santo Island, surfing lessons at Los Cerritos Beach, exploring the magical town of Todos Santos, mountain biking on single tracks between the mountains of Sierra La Laguna and the intense blue of the Baja coastline, and camping and stargazing in RED Sustainable Travel’s sea turtle research camp. The group also searched for blue whales in Loreto Bay Marine National Park and grey whales at San Ignacio Lagoon, walked among giant columnar cacti on a volcanic cobblestone road through El Rosario Valley and saw 7,500- year-old cave paintings.
The AdventureWeek product also focuses on business. Two MARKETPLACE sessions gave the opportunity for one-on-one meetings between buyers, media and local suppliers. Chris Pesenti, Founder and Director of RED Sustainable Travel, credited his participation in AdventureWeek with strengthening RED’s relationship with the local tourism board and said that receiving feedback from international buyers was invaluable.
Every single participant of AdventureWeek indicated in a post-journey survey that they found three or more possible partners in the region and plan to follow-up immediately with at least one local supplier. Almost all of the participants said that they were interested in following up on cooperative marketing opportunities with Baja Sur.
“I really knew next to nothing about Baja Sur and yet came away convinced that it would be a great destination to offer an adventure tour,” said Deborah Lewis of Bredeson Outdoor Adventures. “I met a supplier that I believe I can partner with, and came away with a sizable list of activities/experiences/places/landscapes that will translate into a great guest experience.”
From the supplier perspective, for Orloff Nagorski, Director of Aventuras México Profundo, whose main market so far has been Europe, AdventureWeek provided the opportunity to open up to the Canadian and US markets. He said the chance to have a group of already interested buyers and media experiencing the product first-hand was much more valuable for him than attending a large travel trade fair.
All of the participants returned home with a more favorable perception of Baja Sur’s adventure travel offerings.
“The most valuable experience was being escorted through Baja Sur and realizing the many and varied offerings: from pre-historic cave paintings to missions and wildlife to vacation sports,” said Melanie Tucker from Rare Finds Travel Design. “I was genuinely amazed and impressed.
With AdventureWeek Baja Sur, the ATTA hoped to diversify the tourism offerings of the region with sustainable adventure products while supporting local economic development through the participation of local suppliers. By meeting that objective, AdventureWeek was a success.
About the Adventure Travel Trade Association
Established in 1990, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) serves more than 1,000 members in over 90 countries worldwide. Members predominantly include tour operators, tourism boards, specialty agents and accommodations with a vested interest in the sustainable development of adventure tourism. The ATTA delivers solutions and connections that propel members towards their business goals and the industry toward a responsible and profitable future. Through its regional AdventureConnect events and annual Adventure Travel World Summit trade conference, the ATTA excels in professional learning, networking and partnering services. With expertise in research, education, adventure travel industry news and promotion, members of the ATTA receive competitive opportunities that help establish them as leaders in adventure tourism. (www.adventuretravel.biz)
For more information:
- www.adventuretravel.biz
- Adventure Travel World Summit
- AdventureELEVATE
- AdventureEDU
- AdventureConnect
- AdventureTravelNews
- Adventure.Travel – consumer portal to member tours
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