Delegates at last week’s Adventure Travel World Summit in Panama were the first to hear about three major initiatives that aim to shape the future of adventure travel and foster global collaboration. All tied to this year’s Summit theme of Connection, the key announcements included:
- A new Membership Sustainability Commitment, which will harness the ATTA community’s collective knowledge around sustainable practices
- A redesigned HUB platform and mobile app designed to foster conversation and collaboration in an online space
- The upcoming launch of the new Adventure.travel website, which connects adventure travel businesses directly with sustainably-minded consumers.
As the ATTA celebrated its 20th Summit and 20 years of leadership under CEO Shannon Stowell, these milestones have also shifted our focus forward. For much of this year, and throughout the Summit, we have been looking ahead to co-creating the future of adventure travel – an effort not to predict, but to collectively decide what we want the future of adventure travel to be. Our hope is that as a deeply-connected community, we can crowdsource our knowledge and work together to create that vision. Together, we can become stronger, more resilient, and more sustainable as growing challenges and responsibilities face the global tourism industry.
The Membership Sustainability Commitment: A Collective Call to Action
For the past 20 years, the ATTA and our members have been dedicated to sustainability, leading and supporting various initiatives over the last two decades. In 2024, we are taking that commitment further by launching our Membership Sustainability Commitment – a program designed to unite the adventure travel community in making a formal commitment to sustainable practices.
We are asking members for proof of their sustainability commitment in one of three ways: through a third-party certification program like Travelife and B Corp, by demonstrating progress in working towards certification, or by participating in third-party sustainability assessments such as Nature Positive Tourism.
The goal of this initiative is to unite the largest sustainable travel community on the globe and create a unified framework that encourages members to not only engage in sustainable practices but also to share their progress, challenges, and learnings with each other.
To help members fully integrate sustainable practices, the ATTA offers a network of resources, including access to key strategic partners who will help businesses achieve their sustainability goals in an easier, faster, and more accessible way. Members will also be granted access to exclusive discussion spaces about sustainability on our HUB, as well as dedicated webinars and workshops.
Learn more about the Membership Sustainability Commitment.
The New ATTA Member HUB: A Digital Space for Global Connection
The launch of the brand-new ATTA Member HUB has been many years in the making thanks to feedback from our members, and was designed specifically with the needs of the ATTA community in mind. The online platform features a user-friendly interface that makes it easier than ever to connect, share, and engage with each other – from anywhere on the globe.
The HUB, as it is affectionately known, will serve as a vibrant social networking site exclusively for ATTA members. It is a space for sharing photos and videos, engaging in meaningful industry discussions, and networking with peers, media, and more – all year long. Additionally, The HUB will facilitate access to membership benefits and a comprehensive, interactive membership directory. We hope members will use the app to keep the conversations going, engage with others in the community, and stay connected post-Summit and beyond.
Since the new HUB is now available as a mobile app, the entire ATTA community is right at members’ fingertips. This accessibility will make it easier to find and build connections, strengthen existing relationships, and engage with the latest announcements, news, and research from ATTA.
Key details to know about the new HUB include:
- Revamped User Interface: The new HUB features a completely redesigned look and functionality, offering an array of tools and features for a seamless experience.
- Contacts and Posts Will Not Transfer: Members are advised to save important contacts, posts, or conversations they wish to retain from the old platform as soon as possible, because these will not carry over to the new HUB.
- The HUB App is not the Compass App: You can use the HUB year-round and the app will not close after an event; the Compass App is for events only and specific to each event for agendas, networking, etc.
- How to Access the New HUB: The HUB is available on a web browser and as an app in the Apple App store and in Google Play for Android users. You will sign in using your ATTA account information. If you don’t have an ATTA account, you can create one here.
- Free Community Members: You still 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.
This new digital space gives members the tools they need to stay connected and collaborate, even when separated by thousands of miles. It is a tangible reflection of ATTA’s commitment to fostering and facilitating a vibrant, global network of adventure travel professionals.
A New Adventure.Travel: Sustainable Storytelling Ecosystem
Adventure.Travel is the ATTA’s consumer-focused website, and like the HUB, it is getting a well-deserved redesign. While still in beta testing mode, the new website was shared with a select group of delegates during the Summit in Panama, and their feedback will help dictate the finishing touches on the product.
The new Adventure.Travel will be storytelling distribution platform for all business members to submit traveler-focused content to help travelers dream and plan their next adventure. Our strategic focus is to encourage consumers to travel more sustainably, and make it easier for them to do so. By creating a global adventure travel storytelling ecosystem, we aim to bridge the gap between travelers looking for inspiration and the ATTA global network of sustainable adventure businesses and destinations.
The ATTA community already prioritizes environmental and social responsibility; with this new initiative, we aim to inspire travelers to make more conscious choices and bring those travelers to the vetted destinations and operators that are part of the ATTA community.
Ready to learn more? There will be a live session to dive deep and explore the new platform held in the HUB on 1 November at 9 am PT. Register now.
Plan Your Adventure for 2025
Now a longstanding Summit tradition, the final day’s ceremonial handoff between the current host and next year’s host destination concluded the event. In front of a packed audience, representatives from Panama and Chile shared the stage to exchange gifts and formally announce that the next Adventure Travel World Summit will take place in Puerto Natales, Chile, from 13-16 October 2025.
Next year’s signature ATTA events are now open for registration, with Buyer and Media applications coming soon:
- AdventureELEVATE Latin America, held 27-29 April 2025 in Bonito, Brazil
- AdventureELEVATE North America, held 28-30 May 2025 in Denver, Colorado, USA
- Adventure Travel World Summit, held 13-16 October 2025 in Puerto Natales, Chile