“Adventure
tourism is what tourism should be today and definitely what tourism
will be tomorrow,” said Mr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary-General of the
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) referring to inevitable shifts in
the leisure tourism market toward more experience-based, responsible
and lower-impact – environmentally and culturally – travel.
Later
in the week, the WWF corroborated the trend toward more responsible
tourism, upping the ante by introducing a new travel division
with new leadership, while Google’s chief of travel, Rob
Torres, indicated serious consumer trending toward more
experience-based, responsible tourism. In additional keynote and
concurrent sessions, tourism, conservation and technology leaders
such as Alexandra Cousteau, granddaughter of Jacques-YvesCousteau and
co-founder of Blue Legacy and Darrell Wade, CEO of PEAK
Adventure Travel indicated a shift in attention on the
global stage to the power of adventure travel as an
economic driver, as a force of sustainable development and one that
delivers to travelers transformative
experiences in nature, culture and active travel.
Shannon Stowell,
president of the
Adventure Travel Trade
Association, the organization responsible for the
AdventureTravel World Summit, opened the Summit by challenging
delegates to network, learn and discuss ways to propel the
adventure travel industry forward to meet growing consumer
demands sustainably and responsibly.
The
audience of industry influencers from more than 60 different
countries, ready to meet that challenge at the Summit, contained 50
percent travel industry buyers and sellers who actively
develop adventure travel product and an international pool
of media. Another 30 percent of delegates represented tourism boards,
tourism ministries anddestination
marketing organizations that have direct and
specific influence on the direction their
countries, and constituents, take the adventure travel industry
in their home destinations. The remaining delegates included a blend
of outfitters, academia, non-governmental organizations and industry
partners offering a range of
services fromreservation systems
to insurance.
Switzerland,
the host for the event, was a fitting venue for a Summit where
adventure travel was announced to be the future of
tourism. “Switzerland is the
original adventure and outdoor travel destination
with a 150-year history in ‘adventure’ travel, as well as a
promising future as a sustainable, accessible destination offering a
wide range of adventures for many different skills and
interest areas,” said Jürg Schmid, CEO of Switzerland Tourism.
More
than 120 delegates had the
opportunity to
witness this firsthand in one of eleven 3-4 day Pre-Summit Adventures
around Switzerland. These adventures showcased Switzerland as one of
the world’s most progressive nations in the sustainable tourism
arena.
