Adventure tourism is a vital component of efforts to cultivate a sustainable travel industry, according to a leading figure in the sector.
Speaking at Europe's first AdventureElevate summit, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) chief executive Shannon Stowell explained that the adventure industry can help.
Speaking in Tirol, Austria, he said: “Many destinations are seeing overtourism problems, yet they still need the tourism economy to deliver. This is where I feel the adventure industry is vital going forward.
“It takes 100 cruise customers to leave $10,000 in an economy. It takes nine overnight package tourists to leave $10,000, and it takes just four commercial adventure travellers to leave the same amount.
“As destinations look at what what's going to be valuable for the future, especially if overtourism is a challenge or a problem, adventure travel is one of those solutions because you can have fewer tourists, and ones who really respect that destination,” said Stowell.
Established 20 years ago, ATTA is the world’s largest adventure travel association and has about 30,000 members, including tour guides, tour operators, destination management companies and travel advisers. According to the latest ATTA data, adventure travellers tend to stay at local lodges, eat local food, buy locally made handicrafts and use local guides more often than conventional tourists.
“It’s all about leakage – the amount of revenue that leaves a destination,” said Stowell. For mass tourism, leakage is reported to be 80 to 90 per cent. That number is much lower for adventure travellers, the chief executive said, with trips averaging a leakage of 30 to 35 per cent.
Stowell explained that adventure travellers often venture to less-visited areas, something he said can help combat overtourism by dispersing visitors. He added that it also means more money can reach outlying areas and support local business.
ATTA’s first summit in Europe has attracted 250 participants from 39 nations and five continents to the Tirol town of Kitzbuhel, one of the most exclusive winter sport resorts in the Alps. During the two-day summit, industry leaders and speakers will report on and discuss various topics, including sustainability and new technologies.
“This event offers the perfect opportunity to present Tirol and its regions to international markets and to exchange ideas with new and existing contacts,” said Karin Seiler, chief executive of Tirol Tourist Board.
The summit is likely to be the first of many. “The idea of AdventureElevate is that we will rotate around Europe,” said Gabriella Stowell, ATTA's vice-president of regional development. “This is the first year and we're very happy to be in Tirol. Although we still don’t have a confirmed location for next year, we are talking to many destinations.”
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
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Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 2
Rashford 28', Martial 72'
Watford 1
Doucoure 90'
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
November 28-30: Dubai International Rally
January 9-11: 24Hrs of Dubai (Touring Cars / Endurance)
March 21: Round 11 of Rotax Max Challenge, Muscat, Oman (karting)
April 4-10: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Endurance)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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My Country: A Syrian Memoir
Kassem Eid, Bloomsbury