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Classifieds

ATTA Fall 2005 Research Intern Program Description
(non-paid)

Program Overview
Research interns for the summer/ fall of 2005 will support the ATTA on two primary research initiatives:

1. Gathering and organizing adventure travel industry terms and definitions into the
   Adventure Travel Industry Sourcebook.
    
2. Researching and writing the 2005 Adventure Travel State of the Industry Report. This report will estimate the size of the adventure travel industry in the United States and survey industry service providers (outdoor lodges, outfitters and guide services) on services provided, current marketing practices, insurance issues and expectations for business growth.

Intern Time Commitment
Interns may work on one or both projects. Depending on availability, interns may work from 10-40 hours per week in support of these projects. Research team meetings will be held via conference call once a week, with additional meetings scheduled as necessary.

Benefits
An ATTA internship provides an excellent opportunity for individuals seeking to build a career in adventure travel. ATTA internships can play a significant role in the development of students and/or individuals in a career transition. Interns benefit from the opportunity to learn about the ATTA, ATTA Member companies, and the adventure travel industry from the inside out.

In addition to the industry knowledge gained from conducting research, ATTA interns will benefit from extraordinary networking opportunities - meeting and interacting with business leaders from all sectors of the adventure travel industry, including tour operators and brokers, tourism boards, service providers, travel agents/agencies, hospitality, media, and retail. ATTA interns have the potential to become full or part-time employees at the ATTA, with ATTA Member organizations or other adventure travel industry businesses.

Interns will be given full credit in all published materials for their contribution and be acknowledged at industry conferences and meetings.

For more information contact Christina Heyniger, ATTA Associate at .

Project Descriptions and Specific Intern Activities for Summer/Fall 2005

1. Intern activities supporting Adventure Travel Industry Sourcebook development:
   The purpose of the Adventure Travel Industry Sourcebook is to provide firms operating in the industry, media, and travelers with a reliable source of information on the adventure travel industry. For example, the Sourcebook would provide users with definitions to assist in distinguishing between adventure travel, eco travel, rural tourism, geotourism and nature travel. The Sourcebook will also identify major industry players, such as national and international tourism associations (i.e., Travel Industry Association, World Tourism Organization), policy and education institutions focused on tourism, adventure travel associations, and eco tourism associations.

Interns will gather entries for the Adventure Travel Industry Sourcebook through a systematic search of secondary sources. Sources of information and search terms will be defined at the start of the project, and interns will report weekly on progress and capture results according to a standard format. Entries will be compiled in a database, with complete attribution. Using the information gained through the exhaustive secondary research described above, primary research with select industry practitioners will be conducted to corroborate findings. Ten to twenty interviews with adventure travel tour operators, travel agents, tourism academic researchers and travelers will be conducted to provide directional guidance and support for definitions gathered in secondary research.

The Adventure Travel Industry Sourcebook will be available in print and electronically.
 

2. Intern activities supporting 2005 Adventure Travel State of the Industry Report development:
   Interns will support primary research efforts to estimate the number of adventure travel firms in the United States. For this project, “adventure travel firms” shall include adventure travel tour operators, outdoor skills schools, and lodges/ hotels serving adventure travelers. This is a significant effort that will involve contacting and gathering information from multiple sources including, but not limited to, outfitters and guides associations, telephone directories, and Better Business Bureau registrations.

A survey portion of the report will provide interns with the opportunity to assist in designing survey questions, reviewing and analyzing survey responses, spotting trends and patterns in the data, and writing sections of survey analysis.

The 2005 Adventure Travel State of the Industry Report will be available in print and electronically.