2011 ATWS Testimonials
The Summit is just a jolt of energy and inspiration which, thanks to social media and the amazing delegates, lasts well beyond the time we spent together in Chiapas.
—Scott Adams, Birchbark Media
The Summit was an eventful opportunity for us to meet and have shareful experiences which will go a long way for us to utilize in developing tourism potentials in Nigeria.
—Otobo Akor, Managing Director – Diplomat Travels
Having been to all but one ATWS, it’s been fascinating watching this “tribe” of ours grow and intermingle, become one and stand together proudly as examples of the best of the best in this niche industry of ours. Speaking to several new attendees, I heard over and over again, “These are my people! I never knew there were other people with a passion just like me.” People who are destination experts. Who know where the Ngorongoro Crater or Port Moresby is. Who thrive on bringing adventure travel to people who didn’t know they they too, were adventure travelers. Well done, ATTA.
—Allie Almario, Vice President, Myths and Mountains
I entered the Summit as the usual British cynic and left completely inspired! Having been a member of ATTA for 3 years I finally found the time to attend the Summit and was greatly rewarded; everyone was so open to chatting through the adventure travel trade whether they were competitors or not. Humbled by the various lectures I attended as some truly inspirational speakers talked us through their various business models. Having now returned to the UK I have spent most days on the phone to the various contacts I have made in the States as to how to implement various projects and partnerships! I am a cynic converted!
—Will Bolsover, Managing Director, Natural World Safaris Ltd.
As a marketing director, I approach the AFAR Exchange Global Marketplace a little differently. Of course it’s great for meeting and networking with suppliers. But more importantly for me, it is an opportunity to connect with tourism boards and travel marketing reps, get on their radar as partner in the North American market and then leverage those relationships for greater marketing and PR support down the road.
—Tad Bradley, Marketing Director, Wildland Adventures
Pachamama Travel is a startup less than one year old and thanks to the ATWS 2011 we were able to introduce our company to important actors in the industry and we even signed up our two first accounts! We were very happy with the results!!!
—Pablo Careaga, Pachamama Travel
The ATWS was an amazing experience, extremely well organized and so informative /interactive. A super event done with great panache – thanks to all you guys. For us at PureQuest it was a brilliant opportunity.
—Ripan Dhawan, Executive Director, Purequest
For some five years we have been a member of the ATTA ‘tribe’. Every tribe has a spiritual home and for the ATTA that is the Adventure Travel World Summit. It is rare to find an event with such energy and a sense of common purpose. Each year we look forward to the Summit knowing that it will be a genuinely engaging and uplifting experience.
—Paul Easto, Director, Wilderness Scotland Ltd
Just a few lines, thanking you for an inspiring, energetic and fun ATWS 2011. Wherever you looked you saw people chatting, dealing, sharing, smiling and doing business. The rooms were buzzing. You created with ATTA an incredible useful and powerful body for the Adventure Travel industry. I spoke with operators and media and their feedback was incredible positive as well. We are honored and humbled to be able to have the powerhouse ATTA in Switzerland next October and we will do whatever it takes to make the event a successful one and to strengthen ATTA even more.
—Urs Eberhard, Executive Vice President Markets & Meetings, Switzerland Tourism
I wanted to extend a big ‘congrats’ to you and the rest of the ATTA team for putting on a great ATWS event! It went above and beyond my expectations.
—Jenny Ersbak, Project Manager, Green Living Project
Representing Hummingbird at the Summit and offering gifts to delegates in the AFAR Exchange was busier than a day at Outdoor Retailer! As a gear manufacturer at a travel-oriented conference, we stand out. There is huge potential for creative and long-lasting partnerships with the tour operators who use our products and recommend it to their clients first-hand. We look forward to furthering our partnership with ATTA.
–Tami Fairweather, Public Relations & Partnerships Manager, Hummingbird
This has been a life-changing experience, and I didn’t even know I needed one.
—Wade Gapes, Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux
We don’t attend any other shows other than the Summit because its perfect combination of networking, making serious business, and vacation at the same time. This is what the Summit all about. ATTA get ready to see me every year.
—Jure Gaspersic, Founder & CEO, Adventure Slovenia
In sum, the Summit was inspiring, educational, thought-provoking, entertaining and productive. Don’t miss out on 2012! Sign up for Switzerland now.
—Cari Gray, Gray & Co.
The 2011 ATWS was a smashing success on many levels. I connected with many old friends, and made a number of new acquaintances and contacts that will no doubt be helpful in the future. The spirit of sharing and learning is alive and well among ATTA members. This Summit will be hard to top but I’m confident that the ATTA staff will rise to the occasion! Thank you for setting the stage for inspiration, friendship and growth.
—Peter Grubb, President & Founder, ROW Adventures
I joined ATTA in their first year and have been coming to the ATWS since that time. The location of the 2011 ATWS in Chiapas, Mexico was perfect and the choice spoke to the values of authenticity that most members advocate. There was for me a strong sense that our presence was also making a healthy economic contribution to the community. The sessions were excellent and the networking opportunities superb as usual. I took away a lot of concrete and useful ideas that will help me lead my business forward. I came home rejuvenated and warmed by the Mexican hospitality. Many thanks to the ATTA team for their hard work, effective execution and dedication to shaping the future of adventure travel in a positive way.
—Peter Grubb, President & Founder, ROW Adventures
Thank you for an excellent Summit! Everything was very well thought, the content of the agenda really interesting and relevant for our business, and the networking was superb, as usual.
—Alejandro González, Venezuela Elite
The Summit was a very busy and productive week, with lots of meetings and new contacts made, many new story ideas gathered and new editors met. It was also a lot of fun – the Summit really attracts a great crowd of people passionate about what they’re doing.
—Graeme Green, Journalist, Travel Writer, Photographer, Editor
I would deem the 2011 Summit a major success! It was great to connect with old friends and associates, as well as explore a new region. San Cristobal de las Casas/Mexico was a wonderful host! Looking forward to future Summits.
—Lyndsay Harshman, Principal, The Kusini Collection
The Summit far surpassed all expectations. I came back with far more clients than I can handle now!
—Doug Heinz, Co-Founder & CEO, www.pathwrangler.com
It was my first ATTA summit and I had a wonderful experience. It was a great platform for exchanging ideas and sharing business possibilities.
—Ram Kumar Adhikari, Marron Treks P. Ltd.
[The Summit] was a wonderful opportunity for me to meet many friends and learn new things from the educational seminars especially in the adventure fraternity. We really enjoyed Mexico, a new country for us. We made some business transactions and met a number of tour operators. I came back to India with more information and knowledge. I thank you once again for the wonderful event.
—Capt Swadesh Kumar, Shikhar Travels (India) Pvt Ltd.
I cannot believe I had the chance to attend such an important event. I am extremely grateful to so many people who made this possible. With you I am in debt… I really don´t know how to pay you back. Thanks for everything and for remembering me.
—Rodolfo Lopez Cruz (Student who found a job at the ATWS 2011)
ATWS was truly a watershed moment for my business, and with that, for me, for we are very closely linked. The new life breathed into it in Chiapas has warmed me through and through. I walked and danced through the summit as if I were on a cloud, the lost nomad finally come to the oasis. I have described the Summit as the best party I’ve been too in over a decade…it was all there, the camaraderie, the meeting of minds, the laughter, the sharing of ideas, the validation and the opportunity to, once again, turn hours of hard work into a successful business.
—Eric Mindling, Head Honcho, Traditions Mexico Cultural Tours
Mexico and Chiapas specifically is a fantastic choice for the 2011 Summit. After three years attending the ATWS, I can honestly say this is one of the best events our industry has to offer. Looking forward to year four and all that Chiapas will share!
—Dan Moore, EverGreen Escapes
The ATWS this year was the most productive conference I’ve ever attended.
—Brad Nahill, Director/Co-Founder, SEEtheWILD
You know when you feel like something is missing from your life, but you don’t know what it is? It is here at the Summit.
—Oscar Ortiz Garcia, Director, Cabo Expeditions
I came back from the Summit with more energy, fresh ideas, and I just want to do more! It reinforced what I chose to do for a living — I am on the right path, and I will make it to the next Summit.
—Oscar Ortiz Garcia, Director, Cabo Expeditions
The Summit was an inspiring, efficient way to report the latest in adventure travel news and to speak with the people who know best what is really happening in the remote corners of the world.
—Stephanie Pearson, Outside
I’ve gone to a lot of conferences and ATTA Summit is one of my all time favorite because of the people I get to meet from different parts of the world. Learning about where they come from, their language and culture is just wonderful to see. An eye opening experience for me.
—Mary Pilurtuut, Northern Village of Kangirsujuaq
Chiapas was my first Summit and it far surpassed any expectations that I had on many levels. The participation of delegates in our pre-summit adventure and the interest they carried into the Summit brought our company into the light as both a product and a sustainable tourism project. The feedback and interaction we had with media was incredibly valuable. And the face time we had with government officials, other operators and industry experts allowed us all to dive into some truly visionary themes for our state of Baja California Sur. Many thanks to ATTA for what was the most dynamic and productive conference I have ever attended.
—Chris Pesenti, Founder and Director, RED Sustainable Travel
Year after year we grow with the help of the ATTA Summit. Even this year we met some very potential contacts and hopefully in the coming months it will turn into business. Thanks ATTA for holding an event which is neither only marketplace, nor just sessions — it is the perfect mix of the two which inspires us to create new business, through the lessons learned during the event and the contacts we make.
—Amit Sankhala, Managing Director, Encounters Asia / Jungle Lodges
I’ve never returned from a Summit yet that had such an inspired, connected and engaged group. We’re all missing each other, missing the special moments that we shared together and the inspiration that followed. What you’ve created is so very special and we feel like one big family. Thanks for putting spring back into my step.
–Trish Sare, BikeHike Adventures
The Afar Exchange Global Marketplace in Chiapas was definitely time well spent. The meetings I had were a great opportunity to discuss potential partnerships between Butterfield & Robinson and local Tour Operators and Tourism Boards. The gorgeous courtyard and the outdoor coffee area made for the most pleasant meeting venue I’ve ever experienced.
–Kathy Stewart, Butterfield & Robinson
You have convinced me, along with so many others, that you are playing a vital role in the way we are conducting our business. You have succeeded in bringing together businesses, which by their nature, are driven by strongly independent and typically stubborn minds. At the same time, you are connecting with our dreams, both real and as yet untapped, to “profit with a purpose”, and to protect the wild places we so love. You are changing the ways we do business, not simply by bringing us (or some of us) into the 21st century of beta and tech, but perhaps more importantly by creating a valuable space for us to relax together, network, learn, grow and cooperate. You are rockin’ our industry, one space, one nation, one business at a time. Carry on guys and gals……and well done.
—Rick Sweitzer, Executive Director, The Northwest Passage
I can’t begin to put into words what an amazing time I had at the Summit! I feel lucky to have experienced such an amazing collaboration of brilliant minds!
—Sakhi Vyas, AFAR Exchange Coordinator, AFAR Magazine
As a relatively new member of the ATTA community, I was absolutely blown away by the experience of the Summit. Witnessing everyone’s individual passions come together was pure magic and inspiration! The theme, Prosper with Purpose, struck me as an accurate description of the people who attended and contributed to the Summit. I’m just so invigorated by this tribe! After just a few days, I’ve discovered a new energy in myself to go out and be a steward of the Earth and its people.
—Sakhi Vyas, AFAR Exchange Coordinator, AFAR Magazine