Buyers

Outbound Tour Operators, Wholesalers & Specialty Travel Agents

Appointment request window: Aug 17 – Sept 7, 2012

Access new adventures, new partners and new markets…

In a climate of brand saturation, disintermediation, and the never-ending quest for the next adventure-of-a-lifetime, travel businesses must find the right partners for the right programs. As a registered Buyer in the 2012 Marketplace, you will have exclusive one-on-one time with inbound tour operators, accommodations and destinations from around the world, some of which have little exposure to the international market. If you create unique itineraries for adventure travelers and you want to diversify or increase your offerings, The 2012 Marketplace is your opportunity to learn about new adventures and create new partnerships. It is FREE for registered Buyers to request appointments before Sept 7, and your company name will gain exposure in the Buyer Directory.

Past Marketplace Buyers include: Butterfield & Robinson, Country Walkers, Intrepid Travel, International Expeditions, KE Adventure Travel, Natural Habitat Adventures, REI Adventures, Tucan Travel, Wildland Adventures, Virtuoso travel agents, and more.

Who might you meet?

The Supplier Directory will be available mid-summer on Summit Connections – Coming Soon! for registered delegates.

How does it work?

Register for the Summit.
Complete your Buyer profile on Summit Connections - Coming Soon!.
Submit your Appointment Request Form (only available Aug 17 – Sept 7, 2012). More detailed instructions will be available on Summit Connections - Coming Soon!.
Receive your Meeting Schedule via email: 2-3 weeks prior to the Summit. Optional: Schedule additional appointments privately through Summit Connections or onsite.
After the 2012 Marketplace Welcome & “How To” session onsite, ATTA will announce the start. Then, after each 17-minute meeting, we will announce it’s time for the next appointment to begin. It’s similar to “speed-dating,” except we give you a bit more time to build business relationships.

Register now to attend the Summit & participate for FREE in the 2012 Marketplace.*

Appointment Request Forms accepted ONLY: Aug 17 – Sept 7, 2012

*By registering as a Buyer, you will confirm participation as an outbound Tour Operator, Wholesaler, or Specialty Travel Agent, and that you will NOT sell or promote services or products to the Suppliers in the 2012 Marketplace. You are welcome to promote your product during the remaining 3 days of the Summit. If you wish to promote or sell your adventure product in the 2012 Marketplace, please register as a Supplier and purchase a Marketplace table –or–schedule meetings on your own via Summit Connections after September 17th.

Tips for Success

The only way to schedule appointments for the 2012 Marketplace is to use the Appointment Request Form (available Aug 17 – Sept 7, 2012). You do not need to contact Suppliers to request appointments with them.
Avoid double-booking! Do NOT schedule private events that will conflict with your pre-scheduled meetings.
Do not miss appointments. Being late or going over the 17-minute meeting time will diminish the quality of your meeting and interfere with others. Missed meetings will need to be rescheduled on your own.
The 2012 Marketplace will be THE best time to determine if/when to set follow up appointments for the remainder of the Summit – during meals, networking breaks, cocktails, etc. Write your temporary local contact info on the back of your business card to schedule follow-up meetings onsite.

Testimonials

“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.”
~ Kathy Stewart, Butterfield & Robinson

“The Marketplace had a wide global representation…it has become an important place for business because, unlike big trade shows, it draws high quality, personalized inbound adventure tour operators and destination specialists who attend to learn and share, and are eager to grow their business.”
~ Kurt Kutay, Wildland Adventures

“Participating in the Marketplace at the start of the Summit was great, it set the stage for the strong networking and relationship-building that occurs naturally throughout the remainder of the conference.”
~ Casey Hanisko, Zegrahm Expeditions