ASSOCIATIONS

Adventure Travel Trade Association forms partnerships to capitalize on travel-learning trend
30/8/2006
Recognizing that their readerships have become more closely aligned with new definitions of “adventure travel,” special interest magazines Discover and Archaeology, independently have struck alliances with the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) to create new marketing opportunities for the adventure travel community and to better serve the needs of adventure travelers.
The new agreements, which complement an existing partnership between the ATTA and National Geographic Adventure first formed in 2004, reflect both a broadening of more traditional definitions of “adventure travel,” and surges in consumer interest in intertwining learning with travel.
Whereas traditional definitions of “adventure travel” primarily concentrated on the physical nature of adventure, consumer-evolved definitions include more accessible adventure pursuits including cultural, historical, anthropological, environmental and scientific elements. Additionally, recent findings (ATTA/Michigan State University Adventure Travel Consumer Survey, October 2005) indicate that learning and education are essential considerations of consumers’ adventure travel purchase decisions. Anecdotal evidence from the adventure travel community throughout 2006 also affirms that traveler interest in learning/education continues to rise.
“With the editorial focus of both Discover and Archaeology centered on learning, exploration and the imagination, it’s a natural fit with adventure travel,” said Chris Doyle, director of the ATTA. “More visibly connecting adventure travel with scientific, environmental and cultural disciplines improves our ability to access, attract and educate people with a strong affinity toward these complementary interests.”