“The most important trip you may take in life is meeting people halfway” - Henry Boye
For the past three years Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) has been a conference held for adventure travel companies all over the world to meet halfway in one specific destination. This year was the first year that it was held in Whistler, Canada. I went to the prior year’s Summit in Seattle so I already had a perception of what to expect, but all fun adventures pack in a few surprises, and the trip to the Summit in Whistler was no exception.
Being a student studying tourism and now having an opportunity to be part of it through this conference was a very fulfilling experience. I enjoyed every aspect of the ATWS. It was amazing meeting people from all over the world and hearing about where they’ve been and what they’ve done to help the industry grow.
There were sessions throughout the day that were extraordinary. Some sessions involved preparing for the future market, market trends, niche markets, carbon offsets and operating in sensitive environmental destinations. A personal one that I will forever remember was from the president of Protect Yourself Protect the Earth (PEPY) by Daniella Papi. Her speech about how her company helps children in Cambodia was very moving. Watching a video about her company showing children how to brush their teeth was something many of us take for granted. Many of us don’t realize how important our impact on people is and her company does just that with helping and teaching children that cannot afford schooling. It hadn’t occurred to me that some adventure travel lovers might seek this type of altruistic opportunity to share a part of themselves as an amazing adventure. It certainly came across as an amazing adventure that not only provides some adventure thrill, but also provides a great sense of worth.
“Life is either a great adventure or nothing at all” - Helen Keller
This annual conference is a great adventure for anyone interested in going into adventure travel. Whether it’s starting your own company or trying to expand an established one it will be a beneficial experience.
Kari Quinn
Student at Metropolitan State College of Denver
Intern with Adventure Central
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