Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) the leading voice of the global adventure travel industry will be hosting its first ever event in Asia-‘AdventureNEXT’-in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh from 10-12 December, 2018. The event was announced during a press conference in New Delhi by ATTA, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB), and Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI).
AdventureNEXT, a venture by ATTA, works towards putting emerging adventure destinations on the global map. The venture allows countries and regions looking to establish and position themselves as attractive adventure desinations to host an AdventureNEXT event. Through these events, local suppliers are given opportunities to interact with international buyers and media.
A MoU to mark the launch of this event was jointly signed by Mr. Shannon Stowell (CEO, ATTA), Mr. Hari Ranjan Rao (Commissioner Tourism and Managing Director of MPTB), and Capt. Swadesh Kumar (President, ATOAI). A special logo for AdventureNEXT in India was also unveiled during the ceremony.
Speaking at the event Mr. Shannon Stowell said, “Adventure tourism, has a significant impact on not just the economy of a region, but also on equitability. Adventure tourism, as opposed to mass tourism, contributes more to the local economy-in terms of the proportion of money that actually stays within the destination. Furthermore, it contributes significantly to rural communities, giving employment opportunities to women in particular. What is clear is that adventure tourism, while a smaller sector, is very powerful and leaves a lot for the locals to benefit from.”
Mentioning Madhya Pradesh as the host destination for the first AdventureNEXT in Asia, Mr. Hari Ranjan Rao said: “Madhya Pradesh is a state that has an abundance of natural resources and cultural heritage. The wildlife and geographic features of the state make it an ideal adventure destination with unique offerings. Adventure tourism is the way forward for Madhya Pradesh to take advantage of the travel and tourism industry, and AdventureNEXT is the best way to accomplish this.”
Whereas Mr. Swadesh Kumar highlighting the commitment of ATOAI towards expanding its reach across India and stated that “adventure tourism industry has witnessed a paradigm shift in India. Earlier, there was an emphasis on traditional adventure destinations which has now expanded towards regions such as Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala etcetera. There is a huge surge in demand for newer adventure destinations, and the Association is committed to expanding across India.”
