2025 LGT Museum Guide

The Adventure Travel Trade Association celebrates a remarkable two decades

Cruisin’

Gearing up for its 100th anniversary, the historic highway remains a symbol of freedom

Sustainability in Guided Travel: It’s in Our Nature

It starts at home. The Collette Cares program takes a holistic approach to sustainability both domestically and internationally, aiming to offset overtourism and give back to communities near and far. And goes beyond borders. Our tours are designed to make travel a force for good. We make decisions while building our itineraries centered around sustainability and its impact on local communities.

The Plains of Africa

Small group Explorations tour

Counter deforestation by helping to replant the forests that sustain Kenya’s fragile ecosystem.

Mysteries of India

Small group Explorations tour

Support the conservation efforts of tigers while connecting with a naturalist at Project Tiger in Ranthambore National Park.

To

Sicily and Its Isles

Small group Explorations tour

Learn about the Slow Food movement and how it ties into the sustainable making of olive oil.

Discover a getaway where time slows down and great memories are made. North Dakota invites you to explore together – kayaking calm waters, wandering street fairs, sharing riverboat stories, and savoring local restaurants. This is travel without the rush. No crowds, just genuine moments. Come connect, unwind, and create stories together in North Dakota.

Vol. 35, No. 3 June 2025

Editorial & Advertising Office 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406 Willowbrook, IL 60527

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Trading Cheez-Its for Exploration

After a winter spent chowing down on Cheez-Its and chocolate cake, it’s high time I started whipping myself into shape.

A nice outdoor adventure will be a good way to begin my road to recovery.

Fortunately, the June issue of Leisure Group Travel has arrived. This edition, the outdoor and adventure issue, is brimming with stories and showcases spotlighting exciting destinations across the globe and can help me (and you) determine where we should travel this summer.

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East – Diane Meglino

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West – Tom Tobiason P 630.794.0696 • F 630.794.0652 tom@ptmgroups.com

In this issue, LGT unveils a new special edition guide celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, a global leader in shaping the future of responsible, experiencerich tourism. This commemorative publication honors ATTA’s remarkable twodecade journey, highlighting the voices, milestones and mission that have made it a force for good in the world of adventure travel.

The guide features a curated collection of personal stories and reflections from some of the most respected names in travel writing, including Don Mankin, Pico Iyer, Norie Quintos, Jill Robinson, Jenn Smith Nelson and Arnie Weissmann. Through vivid storytelling and personal testimony, these contributors illuminate the heart of the ATTA community and its far-reaching impact on travelers, businesses, and global destinations.

LGT also shines a spotlight on The Mother Road, as Route 66 will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026. Venerable writer Randy Mink paints a vivid picture of the communities across the country who are sprucing up their towns and attractions along the famed road in preparation for the country’s big bash next year. We also pay a visit to Oklahoma and report on excellent destinations across the state for groups to take a day trip. In our second Oklahoma piece, LGT highlights fabulous scenic excursions that will wow all members of your group. Did you know Oklahoma claims to have more shoreline than any other state? You do now. Finally, LGT’s museums and attractions guide brings history, culture and legends to life. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, discovery, or just a great adventure, these must-see museums deserve a top spot in your itinerary.

Happy travels ,

Jason Paha Chief Editor

Learning more about destinations featured in our magazine is easy with

Just use your Camera app to scan this QR code. Then tap the screen to open a link to our digital reader service card. Click Submit and your request is immediately sent to that supplier.

group will discover Virginia’s unmatched history in 2025-26. leisuregrouptravel.com/ virginia-group-tour-guide/

Cruisin’ Down MEMORY LANE

loating in his own pond next to a picnic area, the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma epitomizes the kitschy roadside curiosities that intrigued motorists during the heyday of Route 66, the most fabled highway in America.

By Randy Mink

The smiling marine mammal, a cement behemoth measuring 80 feet long, is one of the most iconic landmarks along the legendary ribbon of pavement that traversed eight U.S. states from Chicago to Santa Monica, California. Like many places along the road in Oklahoma and elsewhere, the whale and

surrounding park are undergoing upgrades in preparation for Route 66 Centennial celebrations in 2026. Though the eastwest corridor, affectionately known as the Mother Road, was replaced by superhighways decades ago, vast stretches of the old two-lane artery are still open to traffic, allowing travelers to leave the

1923 steel truss bridge at Devils Elbow is one of the most notable Route 66 landmarks in Pulaski County, Missouri.

fast lane and see the real America, a land sprinkled with neon signs, quirky wayside attractions, souvenir shops, cozy motels and mom-and-pop diners dishing up comfort food.

With the 100th anniversary of Route 66 fast approaching, communities along the highway are fixing up vintage neon signs and installing new ones. Downtown historic districts are being spruced up, new attractions are being unveiled and museums are undergoing expansions or adding new features as they get ready to celebrate the golden age of automobile travel. Towns big and small will be supercharging their existing annual events for 2026, and colorful murals are beautifying old buildings.

MULTIPLE ROUTE 66 PROJECTS IN OKLAHOMA

Thanks to a Route 66 grant program administered by the Oklahoma Route 66 Commission and Oklahoma Department of Commerce, travelers dropping by Catoosa’s Blue Whale soon will find a spiffy new visitor center, neon sign, picnic area and playground, along with a waterfall, pond-circling path and nature trails. Built by Hugh Davis for his wife in 1972, the site (now city-owned) became a play area for their grandkids and then a swim park/fishing hole enjoyed by locals and Route 66 wayfarers.

The nearby town of Claremore has several claims to fame. Its prime attraction is the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, which honors humorist-philosopher-movie

star Will Rogers, the most famous person in the world in the 1920s and ’30s. An expansion featuring AI and other high-tech enhancements will be unveiled in the next year or two. Rogers, whose rise to fame started with a rope-trick act in vaudeville, was born during Indian Territory days on a nearby ranch. (Route 66 is known as the Will Rogers Highway, and his name pops up in places throughout the state.)

At the Claremore Museum of History visitors can view a clip from the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein Broadway musical Oklahoma! and its most notable artifact, “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” one of two carriages used in the 1955 movie version as Gordon MacRae serenaded Shirley Jones with the namesake song. The museum devotes one room to local

THE MOTHER ROAD SHOWS EVERYONE A GREAT TIME.

Skip the interstate and take a trip down Route 66 in Pulaski County, MO! Our 33-mile stretch of classic Americana and breathtaking scenery is filled with historic encounters, dozens of shops, selfie ops, and can’t-miss stops like the brand-new Route 66 Neon Park. This open-air museum features restored neon signs from the early days of Route 66. Discover unforgettable experiences only the Mother Road and Mother Nature can deliver.

Say “Hi” to Our Favorite Moms. Plan your trip at pulaskicountyusa.com/groups

playwright Lynn Riggs, whose play Green Grow the Lilacs was adapted into the musical, and also spotlights Claremore’s Patti Page, “The Singin’ Rage,” one of the 1950s’ top recording artists.

Mother Road enthusiasts find numerous treasures in Tulsa, especially along 11th Street with its neon Route 66 signs, colorful murals, oversized statues and old-time motor courts. Called the Capital of Route 66, the city has a 28-mile stretch of Route 66 to explore.

Selfie spots in the Meadow Gold District, named for the huge neon dairy company sign at 11th and Quaker Avenue, include the giant space cowboy and cowgirl statues at Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios souvenir store, one of several fun shops and galleries on 11th. Such 20-foot-tall fiberglass

One Nation. Ten Attractions. Endless Adventure. Experience the Cherokee Story, through centuries of ingenuity, determination and sovereignty, in a customized tour for your group.

For more information call 877.779.6977 or visit us online at visitcherokeenation.com/group-tours.

Giant statues at Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios in Tulsa reflect the spirit of Route 66, known for its roadside attention-grabbers.

figures, referred to as “Muffler Men” by pop culture historians, were considered the height of outdoor advertising in the 1960s. A new giant, named Cowboy Bob, will be the mascot for Buck’s Vintage, a shop that will be opening in its new location this summer directly across from the historic Meadow Gold sign. Just below the sign, a lumberjack Muffler Man towers over Meadow Gold Mack’s Route 66 Outpost. And coming soon to historic Howard Park on Route 66 is a 66-foot-tall dinosaur sculpture, adding to Tulsa’s reputation as the Land of Giants.

In Southwest Tulsa, more photo-worthy subjects await at Route 66 Historical Village an open-air museum with a collection of old train cars and a towering 154-foot oil derrick, the tallest in North America. Its visitor center replicates a 1920s Phillips 66 gas station. Tulsa makes a strong case for being the true birthplace of Route 66. Tulsa businessman and state highway commissioner Cyrus Avery was responsible for plotting out the paved highway and assigned the road its 66 number designation. The memory of the “Father of Route 66” is enshrined in larger-thanlife bronze sculptures at Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza a great photo stop at the Arkansas River, on the edge of downtown. The artwork depicts Avery getting out of his Motel T to help a farmer in a horse-drawn carriage, capturing the collision of the past and the future along the Mother Road.

In conjunction with the Route 66 Centennial, a parade featuring thousands of classic cars is planned for May 30, 2026 in Tulsa.

Sapulpa, a short drive from Tulsa, offers an inviting downtown shopping core that will be even more attractive when its streetscape redesign is completed. An Oklahoma Route 66 grant is fueling the Dewey Avenue facelift and a new park centered on Rock Creek Bridge, once part of the old highway. The town’s Teepee

Drive-In, an outdoor movie theater dating from the 1950s, was recently restored and accommodates up to 300 cars. Other Sapulpa crowd-pleasers include Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum where you can ogle classic cars polished to perfection and pose by the world’s tallest gas pump (soaring 66 feet into the sky).

Route 66 has always been a corridor of commerce, and neon beacons have lit the way, encouraging travelers to stop a spell and contribute to the local economy.

In Stroud, Oklahoma, a grant has been awarded for a neon light project that will provide a sign for participating businesses along the entire 15-block stretch of the historic downtown. A separate grant will go toward restoring the vintage neon sign at Stroud’s Rock Cafe, a favorite Route 66 diner since 1939. Owner Dawn Welch was the inspiration behind the character Sally Carrera in Disney/Pixar’s Cars and movie memorabilia lines the walls. This is the place for chicken-fried steak with white pepper gravy, but the German-inspired dishes are tempting as well. The biscuits are the best anywhere and often sell out early.

The proposed Route 66 Neon Park in Oklahoma City will feature 10 iconic signs originally visible on Oklahoma’s stretch of Route 66 from 1939-2016, all fully restored with neon lighting. The free outdoor exhibit, with a walk-through path, an Airstream-style bandstand for concerts, vintage billboards and a bathroom facility modeled after a 1950s Phillips 66 Gull Wing service station, will be strategically located on Route 66 on the grounds of the Oklahoma History Center, across from the State Capitol.

The Filling Station a restored gas station on Route 66 in El Reno, just opened as a visitor center. It features a rotating display of classic cars and a catchy mural. There will be bus parking across the street. El Reno is the home of the onion burger, an Oklahoma specialty. A Depressionera creation concocted to bolster the size of the ground beef patty, it’s made by smashing thinly fried onions into the meat frying on the grill. The caramelized onions form a savory crust on the burger, enhancing its flavor and texture. The famous El Reno burger joints are Sid’s

Diner Johnnie’s Hamburgers & Coneys Robert’s Grill and Jobe’s Country Boy Drive-In

El Reno’s Heritage Express Trolley, a reconditioned 1924 streetcar, offers narrated rides through downtown from the Canadian County Historical Museum If the vehicle looks familiar, you may have seen its replica in the climactic last scene of Twisters the 2024 storm chasers movie filmed in El Reno and elsewhere in Oklahoma, a state that is no stranger to tornadoes.

ROUTE 66 DEVELOPMENTS IN MISSOURI

Brand new in the Pulaski County town of St. Robert, Missouri is the Route 66 Neon Park which features nearly a dozen retro signs, each with a storyboard and historical photo. Positioned among oak trees in an existing roadside park, the neon artifacts from Route 66 businesses across Missouri will be lit at night. There are signs from motels, a liquor store, bail bonds company and auto garage.

Down the road in Waynesville, the 8-foot-tall Route 66 shield is the perfect selfie spot. Hoppers Pub, across the street, is decorated with the roadway’s memorabilia and other antiques. The restaurant offers 66 beers on tap, and a buffet lunch and speaker can be arranged for the group. The Pulaski County Tourism Bureau offers an illustrated driving tour brochure with turn-by-turn directions to 50-plus stops – motels, cafes, gas stations and many other enterprises that flourished during 66’s prime – and the bureau can provide a step-on guide for bus groups. Unveiled last year in St. Louis, Chain of Rocks Park has been attracting Route 66 fans to Old Chain of Rocks Bridge – a steel landmark spanning the Mississippi River where Illinois and Missouri meet. The park has an event space, a pavilion, restrooms, plaza for food trucks and parking lot with spaces for cars and buses. The mile-long span served Route 66 travelers from 1936-

(Above) The Claremore Museum of History displays “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top” from the movie Oklahoma! (Right) Ed Galloway’s Totem Pole Park in Foyil, Oklahoma.

1965 and is now used by pedestrians and bicyclists.

A recent Route 66 addition to the Missouri town of Pacific, southwest of St. Louis, is Red Cedar Inn Museum & Visitor Center, a log building that opened as a restaurant in 1934 and closed in 2005. In Sullivan, near Meramec Caverns, Shamrock Court a meticulously restored 1940s motor court, will open this August for the first time in over 50 years.

NEW IN KANSAS

Kansas claims only 13 miles of Route 66 but has some endearing sites, including some great murals in Galena and Baxter Springs; Marsh Arch Bridge the last remaining rainbow-arch bridge on the route; and Old Riverton Store in Riverton, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

On the horizon in Galena is Petrol Motor Quart, a motor court that will offer cabins fashioned after gas stations from the past. Each automotive-themed cabin will have neon signs and midcentury-style bathrooms with colored tiles. Aaron Perry, owner of Gearhead Curios, recently broke

ground on the project, which will take five years to complete, but cabins will be bookable as they are finished. Recent Route 66 developments in Illinois include Illinois State Fairgrounds Route 66 Experience an outdoor walk-through exhibit with little red sheds highlighting businesses and attractions, past and present, in 92 Illinois communities. The garden courtyard brims with replicas of billboards and neon signs that once advertised motels, a drive-in movie theater and other places along the fabled ribbon of roadway. Illuminated at night, the signs cast a magical glow. Nearby, Shea’s Gas Station Museum

The Blue Whale of Catoosa, in Catoosa, Oklahoma, is a beloved landmark along Route 66.

reopened last year, bringing back to life a Texaco and Marathon station that served Route 66 travelers from 1946-1982.

The Springfield area’s new Route 66 Mural Trail provides plenty of photo ops. In 2024, 12 wayside exhibits were installed in and around Springfield, and some have audio stories. After being hidden away and overgrown for more than 90 years, Carpenter Park Original Route 66 Pavement a quarter-mile stretch of road nestled beside the Sangamon River in Springfield, reopens to foot traffic in July with accompanying wayside signage. The segment was in use for only about a decade before the highway’s alignment changed.

The town of Atlanta, Illinois last year welcomed the American Giants Museum, which chronicles the story of the Muffler Men statues. Several of these towering figures stand outside the museum, a replica of a 1960s Texaco gas station.

West End Service Station in Edwardsville, which served Route 66 motorists for nearly four decades, was recently transformed into a visitor information center with attractive displays on the road’s lore.

NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA GEARING UP FOR CENTENNIAL

In New Mexico, the city of Albuquerque is providing grants to support the restoration and construction of neon signs along its Route 66 corridor. Known as Central Avenue as it passes through the city, the road connects a series of diverse neighborhoods. Besides new flashes of neon, Central Avenue is being revitalized with large-scale murals and interactive art installations.

Architectural landmarks along Central Avenue include the KiMo Theatre, a 1927 picture palace in the unique Pueblo Deco style. Across the street in the former Sears & Roebuck building resides 505 Central Food Hall, a contemporary food hall complete with a cocktail bar. Or eat at Lindy’s, a 90-year-old diner. Other

restaurants are housed in former gas stations and automotive businesses. Three 1930s and 1940s motels along Central Avenue—El Vado Motel, Monterey Motel and Imperial Inn—have been restored in recent years and feature modern amenities along with retro charm.

For the centennial, grants from the New Mexico Tourism Department are funding marketing initiatives, special events and tourism-related infrastructure improvements in Route 66 communities across the state.

In Arizona, the state’s Route 66 Centennial Commission is offering beautification and revitalization grants to businesses and communities. There will be a special centennial Route 66 passport for collecting stamps for rewards at iconic destinations along the road.

The Arizona Route 66 Museum at the Kingman Visitor Center is updating exhibits with touch screens and app integration. Nearby, travelers with pets will be able to use the new 8,000-square-foot Powerhouse Dog Park, set for completion

this year. In 2024, a $7 million streetscape renovation transformed Beale Street in historic downtown Kingman into a more inviting space. The renovated Beale Street Theater will open for performances in mid2025, providing a cultural hub for locals and visitors alike. A special screening of John Paget’s Route 66, The Main Street of America feature-length documentary will be held in July, 2026.

Though the highway of dreams was decommissioned in 1985, its spirit lives on. Route 66 is a true slice of Americana.

The US Route 66 Centennial website (route66centennial.org) is the one-stop source for official Route 66 Centennial activities, programs, events and projects.

The new Reedy Press book Route 66: The First 100 Years by acclaimed Route 66 ambassadors Jim Ross and Shellee Graham, celebrates the road’s centennial with a compelling narrative and hundreds of photographs. of them vintage.

Must-See Attractions along the Mother Road

As Route 66 turns 100, Illinois is revving up with nostalgic attractions, restored landmarks and fun tributes to the golden age of American road travel

In 2026, one of America’s most iconic highways will celebrate a century of road trips, neon signs and unforgettable memories.

Route 66, affectionately known as the Mother Road, has long symbolized freedom, adventure and the golden age of automobile travel.

Stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, this historic highway has captured the imagination of generations and remains a beloved journey for travelers seeking a slice of classic Americana.

As the 100th anniversary approaches, towns and attractions along the route are gearing up for a celebration like no other.

PONTIAC MURAL SHIELD

Located in Pontiac, Illinois, along the old Route 66, is a larger-than-life mural shield. It showcases not only the world’s largest Route 66 shield, but also the St. Louis arch and Chicago skyline. There are more large murals that can be found along Pontiac’s main street, featuring themes from the town’s economic, social and political past. You can view these murals by car, but locals recommend experiencing the art by foot.

LEGENDS NEON SIGN PARK

One of the most well-known images of Route 66 lore is the highway’s attractions being lit up by neon. Found aglow in Springfield, Illinois, the Legends Neon Park at the Illinois State Fairgrounds houses re-creations or restorations of neon signs for businesses that are no longer operational along the route. Such businesses include A. Lincoln Motel, Chain of Rocks motel and the Bel-Air Drive-In theater. Overlooking the yard is, of course, a giant neon Route 66 shield.

WEST END SERVICE STATION

If you were driving along Route 66 and your car broke down, where would you go? The West End Service Station, of course. Serving the highway for nearly four decades, the automobile service station runs through Edwardsville, Illinois. You could get the oil changed, re-fuel and have your tires checked all while slurping down an ice-cold soda. With its location on a prime Route 66 corner in the hip “West End” of Edwardsville, it was a hive of activity for both travelers and locals.

Pontiac is also home to the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, which features thousands of memorabilia from the glory days of the Mother Road. You can learn about its infamous history, see photos from its unforgettable lifetime and hear jawdropping stories from its golden era.

The station ran from 1927 to 1964 before becoming a dentist office until 2019. It was then purchased by the city and turned into a historic site and visitor center, in conjunction with Great Rivers & Routes Tourism Bureau. The station is open Wednesday thru Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ENJOY ILLINOIS

Lindsay Laird (618) 465-6676

llaird@riversandroutes.com www.enjoyillinois.com/route66

It’s Electric Neon Sign Park in Granite City, Illinois.

Photos: West End Service Station (above), Pontiac Mural (left) and Legends Neon Sign Park (below).

Discover the Last 100 Miles of Route 66 in Illinois

The Great Rivers & Routes region of Southwestern Illinois offers a one-of-a-kind journey through America’s past and present

Southwestern Illinois is a meeting point for three mighty American Rivers and two iconic routes. The only place in the U.S. where scenic stunners converge with highway history. Spanning 39 towns, you’ll find the merger of Route 66 and the Great River Road and the joining of the Missouri and Illinois rivers into the Mississippi in what is called the Great River and Routes region: an area of people, places and things to do unique to this once-in-a-lifetime collision.

LITCHFIELD

The Ariston Cafe opened its doors in 1924 and is one of the oldest continually operational Route 66 restaurants in existence. The café features a wide range of food including American, Southern, Italian and Greek fare.

Another great Route 66 stop is the Rt 66 Skyview Drive-In, on Historic Old Route 66. This famed drive-in is enjoying its 75th consecutive season of big-screen entertainment. Opened in 1950, the Rt 66 Skyview Drive-In is the only original drive-in nationwide still located on the Historic Mother Road.

STOP IN COLLINSVILLE AND EDWARDSVILLE FOR ROUTE 66 HISTORY

For nearly four decades, West End Station served as a bustling automobile service station on America’s iconic Route 66 which ran through the heart of Edwardsville. It is one of Edwardsville’s few remaining Route 66 landmarks and one of two original Route 66 service stations left in southwest Illinois. Built in 1909 as an opera house, the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville boasted the largest stage south of Chicago. Now an Edwardsville Local Landmark, the 325-seat Wildey Theatre is busier than ever. The World’s Tallest Catsup Bottle Water Tower stands south of downtown Collinsville. This unique 170-foot-tall water tower was built in 1949 by the W.E. Caldwell Company for the G.S.

Suppiger catsup bottling plant — bottlers of Brooks old original rich & tangy catsup.

The Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville is the largest pre-Columbian site north of Mexico. At its peak, around 1100, this metropolis stretched over 4,000 acres, encompassed about 120 earthen mounds, and hosted a population of nearly 20,000 individuals.

ROUTE 66 MONUMENTS, MURAL TRAIL

Explore Route 66’s many charms by traveling the Route 66 Mural Trail, a collection of 12 Americanathemed murals dedicated to the southwest Illinois towns that landmark the route and honor the great American road trip. The mural journey will take you to places like Virden, a stagecoach stop and deep-rooted coal-mining town, and Girard, where you will see original attractions like the 1940s Former Standard Station.

Be a part of the Route 66 renaissance by traveling the Route 66 Monument Trail, a set of eight larger than life Route 66 shields honoring the Mother Road and the great American road trip. Take a photo with each monument to celebrate 100 years of travel on this world-famous road.

GREAT RIVERS & ROUTES TOURISM BUREAU

Lindsey Laird 618-465-6676

llaird@riversandroutes.com www.riversandroutes.com

Photos: For nearly four decades, West End Station served as a bustling automobile service station on Route 66 (above). The Ariston Cafe in Litchfield opened its doors in 1924 (left). Pay a visit to the World’s Tallest Catsup Bottle Water Tower (below).

Explore this famed city where history, music and iconic sights converge

St. Louis is more than just a major American city and a great baseball town. It is also filled with free, worldclass attractions, fascinating historic sites, beloved sports teams and award-winning restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries. It boasts an arts and culture scene

like vintage motels, diners, and gas stations that celebrate the spirit of mid-century travel. In 2026, the Mother Road will turn 100, and there’s no time like the present to plan your celebratory journey. On your trip, you can make a pit stop at the legendary Crown Candy Kitchen, featuring an incredible BLT, a delicious chocolate malt and much more. Crown Candy opened in 1913 and has been serving satisfied customers ever since.

Another famed stop is the Neon Museum of Saint Louis. New to Route 66, this nonprofit museum preserves the city’s neon history. Vintage signs and contemporary sculptures illuminate the unique space, which continues to evolve as pieces come and go. The electrified attraction is currently open four nights a month.

ADVENTURE

ATTA: A 20-Year Legacy

Congratulations to the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), its remarkable members, and the dedicated team powering this dynamic global community. What an achievement-and what an extraordinary journey it has been for all of us worldwide. My own journey with ATTA began at its inception in Seattle and has now spanned more than 20 years. Over these decades, I have participated in Summits, Elevates, NEXTs and many other ATTA gatherings across continents. I’ve had the privilege of hosting events in Jordan, collaborating on cross-border partnerships, and-perhaps most meaningfullybuilding lifelong relationships and meaningful business through ATTA’s global network. ATTA has shown me, and so many others, the strength of genuine relationships that transcend borders. The most transformative partnerships in my career have been possible through ATTA’s far-reaching network. I am especially grateful for the unwavering support from the worldwide ATTA community during times when Jordan, like many destinations, faced regional crises. Members from across the globe traveled, showed up, and advocated for us. Your presence and advocacy kept Jordan-and so many other destinations-top of mind for global travelers, reinforcing the power of solidarity in adversity.

A particularly moving moment was in October 2023, during Adventure Elevate in Amman. As the crisis in Gaza unfolded, many ATTA members were out exploring Jordan. Despite uncertainty, this community trusted us, and the conference and pre-adventures continued as planned. That trust and resilience, shared by a truly international community, reaffirmed our collective belief in the transformative power of travel. In 2024, the ATTA Board further demonstrated this commitment by hosting its first International Board Meeting in Jordan. These relationships, built across continents, are among the greatest rewards of working with ATTA.

Today, ATTA is the largest network of adventure travel leaders, connecting over 1,300 organizations in more than 100 countries and uniting around 30,000 individuals. Together, we are committed to a future where travel creates a positive impact on communities, cultures, wildlife, and nature. This vision is reflected in ATTA’s Membership Sustainability Commitment and our collective support for initiatives like 1% for the Planet, Tomorrow’s Air, and the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund.

I am also continually inspired by how ATTA adapts to the ever-changing landscape of global tourism. Alongside my fellow board members and advisors, I have the privilege of supporting the ATTA team as we help steer this remarkable organization into the future. As a Board, we are here to listen, serve, and support to ensure ATTA continues its journeybenefiting not just our industry, but also our communities and our planet.

Here’s to the next chapter of this powerful, global movement.

Malia Asfour Jordan Tourism Board

America and ATTA Board Member on behalf of all board directors

CHUNNIE WRIGHT

ERIK

KIMBERLY

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF THE ADVENTURE TRAVEL TRADE ASSOCIATION

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Adventure On is published by Premier Travel Media, 621 Plainfield Road, Suite 406, Willowbrook, IL 60527.

Send Address Change to: Premier

Photo courtesy of Court Whelan/ Natural Habitat Adventures

ADVENTURE A Transformational

20 Years in the Adventure Travel Trade Association

BY DON MANKIN, ADVENTURE TRANSFORMATIONS, INC.

Islid the signed copy of my latest book across the table to my longtime friend and colleague, Ken Dychtwald –a world-renowned speaker, writer and consultant on the corporate and societal impact of the aging baby boomers. He looked up from the book and asked, “Don, do you mind if I give you some career advice?” Advice from someone whose annual

income exceeds mine by several orders of magnitude? “Please do.”

“Stop writing this crap,” he replied.

After I retrieved my astonished jaw from the floor, he explained: “You should be writing about your travels.”

“You take interesting trips,” he continued, “you tell great stories about your trips, and you talk about them with much more enthusiasm than you do about your work.”

THE LIGHT BULB CLICKS ON

A little background. At the time of our dinner in 2004, just a couple of months after the publication of the book, was an organizational psychologist in the middle of a major career crisis. My longtime collaborator on the book in question, as well as a previous book and dozens of articles, was dying from breast cancer. I was at a loss on how to move ahead without her. So, Ken’s advice was

Antarctica is one of the many amazing places the author has seen over the years.

timely, as well as right on the mark. The proverbial light bulb clicked on in my head.

I wasn’t always a traveler and adventurer. I grew up in a workingclass family in Philadelphia. My parents owned our house, and we never lacked for the basics, but vacations and travel consisted of 1-2 weeks in Atlantic City every summer. That was it.

When I was young, science fiction and Richard Haliburton’s Books of Marvels fueled my fantasies of exotic adventures around the world and beyond. My ambition was to become an astronaut. I studied aerospace engineering in college, hoping to one day ride a rocket into

space. I also played football and traveled with my team to such exotic destinations as Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and New London, Connecticut.

Upon graduating with a PhD in experimental psychology in 1968 from The Johns Hopkins University, I began my academic career at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania. During my first academic summer break, I took a road trip through Sweden, Finland and Norway, then hitchhiked my way through England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. The following summer, I drove to British Columbia and hopped on a ferry to Alaska. After these two summer adventures, I realized

www.adventuretravel.biz

All photos courtesy of Don Mankin

that academic summers were meant for research and writing, not having fun, and settled down to work on my first book.

TRANSFORMATIONAL ADVENTURES

Once the book was finished, I started traveling again, stopping for solo backpacking adventures in the American Southwest as I moved back and forth crosscountry on my way to new positions at universities in Los Angeles, Houston, and Maryland. These adventures were transformational. They opened up my eyes to other cultures, widened my perspective and perhaps most important of all, changed my self-image from an anxious, self-conscious teenager trying to figure out who he was to a somewhat assured adult, an adventurer, and a world traveler. It was largely a façade, but it worked. In time, I actually became the person I pretended to be. My travel experiences

broadened considerably starting in the mid 90s when I started traveling twice year to SE Asia and Taiwan as a university dean overseeing an international program. Until then, I’d had little interest in Asia, but these trips dramatically changed how I think about the region, and SE Asia is now one of my favorite travel destinations.

This reawakening of my spirit of adventure was topped off by a 60th birthday present from Ken, a flight into the interior of Antarctica to camp in a tent on the ice for eight days.

Those were the trips and adventures that Ken was talking about when he turned my life around with his crude but on-themark assessment of my career.

REINVENTING MY CAREER…AND MY LIFE

Following that fateful dinner, Ken and I worked on an outline for a book describing how adventure travel had

transformed my life. He sent it to his agent (Ken is a successful author), who in turn passed it on to another agent she thought would be a better fit with the subject matter and theme. My agent (how I loved saying that!) recommended that I reorient the book toward senior travelers and add practical advice. Lacking experience in the travel industry, I realized that I needed to find an industry insider to collaborate with me on the book.

I surfed the internet for likely candidates and stumbled upon a promising possibility, Shannon Stowell, president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association. I sent him an email laying out my ideas for the book. He expressed interest and suggested I come to Seattle to discuss the proposal during the first annual Adventure Travel World Summit in 2005. And so it began, the 20-year adventure with ATTA that transformed my life. It took over a year and several

revisions of the book prospectus, but we finally signed a contract in late 2006 with National Geographic for a collection of 26 personal travel stories plus practical advice on where to go, what to look for, and how to prepare for the trip. Most of the stories were written by Shannon and me and others were contributed by friends and colleagues, including two chapters by Christina Beckmann, ATTA’s VP for Global Strategy.

In a major coup engineered by Shannon, the foreword was written by Richard Branson. The book, “Riding the Hulahula to the Arctic Ocean: Fifty Extraordinary Adventures for Seasoned Travelers,” was published in 2008 to great reviews, including one in the Wall Street Journal calling the book “one of the best travel books to cross our desk this year…A wonderful and inspiring read.” Most important, it launched me on a new career, a long association with ATTA, and numerous personal friendships.

FINDING A HOME IN ATTA

Most of my involvement with the association and its members came via the annual summits. I was primarily an observer at the first three Summits, in Seattle in 2005 and 2006 and Whistler in 2007. I soaked up as much information as possible from speakers, panel sessions and interactions with other attendees, especially about the nature of the industry and how to succeed as a travel writer. I was struck by how open, collaborative and non-competitive the Summits

were, unlike the competitive, often cutthroat tenor of the many academic meetings, conventions and events I attended in my almost 40-year university career. After our book came out, Shannon and I started talking about a follow-on book on the “transformative power of adventure travel,” the header I used for the home page of my new website, my first as travel writer, speaker and consultant. We surveyed the members of ATTA to find people whose lives had been transformed by adventure travel, and I conducted over 35 interviews. Shannon and The author has been to many incredible destinations around the world.

developed a prospectus for the book based on these interviews, but the Great Recession was still raging, so our agent wasn’t able to find a publisher.

The interviews, plus the National Geographic book, opened up a more active role for me at the Summit. At both Summits in 2008, in Brazil in the Spring and on the storm-tossed boat along the coast of Norway in October, I was on the Summit program as a speaker, using the interviews to illustrate the various ways in which adventure travel can transform individuals, their relationships with others, and society.

I attended every Summit until my retirement in 2024, making new

friends each year, gaining valuable information and ideas from the presentations, and having once-ina-lifetime adventures.

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS

In 2009 in Charlevoix, Quebec, I met Richard Weiss and his wife Edie Heilman on the PreSummit Adventure on the Gaspé Peninsula, a friendship that continues to this day.

At the Summit in Aviemore, Scotland in 2010, I drank gin and tonics with Chris McHugo during a lunch break on a hiking trail during a PSA on the Knoydart Peninsula.

In 2011 in Chiapas, Mexico, my PSA took me to the Copper Canyon, where I ziplined, with my

Strategic Legal Counsel for the Travel Industry

heart in my throat, over drops of thousands of feet.

The 2012 Summit in Lucerne, Switzerland opened up with a cruise on Lake Lucerne on a paddle steamer on the way to the opening dinner at the Museum of Transport.

The 2013 Summit in Swakopmund, Namibia was my favorite Summit of all. It began with an incredible PSA safari in Etosha NP, followed by an overnight DOA that involved driving a 4 WD through the desert from Windhoek to Swakopmund. The highlight of the Summit itself was the keynote address by one of my travel writing inspirations, Pico Iyer, followed by an impromptu conversation with him the next day. My visit to Namibia ended with a mind-blowing 6-day fly-in safari in some of the most remote regions of the country. There wasn’t much in the way of highlights at the 2014 Summit in Killarney, Ireland, since I got sick about half-way through and spent most of the Summit in bed within lunging distance of the bathroom.

Telephone: 202-559-4300

Email: info@ctwrightlaw.com www.ctwrightlaw.com

The 2015 Summit in Puerto Varas, Chile was one of my most memorable Summits. The PSA was a small boat cruise through the Strait of Magellan from Ushuaia, Argentina to Punta Arenas, Chile. On my DOA I teamed with Norie Quintos in a double kayak on what began as a peaceful paddle down the northernmost fjord in Patagonia and ended with a harrowing 30 minutes of whipping wind and churning surf. To add a poignant, unnerving note to this experience, the keynote speaker, Doug Tompkins, founder of the clothing companies Esprit and North Face, died two weeks later during a

similar, if more intense, kayaking trip about 350 miles to the south.

At the 2016 Summit in Anchorage, Alaska, I presented with friends and colleagues Kurt Kutay, Jake Haupert, and Michael Bennett at two standing-room-only sessions on “The Transformational Power of Adventure Travel.”

At the 2017 Summit in Salta, Argentina, I presented “Geezers on the Move: What Boomers and the Silent Generation Want in Retirement” in two packed sessions with about 250 attendees at each session, possibly the largest audiences ever in my almost 60 years professional life.

In Montecatini Terme, Italy in 2018, I hiked with Richard Weiss, Edie Heilman, Norie Quintos, Barbara

Banks and others in a PSA on the Via Francigena pilgrimage trail in Tuscany. The hiking was great, but the food and wine were the real highlights. After all, it was Italy.

The highlight of the 2019 Summit in Gothenburg, Sweden was a drive through western and southern Sweden on a custom PSA to commemorate the 50th anniversary of my introduction to adventure travel, which began with my road trip through Sweden in the summer of 1969.

Because of Covid, the 2020 Summit was cancelled and the 2021 Summit was virtual. Despite the technical challenges, the virtual Summit was surprisingly productive Summit for me, albeit not as much fun as schmoozing in

Adventure travelers have a home in ATTA.

person with my ATTA friends.

The Grand Train Tour of Switzerland, my post summit adventure, was the highlight of the 2022 Summit in Lugano, Switzerland.

My last Summit, in 2023 in Sapporo, Japan, topped off my

short but rewarding career as an adventure travel writer. Shannon invited me to a small, exclusive dinner with Pico Iyer, the keynote speaker and my personal inspiration. My wife and I arrived early at dinner; so did Pico. He sat next to us during

dinner and was a personable, witty, and gracious dinner companion.

A LIFE TRANSFORMED

The dinner in Sapporo with Pico, one of the most memorable experiences of my brief travel writing career, says a lot about my relationship with Shannon and my relationship with ATTA, in general. He knew how much I would treasure that opportunity and made it happen.

Throughout the three years or so of our collaboration, one of the most fulfilling of my life, Shannon has been thoughtful, considerate, and accepting of a guy who, at least on the surface, couldn’t have been more different. He embraced me as a good friend and colleague, much like the rest of the ATTA community.

The past 20 years of new adventures, new friends and colleagues, new projects, new destinations to learn about and experience, and new reasons for getting out of bed in the morning transformed my life. From this emerged a new career that combined my two childhood fantasies of being a fulltime writer and traveling the far corners of the world.

But more than that. Hanging out with lively, energetic, adventurous, value-driven, inspired and inspiring people many years my junior made me livelier, more energetic, adventurous, value-driven, and inspired. Most important, they made me feel younger, act younger and, perhaps, just plain younger.

At age 83, I can now look back and thank Shannon and all of my friends at ATTA and the members I have met over those years for a magical 20 years of adventure, friendship, and a life fully lived.

JOURNEY THE

“ Some journeys take us far from home. Some adventures lead us to our destiny.”

— C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia

BY SHANNON STOWELL

Twenty-three years ago, I became captivated by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA). Even as a member, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the organization was operating far below its potential.

I began to imagine what it could become — though my early vision was humble: a tight-knit team of three or four, focused on supporting adventure tour operators with tangible benefits like product discounts and the occasional gathering. Still, the seed was planted — and it would grow.

I quit my job at the start-up I’d co-founded and jumped in with both feet. I knew that the ATTA would not have the income available to pay a salary for more than a year, so I tightened the belt. I sold my most precious possession - a first edition of Moby Dick - moved my family into my parents’ home while renting ours out, held a massive

yard sale of leftover outdoor gear from my former company and subsisted on rice and beans. We put our house up as collateral to launch the inaugural Summit as it was the only asset we owned.

No bank would loan to us so I borrowed money from a friend at Microsoft to make payroll for the first couple years. We did whatever it took to get the organization off the ground.

In the early days, I didn’t have the foresight to imagine the industry would become a major global movement.

A movement that would soon see ATTA hosting events all over the world serving many different cultures and regions with an equally diverse team of passionate people.

I couldn’t imagine that we would collaborate with thousands of companies and destinations and tens of thousands of people as passionate about the industry and the planet as we were.

From humble beginnings, the ATTA has become an important member of the tourism community.

Photo courtesy of the Adventure Travel Trade Association ATWS Hokkaido Japan 2023

VOCALIZING VALUES

One thing we got right was that as Chris Doyle and I imagined what ATTA could be, with 20 years of experience under our belts, we were experienced enough to know what we hoped to achieve yet naive enough to take the leap on a wildly risky entrepreneurial venture.

In 2009, when Gustavo Timo, as the head of Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Ecoturismo e Turismo de Aventura (ABETA) in Brasil, pushed me to have the ATTA be more vocal about our values around the natural world and communities, I had reservations due to our financial position and the banking crisis of 2008. He didn’t relent, saying that we needed to do both.

And he was right. As we became louder, vocalizing our values, it had a magnetic effect of attracting the right people to

build the team, ATTA members, advisors and partners.

As the years went on, the importance of adventure travel at the intersection of commerce, culture, and conservation became clear. The Presidents of Namibia, Chile and Mexico provided opening remarks at our events. Prime ministers, princes, chiefs, governors, and other leaders also attended and endorsed this movement. We authored the 2014 State of Adventure Travel report for the UNWTO (now UN Tourism). We spoke on prominent stages like the World Economic Forum, ITB Berlin, World Travel Market, and hundreds more to advocate for a form of tourism that could be as for destinations. And it is the adventure travel community - you - who powers us. The friendships forged through the ATTA network are numerous and enduring, with some having even led to marriages, including

my own to the amazing Gabi Stowell! This network supports each other through thick and thin. Through political, natural, and other disasters, through financially hard times and mindbending existential crises like the pandemic.

I count many ATTA people as my best friends in the world, and know I have a place to lay my head nearly everywhere I go - and of course, you do too. Remarkably, despite these relationships becoming as strong as Damascus steel, our community continues to embrace newcomers wholeheartedly. It is common (after 20+ years of getting feedback) to hear new people say “I was intimidated when I walked in my first event because everyone seems to know each other, but you know what? I was immediately welcomed in with open arms and now I’m one of you!”

It is not lost on me that some consider Moby Dick a powerful symbol for humanity’s quest for meaning in a difficult and chaotic world.

The ATTA community brings this meaning to the travel industry and the communities in which we work! A spirit of generosity. A common mission to make the world a better place through travel. A set of shared values. A fierceness borne of passion and entrepreneurial grit. A safe place. A world of wonder, learning and knowledge shared freely.

All these combine to create a group of people and organizations in nearly 100 countries who will never rest until travel is done right by people and places.

Your support of ATTA through paying memberships and attending, speaking at, and sponsoring our events means you, too, have been part of this movement that HAS changed the travel industry for the better. You are the fuel in our engine, the north star for not only ATTA but the travel industry at large. Nearly 75 of you have been members for 15 years or more!

It is a remarkable magic, no?

A business community where people from wildly different religious, cultural, political, racial and language backgrounds have come together to pursue a common passion and work to change the course of history.

You are amazing, you are powerful and you are on the right side of history. Let’s keep this going together, far into the future!

“When Shannon and I re-started the ATTA, it had no pulse and truly no way we would’ve been able to accomplish what we did without legends in the industry who challenged us while at the same time supporting us and those include (but are not limited to) Leo Lebon, Jim Sano, Michael Kaye- despite how he could poke the industry, he also was an incredible pioneer and in the end, right on many fronts. Others included Nicky Fitzgerald, Peter Grubb, Helen Nodland, Moe Carrick, George Wendt, Judie Wineland… there were hundreds of others too, but among these amazing people, we learned so much and gained incredible understanding of the extraordinary challenges the industry faces and the unending opportunities. Interestingly, we had adversaries who wanted to see us fail… We challenged them, fought them, embraced them and succeeded despite the pressure. I feel super proud that we can see this legacy move into the next 20 years!”

— Chris Doyle- Founding Team Member

Our mission is to empower the global travel community to protect natural and cultural capital while creating economic value that benefits both trade members and destinations.

The Adventure Travel Trade Association has been improving travel, and the world, for 20 years.

ATTA ADVENTURE CHAMPIONS

ATTA Adventure Champions are the vanguards of the adventure travel industry, having been members of ATTA and leaders in the community for a minimum of 15 years. They are true believers in the power of adventure travel and have made an impact on the direction of ATTA and on the industry as a whole. We honor their

commitment to their ethos and lasting contribution to the adventure travel industry. The world of travel is a better place because of the commitment of these organizations to doing adventure travel right. It is not an understatement to say that the world of adventure travel would not be what it is without you. We salute you!

ACE THE HIMALAYA acethehimalaya.com

ADVENTURE LIFE www.adventure-life.com

ADVENTURE SOUTH NZ adventuresouth.co.nz

ALPENWILD www.alpenwild.com

BACKROADS www.backroads.com

BIKEHIKE ADVENTURES www.bikehike.com

BOUNDLESS JOURNEYS www.boundlessjourneys.com

BUSH AND BEYOND bush-and-beyond.com

CASCADA EXPEDICIONES / ECOCAMP PATAGONIA www.cascada.travel

CICLISMO CLASSICO www.ciclismoclassico.com

CLASSIC ESCAPES INC. www.classicescapes.com

CLASSIC JOURNEYS www.classicjourneys.com

COUNTRY WALKERS www.countrywalkers.com

EAGLE CREEK www.eaglecreek.com

EASIA ACTIVE www.easia-active.com

ENCOUNTERS ASIA / JUNGLE LODGES encountersasia.com

EXPERIENCEPLUS! BICYCLE TOURS experienceplus.com

EXPLORA www.explora.com

EXPLORANDES www.explorandes.com

FRONTIERS NORTH ADVENTURES frontiersnorth.com

G ADVENTURES gadventures.com

GATEWAY TO EGYPT gatewaytoegypt.com

GEOGRAPHIC EXPEDITIONS (GEOEX) geoex.com

GLOBAL RESCUE info.globalrescue.com/ atta-adventure

GONDWANA BRASIL www.gondwanabrasil.com

HIKE’N SAIL TURKIYE hikeandsail.com

ICELANDIC MOUNTAIN GUIDES BY ICELANDIA www.mountainguides.is

INNOVATION NORWAY visitnorway.com

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TOURISM STUDIES - GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY business.gwu.edu/research/IITS

INTREPID TRAVEL intrepidtravel.com

JORDAN TOURISM BOARD NORTH AMERICA international.visitjordan.com

JUDY KARWACKI - JUBILEE TRAVEL & SMALL PLANET CONSULTING jubileeonline.ca

LATIN TRAILS www.latintrails.com

LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS www.expeditions.com

MADURO DIVE madurodive.com

MIR CORPORATION www.mircorp.com

MOUNTAIN LODGES OF PERU www.mountainlodgesofperu.com

MOUNTAIN TRAVEL SOBEK www.mtsobek.com

NATURAL HABITAT ADVENTURES nathab.com

NEOTROPIC EXPEDITIONS www.neotropicexpeditions.com

NORTHERN OUTDOORS northernoutdoors.com

OARS oars.com

OFF THE BEATEN PATH www.offthebeatenpath.com

PAPA-LÉGUAS / 09¬∫WEST www.papa-leguas.com

PATAGONIA TRAVEL ADVENTURES www.patagoniaadventures.com

PROMPERU peru.travel

PURE ADVENTURES www.pure-adventures.com

ROW / ADVENTURE UNBOUND www.rowadventures.com

SAY HUEQUE | ARGENTINA JOURNEYS sayhueque.com

S-CAPE PARTNERS s-capepartners.eu

SOCOMPA ADVENTURE TRAVEL www.socompa.com

SUMMER FEET CYCLING www.summerfeet.net

SWITZERLAND TOURISM www.myswitzerland.com

TIERRA DEL VOLCAN tierradelvolcan.com

TOFINO EXPEDITIONS, LTD. tofino.com

TOURISME SAGUENAY-LACSAINT-JEAN saguenaylacsaintjean.ca/en

TURNER www.turnerpr.com

TUSKER TRAIL www.tusker.com/

VAYA ADVENTURES www.vayaadventures.com

VBT BICYCLING & WALKING VACATIONS vbt.com

VISIT FLORIDA KEYS www.fla-keys.com

VISIT GREENLAND www.visitgreenland.com

VISITSCOTLAND visitscotland.com

VOLCANOES SAFARIS www.volcanoessafaris.com

WILD PLANET ADVENTURES www.wildplanetadventures.com

WILDERNESS GROUP - UK & IRELAND wildernessgroup.co.uk

WILDERNESS TRAVEL www.wildernesstravel.com

WORLD EXPEDITIONS worldexpeditions.com

WORLD NOMADS/NIB TRAVEL www.worldnomads.com

ZARA TOURS www.zaratours.com

Photo courtesy of Court Whelan/Natural Habitat Adventures

The Namibian sky is peaceful at night.

A WONDER WORLD REVEALED

One Traveler Discovers How Adventure Reshapes Not Only Landscapes, But Lives— And Why the

Journey Matters

BY PICO IYER

Suddenly I was in the cockpit of a tiny plane, watching altitude meters spin up and down as we flew low over rolling sand dunes. Our pilot brought us sweetly onto a private landing strip in the desert—five elephants were drinking in a waterhole nearby— and we got into a car to head to the Desert Rhino Camp in Namibia, where 10 friendly faces had gathered at the entrance, waiting to welcome us with a song. Next morning I ventured out just as the sun began to show, and a guide called Johan—he’d been a banker not so many years before--was pointing out rhino tracks in the red-dust emptiness and warning me away from a rock where, he

said, a horned adder might very well be lurking.

It was like nothing I’d experienced in my 55 years on the planet; every day unfolded like a festival of surprises. One evening we ate around a campfire—a gourmet feast on white-cloth tables--and then Johan marked out with a laser-torch the patterns in the heavens. One afternoon I watched a pangolin turn into a small ball to keep away from predators and drove out to the vast Africat Foundation to see a cheetah stare back at us, unperturbed, while a cub nursed beside her. By the time I boarded my flight heading home, I realized I’d spent more than two hundred hours crisscrossing the land without ever meeting an elevator, a traffic jam or an escalator.

I will never forget that first safari of my life and only my second trip to sub-Saharan Africa, all made possible by the Adventure Travel World Summit in 2012. When I was invited to deliver a talk, among the fairy-tale cottages of Swakopmund, I heard myself say that adventure has less to do with how far you go, or where, but why; it’s about a state of mind as much as any state with a table at the United Nations. I’ve never been a fearless explorer of the outdoors, like so many of the friends new and old I met at the gathering, yet now I was hearing about the paths laid down by mountain zebra and spotting lion tracks a few yards away from my verandah.

Photos courtesy of the Adventure Travel Trade Association

Better yet, I was learning, at every turn, about the conservation practices on which our entire world depends, more urgently than ever. I heard how poachers were being paid now to become caretakers of the land they know so well, and villagers encouraged to see the elephants who share their waterholes not as rivals, but as a precious resource to be protected. I heard how black desert rhinos, once almost extinct, are reappearing in numbers, and how Himba villagers burn elephant dung and use it to cure nosebleeds and headaches.

By my side were the kind of mountain-climbers, wilderness activists and scientists I never get to meet in my regular life in suburban Japan. For day after long day we traveled across this treasure-house of wonders

together, and I knew to pull out my notebook the minute a photographer from L.A. looked out across the vast emptiness and said, “The only word for this is `prelapsarian.’ “

A GENERATION THAT CHOOSES TO TRAVEL

I’ve been lucky, over the past 51 years, to travel fairly constantly, from Easter Island to North Korea and Bhutan to Yemen. Growing up, I realized that I was part of the first generation in human history to have the chance, if I could gather the time and resources, to be in Antarctica, or the highlands of Ethiopia, next week. It seemed a crime to miss out on the chance of encountering such a wonderworld first-hand.

Yet the Adventure Travel Association keeps opening doors for me, in part because, through

extraordinary planning and with grace and efficiency, its leaders ensure that those who attend their Summits get to spend days experiencing and learning about the lands they’re visiting. When Shannon Stowell, the CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, who had become a cherished friend in Namibia, invited me to come to another Summit, in Hokkaido, in 2020, I registered that he was offering me a chance to see an expansive realm of natural beauty that I had never visited in more than thirty years of living in Japan.

Instantly I said yes, only to see the pandemic delay our plans and delay them some more. Yet the nature of an adventurer is not to be defeated by adversity but in fact fired up by it, and to see that it’s the challenges that make the rewards of any expedition greater. If all of us could stroll up

Everest or sail across the Pacific, the excitement of doing so would never be the same. Before I knew it, therefore, I was walking up hills in the heart of Japan’s northernmost island, and eating a traditional lunch in an Ainu house, while an Ainu mother and son explained their customs and how they’d found a way to live with bears and trees. I was riding in a cable-car up to the top of the ski-jumping site from the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, and the spirited and elegant woman by my side, another new friend, turned out to be the Ambassador from Jordan.

I saw that the community brought together by the ATTA is not just a tribe, but a congregation of souls never daunted by the unknown and sharing secret loves and survival tips with the camaraderie of team-members scaling a high peak together. I love the fact that the ATTA Summit has brought me to amazements across the world and in my adopted home and that I have no idea where I will encounter this moveable feast next. All I know is that no one and nowhere is excluded, in a celebration of our glorious planet that I hope will be transporting us 20 years from now and quickening those we’ve never met well into the century to come.

Pico Iyer is the author of 17 books, translated into 23 languages, including Video Night in Kathmandu, A Beginner’s Guide to Japan and Aflame.

Himba villagers burn elephant dung and use it to cure headaches.

The author savoring some quiet time in Namibia.

BETTER TOGETHER

Beautiful Things Happen When People

Come Together in Community

BY NORIE QUINTOS

For the last 13 years, at every World Summit since 2011, a core group of 16 has met at a Mexican restaurant—in Anchorage, Alaska, in Gothenburg, Sweden, even in Swakopmund, Namibia.

The once strangers from 10 countries from Argentina to Nigeria met on a pre-conference trip before the Summit in Chiapas, Mexico.

“It started out bad and went downhill from there,” recounts Maria Elena Price of Experience Plus, a cycling tour operator based in Colorado and Italy. “Many in the

group plan trips for a living and this was a lesson in everything you are not supposed to do.”

At one point, two people were left behind at a panorama point because the guide forgot to do a head count. But the misadventure bonded them like no other. They created a Facebook group called the Adventure Tequila Group.

“We’re friends for a lifetime,” says Alper Ertubey of Hike ‘n Sail Turkiye. “In good times and bad.”

When a disastrous earthquake hit Turkiye in 2023, he and others rallied the ATTA community to raise funds for tents and sleeping bags. “It was a very bad time,”

remembers Ertubey, and the Tequila Group provided vital moral support.

“I feel like the secret to our community is that the overwhelming majority of people in it are there because of passion,” says Shannon Stowell, ATTA’s CEO.

“I mean, who starts an adventure travel business because they think they’re going to get rich? No, they love rafting. They love birds. They love to learn about Indigenous culture. We all do it because we’re passionate about something. And when you’ve got an industry that’s platformed on passion, it is different. It does break the rules.”

Forging friendships on a hike up a sand dune in Namibia in 2013.

All photos courtesy of Norie Quintos

PASSION FOR THE PLANET

Many have leveraged the community to build their businesses. Jeff Bonaldi was a New York banker who went on his first hike in 2012. He instantly fell in love with nature and adventure and built The Explorer’s Passage over nights and weekends until he quit banking in early 2018 to run the company full time.

“This community is filled with people who care about their clients and the planet,” says Bonaldi. He built his entire business through ATTA contacts, content, and tools.

This intangible and generous spirit has also enabled the adventure travel community— which represents a small segment of the travel industry— to accomplish outsize goals, influence the broader industry, and lead on environmental issues and conservation.

“This community exemplifies the ‘united we stand, divided we’re weak’ adage,” notes Stowell. “Our industry is made up of so many amazing passion-driven but small businesses. On their own, they’re drops in the ocean. But as a collection of thousands of small and medium-sized businesses, we punch way above our weight.”

The nonprofit Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF) is just one achievement, born out of a collective desire of individual members to give back and to conserve the places they bring travelers to visit. ATTA initiatives such as advocacy for women’s leadership, and Tomorrow’s Air, offering carbon solutions, have also arisen and expanded with member input and support.

One of the most ambitious and fondly remembered summits occurred in 2013. The first in Africa, Namibia showcased the power of community-based conservation tourism. “There were a lot of fourth and fifth timers attending, plus people who had been coming since the earliest days of Seattle and Whistler,” says Natasha Martin, then a liaison between ATTA and the Namibian government. “We were able to design an event that we knew the community would love, and which would at the same time deliver benefits to the destination and to the Namibian tour operators.”

Twelve years later, many conservation initiatives and business partnerships are still in place, and North American arrivals remain a significant part of the high-value tourism in Namibia.

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS

There are thousands of smaller and more personal impacts of the last 20 years—lives enriched by personal connections with others who share a love of places, nature, and culture, and a commitment to protecting

Adventure Tequila Group members meet up in Panama in 2024.

world now, people I can stay with.”

the planet. There have been no fewer than 10 marriages within the ATTA community. Nicola Wilson and Roy Ortiz first met at Adventure Week Tierra del Fuego in 2017. Wilson is co-founder of Vancouver-based Finisterra Travel, and Ortiz co-owner of TouristEd Chile. They kept running into each other at various ATTA events and eventually began a long-distance relationship. In September 2024, they celebrated a small family wedding in British Columbia.

“It’s not surprising I found my husband within this very warm and accepting community where everyone is really easygoing, kind, and trustworthy,” says Wilson.

Mar Naibi and Loren Siekman, who met at the 2014 Summit in Killarney, Ireland, also started out as friends. Naibi was working for the Snowmass, Colorado, tourism office, and Siekman had founded the tour company Pure Adventures, based in Scottsdale, Arizona. When Naibi was diagnosed with a brain tumor, Siekman visited her, first at her parents’ house—they happened to live near him—then at her place in Aspen. “He was always so reliable; I knew could rely on him in all things.”

The couple got married in 2021 and took a delayed honeymoon to Portugal in 2024. They now run the travel company together.

Of course, the most famous married couple to come out of the ATTA community is Shannon Stowell and Gabi Stowell, ATTA’s vice president for regional development, who met in 2011 at an event in Florianopolis, Brazil. “I was surrounded by ATTA friends and colleagues when I met Gabi,” says Stowell.

“And many of them were there when we got married in Monroe, Washington, in 2015.”

COMMUNITY SPIRIT

Even death cannot break the circle of community. When Charlie Altekruse decided to attend the 2022 Summit in Switzerland two years following the passing of his wife—longtime ATTA member Barbara Banks (of California-based Wilderness Travel)—he didn’t expect the wholehearted welcome he received.

“I didn’t know anyone because I had never attended these events with Barbara, but so many

people embraced me, literally and figuratively,” says the public affairs consultant for Native American tribes. “Here is a group of people who want to share the world and to facilitate those connections for people. It was one of the most profound experiences I’ve ever had.”

For Roberto Gallo, the 29-yearold son of the late Rafa Gallo of Costa Rica-based rafting company Rios Tropicales, it was much the same. “I came to my first Summit in 2024 in Panama,” says Gallo.

“There were so many people who knew my father, and then they shared so many great stories that I hadn’t heard yet. But what made it even better was that they didn’t just take me as Rafa’s son. They said, ‘okay, now you are part of the ATTA community as well.’”

Gallo took the company, which had closed, and re-imagined and re-opened it as Rios Lodge, with a new focus on the accommodations. He’s working on the many leads and connections made from attending three ATTA events.

“Beyond business, I can say I have so many friends across the

In the early years of ATTA, its members often referred to themselves as “a tribe.” Though the term is now understood to be culturally insensitive and its use discouraged, it is indicative that members think of themselves in such close, almost familial, terms. If it is a family, it’s one that has always welcomed newcomers. For the Adventure Tequila Group, for example, friends of the core members were always welcome to the annual dinners.

“Once you attend one Mexican dinner, that’s it, you’re in the group,” says Maria Elena Price. “And I think that’s somewhat of a proxy for how the ATTA is. Anybody who wants to join can, though you’re going to have to listen to us reminisce on some of the craziness we went through. But that craziness is in itself a metaphor for all the crazy things that we in the travel industry have to deal with.”

Norie Quintos is a contributing writer to National Geographic and a travel communications consultant. She has been active in the ATTA community since she attended her first Summit in Aviemore, Scotland, in 2010. She is on the board of the Adventure Travel Conservation Fund and a member of the Adventure Tequila Group.

Do you have a story about the power of ATTA’s community? Share it with us for a follow-up story at adventuretravel.biz

MAKING A DIFFERENCE Adventure Travel Companies Are

In

the World of Adventure Travel, Sustainability Is a Shared Journey — Uniting Travelers, Operators and Destinations to Protect the Planet

BY JILL K. ROBINSON

Adventure travel brings travelers, outfitters and destinations together in celebrating and appreciating the world’s resources. For a community focused on responsible travel that elevates biodiversity, cultural heritage, natural assets and wildlife, sustainability isn’t a competition — but a goal sustaining us all. The simplest goals prioritize measuring where you are, making efforts to improve, and asking for help when needed. At the end of the day, there aren’t going to be places to travel to if we aren’t all responsible about what we do. The Adventure Travel Trade Association is proud to

work within a community where a philosophy of sustainability is core to the business of our members.

FACING GLOBAL CHALLENGES TOGETHER

While ATTA has been working for decades toward building a sustainable future for the travel industry, in recent years the organization has taken a more integrated approach to sustainability. “Sustainability means different things in different parts of the globe,” said Gustavo Timo, ATTA’s vice president of sustainability and impact.

“We’re dedicated to leading our community and helping enable change and create impact locally. Our member organizations are

Adventure travel brings travel and destinations together.

All photos by Court Whelan/Natural Habitat Adventures

a blend of those who are global references in sustainability and those who are working to determine their own best path.”

ATTA’s Sustainability and Policy Objectives and Goals give room for making meaningful positive change through three main initiatives: measure and reduce, lead and partner, inspire and enable. By supporting partners and destinations where they are, as well as encouraging a formal commitment to sustainability by 100% of membership by 2026, the objectives allow for this vibrant community to grow together toward a responsible and profitable future.

LOOKING AFTER ONE ANOTHER

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Angama Mara, a high-touch safari lodge on the

edge of the Oloololo Escarpment overlooking the Maasai Mara. The setting gives visitors the feeling of being suspended between heaven and earth, and everywhere in the lodge is the best seat in the house.

Following its success, Angama Amboselli opened in 2023 in the heart of Kenya’s Kimana Sanctuary, where some of Africa’s last Super Tuckers roam.

“First and foremost, we’re a hospitality business,” says Nicky Fitzgerald, co-founder and former CEO of Angama.

“Our guests and our staff are everything. By prioritizing them, we make money, and can give back over and over again. It’s our responsibility.” The Angama Foundation is one method of giving back. Funded by microdonations through the lodges’ Safari Shop and a $20 per-night donation per guest, it supports

toward zero food waste.

“A few years ago, we announced our Sea Zero initiative: to develop a ship by 2030 that can operate with zero emissions in normal operations on the Norwegian coast,” said Carly Biggart, Hurtigruten’s general manager in the Americas. “And while that’s an ambitious goal, it’s important to understand that we can’t do it alone. We have several partners, from communities to governments and research institutes.” Hurtigruten didn’t enter the conversation with a list that began with a number of cabins and comforts, but with a focus on the most energy efficient way for the ship to run — including battery production, propulsion technology, hull design, and lower energy use.

neighboring communities and the wildlife and land surrounding them. Staff members work with neighboring communities, conservancies, and NGOs to determine the importance of projects in three fields of work: conservation, education and healthcare.

CARETAKERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Since 1893, Hurtigruten has connected the coastal communities of Norway from small villages to the country’s second- and third-largest cities. The company aims to shape the future of travel, as well as maintain the sustainability of the Norwegian coast for generations to come. Sustainability projects aim to reduce emissions, improve energy efficiency, support local farmers and fishers, and work

MAXIMIZE THE POSITIVE

Natural Habitat Adventures transforms lives through exploration. Since 1985, the company’s conservation trips have brought travelers into nature to understand what’s at stake to protect our planet, landscapes, people, and wildlife while also mitigating the impact we create through travel. It’s the world’s first 100% carbon neutral travel company, continuing to increase its commitment to carbon pollution and waste reduction and support growing sustainability strategies.

“We’re equally focused on minimizing negative and maximizing positive impacts of travel,” said Court Whelan, chief sustainability officer for Nat Hab. “Among the great powers of conservation travel is being able to

add value for local people, natural areas, and wildlife. I think that tourism’s role is vital in inspiring visitors to understand places more deeply and come away as new advocates for conservation.”

Nat Hab is committed to making the travel industry more sustainable. Its partnership with the World Wildlife Fund helps sustain grassroots efforts in places guests visit, and support anti-poaching units, food security resources, drought relief, wildlife support, individual species research, and children’s education.

Adventure travelers can get up close to incredible wildlife.

Natural Habitat Adventures transforms lives through exploration.

CATALYST

CATALYST for Sustainability

How Adventure Tourism is Driving Community Empowerment and Conservation

BY JENN SMITH NELSON

ECO -TOURISM. REGENERATIVE TRAVEL. CONSERVATION. SUSTAINABILITY.

These idealistic buzzwords fill the travel industry, however real impact goes beyond lingo and good intentions. Tourism can drive significant change, and a simple and powerful way is through community empowerment. When thoughtfully designed and delivered, community-led tourism can provide tremendous benefits to locals, travelers and the environment.

Enter the transformational role of adventure tourism.

Adventure travel is defined by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) as “a trip that includes at least two of the following characteristics: physical activity, interaction with nature, and cultural learning or exchange.”

Think trekking through remote landscapes, wildlife viewing, foraging with locals or

learning a traditional craft like weaving. At its heart, adventure travel blends immersion in nature with cultural knowledge sharing, making the inclusion of communities an obvious partnership.

Adventure travel often offers deeply meaningful and transformative experiences for travellers. However, additional transformation is achievable when operators leverage locals to co-create and deliver experiences. In addition to building inclusive economies, it turns tourism into a co-operative rather than extractive industry, supporting empowerment, conservation and preservation of traditional knowledge.

Encouragingly, several companies are leading the way, and the timing couldn’t be better.

With the adventure tourism sector projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.8% from 2025 to 2030, its potential to drive impactful change for

communities and conservation has never been grander.

Among them, Encounters Asia and Volcanoes Safaris stand out as models demonstrating how adventure travel and community engagement can be used to amplify conservation and cultural efforts, to create positive and lasting benefits.

Operating in and around India’s national parks and wildlife reserves, regions known for tiger tourism, Encounters Asia exemplifies community-first adventure tourism. Founded by thirdgeneration conservationist Amit Sankhala, the company is deeply committed to low-impact travel that supports wildlife conservation and community development.

“It is only when the communities living around the national parks understand the importance of saving India’s natural heritage that they will act as guardians of the very wildlife our guests have

Encounters Asia exemplifies communityfirst adventure tourism.

Photo courtesy of Amit Sankhala

come to see. For us, working with local communities is the first step,” says Sankhala.

Creating awareness, cultivating pride and empowering communities as tourism solutions designed to benefit all, Encounters Asia hires and trains locals as naturalists, guides and lodge staff. As a result, the company has created sustainable job opportunities, fostering economic independence for many locals. They also collaborate with local artisans on tourism initiatives to preserve traditional knowledge and crafts.

Enabling programs in antipoaching, environmental education and habitat restoration, these key partnerships engage communities as stakeholders

in conservation initiatives, are essential to ensuring the longterm sustainable protection of wildlife in India.

CREATING LONG-TERM CONSERVATION PROJECTS

Over the past two decades, Volcanoes Safaris, led by Praveen Moman, a pioneer in gorilla and chimpanzee eco-tourism in East Africa, has remained steadfast in the belief that conservation cannot succeed without the involvement of community.

“Over the last 28 years, I’ve observed the challenges of safeguarding habitats for wildlife, funding preservation of wilderness areas and conservation, and ensuring

communities have a livelihood,” said Moman.

Connecting local communities with tourism revenues through the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust (VSTP), the company has launched several projects ensuring conservation efforts benefit those living close to protected areas.

VSPT aims to create long-term, self-sustaining projects that enrich livelihoods, conserve great apes, restore natural habitats and work with communities to reduce human-wildlife conflict. In turn, guests at Volcanoes Lodges can participate and share in these experiences alongside the local communities.

According to Moman, a community fee collected

from lodge guests along with contributions from Volcanoes Safaris, means both guests and donors directly fund vital community and key conservation projects run by VSPT.

“Projects such as the Gahinga Batwa Village and Bwindi Bar hospitality training for young people in the Kyambura Buffer zone, support local people directly benefiting from conservation tourism,” says Moman. Such initiatives not only help enrich communities through education, but also restore dignity, cultural identity and foster environmental responsibility.

HELPING GRASSROOTS COMMUNITIES

Furthermore, through community-driven tourism championed by operators like Sankhala and Moman, travelers are provided opportunities to engage with and directly support the people and places they visit.

“Travelers today are not just seeking experiences—they’re seeking meaning. And together, we are proving that travel, when done responsibly, can be a powerful tool for conservation, community resilience and global solidarity,” says Soraya Shattuck, Executive Director, Adventure Travel Conservation Fund (ATCF).

Since its founding, the ATCF has awarded over $600,000 to 39 grassroots communities across more than 26 countries, supporting biodiversity protection, empowerment of Indigenous communities and restoration of fragile ecosystems.

The responsibility and future of adventure tourism doesn’t just fall on the shoulders of operators. It also lies in the hands of mindful travelers to seek out such experiences, choosing ethical operators who employ and empower locals, and are invested in conservation and cultural preservation. By prioritizing low-impact and sustainable tourism practices, travelers become partners in this positive travel evolution.

“Adventure travelers today are some of the most aware communities. They make conscious choices about how and where they travel,

and help spread the word of conservation,” adds Sankhala. When built on the pillars of sustainability, conservation and community, adventure tourism becomes far more than an industry; it’s a catalyst for real and tangible change. Whether trekking in search of great apes in East Africa or tracking tigers in India, these experiences showcase travel’s power to uplift communities, preserve culture and guard ecosystems. Adventure tourism is reshaping how we travel and experience the world, while protecting its most valued assets: people, places and the planet.

Founded by Amit Sankhala, Encounters Asia is committed to low-impact travel that supports wildlife conservation and community development.

Photo courtesy of Amit Sankhala

Local people are directly benefiting from conservation tourism.

Photo courtesy of Amit Sankhala

impact on the tourism industry has been substantial.

How ATTA is Redefining

ETHICAL ADVENTURE

ATTA Aims to Both Facilitate Travel and Do Something Good in the World

BY ARNIE WEISSMANN

Upton Sinclair famously said, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

That has some application to the travel industry in 2025. As we

Atta Aims to Both Facilitate Travel and Do Something Good in the World

see the impacts of human activity accumulate to the detriment of the planet, it occurs to any sentient person who makes a living sending or escorting people around the world: Is it possible to truly be a conservationist and work in the travel industry? and pollute natural spaces. Are we, like Sinclair’s uncomprehending counterparts,

ATTA’s

Photo courtesy of Amit Sankhala

blinded? If not by salaries, by some other form of satisfaction that keeps us involved in travel despite our knowledge that it can problematic?

Perhaps some in the travel industry are fooling themselves, but I don’t think members of the Adventure Travel Trade Association are among them.

TRAVEL AND BIG OIL IN THE SAME CATEGORY?

The travel industry found itself in its current uncomfortable position in a relatively short period of time. When ATTA was

formed 20 years ago, who among the founders would believe that one day people might view travel in the same category of scoundrels as Big Tobacco and Big Oil?

It’s not simply rationalization to point out that there are significant differences between travel and those corporate villains, of course. Unlike tobacco and carbon-based fuels, travel satisfies a host of basic human needs that result in positive outcomes: cultural exchanges, reconnecting with nature, renewal of spirit, inspiration.

And coming out of the pandemic, we saw what happens after these needs are inhibited for a period: the desire to travel explodes.

SUSTAINABILITY, AUTHENTICITY, RESPONSIBILITY

Fortunately, there are ways to travel that lean heavily into its positive attributes and mitigates, to the extent possible, the negative. And ATTA seems to attract people who focus earnestly on the watchwords that more traditional travel companies embrace with varying degrees of sincerity, marketing acumen or cynicism: Sustainability. Authenticity. Responsibility. ATTA in some ways acts as an offset to some of the less-enlightened parts of the travel industry by creating products that not only tread more lightly, but which seek out and support alternatives to those components of the travel industry that have the greatest negative impacts.

And importantly, it is, more than any other organization I’m aware of in the travel industry, a community. People join it not only because it aligns with their position as an adventure travel company, but because it aligns with their values, as well. My first close encounter with ATTA was at the 2013 Adventure World Travel Summit in Namibia. I was impressed that adventure itself was baked into the agenda, with a Day of Adventure (ominously abbreviated as DOA) in the midst of the conference.

I had been asked to facilitate a discussion that year on “How to grow a company without losing its core values” during the summit.

I began by asking group members (owners of small tour operations, for the most part) to, in a sentence, articulate the values they most wanted to preserve as they scaled up. It was an interesting exercise and after it was over, my conclusion was that a key difference between traditional travel companies and ATTA members is that the former have mission statements and the latter have missions. Many of their responses were emotionbased, not clinical.

During another session, I sat next to a woman who told me that after discovering ATTA, “for the first time, I felt proud of my trade.” She said that there was a word in Norwegian, a noun, for passionate people: ildsjel. “Literally, it means ‘fire soul,’ she said “Here, there are a lot of fire souls.”

A ‘SQUISHY’ WORD

I’ve subsequently attended Summits in Chile, Italy, Switzerland and Japan, and each reflected how both the organization and even the definition of “adventure” has changed.

The gathering in Italy, in 2018, was in the Tuscan spa city of Montecatini Terme. I was a bit surprised by the selection of a province better known for producing olive oil than adrenaline.

I sat down with ATTA CEO Shannon Stowell and asked him

about it; he acknowledged that adventure can be a “squishy” word; the preconference activities that year ranged from whitewater rafting to truffle hunting.

But even so, I found that, although the experiences of whitewater rafters and truffle hunters were vastly different, both the emotional charge and sense of satisfaction appeared to be at similar levels. That reinforced something else Shannon told me: Although the definition of adventure travel could be elastic, “it requires some sort of immersion. No drive-bys.”

Over the years, some of my thoughts about ATTA’s impact and its importance on the global tourism stage have taken shape outside of ATTA events. I learned only earlier this year about the role ATTA plays in facilitating development projects in poor countries. ATTA had planned to nurture tourism in the Balkans, the Middle East/North Africa region, Latin America and Central Asia, but all those projects were cancelled after President Trump’s DOGE eliminated USAID grants.

The benefits of these types of ATTA activities are bilateral; not only would they work to provide ethical adventure travel experiences but they would provide jobs in countries where they’re desperately needed.

It’s rare for a trade organization to see its mandate in such a 360-degree fashion. ATTA not only connects its community members, it supports initiatives to help that community stay true to its values and nurtures a greater sense of purpose than

might typically be found in a trade group.

ATTA is unique in the industry. I truly respect its expansive understanding of how it can support its members and the field of adventure travel, and how it helps an important segment of the industry hold its head up and say, yes, I can both facilitate travel and do something good in the world.

Fire souls, unite!

“When we travel, we empathize, not demonize. When we ‘adventure travel’ we enjoy a muchneeded antidote to the various toxics of modern existence.”

— Thornton May- Futurist and Founder of the Digital Value Institute

Our mission is to empower the global travel community to protect natural and cultural capital while creating economic value that benefits both trade members and destinations.

ADVENTURE TOUR OPERATORS

Adventure tour operators specialize in crafting unforgettable travel experiences that allow groups to explore the world in dynamic, meaningful ways. By handling logistics, guiding activities and offering insider knowledge, they make it easy for travelers to access remote or exotic destinations while staying safe and comfortable. These operators often design itineraries that go beyond sightseeing—encouraging full immersion through cultural exchanges, outdoor adventures and hands-on experiences in breathtaking natural settings. Whether it’s trekking through lush rainforests, kayaking along pristine coastlines, or connecting with local communities, adventure tour operators open the door to deeper, more impactful global exploration.

Here are 10 such tour operators who will help your group see the world.

With our two brands EUROBIKE and EUROHIKE we organize all-around self-guided cycling & walking holidays on the most beautiful routes throughout Europe with comprehensive travel documents & on tour app, reliable luggage transfer, personal on-site support and accommodations with feel-good factor.

office@eurofun-touristik.at +43 6219 60888 www.eurobike.at www.eurohike.at

Connecting cultures and nature through authentic Brazilian experiences. With 24 years of expertise, Gondwana Brasil fosters positive socio-environmental impact, valuing Brazil’s essence. Discover Brazil with us!

Let Amity Tours, a Chilean tour operator with over 20 years of experience, guide you through Chile’s wonders. We create hiking, biking, and ski tours that connect you with the heart of Chile’s nature and culture. Our friendly guides and drivers are passionate about ensuring your journey is truly unforgettable.

info@amity-tours.com 1(888) 213-1490 www.amity-tours.com

We are experts in active travel across Chilean Patagonia. We offer small-group programs in trekking, kayaking, e-biking, and more. Our guides are guardians of nature, and we care for every detail to create unforgettable experiences.

info@chilenativo.travel

US/Canada: +1 800 649 8776

Chile: +56 61 269 1391 www.chilenativo.travel

contato@gondwanabrasil.com.br

+55 (41) 99693-6795 www.gondwanabrasil.com.br

BirdsChile is an Adventure DMC and tour operator certified as B Corp. Since 2009 we craft exceptional adventures in Chile and the Route of the Parks of Patagonia under the pillars of giving back & rewilding.

hello@birdschile.com

+56 9 92692606

+56 9 92354818 www.birdschile.com

Tierra del Volcan, a company established in 1999 as an inbound tour operator for Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands and specialized in the Cotopaxi area, offers unique opportunities to explore and experience legendary moments.

info@tierradelvolcan.com

+593 99 498 0113

+593 99 498 0115 tierradelvolcan.com

Photo courtesy of Court Whelan/ Natural Habitat Adventures

AUSTRIA

ECUADOR

Trekking Hellas, the No1 outdoor company in Greece, has been crafting unique nature experiences since 1986— combining top standards, expert guidance, and local partnerships to connect people with the Greek countryside and support its sustainable future.

info@trekking.gr

+30.210.3310323 trekking.gr/en

Wilderness Group is the UK & Ireland’s leading premium adventure tour operator and specialist DMC, crafting small group and tailor made adventures across beautiful landscapes with expert guides, exceptional accommodation, and a firm commitment to sustainability, authenticity and high-quality travel.

trade@wildernessgroup.co.uk

+44 (0) 1479 420120 www.wildernessgroup.co.uk

UNITED KINGDOM

INDIA GREECE

Operating since 1995 in the Himalaya and beyond, we run treks, climbs, river trips, kayak school, camps, and even an activity lodge. Operating year round options for individuals, families, corporates choose to customise your adventure or join an existing one!

vaibhav@aquaterra.in +91-9811103831 www.aquaterra.in

Pure Adventures specializes in self-guided hiking and biking tours and privately guided multi-sport adventures. With over 30 years of experience, our motto, “Your Trip, Your Way,” ensures private departures and a personalized, authentic travel experience from start to finish.

info@pure-adventures.com 970-230-5896 1.800.960.2221 pure-adventures.com

UNITED STATES

“For over 20 years, ATTA has lit the way for responsible travel—where purpose meets partnership, and vision turns into action. As the former ATTA President and now an executive coach to travel business owners and leaders, I tell my clients: show up to an ATTA event, and you won’t just find your people—you’ll find the future of your business.”

— Casey Hanisko - Coach + Consultant, www.caseyhanisko.com

Joining the ATTA helps your business grow, introduces you to the best and brightest minds in the industry, and allows your business or organization to have a bigger impact by collaborating on a collective purpose. Learn more at membership.adventuretravel.biz

There’s no greater escape. Pass it on.

There’s no place on earth quite like The Florida Keys. With five distinct districts, each with its own character, The Keys is the perfect destination for every kind of client. Some come for world-class fishing and diving. Some for the food, music and art. And others, simply to fulfill a lifelong dream in a judgment-free zone where everyone is welcomed with open arms and open minds. With easy access by land, sea and air, The Keys is a destination that truly sells itself. fla-keys.com 1.800.fla.keys

BUCKET LIST MUSEUMS

Museums offer unforgettable experiences that bring history, culture and legends to life. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, discovery or adventure, these must-see museums deserve a top spot in your itinerary.

For more information about the museums listed in this guide, scan the QR code

NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM Cooperstown, NY

Located on historic Main Street in the heart of picturesque Cooperstown, NY, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum stands as one of America’s premier tourist destinations—and the most revered sports shrine in the world.

Since its dedication on June 12, 1939, the Hall has served as the ultimate repository of baseball’s legacy and the highest honor

a player can achieve. More than just a museum, the Hall is every fan’s Field of Dreams—a place where the legends, stories, and magic of the game are preserved and passed down through generations. Its mission is clear: to preserve history, honor excellence, and connect generations.

The Museum is open daily year-round, except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. From Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; during the rest of the year, it is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Plan your visit or learn more at (BaseballHall.org)

New Exhibit Opening July 2025

SALEM WITCH MUSEUM

Salem, MA

Housed in a beautifully preserved brick and brownstone Gothic Revival building, the Salem Witch Museum has welcomed visitors from around the world for more than 50 years. Two unique, multi-media exhibits explore the dark and fascinating history of witchcraft. Utilizing life-sized stage sets, dramatic narration, and lighting, the first exhibit presents the story of the infamous Salem witch trials of 1692. In this audio-visual presentation, visitors of all ages are immersed in the largest and deadliest witch-hunt in colonial American history. A guided tour of the second exhibit, Witches: Evolving Perceptions, explores the European witch trials, emergence of a stereotypical witch, and endurance of scapegoating. A selection of artifacts, including an infamous witch-hunters manual and bellarmine jug, are currently on view in this exhibit. (SalemWitchMuseum.com)

STRAWBERY BANKE MUSEUM

Portsmouth, NH

Strawbery Banke Museum brings over 350 years of history to life in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, within a historic waterfront neighborhood. The Museum shares the stories of everyday life, spanning from the history of Indigenous peoples—highlighted by artifacts dating back around 12,000 years—to the present day.

As one of the oldest neighborhoods in the U.S., Strawbery Banke is unique among outdoor history museums, offering visitors the opportunity to explore historic houses, most situated on their original sites. Some houses are furnished, while others serve as exhibit spaces, which are open to the public from spring through fall, as well as during special events.

For more information about Strawbery Banke Museum, including details on planning your visit and upcoming special events, please visit (StrawberyBanke.org)

TEXAS RANGER HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM

Waco, TX

The official Texas Ranger Hall of Fame & Museum is conveniently located off Interstate 35 in Waco, TX. Students learn about the history of the Texas Rangers through exhibits, which include badges, firearms, photographs and other artifacts. In addition, children will enjoy a bandit hunt. Texas Highways magazine readers ranked it one of the Best Texas Museums, USA Today called it one of the nation’s outstanding Halls of Fame, and True West Magazine titled it the Best Western History Museum in Texas. Group rates are available. Guided tours can be booked at least 2 weeks in advance of arrival with staff availability. In addition to on-site visits, the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum offers a wide variety of resources for teachers, homeschool parents and educators to use at no charge to challenge students’ creativity, and activity sheets for all ages.

MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Philadelphia, PA

The American Revolution was dramatic, gritty and full of uncertainty- an era of unparalleled political and social upheaval, even by today’s standards. Museum visitors are invited to explore this rich and complicated era and its connections to our world today. Through its unmatched collection of Revolutionary-era weapons, personal items, documents, and works of art, visitors gain a deeper appreciation for

how this nation came to be and feel inspired to consider their role in the ongoing promise of the American Revolution.

The Museum is located in the heart of Historic Philadelphia, just steps from Independence Hall, The National Constitution Center, the Betsy Ross House, and many more historic sites. Contact Groups@AmRevMuseum.org or 267-579-3623 to book your visit. (www.amrevmuseum.org)

RONALD REAGAN

PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM

Simi Valley, CA

Perched atop a hill with sweeping views of the southland, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is one of California’s most beautiful and unique destinations. This iconic landmark is more than just a museum

— it is a journey through history. Where else in California can visitors walk onboard an actual Air Force One aircraft that flew seven U.S. presidents, touch an authentic piece of the Berlin Wall, or lay a hand on a real steel beam recovered from the World Trade Center after 9-11?

The Reagan Museum boasts a stunning collection of artifacts, interactive exhibits, and even a full-scale replica of the Oval Office.

Visitors step aboard and tour through Air Force One 27000 and Marine One to learn how President Reagan changed the face of

global diplomacy. Beyond the extraordinary displays, the Reagan Museum offers an opportunity for visitors to truly understand the impact that President Reagan had on our nation and the world.

Visitors may also enjoy the Museum’s outdoor grounds, where you can stroll through

replicas of the White House Rose Garden and West Lawn, and reflect at President and Mrs. Reagan’s memorial site.

World class special exhibits rotate through the Library a few times per year.

For the latest exhibit updates, please visit (ReaganLibrary.com)

A RETURN TO THE

Wild West

Lakes, wildlife and adventure await in Oklahoma state parks

By Justine Leavitt

Many have seen the rolling prairies and tranquil lakes of the U.S. Great Plains in their favorite western movie, while few have experienced the beauty firsthand. So, don’t make the mistake of observing the world from your couch. Plan a trip to Oklahoma and tangle with the Wild West alongside your friends and peers.

Having once-in-a-lifetime experiences does not mean you have to sacrifice comfort. From scenic walking trails to lakeside leisure, Oklahoma outdoor adventures provide endless thrills combined with effortless relaxation. Pack your walking shoes, bring your camera, and get ready to experience the natural splendor of Oklahoma state parks.

Scenic Walks

BEAVERS BEND STATE PARK

—BROKEN BOW

Tucked away in the rugged Ouachita Mountains, Beavers Bend State Park is a haven for folks looking to escape the hustle and bustle. The park boasts some of the best hiking trails in Oklahoma. As hikers trek along the Mountain Fork River, they’ll spot postcard-worthy views of towering pines and crystal-clear water—perfect for fly fishing. And after a long day of exploring, groups can continue enjoying the views during a friendly round of golf at the Cedar Creek Golf Course.

TALLGRASS PRAIRIE PRESERVE

—PAWHUSKA

To roam the open range like a cowboy, head to Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve and witness the largest protected area of tallgrass prairie on Earth. Take a drive for the chance to spot free-roaming bison or get a closer look at

the wildlife by strolling along one of the picturesque walking trails. This Oklahoma outdoor adventure will help you fully appreciate the untouched beauty of the Old West.

QUARTZ MOUNTAIN STATE PARK —LONE WOLF

If you’re craving fresh mountain air, Quartz Mountain State Park is the place to be. Journey to the top of Quartz Mountain—along some of the best hiking trails in Oklahoma—where jaw-dropping views of lakes and rocky terrain await. Or choose to stay closer to the ground, fishing in clear water, kayaking, or just kicking back on the shore. With its striking landscape, this is a prime spot for any group looking for adventure and a bit of peace.

Lakeside Leisure

LAKE MURRAY STATE PARK

—ARDMORE

Oklahoma’s first and largest state park, Lake Murray State Park is a dream for groups who want lakeside relaxation. Many visitors take serene pontoon boat tours and simply enjoy the breathtaking scenery. For those who prefer to stay on land, the park features paved walking paths along the shoreline, making it easy to explore at a leisurely pace. This Ardmore-based park is an ideal destination to relish in the peacefulness and beauty of the lakes in Oklahoma.

GRAND LAKE O’ THE CHEROKEES—GROVE

Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, locally known as Grand Lake, is an Oklahoma outdoor adventure made special by its history. Hop aboard a guided paddlewheel boat cruise to enjoy the sights while getting to know the lake’s rich past. Nearby, you can turn back the clock at Har-Ber Village, a living tribute to the pioneer era.

Wildlife Observation

WICHITA MOUNTAINS WILDLIFE

REFUGE—LAWTON

A trip to Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is like stepping back into the untamed frontier. Home to bison, longhorn cattle and prairie dogs, this refuge is ideal for wildlife viewing in Oklahoma. The driving tours available even provide numerous lookout points so you can observe everything close up. If you want to stretch your legs afterward, visit the Bison Trail and walk within the beauty of the refuge.

TENKILLER STATE PARK—VIAN

Nicknamed “heaven in the hills,” Tenkiller State Park’s peaceful surroundings make it a must-see nature getaway in Oklahoma.

Birdwatchers can appreciate the species that inhabit the park while hikers can walk through trails with tranquil forest views. The park’s marina also offers pontoon rentals for a gentle cruise across Lake Tenkiller’s sparkling-blue waters.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge bull elk

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge buffalo and snake

Tallgrass Prairie Preserve

State Parks with Group Camps

QUARTZ MOUNTAIN STATE PARK

—LONE WOLF

Quartz Mountain State Park’s group accommodations make traveling a breeze. The group camp has 10 cabins to sleep 125 people, a community dining hall, and a commercial kitchen. Additionally, the park’s Mountainview bunkhouse accommodates up to 64 guests.

ROBBERS CAVE STATE PARK

—LATIMER COUNTY

If your group is particularly large, Robbers Cave State Park is for you. There are two group camps available. Your group would want to book cabin 2, which offers accommodations for up to 250 people year-round. This park certainly knows how to handle a full house.

SEQUOYAH STATE PARK

—HULBERT

Finally, located in the Northeast, Sequoyah State Park’s group camp includes a dining hall with a full kitchen and 10 cabins to host around 98 visitors.

So if your group is slightly smaller, you won’t pay for more than you need. Not to mention, it’s a haven for water lovers.

Start Your Oklahoma Adventure Today!

Whether you’re admiring bison herds or cruising along a scenic lake, Oklahoma outdoor adventures create cherished memories. Start living instead of observing and plan your next group trip to an Oklahoma destination today!

State Park Tips for Group Travelers

Make the most of your group travel in Oklahoma by keeping these tips in mind:

• Plan ahead: The group reservations for camps and lodges are booked fast at Oklahoma state parks, so don’t wait.

• Check accessibility: Look for ADA-compliant trails and facilities to ensure a comfortable experience for all.

• Take advantage of guided tours: The parks offer guided boat tours, wildlife programs, and historical walks for an enriching experience.

• Visit during high season: Many accommodations are closed for the winter, so plan your reunion during the warmer months, March–October.

• Pack accordingly: Bring comfortable walking shoes, cameras, and any necessary outdoor gear to maximize your trip.

• Respect nature: Stay on designated paths, avoid feeding wildlife, and follow the Leave No Trace principles.

In Oklahoma City, you’ll be met with history, charm and wonder. Discover new perspectives and stirring experiences in the Modern Frontier.

Start your journey at VisitOKC.com.

Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge

Oklahoma is renowned for a variety of things: Excellent college sports, incredible onion burgers and a host of exciting big cities and charming small towns. For those looking to enjoy a day trip in the Sooner State, here are some destinations that will appeal to your group.

LAWTON

DELIGHTFUL DAY TRIPS IN THE SOONER STATE

From vibrant cities to charming towns, Oklahoma has something for everyone

By Billy Stampfl

a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed skyscraper that offers tours and fabulous views.

TULSA

Residing about 90 minutes from Oklahoma City, Tulsa blends rich history with modern charm. It’s a must-see destination on Route 66, featuring iconic landmarks like the Golden Driller (a 76-foot-tall statue) and the famed Buck Atom statue (who stands watch over an old gas station). Explore cultural treasures at the Philbrook Museum of Art (which features expansive and

Located in southern Oklahoma, Lawton is a lively city with a rich military history, thanks in part to nearby Fort Sill, which was once a frontier cavalry post. Lawton is also a strong base for exploring the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge which preserves approximately 60,000 acres of mixed grass prairie, ancient granite mountains and freshwater lakes and streams. Here, groups can spot bison, elk and prairie dogs. Those seeking incredible panoramic views can take a scenic drive up Mount Scott. After enjoying an outdoor adventure, pay a visit to Burgess Grill for delicious burgers in a family-friendly setting.

beautiful formal gardens) and the Greenwood Historic District, home to the legacy of Black Wall Street.

CATOOSA

Just outside Tulsa, Catoosa is best known for its iconic Blue Whale a beloved roadside piece on Route 66 that is one of the most recognizable attractions on the road. This massive folk art sculpture makes for a fun photo stop for groups of all ages. While in town, visit the D.W. Correll Museum to explore its amazing collections of rocks, glass and vintage automobiles.

BARTLESVILLE

Bartlesville blends history, art and architecture in a small-town setting. Its most famous landmark is Price Tower,

The Bartlesville Area History Museum provides an immersive look at the city’s past. Through photographs and artifacts learn about Indian Territory, the first commercial oil well in Oklahoma, the composer of the 12th Street Rag and many other people, places and events which shaped this settlement into the community it is today. For a culinary treat, visit Dink’s Pit Bar-B-Que, featuring ribs, pulled pork and a lively atmosphere.

WATONGA

A stop in Watonga should include a visit to Roman Nose State Park located 75 miles from Oklahoma City. This picturesque park features gypsum rock cliffs, freshwater springs, and a variety of outdoor activities like hiking, golf and even trout fishing. After a long day of hiking, groups can make a stop at Eischen’s in Okarche for legendary fried chicken served in a casual, familyfriendly atmosphere.

GUTHRIE

Step back in time with a day trip to Guthrie, Oklahoma’s first capital. The

Oklahoma Territorial Museum offers a glimpse into the state’s early days, highlighting the land run and life before statehood. Groups can ride the First Capital Trolley through town for a narrated tour of historic sites.

STILLWATER

Home to Oklahoma State University, Stillwater offers a mix of educational and family-friendly attractions. The OSU Botanic Garden invites visitors to explore themed gardens and interactive exhibits, while the Insect Adventure provides hands-on encounters with live bugs. Don’t miss a meal at Eskimo Joe’s, famous for its cheese fries and iconic T-shirts. Before heading home, check out the towering Transformer statues around town—a unique and fun highlight for fans of all ages.

SEMINOLE

In Seminole, the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum is a must-visit stop for groups. This interactive museum offers hands-on exhibits, a children’s garden, and a half-mile train ride, making it an engaging destination for kids of all ages. Open for more than 25 years,

the museum continues to delight and educate visitors. Located about 55 miles from Oklahoma City, Seminole provides a rewarding and educational escape that will leave children eager for a return visit.

NORMAN

Best known as the home of the University of Oklahoma, Norman is a dynamic collegiate city. Sports fans can catch a Sooners football or softball game (along with a variety of other sports), while culture lovers can explore the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History The museum is one of the finest natural history museums in the world featuring 50,000 square feet of exhibit space tracing more than 500 million years of Oklahoma’s natural and cultural history.

PAWHUSKA

Pawhuska captures Oklahoma’s smalltown charm and also adds some modern flair. It is home to the Pioneer Woman’s Mercantile, a popular spot for dining and shopping. Visitors can also explore the Ben Johnson Cowboy Museum and the Cathedral of the Osage, both offering a glimpse into the area’s rich cultural heritage.

(Left) The Blue Whale of Catoosa, Oklahoma is one of the most recognizable attractions on Route 66. Another popular stop (below) is the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History at the University of Oklahoma.

Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios can be found off of Route 66 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Centrally located, Edmond, Oklahoma marks the perfect meeting destination for groups to explore outdoor activities, local restaurants and shops, vibrant art experiences and year-round festivities. Explore the downtown charm and historic sites during your memorable visit.

EDMOND, OK

Three Days in Edmond: A Group Getaway Full of History, Art, and Route 66 Adventures

DAY 1

When you arrive in Edmond, check into a modern hotel, cozy vacation home or the charming Two Hearts Inn bed and breakfast.

Downtown Edmond home by browsing at a range of retail options of five boutiques, four jewelry stores, or hunt for classics at any of the three vintage/thrift stores.

VISIT EDMOND

Mackenzie Mcdonald Group Sales Manager Mmcdonald@visitedmondok.com 405-216-7782 visitedmondok.com

Groups can glimpse into the city’s past at the Edmond History Museum offering free admission, rotating exhibits and an interactive area for kids. Stroll through the park district on Littler Ave and 5th St. for a variety of local restaurant options such as prime steaks, sushi, pizza or even fine dining French cuisines – bon appetit!

Nestled in the district you’ll find the renovated Stephenson Park offering pavilion rentals, a basketball court and playground, and an amphitheater that hosts live music on Thursdays from late May-July. You will also find the University of Central Oklahoma’s Jazz Lab hosting events every week – headliners such as Judy Collins, Steve Tyrell, Christopher Cross and more have graced the stage.

DAY 2

Embark through Historic Downtown Edmond for homestyle breakfast at local diners, coffee shops, and fresh pastries at your choice of bakery. Visitors will discover interactive art installations such as Share The Love, for complimentary postcards, Key to My Heart, where you can leave a symbolic lock, along with numerous colorful murals perfect for selfies. You will also find the I’m Grateful chalk wall to write words of gratitude. Don’t forget to take a piece of

Seasonal activities are perfect for group experiences such as the Arts Festival the first weekend of May, LibertyFest parade and activities, Scarecrow Contest in October, and winter holiday events such as Carriage Rides from November-December.

DAY 3

Enjoy the final day venturing to the UCO Boathouse at Arcadia Lake where groups can reserve the ropes course for team building, kayaks, paddleboards, bikes, or zipline amongst the scenic landscape. Head down historic Route 66 to visit the iconic Round Barn, open daily from 10am-5pm with free admission which can also be reserved for private events. Then, stop for a fun photo-op at the 66-foot-tall pop bottle, Pops 66. Head east for the next historic landmark at the 1889 Territorial Schoolhouse that is open to the public on Saturdays from 1 p.m.-4 p.m., discover Edmond’s beloved Blue Hippo, a quirky roadside attraction that inspired the annual Blue Hippo Festival. Complete your journey and fuel up at the trendy Icehouse Project right off Route 66 for a variety of restaurants, a giant climbable Grasshopper art piece, or reserve The Stables for a private event. Visit between March-October, the lively street festival Heard on Hurd takes place every third Saturday of the month.

TOP 3 Reasons to Meet in Edmond

Conveniently located in the heart of Oklahoma at the crossroads of I-35 and historic Route 66, Edmond offers free parking at all hotels and attractions, plus personalized support from Visit Edmond.

AOUTDOOR ADVENTURES

By Erin Karasewski

HOCKING HILLS STATE PARK

Voted Forbes’ top place to travel in 2023, Hocking Hills State Park is a mustdo on your next group trip. Featuring waterfalls, gorges and cliffs, there’s truly something for everyone. The park’s memorable landmarks are completely made up of Black Hand Sandstone, which was deposited over 350 million years ago. Over time, the bedrock has been chiseled away into the stunning gorges and cliffs present today.

Some of the landscapes you can observe are Ash Cave, Old Man’s Cave and Cantwell Cliff The second largest cave in the region, Whispering Cave, can be found at Hocking Hills. It showcases a 105-foot seasonal waterfall.

lot comes to mind when you hear the word Ohio.

The Ohio State University, Cedar Point, Lake Erie, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, small towns, the Cleveland Browns, to name a few.

Regrettably, the plentiful natural wonders the state has to offer often gets left out. A majority of the southwest of Ohio is a part of the Appalachian Mountains, the second largest mountain range in the US. Combined with the natural prairies and impressive underground wonders that make up the Ohio landscape, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t considered Ohio for your next group adventure before.

STEP INTO AMERICA’S STORY IN TUSCARAWAS COUNTY!

Hiking in Hocking Hills State Park

Ohio is a great spot to stretch your legs.

BEAVER CREEK STATE PARK

In the northeast corner of Ohio, your group will find Beaver Creek State Park. This park is known for its rugged terrain with over 2,700 forest acreage and offers your group a chance to step into the wilderness. The campground has no shower house or toilet plumbing but has more than enough beautiful scenery to make up for its lack of modern amenities.

The only stream valley in the United States, it’s characterized by steep walls, high rock cliffs and gentle rapids. Because of its unique geological features, Little Beaver Creek has one of Ohio’s most enjoyable canoe trips. You can also see the park by way of hiking, biking, or horseback riding.

Group Escape? IT’S A SHORE THING

Shores & Islands Ohio is a year-round destination, just a short drive away! Immerse yourself in culture through a variety of diverse community events. Indulge in local cuisine, from upscale to casual, even dine by the lakeside. Take a ferry ride to a Lake Erie island, explore miles of natural trails and beaches, enjoy quaint downtowns and museums, and experience the beauty of the changing seasons in our region. Find your Lake Erie Love at Groups.SHORESandISLANDS.com.

Learn more about Group Travel Services

BLUES CREEK PARK

Found in central Ohio, Blues Creek Park is 139 acres and perfect for a day trip or if your group is looking for a slower outdoor excursion. In the center of the park, there are prairies home to native flowers that bloom yellow, purple and white in the late summer and early fall. You can also reserve either of the two shelters found in the park for groups smaller than 20.

Surrounding the fields of flora is plenty of woodland that can be explored by the Shagbark Loop Trail It meets guidelines for outdoor accessibility with only a slight elevation change, making it a perfect stroll for the whole group. If visiting in the winter, cross-country skiing and sledding are two options for enjoying the crisp winter weather.

BUZZARD’S ROOST NATURE PRESERVE

Named after the donor’s late husband, Earl H. Barnhart Buzzard’s Roost conserves more than 1,500 acres of the most rugged and scenic country in Ohio. It features seven hiking trails that allow your group to see ponds, cliffs of sandstone and deteriorating remains of old homes.

The park is found just south of Hocking Hills, so your group can tack it on before or after visiting the state land.

The famed Lookout Trail offers magnificent views of vertical cliffs of sandstone and shale that descend into Paint Creek Gorge. It also has a waterfall along its route while the Hoggard Trail will display the Hoggard Family Cemetery and other signs of previous homesteading.

If your group has children, the Kid’s Nature Zone Trail a smooth 0.4-mile trek, has 24 stations of Storywalk books that change on a monthly basis.

most colorful caverns.”

OHIO CAVERNS AND CAVE CLUSTER

If you want to add even more geological wonders to your group’s Ohio outdoor exploration, consider these centrally located caves and caverns.

In Bellevue, there is the Seneca Caverns Ohio a cave system with various levels, the lowest being 110 feet deep. It’s been open to the public since 1933, after accidentally being discovered by two boys hunting rabbits with their dog in 1872. They offer one-hour guided tours for a fee. However, the caves are not handicap accessible.

Further south in West Liberty, you’ll find the Ohio Caverns, which have been named “America’s Most Colorful Caverns.” These caverns are open year-round, with two tours being offered in the summer and one in the winter. All tours run for an hour and are more accessible than the Seneca Caverns. The depth of this natural wonder will be anywhere from 30 to 103 feet.

Lastly, just east in Delaware, Ohio, lie the Olentangy Caverns This experience is more kid-friendly with a self-guided tour available, but the cave itself is only accessible by stairs. But don’t despair, there are plenty of activities for the group above ground as well. You can gem mine, mini golf or venture on the Bigfoot walking trail. Certainly not the most stunning cavern in the state, but a must-do if your group is bringing the kids along.

With plenty of caves and waterfalls to be seen, Ohio shouldn’t be overlooked for your next group adventure. Just believe this state made it to the top of your group’s must-see list.

Ohio Caverns have been called “America’s

Glacial Grooves Geological Preserve, Kelleys Island

Little Beaver Creek

Greensboro is a Vibrant Destination

Enjoy outdoor adventures, excellent dining and a host of history

Centrally located in North Carolina’s picturesque heartland, Greensboro is the perfect place for groups to relax and enjoy quality entertainment.

GREENSBORO SCIENCE CENTER

The Greensboro Science Center combines a museum, zoo, and aquarium in one. It is the only facility in North Carolina to feature a duly accredited aquarium, museum, and zoo all in one destination. Groups can also enjoy Skywild, an aerial adventure park located above the zoo that features seven different courses and has a total of 60 unique, animal-inspired challenges. The center is also home to the Rotary Club of Greensboro Carousel, featuring 56 hand-painted animals.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Greensboro boasts more than 100 miles of trails and greenways for hiking, biking, walking, and enjoying the great outdoors. Groups can explore all the Greensboro community has to offer, from its award-winning public art along the Downtown Greenway to the serene hiking and mountain biking trails.

ARTS & CULTURE

from the 3,000 seat Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts to the historic 1927 Carolina Theatre and event rich Greensboro Complex.

A HISTORIC CITY

Greensboro is Piedmont Triad’s arts hub and is home to the NC Folk Festival, which draws more than 100,000 each September. The fest features an incredible lineup of performances across multiple genres, featuring artists from around the globe, and a celebration of North Carolina’s rich heritage. The city is also home to 150-plus public art installations city wide, and a spectrum of performance venues—

Greensboro is home to history from the Revolutionary War to the denim capital of the world, Civil Rights and so much more. Statues and plaques highlight the city’s historical significance. Greensboro also has a wide range of museums to visit. Among them include the Greensboro History Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate museum that shares Greensboro’s history through diverse collections, engaging exhibits, educational programs and community dialogue. It also features 17,000 square feet of award-winning exhibitions. The International Civil Rights Center Museum is one of the Top 10 sites on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

VISIT GREENSBORO

(336) 274 -2282

info@visitgreensboronc.com

VisitGreensboroNC.COM

Photos: From a bustling nightlife (above) to fun outdoor activities (left) and the best of theater (below), your group will love Greensboro.

Embrace the Smokies

Pigeon Forge is a place to experience an unforgettable outing

Surrounded by incredible mountain views, Pigeon Forge is home to world-class shows, unmatched shopping and Southern dishes that will leave your group clamoring for more.

GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK

Renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life and the beauty of its mountains, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is America’s most visited national park. Featuring more than 850 miles of scenic trails, the park is perfect for hiking, wildlife viewing and exploring. Groups can make their way up to Clingmans Dome—the park’s highest point—for amazing panoramic views.

DOLLYWOOD

The No. 1 theme park in the country, Dollywood is a Pigeon Forge gem. This 160-acre theme park offers

more than 50 rides, excellent entertainment and fabulous food. When the sun is out, cool off at Dollywood’s Splash Country, featuring slides, splash zones and pools.

DINING AND SHOPPING

Pigeon Forge is home to a variety of shows— from country music and laugh-out-loud comedy to lumberjack throwdowns. Groups can pay a visit to venues like Country Tonite Theatre, The Comedy Barn and Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud. Pigeon Forge also features world-

PIGEON FORGE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM

Mike Gwinn, 1-865-453-8574 mike.gwinn@cityofpigeonforgetn.gov, PigeonForgeTours.com

Boardwalk Meets the Sea

Atlantic City: A picturesque tapestry of coastal energy and urban style

Atlantic City delivers an irresistible blend of vibrant city life and coastal charm. The towering skyline and lively city streets create a dynamic urban backdrop, buzzing with movement and energy both day and night.

ICONIC BOARDWALK

The famous boardwalk and Steel Pier evoke a nostalgic, sun-soaked atmosphere that can easily transport your story through time—whether you’re capturing the carefree spirit of summer or the pulse of a contemporary scene. As the lights come on and the nightlife takes over, the city transforms into a glowing stage ready for romance, intrigue, or celebration.

The Boardwalk stretches for four miles along the Atlantic Ocean coastline (plus an additional mile and a half into neighboring Ventnor City), making it the longest boardwalk in the world. Groups can stroll along the Boardwalk and enjoy ocean views on one side and great shopping on the other.

Another popular stop is Steel Pier, featuring its 227-foot observation wheel with 40 climatecontrolled gondolas. Steel Pier also has dozens of rides and games and, of course, funnel cake.

WORLD-CLASS BEACHES

excellent waves), Brigantine Beach (one of the most beautiful coastal stretches along the Jersey Shore) and many beach options.

ATLANTIC CITY CRUISES

Just steps away, nature adds a scenic counterpoint. Atlantic City is home to free beaches that offer not only beachgoing fun, but also pristine coastlines that offer an escape from it all. What’s great is that they’re within only a short drive from Atlantic City’s center. Among Atlantic City’s best beaches include Atlantic City Beach (which features calming views and

Atlantic City Cruises offers an exciting opportunity to observe and learn about dolphins in their natural habitat, while enjoying the scenic beauty of the Atlantic Ocean. Passengers board comfortable and spacious boats specifically designed for wildlife observation. The vessels are equipped with amenities such as outdoor viewing decks, indoor seating, restrooms, and informative narration by experienced guides. Atlantic City Cruises Dolphin Watching trips typically last around two hours, providing ample time to enjoy the dolphin sightings.

VISIT ATLANTIC CITY

Heather Colache, 609-318-6097

heather@visitatlanticcity.com

visitatlanticcity.com/group-travel

Photos: Atlantic City thrives on the water (above), Fun can be found at every turn (left), see Atlantic City from a different point of view on a cruise (below).

Pigeon Forge

Following this itinerary, you’ll travel along Interstate 94 and take a step back in time. From old western towns to the World’s Largest Buffalo, these three days are packed full of exciting excursions for the whole family.

NORTH DAKOTA

Explore North Dakota’s Many Wonders

DAY 1

Kick off your trip in North Dakota’s #1 tourist destination, Medora Founded in 1883, Medora became a place of inspiration for Theodore Roosevelt; nestled in the Badlands amongst aweinspiring scenery and bountiful wildlife, Roosevelt championed his stance on conservation.

NORTH DAKOTA

Deanne Cunningham (701) 328-2502 decunningham@nd.gov ndtourism.com/grouptravel

There are plenty of cafe options for a morning pick-me-up, one being Cowboy Cafe a staple breakfast nook that has been in operation since the 1980s. After you’ve gotten your fix of caramel rolls, musicals and cowboy history, you’re ready to explore Theodore Roosevelt National Park, South Unit. Beforehand, stop at a local convenience store, like the Medora C Store, to stock up on fixins for a picnic in the park. Take a quick 15 minute walk up Buck Hill which is the highest accessible point in the park, letting you see the park in its entirety. Then, you can hike an easy to moderate trail, like the Painted Canyon Nature Trail, where you’ll walk into the basin of the canyon, coming face-to-face with rocks layers and wildlife. After hiking, exploring and taking in the scenery, hop on I-94 toward Dickinson for excellent dining options and a comfortable place to stay.

DAY 2

Starting day two, you’ll continue east on I-94 toward Bismarck. On your way to Bismarck, you’ll see the World’s Largest Holstein Cow Salem Sue. This fiberglass, holstein cow overlooks the terrain, making it hard to miss her 38-foot-tall frame from the interstate. You’re able to pull off the dirt road and take pictures with her.

To keep up the cow-vibes, you’ll head to downtown New Salem to a cafe called Udderly Caffeinated for a bite to eat and coffee before hitting the road again. The North Dakota Heritage Center is the next stop on your trip. The museum, free to enter, features enthralling exhibits from the Geologic Time — showing a life-size T-Rex exhibit, to the Early People’s exhibit — showcasing the dressings and innovations from nearly 13,000 years ago. Huckleberry House, about 10 minutes down the road, is where you’ll recharge with delicious Nordic eats, inventive cocktails and beautiful views of the Missouri River.

DAY 3

Frontier Village in Jamestown, North Dakota is your last, first stop on your I-94 excursion. This village features original frontier buildings that are filled with artifacts and antiques from the 1880s. Among the buildings are a blacksmith shop, townhall, schoolhouse and so many more intriguing buildings. The town also features carriage rides, immersing its visitors into that era.

The World’s Largest Buffalo is also located within the Frontier Village. As you walk down Main Street in Frontier Town, signs will guide you along a path to the World’s Largest Buffalo. After snapping a few pictures and maybe picnicking alongside the buffalo, you’ll make your way to your next stop: Fargo Air Museum This nonprofit museum features aircrafts from all eras, with a goal to educate, preserve and restore. Brewhalla is your last stop on your trip. At Brewhalla, you’re able to choose from a variety of delicious restaurants, browse unique local shops, and even stay at the boutique hotel.

Excitement Awaits in Midtown New York City

Iconic landmarks, rich history and scenic adventures await

By Tessa Winn

Midtown New York City is known as the heart of NYC for a good reason. It offers a variety of fun, entertainment, shopping and amazing restaurants that will impress any member of your group. A trip to Midtown will leave you with a host of thrilling experiences from its beautiful parks to its famed landmarks.

Historical Tours

Whether you are a history buff or a sports fanatic, you can appreciate one of New York’s most popular attractions with The Madison Square Garden Tour Experience. Take a 60-minute guided tour where you can follow in the footsteps of legends and learn about more than a century of incredible sports and entertainment that have happened in the Garden. At the Empire State Building, you can visit the famous 86th floor for an all-inclusive view of NYC from a 360-degree viewpoint. You can also ascend even higher to the 102nd floor by purchasing a tour combo.

Scenic Adventures

If you grow weary of walking, you can enjoy a tour of the city by horse or boat. For an unforgettable adventure, groups can take a Central Park Carriage ride (where you can see Central Park’s incredible scenic beauty) or relax on the Downtown and Statue of Liberty Sightseeing Cruise (where you can witness NYC’s landmarks from the water).

Landmark Leap

Pay a visit to the stunning Rockefeller Center and ascend to the Top of the Rock

for unmatched views. Top of the Rock’s three levels of indoor and outdoor observation decks deliver spectacular, unobstructed views of the city skyline. With terraces facing east, west, north and south, Top of the Rock’s panoramic sights make it the ultimate observation deck.

Central Park

Arguably one of the most famous parks in the world, Central Park is a manmade wonder. Not only is it the first public park

built in America, but it is also one of the most frequently visited, with more than 25 million visitors per year.

Occupying more than 840 acres and set in the middle of Manhattan, Central Park has so much to offer.

One can spend an entire peaceful day roaming its grounds, gazing upon nearly 50 fountains, monuments, and sculptures or admiring its 36 bridges and arches. From its zoo, monuments and lakes to its sports fields and playgrounds, there is fun for everyone.

Central Park

GREETINGS FROM NEW YORK STATE!

You’re invited to New York State, a four-season destination rich with unparalleled variety and beauty, from the tranquil white sandy beaches of Long Island to the roaring splendor of Niagara Falls. Scale new heights in the high peaks of the Adirondacks or the skyscrapers of Manhattan. Be entertained by world class performing arts in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region and enchanted by a storybook castle in the Thousand IslandsSeaway region. Along the Erie Canal in Central New York, discover how a revolutionary shipping route transformed finance and society; in the Capital-Saratoga region learn about New York’s Dutch roots and other fascinating state history. From internationally renowned Finger Lakes wine country to the Gilded Age mansions of the Hudson Valley and Long Island, to storied Catskills resorts, New York State is like no other. New York’s impact can be felt around the world: Revolutionary War sites – from the battle that changed the course of the War in Saratoga, to the headquarters of Washington’s Spy Ring, our history has helped shape the nation. With multiple Underground Railroad sites and strong abolitionist movements, it’s no wonder New York became Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and John Brown’s home. The su rage movement started here, as did signifi cant movements for LGBTQ+ rights.

Home to iconic festivals and events, sports franchises big and small, well-known attractions and hidden gems, we have something for every tour. From small group fi shing excursions in a mountain stream to attending a Broadway show, and everything in between, look to us for a unique group-friendly experience.

From large cities to mid-sized hosts to Americana villages, New York State o ers you your pick of amenities and surrounding activities. Naturally, we have the sites that will meet your needs: unique hotels and boutique properties, exciting and eclectic attractions, regional cuisine, local guides and area experts. More importantly, New York’s capable tourism communities are here to help: from providing turnkey itineraries or custom tours, to connecting you with local guides and receptive tour operators, to securing bids and quotes.

Award winning downtowns, nationally known entertainment venues, impactful historic sites, and iconic natural locations make New York State a must-see destination.

ON BEHALF OF THE NEW YORK STATE TOURISM COMMUNITY, WE INVITE YOU TO SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY IT IS EASY TO LOVE NEW YORK!