Keynotes include world-renowned writer and philosopher, Pico Iyer, and visionary investor and social entrepreneur Zita Cobb, who along with other luminaries, will infuse the Summit’s theme, “Imagine. Inspire. Invest.” with perspectives and stories of restoration and renewal that parallel Namibia’s remarkable recovery as a leading adventure tourism destination.
“We are honored to have Pico Iyer join us in Namibia,” said ATTA President Mr. Shannon Stowell. “His thoughtful perspective on travel is timely as we see adventure travel gaining momentum globally. It is the right time to stop and reflect so we all may move forward in a way that is unique for our industry.”
Iyer will invite Summit delegates to consider how and why travel is more urgent than ever in our age of connectedness, and how every journey potentially remakes both the traveler and the place he or she visits.
Cobb highlights a brave example of reinventing Fogo Island, an island off an island – located in the Labrador Current, off the Northeast Coast of Newfoundland, which is a study of how a place – fading economically and culturally – was wholly revivified from a vision of renewal. Stowell said, “Zita’s vision for Fogo Island is a model for others around the world who experience their environment and communities withering before them.” He continued, “We hope her presence will inspire us too, to protect as we grow, to think sustainably as we build and to collaborate as we work as a community.”
Destinations like Fogo Island and Namibia, which in the past hadn’t traditionally seen how adventure travel could potentially transform their respective futures, are today experiencing wholesale change and progress. Another of the ATWS’s featured sessions will showcase destination recovery stories and spotlight two post-conflict regions, the Balkans and Colombia. For this featured program, keynote speakers will walk delegates through a period where a strong future seemed improbable to an age where a renaissance is taking place, adventure travel is bringing peace and transformation.
The 2013 ATWS emphasizes relationship building, peer-to-peer exchange and networking, with conference content primarily built around inspirational, strategic and tactical sessions that allow delegates to walk away with innovative ideas and the ability to take action on them through specific tools and partnerships. Opportunities to learn from and network with media, in addition to a digital marketing focus, also serve vital roles in the soon-to-be-released full Summit agenda.
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