Encore: The ATTA’s Shannon Stowell on Defining Adventure and the Importance of Responsible Tourism

Since 2004, Shannon Stowell has been at the helm of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) — the largest global network of adventure travel leaders in the industry — which includes tour guides, operators, lodges, advisors, destination management organizations, media and more. He believes that tourism has the potential to be a powerful and protective force – if it’s done right.   In this episode of Humans of Travel, Stowell takes listeners on a journey through some of his life’s biggest adventures, from making  the natural landscapes of Salida, Colo., his playground as a teenager to taking his first international trip to Fiji and experiencing an especially impactful trip to Kurdistan (in Northern Iraq) a few years ago with his son, Ashton.   Stowell also explains the nuances of the term “adventure travel,” which is defined by the themes of cultural immersion, physical action or natural experiences (or a combination of the three), and how his own definition of adventure travel has shifted due to a recent health scare.  Listeners will also learn about the ATTA’s mission of promoting sustainable travel — including how members of the travel industry can get onboard with this initiative — and the future of the adventure travel segment as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.  RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE ATTA: www.adventuretravel.biz   Tomorrow’s Air (permanent carbon recapture subscription): www.tomorrowsair.com  Contact the ATTA: [email protected]  ATTA’s free community membership program: https://www.adventuretravelnews.com/atta-opens-doors-with-new-free-community-membership-program  Stowell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonstowell/  ABOUT YOUR HOST  Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print magazine and website for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the co-host of Trade Secrets, a podcast created with sister publication Travel Weekly. TravelAge West also produces national trade publications Explorer and Family Getaways, as well as events including the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, Global Travel Marketplace West, the WAVE Awards gala and the Napa Valley Leadership Forum.  ABOUT THE SHOW  TravelAge West’s podcast, “Humans of Travel,” features conversations with exceptional people who have compelling stories to tell. Listeners will hear from the travel industry’s notable authorities, high-profile executives, travel advisors and rising stars as they share the highs and lows that make them human.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.