(EMAILWIRE.COM, July 08, 2009 )

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ATTA President Mr. Shannon Stowell
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2009 Adventure Travel World Summit Draws Experts from Outside Tourism to Inspire New Thought for Radically Changed Operating Environment

Famed Entertainment Executive and Astrophysicist to Deliver Keynotes

(SEATTLE) – July 8, 2009 – Reflecting the new realities of unprecedented economic, climatological and geopolitical shifts, the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) for 2009 has introduced an unique array of thought leaders representing the fields of entertainment, astrophysics, architecture and new media, among others, to inspire tourism executives at the October 19-22 Adventure Travel World Summit.
Keynote addresses at the ATTA’s 2009 Summit – themed, “Out in Front” – in Charlevoix, Quèbec Province, Canada, will be delivered by famed Quèbec natives Daniel Gauthier and Sir Hubert Reeves. Daniel Gauthier, co-founder of Cirque de Soleil and president and chief executive officer of Groupe Le Massif, will discuss the reinvention of tourism in the same way that Cirque du Soleil reinvented the entertainment industry a quarter-century ago. Meanwhile, Reeves will pair astronomic and ecologic perspectives to deliver insights into how humans might remain here on a radically changing earth in livable, sustainable conditions.
Feedback from the ATTA’s past two Summits, plus consistent monitoring of tourism industry professionals’ needs and interests in the recent economy led to the introduction of the newly featured program dubbed, “Transformative Thinking”. Transformative Thinking presentations are delivered by experts representing distinct disciplines, several of which are unrelated to tourism. The goal of the rapid-fire talks is to help leaders step outside day-to-day operational mindsets to consider much broader concerns and possibilities. Speakers will inspire delegates, engender thoughtful change and foster creativity and innovation.
Featured speakers selected for the 2009 Transformative Thinking program include:
• AdventureLink Chief Executive Officer Jeff Dossett, a two-time Everest conqueror hailed as one of top 50 executives leading the charge of new-media content (for Microsoft, Yahoo! and others);
• Hitesh Mehta, a ‘Hall of Fame’ cricket player turned architect and today considered one of the world’s top five sustainable tourism pioneers;
• Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, a leading ocean conservationist for 15 years who co-founded Ocean Revolution and is a Research Associate at the California Academy of Sciences;
• Jeff Greenwald, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Ethical Traveler, and a travel and science writer whose best-selling books include Shopping for Buddhas, The Size of the World, and Scratching the Surface: Impressions of Planet Earth from Hollywood to Shiraz; and
• Talent management leader Steve Trautman who authored, “Teach What You Know: A Practical Leader’s Guide to Knowledge Transfer”, and management and marketing experts and partners of StoryTellings™, nationally recognized speaker and customer relationship management expert Sheree Johnson and marketing veteran Edward Wachtman whose clients have included Boeing, GE, Ford, IBM and others.
These leaders will be joined by dozens of authors, business leaders, innovative thinkers, new-media masters and other influential speakers representing the tourism industry and other business sectors. Additional speakers and contributors to the 2009 Summit, along with complete event details, are featured at www.adventuretravelworldsummit.com.
Adventure Travel World Summit sponsors include Host Destination Tourisme Quèbec and Aventure Ecotourisme Quèbec, Major Sponsors ExOfficio and Men’s Journal, Key Sponsors Alpine Tourist Commission, Archaeology Magazine, Best of the Alps, Brazil, Tourism Promotion Corporation of Chile, Eddie Bauer, Innovation Norway, National Geographic Adventure.
Established in 1990, the ATTA (www.adventuretravel.biz) is a global membership organization dedicated to unifying, networking, professionalizing, promoting and responsibly growing the adventure travel market. ATTA members include tour operators, destination marketing organizations, tourism boards, specialty travel agents, guides, accommodations, media and service providers. Host of the annual Adventure Travel World Summit executive trade conferences, the ATTA also makes possible www.Adventure.Travel, the traveler’s hub of physical, cultural and nature-based adventure travel and guide to trusted tour operators from around the globe.
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ATTA-Adventure Travel Trade Association
Bobbi Engle
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