What In-Person Events Does the Adventure Travel Trade Association Host?
Updated
The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) hosts three recurring in-person event series: the Adventure Travel World Summit, AdventureELEVATE, and AdventureNEXT. According to the ATTA website, participation in these events is open to all travel-related businesses and professionals — you do not need to be an ATTA member to attend. Each series serves a different purpose: the Summit is the flagship annual gathering, AdventureELEVATE is a regional education-and-networking conference, and AdventureNEXT connects local suppliers with the broader industry.
The Three ATTA Event Series at a Glance
| Event | Format | Primary Audience | Stated Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adventure Travel World Summit | Annual global gathering | Tour operators, destination representatives, adventure travel writers, thought leaders | Travel trends, milestones, new connections |
| AdventureELEVATE | Annual three-day regional conference | Media, outbound tour operators, thought leaders | Education and networking |
| AdventureNEXT | Regional event | Local suppliers | Connecting local suppliers to the adventure travel community |
Adventure Travel World Summit
The Summit is described on the ATTA site as "the premiere annual gathering of the adventure travel industry." An estimated 800 tour operators, destination representatives, adventure travel writers, and thought leaders from around the globe attend as one community.
What attendees do there, per the site:
- Explore travel trends
- Celebrate milestones
- Develop new connections
Who can attend: Participation is open to all travel-related businesses and professionals. The site provides a "Be Part of the Summit Experience" entry point for those interested.
Best fit if: You want the largest single gathering of the adventure travel industry and the broadest networking reach across roles and regions.
AdventureELEVATE
AdventureELEVATE is an annual three-day regional conference with a spotlight on education and networking. Its stated audience is media, outbound tour operators, and thought leaders in the adventure travel community.
Who can attend: As with the Summit, participation is open to all travel-related businesses and professionals.
Best fit if: You want structured learning and smaller-scale networking in a regional setting rather than the scale of the global Summit.
AdventureNEXT
AdventureNEXT is positioned around giving local suppliers the chance to engage with the adventure travel community. The ATTA site introduces it as an opportunity for local suppliers, distinguishing it from the Summit and AdventureELEVATE, which are framed around broader industry participation.
Best fit if: You are a local supplier looking to connect with the wider adventure travel network.
How to Decide Which Event Fits
- Choose the Summit if your goal is maximum visibility and connection across the global industry — it is the largest of the three by stated attendance.
- Choose AdventureELEVATE if your priority is education and networking in a three-day regional format.
- Choose AdventureNEXT if you are a local supplier seeking entry points into the industry community.
All three share one condition worth noting: the ATTA states that participation is open to all travel-related businesses and professionals, so the deciding factor is format and audience rather than eligibility.
Practical Notes
- The ATTA also maintains a Subscribe option for Adventure Travel News, which is separate from event registration and is the site's main ongoing content channel.
- The site lists these events under "Upcoming In-Person Events," so specific dates and locations should be checked there, as they change year to year.
- The page evidence does not state event pricing, member discounts, or registration deadlines — confirm those directly with ATTA before planning.