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Tuesday, October 21stca Hotel (Rica Ishavshotel).

Arrive/Start	Depart/End
5:00 PM	6:00 PM	Registration and Cocktails Rica Hotel (Rica Ishavshotel at Fr. Langesgate 2)
6:00 PM	7:00 PM	Arctic Buffet & Networking with Norwegian Exhibitors Specialized, high quality adventure and eco-tourism incoming tour operators/suppliers from Norway will be available to meet with buyers (tour operators, wholesalers, agents outside Norway) interested in product development discussions.
7:00 PM	9:00 PM	Opening Event Welcome from the ATTA, Innovation Norway and: Keynote with Polar Explorer, Børge Ousland "Against All Odds" Børge’s keynote address consists of three parts: Global warming: On his voyage through Frans Josef Land in 2007, with Thomas Ulrich, the two explorers documented huge landscape and ice thickness changes due to global warming. Børge has carried out ice thickness measurements for the Norwegian Polar Institute on the Arctic Ocean since 1994 and with his twenty years of Arctic experience, he has become an important eyewitness to the climate changes. To stand alone: Børge is the only person who has crossed both Antarctica and the North Pole solo. Through this he has proven that it is possible to achieve ‘the impossible’. Borge shares his recipe for how to stand alone with no one to help you or guide you in the harshest conditions on earth. Teamwork: In 2006 Børge and Mike Horn became the first to reach the North Pole unsupported during the darkness of winter. This is one of the most technically difficult expeditions ever attempted – and completed – to the North Pole. Learn how these two strong but different characters managed to focus all their energy on teamwork to become successful on this expedition.
9:00 PM		Board Hurtigruten's MS Midnatsol

Wednesday, October 22nd

Arrive/Start	Depart/End
	1:30 AM	Depart Tromsø
4:45 AM	5:30 AM	Finnsnes
7:00 AM	10:00 AM	Buffet Breakfast
8:30 AM	9:15 AM	Harstad
9:30 AM	11:30 AM	General Session ATTA Welcome with special guest, National Geographic Adventure Publisher and ATTA Advisory Board Member Fran Farrell Lifetime Achievement Awards Presentation – ATTA Vice President Chris Doyle State of the Industry Update – ATTA President Shannon Stowell Special Presentation – Hans Rood, Vice President Global Sales, Hurtigruten and Christian Bue Nordahl, Global Marketing Director
11:00 AM	11:45 AM	Risoyhamn
11:30 AM	12:00 PM	FREE TIME
12:00 PM	1:00 PM	Lunch Hosted by Chile
1:00 PM	1:45 PM	Sortland
1:15 PM	3:15 PM	SESSION 1 Marketing Trends and Best Practices in Today's Online Marketing Environment Practical online marketing lessons for tour operators, tourism organizations, gear manufacturers and other interested parties who are seeking to improve their skills on this increasingly critical topic. The session will provide tools, guidance and advice relating to search engine optimization, online content, email marketing, social media, blogging and more. -Eric Brodnax, Away.com/Orbitz Worldwide Trends & Research The Adventure Traveler: Searching for a Lifetime of Peak Experiences. Understanding consumer trends - what people are doing when they’re not working, sleeping or doing “must do” activities - plus snapshots of demo - and psychographic trends, technology’s impact, behavioral changes, and more. -Moe Carrick, Moementum -Don Mankin, Adventure Transformations, Inc. Partnership Building Deciphering the Code: What North American Tour Operators and Wholesalers Want Learn how to access the North American tour operator and wholesale market. Attract the interest of North American buyers through best practices in product differentiation, marketing, operations, safety management, customer service, sustainability and more. -Russell Walters, Northern Outdoors -Richard Weiss, Strategic Travel Consulting Sustainable Tourism Empowering Communities in Developing Countries How can Sustainable Tourism play a part in the global UN strategy to fight deforestation and in the process empower communities in developing countries? Norway recently committed 3 billion USD$ over five years as part of the UN-REDD process. So far Sustainable Tourism is not seen to be part of that process. Should it be? -Neel Inamdar, Conservation International -Arild Molstad, Travel & Conservation Photojournalist, Author & Consultant
3:15 PM	4:00 PM	FREE TIME
3:15 PM	4:00 PM	Stokmarknes
4:00 PM	6:00 PM	SESSION 2 Marketing Beyond Web 2.0: Anticipating a New (Internet) World Order Learn how changing trends in the use of the Internet will affect your business. The Internet is now easier and more mobile - including you and your clients’ ability to post video, photos and experiences from Timbuktu. Such 'mobility' allows the unshackling of people to participate on the Internet anytime and anywhere. Now, to-market periods shift from years and months, to now weeks, days and minutes. Are you prepared? -Natasha Martin, Xola Consulting -Kevin Johnson, Deluxe Digital Media (DDM) Operational Excellence Best Practices: Enhancing Employee Loyalty and Retention Learn and access the best practices for retaining employees and enhancing loyalty. Presenters will share an analysis of a new (Sept/Oct 2008) adventure travel tour operator survey which includes perceptions and first-hand experience concerning retention and loyalty. Participants will then break into small groups, share perceptions about building employee loyalty and improving employee retention, and report their group’s results to the whole group for further exploration. -Moe Carrick, Moementum -Eric Craven, Collaboration Associates International -Susan Kelly, American Safari Cruises Trends & Research Consumer Consciousness: Growing Preferences for Spending on Experiences Traditional paradigms concerning age, gender, race and life patterns are flawed. Learn how the rise of self expressive consumers who want more personal and customized brand experiences, plus those who desire an altruistic lifestyle that is rich in relationships and belonging, have increased the complexity of the consumer 'profile' and their spending preferences, and what this means for your business. -Heather Hardwick, Menlo Consulting Group -Brian Rosborough, Earthwatch Sustainable Tourism Adventure Tourism Development Index - Integrating Destinations from the First Stage of Market Development The ATDI is an ATTA initiative to mobilize the global adventure tourism industry to develop sustainable markets for the benefit of human development and the environment. Industry engagement with the ATDI is important; we have an opportunity to actively address and support some of our era’s most challenging social and environmental issues. In this session we’ll discuss: ATDI Year One Benchmarking and Methodology Applying the ATDI in Global Markets Engaging Stakeholders - Grassroots to International Institutions and Governing Bodies -Christina Heyniger, Xola Consulting -Kristin Lamoureux, The George Washington University
6:30 PM	8:30 PM	Svolvaer - Shore Excursion - Dinner Included
7:30 PM	9:00 PM	Dinner (Optional - for those who elect to stay aboard the Midnatsol)
10:00 PM	10:30 PM	Stamsund

Thursday, October 23rd

Arrive/Start	Depart/End
7:15 AM	8:00 AM	Ornes
7:00 AM	10:00 AM	Buffet Breakfast
9:00 AM	9:30 AM	General Session ATTA Community Gathering This Summit “Pulse Check” features the ATTA’s August 2008 survey results concerning the global economy’s impact on adventure tour operators – including a multi-country “snapshot” assessing the current economic climate and its impact across borders. Feedback gathered here will be explored during tomorrow’s ATTA Community Gathering immediately following Earthwatch Founder Brian Rosborough’s Keynote address.
9:30 AM	10:30 AM	Meet the Press Meet, learn from and pitch working media (publishers, editors, bloggers, social networking site editors, freelance writers and photographers) at this facilitated networking period.
10:30 AM	12:00 PM	Networking Forums Destination Marketing Organization/Tourism Board An ATTA-facilitated assembly for discussion and exchange of adventure travel industry matters concerning the development, growth, inspirations and challenges facing Destination Marketing Organizations and Tourism Boards worldwide. Association Partnership Networking Forum Open to members of the ATTA’s Association Partnership Program, travel trade associations, and tour operators, lodges/accommodations and attractions which are members of travel trade associations, this facilitated forum will explore current objectives and initiatives of trade associations, as well as prospective continental/regional collaborative opportunities. Crossing the Pond – North American – European - African Networking Join this facilitated gathering to explore cross-continental partnership building that can lead to potential business and marketing alliances that deliver mutual gain and builds for the long-haul.
11:15 AM	12:00 PM	Nesna
12:00 PM	1:00 PM	Lunch Hosted by Brazil
1:30 PM	2:15 PM	Sandnessjoen
1:30 PM	3:30 PM	Session 3 Marketing Integrated Marketing: Using Offline Marketing to Drive Online Results Is print advertising less important than online advertising? On the contrary: integrating on and offline worlds of advertising produces the most compelling strategy to stimulate consumer interest, all while reinforcing your company's brand. Learn how to make the most of both opportunities. -Bryan Kinkade, National Geographic Adventure -Tanya Neiderhoff, Men's Journal Operational Excellence Risky Business: Research and Lessons from the Field Access world-class adventure sports risk research through one of the world’s top tourism and hospitality universities. Additionally, see how tour operators broker to adventure sports travelers and participant. Businesses, regardless of where they operate, will learn how they first encounter risk, mitigate risk, how they’re affected by risk. Participants will be taken through a thought process that will allow businesses to anticipate, plan for, respond to inherent risks, the contributory risks that their patrons bring to the activity, and the occasional actual negligence of either themselves or their participants. Delegates will then walk away with insights into actual cases, the knowledge set to address risk, and the tools needed to apply to business operations today. -Dr. Truls Engstrøm, CPT, The Norwegian School of Hotel Management, Institute of Economy and Management, Stavanger University -Tracey Knudson, Knutson & Associates, Attorneys at Law Partnership Building Marketing Consortiums: Exploring the Pros and Cons of Marketing Co-ops & Collectives Interest in marketing cooperatives has risen within the adventure travel industry. Tour operators, accommodations and others in the supply chain continue to seek marketing efficiencies and higher returns for their advertising, promotions and sales efforts. Another marketing collective concept is clusters. Clusters in the marketing area, for example, include lodging facilities in the same market area; commingling sales activities, sharing leads and sales calls. This session explores the benefits, drawbacks, and potential pitfalls involved in such cooperative marketing. -Nathalie Pilovetzky, LATITUDE -George Wendt, OARS Sustainable Tourism Unexpected Outcomes: Luxury Adventure and Responsible Tourism that Works Experts will address the question of responsibility within luxury travel, separate fact from fiction, and delve into the spirit of today’s luxury traveler, all while unpacking the important debate of what role the travel business (and the media) can play in global responsibility. -Annie Aggens, PolarExplorers -Claire Howse, CC Africa
3:30 PM	4:00 PM	FREE TIME
4:00 PM	6:00 PM	Networking Forums Tour Operator Agent Open Networking Initial facilitation by the ATTA, leading to more in-depth networking with both operators and agents. Risk Management Forum Join Tracey Knutson as she explores the use of different language with adventure travel participants; Her perspective is that the participant needs to acknowledge that part of the allure, excitement and enjoyment of adventure travel is that it is different from the known boundaries of life at home or in normal day to day activities - the acknowledgment is that they are actively/consciously seeking change and with creativity or change there ARE ambiguities. But regardless of whether the adventure goes perfectly or you actually encounter some or one of the risks, you will be changed. Tracey leads a discussion to see if the industry can come together to both provide and take part in adventure travel and activities with this more holistic (and realistic) view of what we are doing and why we are doing it - the risks of (at least) being sued can be altered. Marketing Practices Roundtables Complementing conference sessions, this facilitated gathering will address real-world marketing strategies, practices and challenges in round-table sessions. Come ready to share war stories, plans to gird for a possibly rocky 2009, and creative ideas for attracting new partners, clients, media attention and more.
5:00 PM	5:45 PM	Bronnoysund
6:00 PM	7:00 PM	Cocktail Reception Hosted by Brazil
7:30 PM	9:00 PM	Dinner
8:30 PM	10:30 PM	Evening Activities Hosted by Chile
9:30 PM	10:15 PM	Rorvik

Friday, October 24th

Arrive/Start	Depart/End
7:00 AM	10:00 AM	Trondheim - Shore Excursion Coffee and Norwegian Waffles will be served.
7:00 AM	10:00 AM	Buffet Breakfast
10:15 AM	12:15 PM	SESSION 4 Operational Excellence Songs from the Sages: Lessons in Survival by Industry Veterans Industry veterans will share their first-hand experiences of wading through economic volatility, geopolitical stirrings, natural calamities, media crises, and more, to help you navigate rough waters, build business foundations that survive and ready your team to exceed expectations. -Nicky Fitzgerald, CC Africa -Rick Sweitzer, The Northwest Passage -George Wendt, OARS Trends & Research Global, Societal and Niche Trends That Matter Monitoring global, societal and niche trends can help your organization evaluate current goals, frameworks and measures, resolve strategic directional questions and/or make pertinent management decisions. Learn which trends warrant your attention and are likely to influence your business decisions within the next 24 months, and come ready to engage in peer discussions about what trends you anticipate will affect your operating environment in the foreseeable future. -Heather Hardwick, Menlo Consulting, Inc. -Hugh Hough, Green Team USA -John Noble, Travellers Unusual Journeys Partnership Building Connecting the Dots: Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), Operator and Agent Collaboration Learn how the diverse entities throughout adventure tourism’s supply side, from marketing to field operations, can better collaborate and coordinate to achieve our goals of improved revenue and business management, enhanced delivery of customer experience, and protection of natural and cultural heritage. -Indraa Bold, Mongolia National Tourism Organization -Daniel Spinelli, ABETA (Brazilian Adventure Travel Trade Association) Sustainable Tourism Another Reason: Addressing Sustainability's Return on Investment Sustainable tourism development embraces the triple bottom line of environmental protection, social responsibility, and economic health. Business practices that protect and enhance the environment and support community development are more profitable and competitive in the long-term. Gain first-hand insights into the bottom-line impacts of sustainable practices from your industry peers. -Brian Rosborough, Earthwatch -Annie Aggens, PolarExplorers
12:30 PM	1:30 PM	Lunch hosted by Ecuador
2:00 PM	3:00 PM	General Session Keynote: Earthwatch Founder, Brian Rosborough "A Changing World: Opportunities and Challenges" Since founding Earthwatch Institute 35 years ago, Brian Rosborough has sponsored explorations in the fields of science, conservation, and adventures in education. His organizations have deployed about half the Peace Corps volunteers to 120 countries each with a mission to support the discovery of knowledge leading to sustainable development. Today’s world is changing at an alarming rate, reflected in the recent turmoil in financial markets, public awareness of climate change, and regional conflicts in too many places. Does this represent danger – or a calling for Adventure Travelers? How might the global adventure travel community embrace these challenging times?
3:00 PM	3:30 PM	ATTA Community Gathering We’ll pick up where we left off on yesterday’s General Session “Pulse Check” meeting, and build off of Brian Rosborough’s “Opportunities and Challenges,” to further explore through group discussion our industry’s – and our individual businesses’ – ability to embrace and handle change.
3:30 PM	6:00 PM	FREE TIME
5:00 PM	5:45 PM	Kristiansund
6:00 PM	7:00 PM	Cocktail Reception hosted by Ecuador
7:30 PM	9:00 PM	Dinner
8:30 PM	10:30 PM	MAJOR SPONSORS' reception Hosted by
9:30 PM	10:15 PM	Molde
12:00 AM		Ålesund - Shore Excursion

Saturday, October 25th

Arrive/Start	Depart/End
	1:45 AM	Ålesund - Shore Excursion
2:15 AM	3:00 AM	Torvik
5:45 AM	6:30 AM	Maloy
7:00 AM	10:00 AM	Buffet Breakfast
8:15 AM	9:00 AM	Floro
9:30 AM	11:30 AM	SESSION 5 Marketing Strategic Marketing in Difficult Times In today’s economic climate careful marketing is key. Rather than focus on the downturn and the threats it poses, look beyond the gloomy headlines and become a progressive company that takes a positive approach. Through careful and considered investment in creative marketing during tough times, organizations can reap rewards in the short- and long-term. Join these marketing experts and veterans to learn how. -Nicky Fitzgerald, CC Africa -Hugh Hough, Green Team USA -Steve Markle, OARS Operational Excellence Trends & Best Practices in Leisure Product Distribution Learn more about online travel activity for leisure travel in North America and Europe. Access industry-wide distribution trends including air, car hire, hotel, cruise and time share/holiday rentals, as well as business trends in distribution including content management, ancillary revenue, dynamic packaging, dynamic cross-selling, and best practices case studies. Come prepared to discover how to assess distribution channels approaches and share your business’ perspectives, challenges, concerns and potential opportunities for group discussion. -Aleece Koss, Adventure Central Trends & Research Outdoor & Adventure Lifestyle Trends: Why Connectivity Between the Outdoor and Adventure Lifestyle Industries Matter Bringing adventure travel destinations, tour operators and other businesses together with outdoor gear retailers and brands focused on adventurous activities contribute to increased participation in outdoor recreation activities. Together, these industries are better positioned to provide productive cross selling environments for retailers, manufacturers and travel companies, which, in the end, brings more value to our businesses, outdoor enthusiasts and travelers. It's another opportunity that can help you open new distribution channels. Learn how. -Chris Chesak, Adventure Travel Trade Association -Shannon Stowell, Adventure Travel Trade Association Partnership Building Making Partners out of Your Travelers: Leveraging Consumer Influence Learn how to put real power and influence in the hands of your customers, who can serve as your brand's greatest ambassadors. Your travelers are influencing friends, families, colleagues and scores of others through social networking tools and by telling...and re-telling, their personal stories. Beyond an exceptional adventure, learn what 'gifts' you can can give your customers to enable them to spread the word about their compelling life experiences. -Kevin Johnson, Deluxe Digital Media -Natasha Martin, Xola Consulting -Chris Noble, World Nomads
11:45 AM	12:30PM	General Session Moving Forward: A special presentation by ATTA and Quebec.   BUFFET Lunch HOSTED BY Québec
12:30 PM	1:30PM
2:30 PM		Bergen
2:30 PM	5:30 PM	Bergen Guided Cultural Adventures
6:00 PM	10:30 PM	CLOSING CEREMONY
6:00 PM	6:30 PM	Tram Ride, Cocktails, Social Networking Ride the tram up to Mount Floien to a mountainside restaurant, Fløien Folkerestaurant, for cocktails and social networking. Gourmet chefs will then tempt you with delicacies from the sea.
6:30 PM	7:30 PM	Closing Keynote ATTA, Fjord Norway, City of Bergen and: Special Keynote with Carol Bellamy "The Moral Adventurer in a World of Need" What does it mean to be an adventurer in a world made ever smaller through transportation and technology, where some enjoy increasing opportunities to get out and see the world while far too many others struggle in place to simply see tomorrow? Drawing on her years of experience at the helm of the Peace Corps, UNICEF, and now World Learning, a global nonprofit focused on international education and development, Carol Bellamy will discuss both the great opportunities and the grave challenges that face us in this global, connected age.
7:30 PM	9:00 PM	Buffet Dinner Finger foods and exotic seafood temptations.
9:00 PM	10:30 PM	Evening Entertainment Music and dance - mixture between modern and traditional folk tunes.
10:30 PM		Tram Ride Return to prepare for your next day’s Fjord Norway adventures or return home. OR... for those who would like to continue the party, we’ll see you at Rick’s, a nightclub in the centre of Bergen!