Media Update: September 2006

Adventure Travel Trade Association
Takes First Steps in Greening the Adventure Travel World Summit

Leading Trade Association Makes Conscientious
Choice to Support Sustainable Tourism Efforts

Boulder, CO (September 28, 2006) - Sustainable Travel International (STI) announced today that the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) has contracted its services to green-up the 2006 Adventure Travel Word Summit, which is expected to attract more than 400 business owners, managers and other industry leaders from around the world to Seattle on October 19-21.

"It's the right thing to do and it fits the increasing industry and consumer demand for sustainable practices," explains Shannon Stowell, President of the ATTA. "Where possible and viable, the ATTA will take incremental steps to ensure that its messaging and actual support for sustainable tourism are in concert, including its day-to-day business activities and its major conference events."

STI has helped to green-up and offset the greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts associated with a number of high profile, international events and conferences. "Most event organizers take responsibility for covering the cost to offset the carbon emissions associated with the event facility," explains Brian T. Mullis, STI's President. "The ATTA is working with STI to set a new precedent in the adventure travel industry and helping to spread the word about the importance of sustainable tourism to an influential audience."

With STI's assistance, ATTA has already undertaken a number of steps to green the 2006 Adventure Travel Word Summit, including the following:

Renewable Energy

• ATTA has made financial commitments to offset 25 percent of each delegate's hotel room and air travel related greenhouse gas impacts by supporting renewable energy and energy efficiency projects through STI.
• ATTA, in cooperation with STI, will encourage all delegates, presenters, ATTA employees/staff/advisory personnel to consider making personal contributions toward carbon offsets, to use public transportation and/or carpool, whenever and wherever viable.
  
• ATTA has requested the Bell Harbor International Conference Center to purchase "green energy" for all events/conference activities at the venue between October 19-21, 2006 - The ATTA has financially committed to covering the added costs of securing "green" energy used during the Summit.
  

Lodging and Transportation

• Despite ATTA having previously pursued dinner and entertainment venues away from the conference center, the ATTA has elected to ensure that all Summit special events following the October 19th Day of Adventure will be held on site to all but eliminate transportation needs during the two days of conference.
  
• ATTA recommended to all Summit delegates, speakers and partners accommodations (with negotiated rates) within a two-minute walk of the Bell Harbor International Conference center to significantly reduce delegates' excess travel needs.
  
• ATTA is sponsoring shuttle services within the city of Seattle as an option to delegates as an alternative to renting their own vehicles. The ATTA also will pursue/use rentals that are hybrid/bio fuel/electric vehicles to shuttle delegates.
  

Waste Management

• All Summit registration activities, including Summit marketing, are being conducted exclusively via the Internet to eliminate printed marketing material and reduce waste.
  
• Despite ATTAs previously announced plans to deliver a printed Summit program to approximately 400 Summit attendees ahead of the event and to ship/mail post-Summit a CD-ROM will all Summit proceedings, it has elected to eliminate all major print pieces, and move all previously planned print collateral to an online, delegate-access-only environment. Exceptions include directional signage at the event and daily one-page (11x17) programs, all of which will use post-consumer recycled paper and soy-based inks.
  
• ATTA, in cooperation with the event managers of Bell Harbor International Conference center, have stepped up recycling programs throughout the event, to include: visible Recycle bins with signage, using water cisterns (delegates will be given the opportunity to re-use provided water bottles) and reduction of packaged foodstuffs during meals.
  

For more information, contact ATTA via email or call 360-805-3131. For more information about how to green-up your conference or event, contact STI via email or call 720-273-2975.

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About the Adventure Travel Trade Association
Established in 1990, the Seattle-based ATTA (http://www.adventuretravel.biz/) is a strategic membership organization dedicated to raising the profile of adventure travel globally. The ATTA provides services, knowledge, and connections that help its members succeed in their businesses and contribute to overall industry growth.

About Sustainable Travel International
Sustainable Travel International (http://www.sustainabletravel.com/) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to promote sustainable development and eco-friendly travel by providing programs that help travelers and travel-related companies protect the environmental, socio-cultural and economic needs of the places they visit.