Showing posts with label Namibia Tourism Board. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Namibia Tourism Board. Show all posts

Monday, May 21, 2012

Namibia under eagle’s eye for adventure summit

The Inspection Committee of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) is currently in the country for a site inspection - the final step before the announcement on whether the country will host the Adventure Travel World Summit in 2013.
Namibia has been short-listed as one of three finalists to host the Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS), an international gathering of over 600 influencers in the adventure travel industry.

According to Maggy Mbako, Corporate Communications Practitioner at the Namibia Tourism Board, a team of six inspectors from ATTA arrived in the country on Tuesday afternoon to verify Namibia’s bidding documents.
On Wednesday morning, the inspection team met with various stakeholders in the tourism industry and was also treated to a display of more than 50 vehicles from various tour operators in Namibia. With the display, the tour operators intended showing the inspectors that they will be able to handle the influx of people that is expected in the country during the World Adventure Travel World Summit.
After a breakfast meeting, the team of inspectors was taken on a tour of Windhoek before being hosted on Wednesday night by Minister of Environment and Tourism Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
The following day, the inspection team split up in three groups travelling to the country’s west coast, Etosha National Park and the Sossusvlei/ Twyfelfontein areas where they will do site inspections. All three groups will meet up in Swakopmund again as the proposed plan is to host the Adventure Travel World Summit Tourism summit at the coastal town, should Namibia win the bid to host the event.
The team will leave Namibia on Sunday.
Mbako also added that the ATTA President, Shannon Stowell will be in Namibia for a short visit and he will be the guest of honor during the official opening of the Namibia Tourism Expo on the June 6 at the Windhoek Show Grounds.
The tourism sector in Namibia will experience significant spin-offs should the country be chosen to host the summit. The ATWS summit has never taken place on the African continent and if Namibia hosts it, it is bound to position the country as a true leader in the tourism sector on the continent.

The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), which organises the summit, is a global organisation and home to more than 20 000 businesses, destinations and media that focus on adventure travel.

Adventure travel is one of the fastest growing segments in the industry that represents US$89 billion in annual sales. The annual Adventure Travel World Summit sells out every year to over 700 executive level adventure tourism professionals.
The announcement for the summit host country will be made between June and August.

Author:
WINDHOEK - ELLANIE SMIT