August 3, 2025 Adventure travel industry sets new benchmark with first impact report

The Adventure Travel Trade Association has released its first Sustainability & Impact Report, detailing how it is embedding responsible practices across its programs and partnerships. From carbon reduction to education and event design, the report sets a new standard for industry accountability.

In a landmark step toward transparency and industry leadership, the Adventure Travel Trade Association has released its inaugural Sustainability & Impact Report. The report offers a detailed look into how the organization is embedding responsible practices across operations, events, education, and community engagement.

“For over 20 years, sustainability has been part of our DNA,” said Shannon Stowell, CEO of ATTA.

“This report isn’t a final destination—it’s the beginning of a new era of clarity, action, and shared progress.”

Key focus areas include training, events, and climate action

The 2024 report outlines progress in five key areas:

• Membership Sustainability Commitment: A framework was launched to support members in adopting credible sustainability practices, backed by tools like the Sustainability Resource Center and partnerships with Strategic Sustainability Partners.

• AdventureEDU: ATTA delivered over 4,000 hours of training to 208 students in regions including Panama, Uzbekistan, and Fiji. Topics focused on rural tourism, community entrepreneurship, and sustainable product development.

• Sustainable Events: Events such as AdventureELEVATE and the Adventure Travel World Summit implemented sustainability across venue selection, waste reduction, and programming. At the 2024 Summit in Panama, targeted waste strategies helped divert recyclables and gather performance metrics.

• Tomorrow’s Air and ATTA Sustainability Fund: ATTA’s climate initiative helped remove 310 tonnes of CO₂ and avoid an additional 200 tCO₂e via sustainable aviation fuel. Its new Sustainability Fund raised $48,800, split equally between climate action and education.

• Carbon Tracking: With carbon accounting partner ecollective, ATTA completed its first full accounting cycle, achieving a 12 percent emissions reduction from 2023. The average delegate footprint dropped to 1,969 kg CO₂e.

An industry-wide invitation to act

Looking forward, ATTA has officially entered the process to become a certified B Corp by the end of 2026. This move underscores its aim to align internal governance with its mission of responsible leadership in adventure travel.

“This report is a snapshot in time of our progress,” said Gustavo Timo, ATTA’s President. “But more importantly, it’s a living commitment to keep learning, improving, and taking action alongside our global community.”

More than a performance review, the Sustainability & Impact Report serves as a call to the global adventure travel industry to collaborate, innovate, and lead with integrity.

Read the full report here.

Photo by Luca Calderone on Unsplash