We are inviting our members to make a formal sustainability commitment. By doing so, ATTA members will receive support for implementation and marketing on sustainable travel!
For the past 20 years, the ATTA and our members have been dedicated to sustainability, leading various initiatives across its community. In 2024, we’re taking that commitment further by launching our Membership Sustainability Commitment – a program designed to unite the adventure travel community in making a formal commitment to sustainable practices. Which means asking for a proof of a commitment related to a certification program, or other framework that includes a third party assessment. The knowledge, partnerships, and community the ATTA has gathered in the last 20 years will serve as guidance along the journey toward sustainability commitments.
Sustainability is a must! Adventure tourism can be a force for good and ATTA, together with its vibrant and diverse community, wants to leave a tangible positive impact. Embracing sustainability is an ethical imperative and also a strategic business decision. It helps companies stay competitive in a changing market and attract travelers who prioritize responsible travel experiences.
These are the companies that will help your business achieve your sustainability goal in an easier, faster, and more accessible way. Learn more about what they do and what they can offer your business:
Join our virtual community to keep the conversation going around sustainability and your sustainability commitment.
ATTA’s Adventure.Travel consumer website audaciously aims to convert all of the 1.4 billion market of mass travelers to become adventure travelers who travel sustainably. But travelers need you: your stories of traveling with purpose — written or visual — educate and inform the adventure travel unique value. Our sustainable storytelling ecosystem showcases destinations and members and is buttressed by digital campaigns receiving 15k-60k users each week.
At the Adventure Travel Trade Association, we recognize the urgent need for collective action to address climate change and the broader social and environmental impacts within the tourism industry. We believe tourism should not only enrich the lives of travelers but also positively impact the destinations and local communities we visit.
As part of our mission to promote responsible tourism practices, we invite ATTA business members to uphold a formal commitment to sustainability. That can be with a certification from recognized sustainability programs like Travelife and B Corp, or by other third-party sustainability assessments such as Nature Positive Tourism or Behavior Smart.
Already, 50% of ATTA members have adopted sustainable practices and earned certification.
Our goal is to engage and support every ATTA member, both current and future, in their own sustainability journey.
If you want to know more about Sustainability Implementation explore our 4-part Membership Sustainability Commitment series - and also the Sustainability Resource Center
As we launch this initiative and strive to support our members world wide, we will hold the criteria of credible commitments to sustainability for those programs that include a third party assessment as its method. ATTA will verify the commitments and endeavor to create a list of programs that can be considered as a formal commitment to sustainability. We will work with our members and partners to keep consistency as well as a broad range of options due to the global nature of our business community and the positive impact we want to see travel make in the world. We want to make sure we walk the fine line of being consistent and inclusive for different types of commitment.
After you join you will receive instructions on how to submit your commitment documents when ready.
You do not need to be certified to become an ATTA member; you can join by pledging to implement a sustainable commitment.
The ATTA is here to support you along the journey.
This is about making sustainability a business growth driver for companies!
No, you do not need to be already committed to join ATTA. You can always join ATTA as a member, and later commit to implementing sustainability practices, regardless of where you currently stand in your sustainability journey. At the launch of the program, we will give companies 24 months to implement their commitment. This timeframe might change as this is implemented.
If you are already committed to sustainability by a recognized sustainability program, simply provide us with your documentation and its expiration date. This will help us recognize and support your efforts. One of the main focuses of this initiative is to expand marketing, promotion and exposure for sustainable travel companies.
Any sustainability commitment that includes a third party assessment is welcomed. This can include certification programs or other frameworks like Nature Positive Tourism. The key is to demonstrate a genuine effort towards sustainable practices, regardless of the format, following a consistent standard and being able to provide a third party assessment document. We will always welcome new credible solutions to support sustainability implementation. If you don´t know if the framework you have implemented is recognised or would like to share an idea please send an email to: [email protected]
ATTA offers a network of resources, toolkits, and partnerships to help you along your sustainability journey. ATTA members will also be granted access to exclusive discussion spaces about sustainability on our HUB, as well as dedicated webinars and workshops. No matter where you are in the process, we provide support tailored to your needs.
If you’re already a member, you’ll need to sign ATTA’s new values statement and submit your documentation. You can complete now or wait until your membership is up for renewal.
Embracing sustainability is not only the right thing to do, but it also strengthens your competitiveness in the adventure travel industry. More travelers are seeking responsible and authentic experiences, making sustainable practices a strategic advantage. Check in the Sustainability Resource Center for more information and in our Sustainable Travel members only storytelling and promotional platform: adventure.travel
Our ultimate goal is to create the largest sustainable tourism community, making sustainability initiatives simpler, more affordable, and accessible for all members. By working together, we can positively impact the environment, local communities, and the adventure travel industry as a whole. Tourism as a force for good!
As we start this initiative in Q4 2024, we are defining 24 months, or by the end of 2026, as the timeframe for our business members to make a formal commitment. So the first thing you have is time. You don't need to rush, but you can't just pretend it does not exist. The second thing is you don't need to get certified, which can be less complicated than you think. In any case, ATTA and our community, as well as resources, will be available to support you in making best decision in which framework to adopt in relation to your business. We will do the best we can to support companies implementing their sustainability commitment in the best way possible. Join the community, it will be easier, faster and less painful than you think.
At the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), sustainability isn't just something we encourage our members to pursue—it's a core value that we are committed to integrating into our own operations. As part of our dedication to "walking the talk," the ATTA recently joined 1% for the Planet and is actively working to become B Corp certified by the end of 2026.
This journey towards B Corp certification is a reflection of our belief that to inspire change in the industry, we must first lead by example. We recognize that sustainability is not just a goal but an ongoing responsibility that requires continuous effort and improvement. By aligning our internal practices with the sustainability principles we advocate, we aim to create a positive impact not only through our members but also through our own actions as an organization.
Through our journey to B Corp certification, ATTA is not only striving to be a more sustainable organization but also setting a benchmark for the industry. We believe that by "walking the talk," we can better understand and support our members in their sustainability efforts and collectively make a meaningful difference in the adventure travel industry. Together, we can create a future where tourism is a force for good—benefiting travelers, local communities, and the planet.