ATTA Value Statement
Adventure Travel Trade Association Value Statement
As an organization, we formally adopt the Values Statement declared by the Adventure Travel TradeAssociation (ATTA). The ATTA, of which we are a member, is an organization that nurtures and professionalizes the responsible and sustainable development of the adventure travel industry.
In defining the adventure travel sector, the ATTA believes adventure tourism contains three main components for the traveler: 1) physical activity, 2) a connection to nature and the environment and 3) an immersive cultural experience. As tourism is one of the largest employers on the planet, it has a major impact on peoples’ economic well-being and the planet’s health.
Furthermore, adventure tourism is inextricably dependent on human- and nature-capital; protection and promotion of these
resources is key. As an ATTA member, we are part of a community that supports and engenders these efforts. While we believe that no organization is perfect in its actions regarding responsibility and sustainability, it is our intent to move towards such goals. Thus, we and the ATTA declare our affirmation and support of the following key issues:
TOURISM ETHICS
We affirm and agree with the UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism
PROTECTION OF CHILDREN
We believes in the protection of children from harmful effects of tourism and is a signatory of TheCode.org
RESPONSIBILITY
We believe in the universal standards put forth by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (Based on the UNWTO’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism), and that tourism businesses and destinations should adopt the criteria specifically in these four areas:
- Demonstrating effective sustainable management
- Maximizing social and economic benefits to the local community and minimizing negative impacts
- Maximizing benefits to cultural heritage and minimizing negative impacts
- Maximizing benefits to the environment and minimizing negative impacts
COMMUNITY PRINCIPLES
ATTA Members — when working under the auspices as aforementioned — treat each other and travelers with respect and professionalism and conduct business with safety, honesty and integrity.
As a community, we will do our part to seek to improve our own organization’s compliance with the points noted above. As a community, we will wherever possible seek to assist other organizations and professionals within the association to achieve success- both in the pursuit of the values noted above and in business.