Adventure tourism is a vital component of efforts to cultivate a sustainable travel industry, according to a leading figure in the sector.
Speaking at Europe's first AdventureElevate summit, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) chief executive Shannon Stowell explained that the adventure industry can help.
Speaking in Tirol, Austria, he said: “Many destinations are seeing overtourism problems, yet they still need the tourism economy to deliver. This is where I feel the adventure industry is vital going forward.
“It takes 100 cruise customers to leave $10,000 in an economy. It takes nine overnight package tourists to leave $10,000, and it takes just four commercial adventure travellers to leave the same amount.
“As destinations look at what what's going to be valuable for the future, especially if overtourism is a challenge or a problem, adventure travel is one of those solutions because you can have fewer tourists, and ones who really respect that destination,” said Stowell.
Established 20 years ago, ATTA is the world’s largest adventure travel association and has about 30,000 members, including tour guides, tour operators, destination management companies and travel advisers. According to the latest ATTA data, adventure travellers tend to stay at local lodges, eat local food, buy locally made handicrafts and use local guides more often than conventional tourists.
“It’s all about leakage – the amount of revenue that leaves a destination,” said Stowell. For mass tourism, leakage is reported to be 80 to 90 per cent. That number is much lower for adventure travellers, the chief executive said, with trips averaging a leakage of 30 to 35 per cent.
Stowell explained that adventure travellers often venture to less-visited areas, something he said can help combat overtourism by dispersing visitors. He added that it also means more money can reach outlying areas and support local business.
ATTA’s first summit in Europe has attracted 250 participants from 39 nations and five continents to the Tirol town of Kitzbuhel, one of the most exclusive winter sport resorts in the Alps. During the two-day summit, industry leaders and speakers will report on and discuss various topics, including sustainability and new technologies.
“This event offers the perfect opportunity to present Tirol and its regions to international markets and to exchange ideas with new and existing contacts,” said Karin Seiler, chief executive of Tirol Tourist Board.
The summit is likely to be the first of many. “The idea of AdventureElevate is that we will rotate around Europe,” said Gabriella Stowell, ATTA's vice-president of regional development. “This is the first year and we're very happy to be in Tirol. Although we still don’t have a confirmed location for next year, we are talking to many destinations.”
Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)
Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,600m, Winner: Panadol, Mickael Barzalona (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
6.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m, Winner: Mayehaab, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (D) 1,600m, Winner: Monoski, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,800m, Winner: Eastern World, Royston Ffrench, Charlie Appleby
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,200m, Winner: Madkal, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
8.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Taneen, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Director: Romany Saad
Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
