Kitzbühel Tourismus attracts prestigious summit from the USA to Europe for the first time
ATTA AdventureELEVATE Europe celebrates its premiere in Kitzbühel in its 20th anniversary year. Kitzbühel Tourismus welcomes over 250 participants from 39 nations and 5 continents to the 1st AdventureELEVATE in Europe from 21st to 23rd May 2024.
Welcome to Tirol
Over the course of these few days, more than 250 participants from 39 nations were able to familiarise themselves with the sheer diversity of the Kitzbühel region. The event kicked off with the Day of Adventure, where sporting and traditional aspects of the region were presented: these ranged from hikes in various levels of difficulty to e-bike tours and a visit to the Frauenschuh workshop, a renowned Kitzbühel manufacturer.
Three groups of selected participants were given the opportunity to explore one of the three regions of Osttirol, Kufstein or Innsbruck as part of a preliminary tour before the start of the official programme. In each case, an action-packed two-day itinerary filled with hotel visits, activities and Tirolean cuisine was offered.
A thirst for adventure
Was the guiding theme of the first Adventure Elevates in Europe. The event presented participants with a two-day programme at K3 KitzKongress in the centre of Kitzbühel, filled with specialised panel discussions, keynote speeches, numerous networking opportunities and a Market Place.
The Market Place was set up specifically to cater for tour operators, travel destination and accommodation providers in Europe. It offered delegates a dedicated space to establish contact with potential partners and organise meetings. A separate meeting zone was arranged in the congress centre for this purpose.
Kitzbühel Tourism Managing Director Dr Viktoria Veider-Walser spoke in one of the keynote panel sessions about the implementation of sustainable tourism in everyday life. The tourism expert is delighted that Kitzbühel has succeeded in attracting this prestigious event with a strong US connection to Kitzbühel:
By hosting the first AdventureELEVATE in Europe, the Kitzbühel region has been able to establish a significant presence in both the international MICE sector and the US market. This event also capi-talises on the Kitzbühel brand, taking into account all five success criteria of our strategy for the future. We are of course especially pleased when our local partners are able to use this opportuni-ty to engage in target-oriented sales dialogue with the aim of inspiring guests to visit Kitzbühel. – Dr Viktoria Veider-Walser – Kitzbühel Tourism Managing Director
Sustainability created by standards
Participants were able to explore topics related to sustainable growth, climate resilience, the integration of technologies and the promotion of environmentally friendly modes of transport through interactive workshops, immersive experiences and discussions. Local experts and industry pioneers were invited to bring case study results and regionally relevant experiences to the event and encourage dialogue. AdventureELEVATE brought an interested community together and provided content to quench the industry’s thirst for adventure in a sustainable, responsible and regionally focussed way.
Participants were accommodated in various hotels within walking distance of the congress centre and a free evening enabled them to explore at their own leisure. Kitzbühel showcased its culinary finesses on the other two evenings – together with Tirol Werbung at the Rasmushof on the opening evening and in conjunction with Kitzbühel Tourismus at Das Mocking guesthouse on the final night.
True words
Karin Seiler, CEO at Tirol Werbung, was honoured to co-host the first AdventureELEVATE in Europe: “The format offers the perfect opportunity to present Tirol and its regions to international markets and to exchange ideas with new and existing contacts.”
Shannon Stowell, CEO ATTA, was delighted to be in Kitzbühel: “We are thrilled to have the inaugural AdventureELEVATE Europe event in Kitzbühel, Austria. This event has already become an important annual gathering in North America and Latin America. Now in Europe, we will see as an industry and a community the fruits that are borne from the opportunity to gather as visionaries and adventure travel practitioners. As the world becomes increasingly digitalised, the travel industry remains a deeply human business and it’s vital that we come together and share best practices and opportunities to make travel a more responsible and yet thriving industry.”
