Xola President Christina Heyniger to Headline Philippines Adventure Tourism Seminar

Conference supports Philippines Department of Tourism campaign to position country as emerging Asian adventure destination

(SANTA FE) - May 27, 2008: Christina Heyniger, President of Xola Consulting Inc., will join Russell Walters from Northern Outdoors as a keynote presenter at Adventure Philippines: a Seminar of Adventure Tourism on June 3-5, 2008.

Ms. Heyniger will present on two subjects: Adventure Tourism as a Vehicle for Development, and Adventure Tourism: Best Practices. In the former, she will provide insight to the ground-breaking Adventure Tourism Development Index which was pioneered by Xola Consulting Inc., the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and George Washington University. The ATDI is designed to encourage and shape tourism development policies for the benefit of local people and the environment by providing a structured method that can be readily applied in emerging markets.

Heyniger was selected to present innovative initiatives relevant to supporting the Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT)’s national campaign to promote the country’s adventure and ecotourism destinations and activities. Recognizing that adventure and experiential travel is one of the strongest growth segments in the travel industry today, the Adventure Philippines Campaign hopes to capitalize on this emerging market. Adventure Philippines: A Seminar of Adventure Tourism, is one component of the country’s effort to position itself as a leading adventure destination in Asia.

“Sharing responsible tourism development ideas that can enhance tourism throughout the entire supply chain in the Philippines is the core message – one appropriate for any emerging tourism destination,” said Heyniger. “Introducing conference participants to innovative approaches, like those contained within the Adventure Tourism Development Index, can help the Philippines understand how to better extend tourism activities beyond urban centers and in a manner that preserves any given destination’s unique environment and rich local cultures.”

For more information on the Conference visit: http://www.clarksubicmarketing.com/special_events/clark_adventure_philippines.htm

For more information on the Adventure Travel Trade Association visit:
http://www.adventuretravel.biz/

For more information on the ATDI visit www.xolaconsulting.com/atdi.php or The George Washington University website: www.gwu.edu/iits

About Xola Consulting, Inc.
Xola Consulting, Inc. (www.xolaconsulting.com) provides consulting services to individual adventure tour company operators and tourism boards interested in adventure tourism development for the benefit of rural communities and the environment. Xola also specializes in supporting organizations seeking to blend adventure tourism and volunteer service. Xola consultants have in-depth experience in emerging markets around the world including Central and South America, North Africa and Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma), India and Nepal.