Xola Presents Adventure Research to Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan & Moldova

Tourism Industry Professionals from Eight Countries Gathered in Albuquerque, NM to learn about Non-Traditional Tourism Programs

(Santa Fe, NM) - August 30, 2010 – Christina Heyniger joined sixteen delegates representing eight countries from the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Western Eurasia on August 26, 2010 in Albuquerque, New Mexico to discuss adventure tourism.  The delegates were participants in SABIT, a U.S. Department of Commerce – sponsored training program focused on non-traditional tourism. The SABIT program directly supports Eurasian economic and civil society development by encouraging market-based reforms, while generating valuable export and investment opportunities for U.S. industry.

Christina met with the group of delegates to discuss sustainable adventure tourism with a focus on product development, site assessment and development, sales and marketing, as well as government involvement and policy development.

Delegates gained additional knowledge about sustainable tourism models being put into effect in emerging destinations around the world. This sustainable model encourages destination managers, tour operators and guests to recognize their partnership in enhancing the geographical character of an area. Along with that, Christina emphasized the important market opportunity in the adventure tourism sector and provided attendees with basic guidelines to aid in the development of adventure and nature tourism products.

To help capitalize on the addition of adventure travel into their tours, delegates also received marketing tips tailored for the adventure traveler highlighting certain technologies available to launch their offerings, such as Xola’s technology partner, StepUpTravel.org. Delegates were introduced to the Adventure Tourism Development Index (ATDI) rankings as a tool in assessing the overall market readiness for adventure tourism.
 
About Xola Consulting
Xola Consulting, Inc. (www.xolaconsulting.com) is a consulting and research services firm assisting governments and private companies with sustainable adventure tourism destination and product development, marketing and research. Xola launched Off the Radar (travelofftheradar.com) in 2005 to provide travelers with information about the best entrepreneurial adventure operators around the world – those who provide guests with a genuine, personal experience; who believe in sustainable, environmentally sensitive travel; and who believe in incorporating the local people and traditions of the places where they operate.