Mountain Adventure Holidays
Visiting T&T guests and hiking in the Rocky Mountains
At Tracks and Trails, we always look for ways to learn, grow, and stay connected to the wider world of adventure travel. Recently, our Company Director, Julia, attended an event hosted by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), and we sat down with her to hear about the experience, what she learned, and how it will help shape the future of Tracks and Trails.
ATTA is a global network that brings together people and businesses involved in adventure travel. Their events are designed to encourage collaboration, idea sharing, and relationship-building among tour operators, travel agents, and industry experts. It's a chance to meet others who share our passion, and also a valuable opportunity to stay up to date with industry trends and explore new ideas.
The biggest takeaway is a renewed sense of belonging in the global adventure travel community. As a SME (Small to Medium sized Enterprise), it's encouraging to see how much impact we can have. Our world has become smaller in the best way - our authentic holidays and values of responsible travel can now reach more people thanks to the new contacts we made.
It was also a strong confirmation that what we're doing resonates with what people are naturally drawn to: adventure travel, solo travel, women's-only trips, experiences, etc. We're on the right path and can continue to evolve these offerings as part of the natural development of Tracks and Trails.
A day of adventure organised by ATTA exploring Red Rocks
Incredibly valuable. Particularly in the snowsports world, we're being recognised as leaders. Our offering in cross-country skiing and snowshoeing is quite niche, and many people we spoke to at ATTA hadn't come across anything quite like what we do. That in itself was a real moment of pride.
The conversations reaffirmed that there's strong interest in exactly the kind of holidays we offer. It made me realise how much we already have in place and how our unique approach is resonating with people who are looking for these kinds of authentic experiences.
The personal development workshop, "Adventures in Leading," really stood out. After all the exciting conversations, it helped me refocus and reconnect with why we do what we do. As a business owner, it's easy to get caught up in day-to-day tasks. This session reignited my passion, helped me rise above the weeds, and look at the bigger picture again.
One moment that really struck me was during a roundtable exercise. We had to present our findings, speaking as leaders in our industry. It was a moment of empowerment and recognition, realising the value of our expertise. Our customers are looking for their ski tribe or hiking tribe, and we help them find it. It's that personal service and genuine connection that keeps people coming back.
There were plenty of new ideas to explore, and many potential business opportunities. The key now is to make sure any new direction fits with who we are as a company. We want to stay true to our values while continuing to develop, whether that's adding more specialist one-off trips, tailor-made offerings, expanding our women's-only programmes, offering more trail running, or venturing into lesser-known trekking destinations.
Yes, it was great to connect with another British business of similar size and hear how they developed contacts and grew. It was both inspiring and reassuring to see how others have navigated the same path and how ATTA assisted them in doing this which was very encouraging.
People are looking for real experiences, especially in a world where social media and constant connection can leave us feeling isolated. Slower-paced travel that allows for real adventure and meaningful encounters is what people crave.
There’s value in disconnecting from our screens and connecting with people and places instead. We want our guests to look at our trips and think, "This could be me." Our job is to pass on that feeling of possibility, inspiration and to have time for themselves adventuring with like-minded people in nature.
Downtown Denver Breakfast Club Run
The event also offered valuable insights into industry trends and how to develop our business plans with greater focus. We came away with not only new ideas but also a clearer vision for the future. It's exciting to think about where Tracks and Trails is heading and also reminded me of how much I love what we do!
Keep up to date with Tracks and Trails through our newsletter, click here to sign up. For more information about our adventure holidays, either bespoke or Scheduled Departures, speak to one of our expert team by calling +44 1663 434468 or email info@tracks-and-trails.
In winter, we offer snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, while in summer we would encourage you to join us for hiking, and trail running.
