The Adventure Travel Trade Association Announces Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) 2023 Hokkaido, Japan

Pronounced chōwa (調和) in Japanese, this idea of harmony serves as a reminder to look beyond our individuality. It asks us to place a higher value on our entire community as it embodies the core values held by the Japanese, which include mutual respect, working together towards a shared vision, and harmony (chōwa). 

“We would like to extend our thanks to the ATTA community for selecting the theme of “chōwa,” or “harmony,” a term which embodies the spiritual nature of the Japanese,” shares Chikako Goto, Secretary-General of the ATWS Hokkaido Executive Committee. “Together, Chōwa and the virtual ATWS 2021 theme of Kyōsei, both express respect for the individual spirits of not only people, but of animals and plants too, as well as the necessity of peaceful co-existence for the benefit of all. We look forward to welcoming participants of ATWS 2023 held here in Hokkaido, Japan, and hope to work together in harmony to advance each other’s projects and ideas.”

As travel providers, media, destination representatives, and a wide variety of industry players convene in Hokkaido, on the traditional lands of the Ainu people, ATTA looks forward to welcoming the adventure travel community to this wildly diverse region. From flourishing wetlands and volcanic hot springs to a vast coastline that greets the mountains, the concept of harmony can be experienced in every corner of Hokkaido, furthering delegates’ understanding of communities, economies, and how to create a sustainable ecosystem of tourism worldwide. 

“Having discovered Hokkaido myself in recent years, I’m confident that our community will be blown away by the beauty of the nature, the activities, the food, and the people, including the local Ainu people whose traditions are being preserved by the people themselves,” shares Shannon Stowell, ATTA CEO. “The adventure travel professional community, having been bereft of this ATWS experience in 2021 I believe means the enthusiasm for the event, for Hokkaido, for Japan and each other will be phenomenal. We can’t wait to follow through on this long-awaited event and help connect the global adventure travel community to our wonderful Japanese hosts and partners.” 

During this annual four-day event, ATTA will facilitate open forums filled with inspiring stories and ideation and offer educational sessions around marketing, technology, sustainability, and business solutions. MediaConnect and Marketplace will also provide one-on-one networking opportunities for attendees to connect with buyers, media, suppliers, and destination partners.

To learn more about how to register for ATWS in Hokkaido, visit the event’s page. Follow along on ATTA’s Instagram for more up-to-date information about the event.