- The ATAS Conference 2026 took place from 21-22 September at Silverstone Circuit with the theme Accelerate
- Almost 100 agents were to be hosted on fam trips in 2027
- Emerging destinations like Peru, Japan, Costa Rica, and Morocco saw growth in adventure travel
- Solo travel accounted for roughly 42pc of all touring and adventure bookings
- Agents found success by pivoting toward experience-led travel packages including rail journeys and wildlife safaris
The ATAS Conference has hosted delegates who heard that almost 100 agents will be hosted on fam trips in 2027. Tui has reported no let-up in the late-booking trend. Nats has continued to face criticism from airline bosses over recent disruptions. Premium clients have been said to shop with a different wallet, according to discussions at the Atas event.
The annual conference hosted by the Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers (ATAS) concluded its 2026 event, which took place from 21-22 September at the Silverstone Circuit. With the core theme of Accelerate, the conference brought together independent travel homeworkers, high street agencies, and adventure travel suppliers to focus on driving sales and looking ahead to the organisation’s 10th anniversary in 2027. Focus was placed on the joy of wildlife tours rather than price alone, agents were told. Viva Cruises hosted a webinar for the trade on the impact of low water levels on European rivers.
While traditional hotspots like Italy, Vietnam, and the US remained popular, the sector experienced shifts with emerging destinations like Peru, Japan, Costa Rica, and Morocco seeing growth, driven by a consumer craving for culture, local cuisine, and authentic community discovery. Supplier trends highlighted China as a growth sector for adventure travel, with recent policy changes allowing England passport holders visa-free entry for up to 30 days. Adventure travel saw sustained growth in travellers over 70, highlighting that demographic stereotypes around touring were breaking down. Individual travel remained a foundational pillar for the sector, continuing to account for roughly 42pc of all touring and adventure bookings.
Past ATAS events focused heavily on educating agents about the different categories of touring, while the 2026 sessions focused on business growth, hearing directly from successful trade professionals and executives about how they scaled up their adventure holiday sales. Agents found success by moving away from selling traditional beach packages and pivoting toward curated experience-led travel packages, which included rail journeys, wildlife safaris, and immersive expeditions.
