Greece Promotes Adventure Tourism to British Market at ATAS Travel Conference in Leeds

Promotional material for tourism professionals. Photo source: GNTO

Greece’s unique adventure tourism offerings were showcased at the conference and B2B workshop hosted by the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers (ATAS) in Leeds, England, during October 15-16.

Aiming to offer an engaging, educational, and enjoyable experience, the annual ATAS conference welcomed 400 UK travel agent representatives specializing in adventure tourism, along with officials from the national tourism organizations of Malta, Italy, Portugal, and Barbados.

Eleni Skarveli, Head of the GNTO’s UK & Ireland branch, and Olga Athanasiadou, a member of the branch. Photo source: GNTO

According to data released by ATAS, adventure tourism has seen strong demand in recent years, with revenues and bookings rising by 9 to 20 percent in 2024 compared to 2023.

Seeking to capitalize on this positive trend, the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) participated in the conference, promoting Greece as a leading adventure tourism destination.

Eleni Skarveli, Head of the GNTO’s UK & Ireland branch, and Olga Athanasiadou, a member of the branch, introduced British travelers to Greece’s tourism offerings. They also met with local tour operators specializing in adventure travel, providing them with GNTO promotional material on Greece’s emerging destinations.

To boost their efforts, the Region of Western Macedonia, in partnership with the Greek tourism board, organized a prize draw, giving three British professionals the opportunity to join a familiarization trip to explore the region.

Adventure tourism global trends

Birdwatching at Lake Kerkini, one of ATAS’ recommended adventure travel experiences in Greece. Photo credit: ATAS

The conference program featured presentations and discussions on the opportunities and challenges in adventure travel, highlighted destinations experiencing significant growth, and provided forecasts for future global trends in the sector.

Studies by ATAS and research company Radar, presented the conference, revealed that elder women also known as “queenagers”, drive global adventure trends because they have time and money to spend and prefer traveling in small groups.

Solo travelers are also increasingly drawn to alternative forms of tourism that offer a sense of adventure, allowing them to connect with local communities through authentic experiences and community service activities.

Participants emphasized how this type of tourism helps build connections between travelers and residents at each destination.