By Nancy Dorrans
December is the longest darkest month in Maine. It is also when the tides turn and the days begin to lengthen! This is what we celebrate. It is the true spirit of the holidays! There are brighter days ahead!
We all can look forward to these brighter, longer days as we look back on a year+ of years. Each person has their own stories. While worldwide travel and my business have been hibernating due to the pandemic, we in the travel industry are gearing up for a huge awakening!
State of Travel Worldwide
Recently the president of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club (MOAC) asked me to speak to the members at the November monthly meeting about the “State of Travel Worldwide.” He said, “I want to go somewhere real bad, Nancy. And I think a lot of people do, too! I want to know what I need to know!”
He also wanted to hold the meeting outside in the amphitheater under the Main Street Bridge in Yarmouth. I hesitated.
While flattered, the topic was quite broad and it overwhelmed me. Plus, I didn’t think the members would want to sit on the cold granite steps of the amphitheater in November.
I suggested that we hold the meeting on Zoom as we had done for much of 2020. He said he was sick and tired of Zoom meetings and so was everyone. I had an idea…
Zooming During the Pandemic
Earlier this fall I had attended several virtual events on Adventure Travel. The first being the “Discover the Route of Parks of Chilean Patagonia,” an online event held September 9th, 2021. This event was organized by the Route of Parks, Chile, and the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).
I haven’t been to Patagonia, but it is high on my list. Here was an opportunity to learn as much as I could about the Chilean National Park routes and make some connections with tour operators in these regions. I participated in networking sessions with the industry partners and learned from all the engaging speakers. I was inspired!
Next was the 2021 Adventure Travel Trade World Summit. This event was originally scheduled to be held in Hokkaido, Japan in late September, but like many others, it was changed to a virtual meeting which gave many more people (including myself) the opportunity to participate. I met with representatives from Japan and tour operators/friends from Ireland, Italy, Greece, Chile, Argentina, Australia, Scotland, Sweden, Manitoba, and Peru!
“Deep rooted traditions and culture, food delicacies of the region, and a beautiful landscape worth discovering; Japan is the perfect adventure destination. At the 2021 ATWS Virtual event, Japan suppliers showed off their rugged yet peaceful destination with tours in Hokkaido mountains, up and down the coastlines, and into the vibrant valleys with opportunities for hiking, kayaking, biking, tasting, and exploring. Japan suppliers have developed tours that expose Japan’s beauty and rich culture, making Japan a newly desired, adventure travel destination.”
ATWS Japan 2021 | Adventure Travel Trade Association
The Hokkaido region had now jumped way up on my future adventures bucket list!
I called the MOAC president back. My idea was to invite a few of the adventurous colleagues I had recently connected with from around the world to participate in this online meeting. There were and still are a lot of questions and ever-changing rules regarding overseas travel during Covid: open borders; lockdowns; vaccination rates, requirements, and testing.
While the topic was big, it was timely. On November 1st the countries of Chile and Argentina had opened their borders. Other countries including our own were close behind. All the rules and regulations are different and changing… But we are getting ready!
I reached out and within a week six different presenters had agreed to participate in our Zoom MOAC Meeting.
The invite read:
“When, where, how can we plan our global adventures as the world recovers? Many countries are reopening their borders to travelers, or at least planning for it after more than a year of lockdowns due to Covid-19… Join Nancy Dorrans, longtime MOAC member and experienced travel professional, along with several of her international adventurous colleagues to discuss their destinations, the latest updates, and restrictions. Then they will take your questions.”
PRESENTER SCHEDULE
- Introductions – Eva from ATTA
- Sole & Nano from Authentica Salta, Argentina
- Rafa from BirdsChile – Chile
- Roberta Moore of Italyscape and Siva (Italy/Greece)
- Erika Gustafson – Quest Travel Adventures – (Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands)
- Morgan – Easia Travel – Thailand and SE Asia
The meeting was a huge success and went overtime! We are all eager to get traveling again. So many questions were asked and answered.
If you would like the link to the recording, please email nancy@adventure-marketplace.com.
Nancy Dorrans has been a MOAC member for over 20 years. She is a past president of the club (multiple times) and is always ready to step forward when something needs to be done. She is a professional travel expert and founded Adventure Marketplace in 2014.
