LATA is delighted to announce co-founder and chair of Intrepid, Darrell Wade, as the headline speaker of the inaugural LATA Sustainability Conference, taking place on 26 June at LATA Expo.
Darrell Wade, who is also chair of the Intrepid Foundation, and vice-chair of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), co-founded the B Corp company Intrepid in 1989, with a view to providing travellers with a low-impact way of exploring the world to become immersed in the destinations and engage with local communities. Today, Intrepid is the world’s largest adventure travel company and Darrell is one of the sector’s most influential leaders playing an instrumental role in advancing the industry’s sustainability agenda through his work.
The Sustainability Conference, held on the third day of LATA Expo, will see Darrell join a one-to-one fireside chat, making the case for sustainability within a business.
Wade says “I am delighted to be joining LATA Expo to share insights gained over 35 years at Intrepid Travel. Sustainable travel is certainly becoming front of mind for many travellers, but it is a collective effort to make a real impact, and we need to work together rather than as individuals. Intrepid has embedded sustainability into our very core and it’s an integral part of the business. We can see that the benefit is not just to our customers, but across our staff and everyone we work with in the places we visit Latin America is a destination rich in examples of community-based tourism with some incredible initiatives taking place across the continent. We need to collectively safeguard the local biodiversity and communities that tourism relies upon, and in turn rely on tourism. I am looking forward to discussing not just the challenges we face as an industry but also sharing some positive success stories.”
Megan Parkinson, Head of Sustainability at LATA says “We are delighted to have Darrell Wade joining us at the LATA Sustainability Conference. As one of the trailblazers of sustainable travel, we look forward to hearing how Darrel went from being an entrepreneurial backpacker with a thirst for adventure, to the helm of one of the world’s largest adventure travel companies and certified B-Corps.”
LATA has also confirmed LATAM Airlines as the headline airline sponsor of LATA Expo. LATAM is one of Latin America’s leading airlines, offering air services to 148 destinations in 26 countries and present in five domestic markets in Latin America: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
LATA Expo, with a new fully-hosted residential format for 2024, will also feature a gala dinner on Monday evening incorporating the LATA Achievement Awards, recognising travel professionals that have provided valued visibility for the destination in 2023.
Following LATA Expo, the second edition of the LATA Roadshow will take place between 1 and 3 July 2024. The Roadshow will welcome travel designers interested in selling Latin America for a special evening programme which aims to showcase the region and provide agents with key contacts, information and the tools needed to confidently sell the diverse range of destinations. Each event will bring Latin America’s culture to life with food, drink and Latin American entertainment, as well as a prize draw.
For more information on LATA Expo and to apply as a buyer delegate please visit https://lataexpo.travel/