BUYER APPLICATION IS NOW CLOSED

This application closes on 29 May 2024. Applications will be reviewed and final decisions made in mid-June.

We would like to invite you to apply for a Hosted Buyer opportunity for the AdventureWeek Okinawa event on 9 -16 November, 2024.

AdventureWeek Okinawa gives attending buyers the opportunity to discover the unique natural and cultural resources and activities in the destination. Selected buyer delegates will learn about Okinawa through immersive adventure tours and make connections with regional suppliers at Marketplace.

Selected hosted buyer delegates will receive accommodations during the event, economy round-trip air, airport transfers, and a multi-day experiential adventure at no cost. 

SCHEDULE

If selected, the entire trip length will be 8 (eight) days, from 9-16 November including arrival and departure days. (Travel time from and back to your origin city might be additional.)
AdventureWeek final itinerary will be made after buyers selections and registrations are complete. 

Selected buyers are required to attend the duration of the event including the AdventureWeek itinerary and the marketplace: No early departures. 

WHO SHOULD APPLY?

Please read the following information thoroughly to understand the details and requirements of the offer. This offer is valid for one delegate per company. The attendee must be a decision-maker for itinerary development. By completing the application form, you will be included in our selection process for one of the limited number of Hosted Buyer spots. Selection is not guaranteed.

The ATTA and our hosts are interested in twelve (12) hosted buyer delegates and are considering buyers who have an active interest in promoting, selling and developing new itineraries about adventure, responsible, and sustainable travel in Okinawa and who are specifically based in:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Spain
• Italy
• Germany
  

Applications will be considered and reviewed with the destination partner, with the goal to host a diverse group of buyers who specialize in adventure and sustainable tourism, including:

Outbound Tour Operators

Outbound tour operators craft ideal itineraries and sell those itineraries to individuals or groups as a packaged product. These specialized tour operators provide valuable insight into global travel trends and help match destination products to market demand. Itineraries are often multi-day, running from three to over twenty days depending on the destination and experience.

Travel Advisors (also known as Travel Agents, Travel Curators)

The travel advisor is a curator of an experience for a consumer. They can sell various packaged trips or holidays from different tour operators and therefore provide a more diverse range of options in addition to tailoring their own itineraries in direct collaboration with DMCs.

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) / Web-Based Marketplace

OTAs curate products from the DMC and directly connect the DMC with the consumer. The DMC is the one crafting the product and selling it to the consumer while the OTA takes a commission for bringing the consumer to them.

What do they all have in common?

They are all sourcing (or buying from) local Destination Management Companies (DMCs), or ground handlers and / or sending clients from their home country or specific markets to other destinations.

HOSTED BUYER REQUIREMENTS

Role and expectations if your application is selected:

Fully-hosted buyers are expected to be researching the experience for potential new itineraries or promotion of existing ones while experiencing the destination during AdventureWeek. They are also required to meet with suppliers and destinations during the Marketplace session.

AdventureWeek Okinawa Marketplace session is required for buyers to meet with suppliers from the host destination. It includes pre-scheduled meetings that buyers will need to attend. 

ABOUT THE SELECTION PROCESS

• Hosted buyers selections will be made from the pool of applications received.
• All applications will be considered, reviewed, and selected with the destination partner.
• A cross-set of criteria is used in the application evaluation and selection process to curate a final selection of buyers that represent some of the specific countries listed above and a variety of experiences’s type, related to adventure travel. 
• After initial evaluation, criteria used in the final buyers selection includes:
• Representation from the specific countries listed above (limited per country).
• A representation of all types of buyers, with a combination of Outbound Tour Operators, Travel Advisors and OTAs, and a mix of generalists to specialists (Hiking/Trekking, Birdwatching, Kayaking, Diving, Gastronomy, Culture).
• A representation of Buyers new to ATTA events with those who have attended prior events.
• ATTA members will get priority in the selection
• Due to the large number of applications typically received for a limited number of spots, not all qualified applicants can be selected.
• You will receive an email from the ATTA informing you of the status of your application.

This application closes on 29 May 2024. Applications will be reviewed and final decisions made in mid-June.