SEATTLE  - Chiapas, the southern-most state in Mexico, has won the bid to serve as Destination Host to the Adventure Travel Trade Association's eighth annual Adventure Travel World Summit, an assembly of 600 adventure tourism professionals, which will be held October 17-20, 2011 in San Cristóbal de las Casas.

Announced by the ATTA and Mexican tourism officials October 7 during the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) in Aviemore, Scotland, attended by an estimated 600 delegates representing more than 50 countries, the ATTA reported its decision came after extensive review of several sites throughout North America. In addition to meeting all prerequisites outlined in the bidding process, Chiapas won the 2011 ATWS bid primarily for its partnership orientation and readiness and willingness to press forward on progressive adventure tourism development, as well as for the tremendous potential benefits to the local tourism economy and the ATTA's members worldwide.

Partners for the 2011 ATWS include the Chiapas Convention and Visitors Bureau, the State Government of Chiapas and the Tourism Ministry of Mexico and the Mexico Tourism Promotion Board.

"The Summit ties in directly with Mexico's overall tourism strategy because we want to complement the world's understanding of Mexico as a sun and beach destination to show a side of Mexico that is even more exotic and diverse naturally and culturally" said Antonio del Rosal, Marketing Coordinator for Mexico´s Tourism Board. "For years, we've witnessed the bottom-line positive effects of the ATTA's impact on destinations which have previously hosted Summits such as Brazil, Quebec and Norway, and we believe such global attention on Chiapas next year will help usher in a new era of responsible tourism for Mexico."

Entering its seventh year, the ATTA's Summit conferences engage, enlighten, inspire, and energize the leaders of the adventure travel community with networking, business and professional development programs, educational seminars and emerging adventure destination product review opportunities.

"For six years, the ATTA has partnered with public and private organizations throughout Mexico with hopes of seeing tourism evolve to include the full depth and breadth of the country's cultural and natural assets," said ATTA President Shannon Stowell. "Intensive support from the federal, state and community level throughout Mexico over several years has resulted in a powerful and positive decision making process, with input from local adventure tour operators, representatives of San Cristóbal, the state governor and from the tourism ministry of Mexico."

With its ATWS events, the ATTA and its Summit delegates, primarily tour operators, destination marketing organizations, tourism boards, media, agents, adventure lodges, and service organizations (e.g., transportation, technology, marketing, etc.), influence the manner in which adventure travel is introduced, executed and sustained in any given destination worldwide. These adventure travel organizations collaborate to encourage the industry to adopt sustainability and best practices that give back to the people and places impacted by adventure travel.