The Latin American Travel Association (Lata) has unveiled Intrepid co-founder Darrell Wade as the headline speaker at the inaugural Lata Sustainability Conference, taking place during Lata Expo.
Wade (pictured) will make the case for sustainability within a business during a one-to-one “fireside chat” at De Vere Beaumont Estate, near Windsor, on June 26.
He said: “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.”
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Wade, who co-founded Intrepid in 1989, is also chair of the Intrepid Foundation and vice-chair of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
Megan Parkinson, head of sustainability at Lata, described Wade as “one of the trailblazers of sustainable travel”.
She added: “We look forward to hearing how Darrell 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 Expo, which will have a fully residential format for the first time, will take place from Monday, June 24, until Wednesday, June 26. Delegates can choose to arrive on the Sunday (June 23) for an optional additional evening.
LATAM Airlines has been confirmed as the headline airline sponsor.
Wade said: “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.”
Following Lata Expo, the second edition of the Lata Roadshow will take place from July 1-3.