Two new directors appointed at The Adventure Travel Trade Association

Seattle, WA, USA, 2013-12-07 — /travelprnews.com/ — The Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), a trade organization encouraging responsible tourism development worldwide with more than 900 businesses and tourism organization members across 90 countries, has added two new strategic roles to its internal team with the hiring of Christina Beckmann as the Director of AdventureEDU & Research, and Liz Ferrin, Director of Strategic Partnerships.

Beckmann, a longtime partner and consultant to ATTA, created and now leads the company’s new education and consulting program, AdventureEDU. In this role she is responsible for designing and managing professional training programs to enhance regional economic development for clients in both emerging markets and in under-developed regions of developed countries. Beckmann works closely with small businesses, social enterprises, international development agencies, governments, and foundations. She also develops and leads the ATTA’s research program, prioritizing research needs and developing projects to address them.

Prior to joining the ATTA, Beckmann worked from 2004-2013 as a consultant and researcher supporting governments and tour operator clients in adventure tourism development. As the founder and President of Xola Consulting, Beckmann led numerous study teams and workshops in countries around the world with a particular focus on strengthening entrepreneurs and supporting local market expansion through connection to international partners. In 2011 when Xola Consulting was acquired by Vital Wave Consulting, she supported projects on behalf of global foundations (Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation) focused on environmental policy, poverty alleviation and health care throughout the developing world. In 2008 Beckmann initiated the Adventure Tourism Development Index, drawing together key partners (The George Washington University and the ATTA) to raise awareness for the adventure industry and promote its sustainable development.

Liz Ferrin brings nearly two decades of experience making connections within the entertainment, outdoor, and footwear industries; she is best known for building long term brand partnerships and creating compelling content. In the role of Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Adventure Travel Trade Association, she will be responsible for working with brand and media partners, tourism boards and tour operators to create marketing and promotional partnerships on behalf of ATTA.After nearly 15 years at Deckers Outdoor Corporation, most recently as Teva’s Global Branded Content Manager, Ferrin moved to Hollywood to found Liz Ferrin Productions.  LFP continues to bring together artists, brands, films and projects to create unique partnerships and compelling content. LFP specializes in partnership building, brand development, strategic marketing consulting and documentary film production.

Ferrin has recently worked on award-winning documentaries, HBO’s The Crash Reel and High Ground and upcoming indie feature, Audrey. Ferrin produced the Innovation Lounge for Outdoor Retailer at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 and 2013. While at Teva, Ferrin created their first strategic business-to-business and philanthropic partnership programs and managed multi-year partnerships with Waterkeeper Alliance, Stop Global Warming, Volkswagen, Land Rover, Lonely Planet, Dave Matthews Band and others.

The ATTA continues its strategic expansion to best grow and professionalize the global adventure tourism market and will continue to add to its team in order to provide updated industry research, growing member benefits and regional expertise to its developing membership worldwide. To read full bios for Ferrin and Beckmann or other ATTA team, please visit http://www.adventuretravel.biz/about/leadership/.

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