The Adventure Travel World Summit took place in Sapporo, Hokkaido, on September 11-14, marking the first time for the internationally renowned conference to happen in Asia. This historic event was a great success in bringing together over 750 leaders in the adventure travel community from 64 countries to create business opportunities and discover the adventure potential of Japan’s northernmost main island.
Travel experts took part in adventures to explore the history, culture and nature of Hokkaido and Japan as a whole. Paul Sarfati, owner of Baboo Travel, participated in two Hokkaido adventures. “Through these unforgettable experiences, I learnt about the indigenous culture, enjoyed many different adventures, and tasted delicious local cuisine. We are already working on building itineraries to bring travelers to Hokkaido!”
As the host city for the four-day summit, Sapporo, the capital of the island prefecture, served as an adventure base where participants could enjoy the Japanese city life buzzing with food, nightlife and culture just a stone’s throw from a world of nature. William Tang, a Canadian travel blogger, sums up his experience in the city: “Sapporo is unlike any other city in Japan and is filled with surprises for all levels of adventure — you can’t help but think you’ve seen a side of the country that people haven’t seen.”
Sapporo is a city that really comes alive at night. The restaurant scene is just epic – it is really fantastic. It is very easy to get around by foot. People are very friendly. It feels very safe. It is a great jumping off and return spot for adventures because you can get on trains and buses and head all over Hokkaido whether you are going to go to Akan, Shikotsuko or Shiretoko. All of these places are relatively accessible via public transport. So, in one way, it feels a little like Switzerland, where you can pretty easily get to your jumping off point.
Shannon Stowell, the CEO of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, reflecting on the impact of the event, states, “People fell in love with Hokkaido, Sapporo and Japan who had never been before, and I am sure they are figuring out ways to work this into their business. This is a great ignition point where Sapporo and Hokkaido are in the spotlight of the adventure travel professional community worldwide.” (PRNewswire)