ATOAI in Araku – Annual Convention of ATOAI

Annual Convention of ATOAI in Araku

The thrill of adventure is infectious and today travelers are looking more and more for experiences that offer the opportunity of adventure. But what is really important is that in the mad rush to cater to this demand for adventure tourism, the aspects of safety and sustainability are not sacrificed. The ATOAI – Adventure Tour Operators Association Of India is an association that is working on the promotion of adventure tourism along with a sharp focus on sustainability and safety in India.

The annual convention of the ATOAI is held at different destinations to promote these destinations as well as develop sustainable tourism in the area. The annual convention of ATOAI is also a forum for the exchange of best practices amongst the members of ATOAI. The annual event is also a platform to voice issues and address common challenges of the Adventure tourism industry.

What Does ATOAI Do

We spoke to Capt. Swadesh Kumar, President of ATOAI on the sidelines of the 14th Annual Convention of ATOAI in Araku, Andhra Pradesh. He explained the rationale and the vision of ATOAI. The ATOAI has been in existence for over two decades and 2019 happens to be its silver jubilee year.

Capt. Swadesh Kumar explained that when the association was formed about 25 years ago, the primary focus was to collaborate and liaison with Government agencies collectively. However, the vision has changed over the years and today embraces the promotion of new destinations like Araku Valley, in Andhra Pradesh and many others across the country where the ATOAI annual conventions are held.

The other point of focus is nurturing a culture of professionalism in the industry by ensuring safety standards and protection of the environment as well as the use of local resources. It aims to set benchmarks of safety and professional code of conduct amongst its members. The association is also working towards getting more and more women and youth involved in the adventure tourism sector.

Prelude To The 14th Annual Convention ATOAI in Araku  

We were privileged to be invited to attend the annual ATOAI convention at the pristine Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh. We were part of the media team covering the event. But before heading to Araku Valley which is located about 114 kilometers from Vishakapatnam, we were treated to some splendid sights of the clean and green Vishakapatnam city.

We stayed overnight in the beautiful locale of the Haritha Beach Resort in Rushikonda, Vishakapatnam. Our room offered panoramic views of the Rushikonda beach stretching below.

We also visited two unique museums in India. The INS Kurusura Submarine Museum that is located right inside a decommissioned submarine.

The other museum was the TU 142 Aircraft Museum that is housed inside a decommissioned TU-142M aircraft of the Indian Navy.

After spending a day at Vishakapatnam we drove over to the pristine locations of Araku Valley, high up in the hills of the Eastern Ghats to attend the 14th ATOAI Annual Convention.

Highlights of ATOAI in Araku Annual Convention

Press Conference Addressed by ATOAI Office Bearers and Dignitaries of APTDC

Mr. Mukesh Kumar Meena, Secretary, Tourism & Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh and Mr. Himanshu Shukla, CEO, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority unveiled the progressive vision of the state in encouraging tourism in the state, and the steps being taken to promote sustainable tourism in the vicinity of Araku Valley. The measures taken to ensure minimal use of single-use plastic was also discussed.

A notable feature was that plastic bottles were banned in the ATOAI Annual Convention and all delegates had been provided with refillable water bottles.

Inauguration and Keynote Address At The 14th ATOAI Annual Convention

The 14th ATOAI Annual Convention was inaugurated by lighting of the lamp.

The 14th ATOAI Annual Convention kicked off with an inspiring address by Huw Kingston, the noted Australian adventurer, environmentalist, and speaker. The exciting and motivating account of his adventures set the apt tone for the ATOAI Annual Convention.

Inspiring Stories of Adventure At The 14th ATOAI Annual Convention

The ATOAI Annual Convention provided the perfect platform for men and women who had through sheer grit and determination overcome all odds to blaze their own trail to share their stories.

Lt. Col Dr. Srinivas Gokulnath had the attention of the audience riveted as he recounted his saga of becoming the first Indian to complete the Race Across America (RAAM). This race covers a staggering 4,900 kilometers across 12 states, and the participants need to climb a total of 1,70,000 vertical feet! With his inspiring talk and riveting visuals Lt. Col Dr. Srinivas Gokulnath recounted his story of sheer grit and perseverance combined with teamwork.

Rana Uppalpati made a dramatic and fitting entry on the stage standing tall on his skates. He is the man who has skated across the Golden Quadrilateral of India that connects Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, and Kolkata covering a distance of 6,000 kilometers. Rana Uppalpati has used this unique way to raise awareness about education for the girl child and raise funds to educate 25,000 girl children.

Anusha Subramanian, a mountaineer, and journalist talked about how she battled against odds to realize her dream of doing the impossible. She led a team of mountaineers including two blind persons to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Shekhar Babu Bachinepally brought the thrill of the mountains right into the auditorium as he talked about his and his team’s mountaineering adventures. He is a Tenzing Norgay National Awardee for scaling 3 death zone peaks within a space of 4 months. Shekhar Babu is also a trainer whose numerous young proteges have scaled the peak of Mt. Everest and Mt. Kilimanjaro among others. He is well known for being the mentor of Poorna Malavath who at 13 years and 11 months scaled Mt. Everest to become the youngest girl in the world to do so.

Another unforgettable moment was the presence of 22 youth of Andhra Pradesh who had scaled Mt. Everest with training and support by the Andhra Pradesh Government under the tutelage of Shekhar Babu.

A panel discussion by women about women in adventure and the challenges they face opened up some really pertinent issues. One of the panelists was Ms. G.R. Radhika, Addl. SP (Chittoor) who has conquered the seven summits, the highest peaks of the seven continents.

Adventure At ATOAI In Araku Annual Convention

As befitting the ATOAI In Araku Annual Convention, there were many adventure activities organized for the delegates that included cycling, zorbing, ziplining, ballooning, paramotoring, among others. We loved taking to the skies in a paramotor and the exhilaration of flying like a bird still remains fresh in memory.

The 14th ATOAI Annual Convention in Araku Valley was a wonderful event that had the tour operators of the country coming together to share best practices and chart the course for the future with a focus on ensuring the best in the class safety standards in adventure tourism in India.

What is your favorite adventure activity? Have you ever felt that safety was a concern? Do let us know through our comments section.

We were hosted by Adventure Tour Operators Association Of India -ATOAI. However, the views and opinions expressed here are our own.

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