Challenges and opportunities for Europe suppliers in 2025

Join us on Wednesday 28th May 2025 for a dynamic webinar hosted by The Adventure Connection and ETOA, exploring the latest emerging trends in Europe’s adventure travel industry. This interactive online session will bring together tourism experts and key decision-makers to unpack the sector’s current challenges and explore the opportunities emerging in this evolving industry.

Europe’s adventure travel sector is experiencing a significant shift, driven by evolving traveller expectations, growing environmental concerns and the need for sustainable innovation. As climate change intensifies and global politics - particularly under Donald Trump’s influence - reshape international dynamics, 2025 is shaping up to be another defining year for the global travel community.

Topics to be examined

• How can adventure tour suppliers respond to the challenges of overtourism?

• How can local tour suppliers extend their active season?

• What impact are new sustainability regulations having on the industry?

• Is demand for European travel shifting, and which regions are currently seeing the most interest?

• Adventure Europe returns for 2025

Panellists

Lyn Hughes, Founding Editor of Wanderlust Magazine

Lyn co-founded Wanderlust magazine in 1993 following a life-changing trip to South America. Now under different ownership, Wanderlust is officially the number one travel magazine and travel media brand in the UK, with Lyn as one of the senior team.  Wanderlust focusses on sustainable, off the beaten path and out of season destinations and experiences, with a strong emphasis on nature, heritage, culture and adventure travel. Lyn has won numerous awards and accolades as a writer and editor. She has a passion for wildlife and wild places, emerging destinations and the little-known corners of more popular places.

Liesa Bissett, Head of Product Macs Adventure

Liesa works at Macs Adventure which specialises in self-guided walking and cycling holidays as Head of Product. With a career spanning decades she has held various senior roles including Product & Operations Director at G Touring (overseeing brands Travelsphere and Just You) and Head of Product at Inntravel. She spent 27 years at The Travel Corporation (TTC) working in key roles across multiple brands including Contiki; Trafalgar and Insight Vacations. Her expertise lies in product development and her passion is enhancing customer experiences in the adventure travel space.

Mark Walker, Head of Product of KE Adventure Travel

Mark Walker is a seasoned travel professional and heads up the Product team at KE, one of the UK's leading adventure tour operators. He was previously senior product buyer at HF Holidays and brings a wealth of experience of product development in Europe and worldwide. 

Theo Turner, Founder of Wild About Lapland and Silver Birch Resort

Theo has worked in the outdoor industry since he was 16, and was a Royal Marine Commando for five years. He has travelled the world teaching sailing, kayaking and climbing before becoming completely mesmerised by the Arctic wilderness which he now calls home. For the last ten years, Theo has been focused on providing the most immersive experiences the Arctic has to offer through his adventure company Wild About Lapland. He recently opened Silver Birch Resort, a small hotel on a private peninsula on the Arctic Circle - a new concept which delivers five star luxury in an accessible wilderness.

Mark Wright, MD and Founder of The Adventure Connection

Mark Wright has 30 years experience of running successful specialist tour operators as an owner, MD and marketeer.  Through this he has built up a vast range of useful contacts and is a respected and well-known figure in the UK travel industry.

This online workshop aims to bring leading experts together and to preview the second edition of the ADVENTURE EUROPE B2B Online Marketplace Event taking place on Tue 18 November 2025.

The panel discussion will last for 60 minutes, including a Q&A session.