People, Planet, Place and Pace
February 7-9, 2024
Banff Centre
The Purposeful Travel Summit will launch a new era in travel that integrates sustainability, education and a passion to promote travel that contributes to a better world. People want to travel, and destinations want to host but we all just want to do it a bit better! Purposeful Travel encourages visitors and host destinations to be intentional in the experiences they seek and provide, based on principles that represent an exciting vision for travel’s next chapter.
Our 2024 Summit is the place for real and open conversations about the future of travel. The Summit is designed to appeal to industry professionals, academics and students. It is also open to essential tourism collaborators such as local governments, non-governmental organizations and community members who are residents in and around tourism regions.
Building on the success of the 2023 Summit, the 2024 Purposeful Travel Summit will feature:
Packages: Full Summit, one-day, and student attendance packages are available. Packages on sale now!
For those who wish to be involved in the Summit as a presenter or collaborator, connect with us at summits@banffcentre.ca.
The value proposition in travel has shifted from quantity to quality which implies a stronger connection to place, planet and people.
Tourism has an opportunity to be more sustainable by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and negative impacts on host communities.
Tourism has an opportunity to be more impactful by delivering rejuvenation through wellness travel and connecting to place via slow travel (ie pace).
Education and storytelling are how we create extraordinary experiences that make the world a better place.
Sign up to be the first to know! Subscribe to Purposeful Travel Summit and other Banff Centre Newsletters here.
“Travel is about much more than the destination. Travel is about seeking transformative experiences.
Joe Pavelka, Purposeful Travel Summit Programmer
"The aim of travel should be to create better global citizens and a global citizen does their best work at home"
Rick Steves
Purposeful Travel as a concept is inclusive, so the Summit is designed to appeal to industry professionals, (hoteliers, tour operators, service providers), academics, and students. It is also open to essential tourism collaborators such as local governments, non-governmental organizations and of course community members who are residents in and around tourism regions.
The Purposeful Travel Summit is an in-person event, with a blend of online and in-person presentations.
Banff Centre has a long history of inspiring people to challenge ideas and create change through education and collaborations. It is situated in the majestic Rocky Mountains of Banff National Park and provides a world class setting for the demonstration of what Purposeful Travel may be in the future. A key element is the Banff Net Zero 2035 initiative which aims to make Banff the first carbon neutral tourism destination on the planet.
Ackowledging the Land
Banff has a long history as a sacred gathering place for ceremony, trade, sharing, visions, and celebration. That tradition continues today as leaders, artists, and creators of all disciplines meet here to realize their creative potential and the diversity of Indigenous perspectives and practices.
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is located on the side of Sacred Buffalo Guardian Mountain. The Banff area, known as "Minhrpa" (translated in Stoney Nakoda as "the waterfalls") is part of the Treaty 7 territory where we recognise oral practices of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) – comprised of the Bearspaw, Chiniki, and Goodstoney First Nations – as well as the Tsuut'ina First Nation and the Blackfoot Confederacy comprised of the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. This territory is home to the Shuswap Nations, Ktunaxa Nations, and Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. We acknowledge all Nations who live, work, and play here, help us steward this land, and honour and celebrate this place
Joe Pavelka PhD, Professor of Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership
Mount Royal University, Calgary, Alberta, Canada jpavelka@mtroyal.ca
For more information, contact us at summits@banffcentre.ca
Subscribe to our mailing list and be the first to know about upcoming summits at Banff Centre.