What does it mean to travel without viewing yourself as a consumer? That question is central to the International Adventure Conference taking place from June 10 to 13, 2026, at Breda University of Applied Sciences (BUas). In the public perception, adventurous travel is often associated with adrenaline, risk, and physical limits. But slow or soft adventure is part of this sector, encompassing activities such as hiking, camping, stargazing, cooking together outdoors, or simply slowing down in nature.
The conference, organized in collaboration with the Adventure Tourism Research Association (ATRA) and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) bring together researchers and professionals from the world of adventure tourism and outdoor recreation. The program deliberately challenges the boundaries between thinking and doing, indoors and outdoors, theory and experience.
Adventure as a response to the spirit of the times
The theme of 2026 – Transformation through adventure: beyond the consumer mindset – touches upon something urgent. In a time of increasing uncertainty and ecological pressure, a fundamental question arises: can adventure pave the way to a different way of being in the world? A way that is defined less by experience as a product and more by connection, reciprocity, and care?
The program
The conference opens on Wednesday evening, June 10, with a reception in the BUas Chapel. The two subsequent days feature a combination of keynotes and lectures with an industry panel, parallel workshops, and mobile sessions taking place in the field, outside the walls of the university. A joint 'harvest session' brings together the insights from the conference. On June 13, participants are invited to wrap up with a Slow Adventure Day: consciously slowing down as a fitting conclusion to the conference.
About the IAC and ATRA
The International Adventure Conference has been held since 2013, with previous editions in the United Kingdom, Norway, Ireland, Spain, New Zealand, Germany, and South Africa. The conference led to the founding of ATRA (Adventure Tourism Research Association), which is dedicated to the exchange of knowledge in the fields of adventure tourism, outdoor recreation, adventure education, and well-being. The 2026 edition in Breda marks the first time the conference is being held in the Netherlands.
More information: www.atra.global