SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. -- Organizers of the Mountain Travel Symposium (MTS) have launched the Young Leaders Summit, a new initiative aimed at engaging the next generation of mountain travel professionals.
The Young Leaders Summit is an exclusive event open to people currently working in the mountain tourism industry who are under 35 and who, according to MTS, "have a passion for the mountain travel industry and are dedicated to growing their professional community and knowledge-base."
For the first Young Leaders Summit, a full-day event that took place here during the 43rd annual MTS, 15 participants were involved in exercises intended to help them advance their leadership and professional development skills. They were also invited to connect with current industry leaders and discuss challenges facing the industry.
In order to be eligible to apply for the new program, applicants need to be currently employed in the mountain travel and tourism industry, be 35 years of age or younger, and must demonstrate a desire to be an influential part of the mountain travel industry. It costs $845 to register for the program.
Benefits include the opportunity to have a position on the Young Leaders Summit Advisory Board, another new initiative that MTS is developing. Members will also have the opportunity to get firsthand advice from industry veterans, to network with their peers and obtain access to career development resources.
There are more than 1,100 participants currently attending MTS, the largest gathering of mountain travel professionals in North America. The next MTS will take place in Whistler, British Columbia, on March 31 to April 6, 2019.
(MTS is owned by Northstar Travel Group, parent company of Travel Weekly.)