Dehradun hosted the second edition of the Adventure Tourism Meet (ATM) 2025 on June 27, bringing together policymakers, community leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators from the adventure travel sector.
Organised by Indian Express Online Media, the event served as a platform to discuss the role of community-led tourism, new innovations, and sustainability in the Himalayas and beyond.
On the evening before the main event, an Adventure Roundtable was held where key stakeholders in adventure tourism shared their experiences and best practices with each other and with local adventure tour operators.
ATM 2025 was held in partnership with Uttarakhand Tourism (Presenting Partner) and powered by the Government of Uttarakhand and Meghalaya Tourism.
The event began with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony by Satpal Maharaj, Minister of Tourism, Government of Uttarakhand, along with other dignitaries. This was followed by a welcome note from Roshun Povaiah, Editor, financialexpress.com.
In his keynote address, Satpal Maharaj emphasized the importance of balanced tourism that supports the local economy while preserving ecological integrity. He spoke about the initiatives taken by the government to promote adventure tourism in Uttarakhand and the focus on skilling youth in activities such as rafting and paragliding. “Uttarakhand is committed to becoming a leader in sustainable and responsible adventure tourism,” he said.
Abhishek Ruhela, IAS, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board. (Express photo)
Abhishek Ruhela, IAS, Additional CEO, Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB), presented Uttarakhand’s vision for adventure tourism and its role in empowering local communities.
Banshidhar Tiwari, IAS, Director General, Information & Public Relations Department, Government of Uttarakhand. (Express photo)
Banshidhar Tiwari, IAS, DG, DIPR, Government of Uttarakhand, also shared his perspective on the adventure tourism potential of the state.
Philip F Tariang, Assistant Director – Tourism, Government of Meghalaya. (Express photo)
Philip F Tariang, Assistant Director – Tourism, Government of Meghalaya, spoke about the adventure tourism offerings in Meghalaya, including activities such as caving and scuba diving.
Tsewang Namgail, Director, Snow Leopard Conservancy India Trust. (Express photo)
The event featured a series of presentations. Tsewang Namgial, Founder, Snow Leopard Conservancy, spoke about Ladakh and the specific challenges of conducting adventure tourism in its fragile geography.
Archana Singh, Travel Influencer and Director – Marketing, Onlyone Travel. (Express photo)
Archana Singh, travel influencer and Director – Marketing, Onlyone Travel, shared her journey of leaving a corporate career and travelling to 107 countries, including destinations from the Arctic to Antarctica.
Rakesh Pant, Co-Founder, Trek The Himalayas. (Express photo)
Rakesh Pant, co-founder, Trek the Himalayas, who is based in Dehradun and has worked in the adventure tourism space for several decades, spoke about the future of adventure tourism in Uttarakhand.
Panel Discussion 1 – Roshun Povaiah, Editor, FinancialExpress.com, Manisha Pande, Co-Founder and MD, Village Ways, Lokesh Ohri, Founder, Humanities Himalaya and Mani Mahesh Aurora, Founder and CEO, Impact Investors ( L – R) (Express photo)
Two panel discussions were held during the event. The first panel, titled “Voices of the Hills: Community-Led Adventure Tourism Models,” focused on local communities in the Indian Himalayas who are taking the lead in redefining adventure tourism. It featured real-world case studies, policy interventions, and responsible travel practices beyond conventional models.
The panelists included Manisha Pande, Managing Director and co-founder of Village Ways, who has helped create sustainable, community-owned tourism experiences in Uttarakhand and other hill states; Lokesh Ohri, Founder of Been There Doon That and Humanities Himalaya, known for his work in heritage preservation and cultural storytelling; and Mani Mahesh Aurora, CEO and Co-Founder of Impact Investors and co-founder of The Goat Villages, whose work focuses on regenerative tourism, rural livelihoods, and tourism as a solution to urban migration.
Panel Discussion 2 – Roshun Povaiah, Editor, FinancialExpress.com, Sanjay Sharma, CEO & Co-Founder, Organic Hideaways Pvt Ltd, Prabhat Verma, Executive Director, Le Passage to India Journeys and Ramashish Ray, Founder, Starscapes Experiences (L- R) (Express photo)
The second panel, titled “New Directions and Innovations in Adventure Tourism,” explored how technology, luxury, and design are transforming adventure tourism in India. It included topics such as glamping, astro-tourism, drone-assisted mapping, and accreditation tools.
Panelists included Sanjay Sharma, CEO and co-founder of Organic Hideaways Pvt Ltd and Founder of All Key Solutions & Services, who has built environmentally conscious glamping retreats; Prabhat Verma, Executive Director at Le Passage to India Journeys, who discussed evolving customer expectations and the role of global best practices; and Ramashish Ray, Founder of Starscapes Experiences, who spoke about astro-tourism and how stargazing, storytelling, and science can enhance travel in remote locations.
Both panels were moderated by Povaiah.
Ramashish Ray, Founder, Starscapes Experiences. (Express photo)
Ray also gave a special presentation on Uttarakhand’s Nakshatra Sabha initiative, which was launched to promote astro-tourism in the state. He highlighted the need for a Dark Skies policy in India and noted that work is ongoing in this area.
A folk performance showcased the cultural richness of Uttarakhand and added a regional touch to the event.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Mukesh Singh, Senior Vice President & Revenue Head, Indian Express Online Media. He emphasized the media group’s commitment to promoting India’s tourism potential through dialogue and collaboration. He also stressed the importance of building partnerships between local operators and national stakeholders to strengthen the adventure tourism ecosystem.
The Adventure Tourism Meet 2025 reaffirmed Uttarakhand’s position as a leading destination for adventure tourism and laid the foundation for inclusive and progressive tourism models across India.