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Registration
registration rates • convention center and hotels • why Dayton? • attendee demographics •
symposium history • scholarships for international presenters • register by mail/fax

The American Trails International Trails Symposium offers the premier trails experience, with leading experts that offer over 80 cutting-edge trail presentations, field trips, workshops, with an abundance of networking opportunities.

Registration is closed.

We will accept onsite registrations starting on Sunday, May 7 at 7:00 a.m. See you in Dayton!

Stay Connected with the Symposium App

Be sure to download the Symposium App for more event details and these useful features: full descriptions of all sessions, speaker bios, real-time announcements, exhibitor listings, and create your own custom schedule.

See Symposium Schedule-At-A-Glance...

View more details below:

• Registration Rates
• Convention Center and Hotels
• Why Dayton?
• Attendee Demographics
• History of the International Trails Symposium
• Scholarships for International Presenters
• Register by Mail or Fax

Registration(s) are included with some sponsorship levels and exhibitors can receive a discounted registration. Learn more on pages 14-15 of the Sponsorship and Exhibit Opportunities packet.

We will offer discounted registrations for American Trails members, Ohio residents, as well as a discount for early registrations (early registration deadline March 17, 2017). Full registrations (four core conference days) and single day registrations will be available, as well as a la carte and full meal packages for booth staff and spouses/family/friends who will not be attending the Symposium non-meal functions. Registration rates are as follows:

Early Registration (by March 17):

• Member - $415
• Nonmember - $490
• Student - $250
• Sponsor/Exhibitor/OH resident- $300

Regular Registration (March 18 - May 6):

• Member - $475
• Nonmember - $550
• Student - $250
• Sponsor/Exhibitor/OH resident- $300

On-site Registration (May 7 - May 10):

• Member - $525
• Nonmember - $610
• Student - $250
• Sponsor/Exhibitor/OH resident- $300

Full Registration

Includes: All concurrent/core track sessions, full access to the exhibit hall, access to the Welcome Reception, Keynote Opening and Closing Luncheons, Cocktail Hour at the Air Force Museum, Trails Rock Party, National & International Trails Awards Banquet, Trail Talk Breakfasts, Tuesday Boxed Lunch, and Happy Trails Hours. (American Trails Featured Workshops and Mobile Workshops, and PTBA Sustainable Trails Workshops are an additional cost.)

Single Day Registration
Includes: All concurrent/core track sessions, access to the exhibit hall, and meals for that day. (American Trails Featured Workshops and Mobile Workshops, and PTBA Sustainable Trails Workshops are an additional cost.)

Single Day Registration Rates:

Early (by March 17)

• Member - $170
• Nonmember - $200

Regular

• Member - $200
• Nonmember - $230

Onsite

• Member - $200
• Nonmember - $230

Note: All meals below are included with a Full Symposium Registration package. If you select a Full Registration, you do not need to purchase meals for yourself.

If you purchased a Single Day Registration you do not need to purchase meals for that day.

• Full Meal Package: $260
• Sunday: Welcome Reception (with meal): $29.00
• Monday: Trail Talk Breakfast: $20.00
• Monday: Opening Keynote Luncheon: $29.00
• Monday: Trails Rock Party (with meal): $39.00
• Tuesday: Trail Talk Breakfast: $20.00
• Tuesday: Box Lunch: $25.00
• Tuesday: Awards Banquet (with meal): $49.00
• Wednesday: Trail Talk Breakfast: $20.00
• Wednesday: Closing Keynote Luncheon: $29.00

 

Learn more about past Symposiums here.

Convention Center and Hotels



The majority of events will take place at the Dayton Convention Center on all three floors of the convention center. The Trails Rock Party, however, will take place at the RiverScape Pavilion, which is located along the Great Miami River. All off-site workshops— American Trails Mobile Workshops and PTBA Sustainable Trails Workshops— will meet in the designated pick-up area at the convention center to be transported to their location (details coming later in 2016).

Visit the Hotel Accommodations page for the host hotels offering discounts to Symposium attendees.

Visit the Travel Guide and Dayton Area Trails pages for your flight and ground transportation needs, and to learn more about local area trails and attractions!

 

Why Dayton?

Discover the Dayton region’s growing collection of outdoor recreation amenities which are putting it on the map as the Outdoor Adventure Capital of the Midwest.

• View the Top Ten Reasons to join us in Dayton in May 2017.
• Read the article announcement for choosing Dayton in the Spring 2016 issue of the American Trails Magazine (pages 6-8).
• View Dayton’s National and International Draw, including items of interest for both the trail – and history – enthusiast.
• View the Dayton readling list for opportunies to enrich your symposium experience or plan an extended visit to the region.

The International Trails Symposium helps attendees:

 

• Design and build sustainable trails
• Protect access to trails and recreation
• Educate community and State leaders on the myriad benefits of trails
• Bring recognition to your trails
• See the economic impact of trails on a community
• Assess trails for accessibility
• Showcase private sector products and services related to trails and to specialty construction practices
• Create sustainable partnerships
• Develop more support for volunteers
• Obtain more funding for trails
• Build strong local and statewide organizations for trails
• Preserve more open space amidst urban development
• Maintain outdoor resources, their beauty, and wildlife
• Promote trail use as a means for mental, physical, and spiritual well-being

Attendee Demographics



Attendees consist of trail planners, builders, volunteers, engineers, managers, administrators, media, trail users and advocates, company/industry representatives, and anyone interested in trails. Our Symposiums draw anywhere from 700-1,000 attendees and attracts over 150 presenters, 100+ booths in the exhibit hall, and more than 150 volunteers. In general, the numbers consist of approximately 65% agency representatives and 35% organization advocates or trail users.

In addition, there is a free half day for the public to visit the exhibit hall on Sunday, May 7, 2017 (our Building Public Awareness for Trails Event) as the kick-off to the Symposium and includes local vendor tables, activities, and entertainment.

History of the International Trails Symposium



The first American Trails National Trails Symposium was held in 1971, and it has continued every two years since— celebrating a 23rd Anniversary in 2017. Due to American Trails widening of its network to the international trails community, the name and focus has evolved from a National Trails Symposium to an International Trails Symposium.

We were thrilled to host our first International Trails Symposium in Arizona in 2013. We want to reach across the oceans to harness our combined wisdom to support and encourage the collective dedication to trail initiatives around the world. The program will feature international sessions, which will provide alternative ways of approaching challenges in the trails world and will provide excellent networking opportunities for our attendees. We are stronger and more effective together, and the Symposium is a perfect way for the international trails community to share success stories and lessons learned.

Over 18 different countries were represented at the 2015 Symposium. We hope to increase that number for 2017.

The 2015 Symposium attendees came from the District of Columbia and every State, with the exception of Connecticut and Louisiana.

Additional countries represented included:

• Australia
• Canada

• Chile
• China
• Denmark
• Ghana
• Greece
• Hong Kong
• Ireland
• Israel
• Japan
• Nepal (in spirit)
• Nicaragua
• Norway
• Panama
• Russia
• South Africa
• Spain (by video)
• Turkey

Scholarships for International Presenters

This scholarship program will provide funding for our international presenters at the American Trails International Trails Symposium. Scholarship funds will include their registration cost, as well as provide funding to go towards their travel and accommodations. Learn more about this opportunity and how to donate to the program or apply for a scholarship.

 

Download a printable registration form

If you prefer, you can download a PDF of the registration form and regsiter by mail or fax.



Download a printable registration form for ITS 2017.

 

 

 

For questions on registering and attending, contact:

American Trails

symposium@americantrails.org

(530) 605-4395

 

Symposium News

Why the Dayton Region is an Outdoor Recreation Destination

2017 International Trails Symposium location announced

American Trails Magazine Spring 2016

Dayton’s National and International Draw

Why attend the 2017 International Trails Symposium?

2017 Emerging Leaders Scholarship Program