Why We Joined ATTA And What It Means For Your Walking Holiday in Ireland
When you book a walking holiday, you're not just buying a route and a few nights' B&B – you're trusting a stranger with a week of your life, your safety on remote trails, and a meaningful chunk of your holiday budget. That trust matters to us, which is why we're proud to share that Walking Holiday Ireland is now a member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) — the global body that sets the standard for responsible, sustainable adventure travel. As a trusted walking tour operator in Ireland, we take that responsibility seriously.
What is ATTA?
The Adventure Travel Trade Association is the world's leading network of adventure tour operators, destinations, guides and suppliers. Its members include everyone from small family-run walking specialists like us to expedition companies running trips in the Arctic and the Himalayas. What unites them is a shared commitment to a single idea: that adventure travel should leave people, places and the planet better than it found them.
To join, operators are vetted and agree to uphold ATTA's values around guest safety, environmental responsibility, respect for local cultures, and fair treatment of staff and partners.
Why ATTA membership matters when choosing a trusted tour operator in Ireland
For you, as a guest, ATTA membership Ireland walking tours provide a quiet reassurance – a signal that you're booking with a vetted walking tour operator, not a faceless reseller. Practically, it means:
1) You're booking with a real, accountable tour operator in Ireland. We're a family-run walking business in Ireland, based in Co. Louth, established in 2012, with a physical address, local phone number, and a team you can actually reach. ATTA membership adds an extra layer of external accountability on top of that.
2) Your holiday supports the communities you walk through. We work directly with small, independent Irish B&Bs, pubs, taxi drivers, and luggage transfer operators. As part of our commitment to responsible adventure travel in Ireland, when you book with us, the money stays in the rural economies of Kerry, Wicklow, Donegal, Cooley and everywhere in between.
3) Responsible trail use. The Irish waymarked ways are precious, fragile, and shared with farmers, communities and wildlife. The Adventure Travel Trade Association principles align with how we've always operated: Leave No Trace, stick to the marked paths, and walk lightly on our sustainable walking holidays in Ireland.
4) Your safety is taken seriously. From vetted accommodation and 24/7 local emergency support to detailed route notes and waterproof maps, we plan for the things you hope you'll never need.
What doesn't change for our walking tour operation
Honestly? Most of what ATTA membership asks of us is already how we've run Walking Holiday Ireland since day one. Louise grew up walking the Dublin and Wicklow Mountains; I moved here from the Netherlands because I fell in love with Ireland's trails. We've never wanted to be a volume operator — we want to be a trusted walking tour operator in Ireland that you'd recommend to a friend.
ATTA membership just makes that commitment visible and holds us as a vetted walking tour operator to a standard bigger than ourselves.
Planning your walking holiday?
If you're thinking about a self-guided walking holiday in Ireland—whether it's the Wicklow Way, the Kerry Way, the Dingle Way, or a tailor-made route—we'd love to hear from you as your trusted Irish walking tour operator. You can browse all our tours or get in touch via our contact page, and we'll help you plan a holiday that suits your fitness, pace, and sense of adventure.
Walk well, Cliff & Louise Walking Holiday Ireland
Walking Holiday Ireland is a proud member of the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) — your reassurance that we're a vetted, accountable tour operator in Ireland committed to Irish walking holiday trust and responsible adventure travel.
