In fact, the Australian iteration of the conference next October will mark the first time the event has been held in the Southern Hemisphere.
The meeting brings together those who work in the trails sector around the world – in the US, which is the global industry leader, the trails sector is valued at US$135 billion and employs 725,000 people.
To be held at the Pan Pacific Perth from October 19-22, 2026, the conference is expected to attract up to 600 delegates, including those working in tourism, government policy makers, conservationists, NGOs and Indigenous leaders.
Western Australia’s trails will be on show for delegates, with guided trail walks and pre-conference tours to be made available to attendees.
The event is being hosted by Outdoors WA and will be themed “Trails for the Future: Connection, Culture and Conservation”. The destination choice will bring focus to Australia’s 65,000-year-old connection to country.
“Western Australia is home to some of the world’s most stunning and culturally significant trails, with over 1,000 sanctioned trails across the state and 391 within an hour’s drive of Perth,” said Neil Le Febvre, CEO of Outdoors WA.
“That makes us a real trails paradise and internationally we are held in high regard for our strategic coordination across government and community in both our trail development and our technical prowess.
“We’re excited to bring the best minds in the industry together from around the globe to both experience our world-class trails and inspire our local trails industry to even greater heights by sharing global best practices.”
With the event held every two years since 2010, the Western Australian edition provides an opportunity to position the state as a leader within the global trails sector.
