Partnership Expands Luxury Travel Network’s Offerings For Small Group Adventure and Family Travel
Billings, MT – Dan Austin, president of Austin Adventures, a leader in luxury multisport and active family vacations worldwide, announces that his company has been invited to join the prestigious supplier portfolio at Virtuoso®, the leading international travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel.
In this new partnership, Virtuoso, one of the best-known and respected travel groups in the world, gains new market-proven product from Austin Adventures for its more than 11,400 elite travel advisors in over 30 countries. Austin Adventures gains new market access to millions of travel-savvy consumers.
This comes at the heels of a partnership Austin Adventures forged in 2013 with Xanterra Parks & Resorts® which has opened doors to countless new opportunities, allowing Austin Adventures unparalleled behind-the-scenes access, support and security on its tours (especially those that visit U.S. National Parks).
“Through hard work and dedication to excellence, both Virtuoso and Austin Adventures have become recognized leaders in luxury and experiential travel. This new partnership will bring our special style of adventure and high-end travel to an expanded market of individuals and families seeking quality, authenticity and intimacy in a vacation experience,” Austin said.
This new partnership marks the first time that Montana-based Austin Adventures has entered into an agreement with Virtuoso, one of the globe’s premier luxury travel organizations. The by-invitation-only organization is comprised of over 380 agency members and more than 11,400 elite travel advisors in over 30 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.
This strategic partnership comes at a time when Austin Adventures is experiencing its most significant expansion of trips and destinations to date, added Austin. With the addition of Asia (Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Bali and Vietnam), Austin Adventures now offers programs on all seven continents.
In addition to expanding geographically, AA is adding multisport programs in Europe (France, Macedonia and Croatia) and in South America (Chile, Peru and Argentina).
Back by popular demand, in 2016 it is reintroducing classic cycle tours in Europe. Austin said the demand for pure bike-only tours is strong. The new twist will be the inclusion of celebrity host and guide Ron van Dijk of Austin Adventures who in 2016 celebrates his 42nd anniversary of guiding bike tours. Austin Adventure’s new cycle tours for 2016 are: Denmark Danish Isles; Holland/Belgium | Brussels to Bruges & Gent; France - Burgundy; and Austria/Czech Republic-Vienna To Prague.
Stateside Austin Adventures is introducing exclusive five-star lodging and gourmet dining that combine biking, hiking, rafting and horseback riding in iconic destinations. For example, the new-for-1016 Colorado | 5-Star Wilderness Adventure is a six-day/five-night immersion in what this company does best – making sure the wows are stirred into the vacation mix that includes The Broadmoor, Cloud Camp and Ranch at Emerald Valley.
Austin Adventures has also created the distinction as experts in planning and delivering family vacations. Seeking out family travel and adventure experiences are high on Virtuoso advisors’ lists, as multigenerational travel is a top trend predicted for 2016, followed in second by adventure travel and in third place travel with one’s immediate family.
“Adventure travel is a growing area of interest for Virtuoso travel advisors and their clients,” said Cece Drummond, managing director of Destinations & Experiences for Virtuoso. “In fact, the 2016 Virtuoso Luxe Report named it one of the top trends for this year.”
“Travel agent and agency bookings are an increasing percentage of our overall business,” said Austin. “With the help of Virtuoso we project that agency business will represent one of every three reservations by 2018.” Being a Preferred Supplier offers Austin Adventures new travel agency distribution channels in the United States, as well as in other mutually important regions where Virtuoso operates, including Europe, Australia and Canada.