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April 2010 - ALA Continues Expansion with New Biking and Multi-Sport Trips in Eastern Europe

Apr 05 2010
By Rebecca Werner

ALA to Launch Programs for Slovenia/Croatia in 2011

Billings, Montana – April 2010 – A leading provider of small-group, active vacations in the Americas (north, central and south), Europe and Africa, Austin-Lehman Adventures (ALA - http://www.austinlehman.com/) has announced the development of two new programs to Eastern Europe for the 2011 season.

Building on its successful acquisition of EuroBike Tours in the Fall of 2008, ALA continues to capitalize on its Europe adventure vacations, base of operations and programs by creating two new trips: a six-night, bike trip in Slovenia and a seven-night, multi-sport trip in Croatia. The Slovenia excursion will include Ljubljana (the capital), Bled with Lake Bled, Kranjska Gora, Nova Gorica / Gorizia; and the Croatian program, beginning in Split and ending in Dubrovnik, will feature a number of islands in the Adriatic Sea (Brac, Hvar, Korcula).

ALA guests will experience the cultural and scenic splendor of these intriguing destinations.From Ljubljana’s magnificent concert halls to the majestic Alps, lush farmlands and the harbor of Dubrovnik (the “pearl of the Adriatic Sea”), vacationers will be drawn to the natural beauty and urbane radiance of this compact region.Passionate travelers have long known that Slovenia and Croatia are destinations of great history and panorama. Reviewers have described this region as being “blessed with one of Europe's most glorious coastlines” and to have “miraculously escaped the overdevelopment of some other Mediterranean vacation destinations.”

This move into Eastern Europe coincides with ALA’s recent acquisition of custom-adventure operator CBT Tours, which has been operating tours under the direction of its principal, Desmond Gibbens, since 1989. “My wife and I have been running bike tours in Eastern Europe for years, but the challenge became too great in tandem with raising a young family,” said Gibbens. “As I considered a prospective company to carry on our efforts, Austin-Lehman Adventures immediately came to mind. Their expertise and emphasis on personalization will only enhance the trips we pioneered.”

According to Dan Austin, director of ALA, “In acquiring CBT and retaining Desmond to help fine-tune these Slovenia/Croatia programs, we are able to quickly develop two trips for next year that feature very compelling itineraries. Desmond provides us with insight on every corner of the region, and that only reinforces ALA’s commitment to giving travelers the ultimate insider’s perspective and the most memorable experience possible,” Austin continued. “It is a thrilling opportunity to expand our distinguished roster of adventure travel trips and our geographic span, now verging on almost 25 countries.”

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