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It's a Tough Job, but Someone Has To Do It
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What does it take to be recognized as the best of the best? Since being awarded the #1 Tour Operator in the World by the readers of Travel + Leisure, people want to know. The simple answer is: a LOT! There are of course the usual day-to-day efforts (sales, marketing, PR, accounting)…but the most interesting (and fun) part by far is developing the core of our business – our trips.
We’ve devoted this Travelogue to giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into designing the perfect Austin-Lehman Adventure. As Dan Austin says, it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it! From putting together brand new itineraries to resurrecting old ones, Dan’s spent over 20 years building adventure vacations around the world. We should warn you – his account may inspire you to drop everything and search for a job like his, where “globetrotting” and “adventure-seeking” are top priorities.
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The Art of Trip Development
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Owner, Dan Austin, on what it takes to design the perfect Austin-Lehman Adventure. It seems I get asked all the time: “so what’s it like to own an adventure travel company…all you do is travel the world right?” Frankly, nothing could be further from the truth. As it is with owning any business, keeping an adventure travel company afloat is work. There are weeks on end where I put in my 10-plus hours at my desk, not once seeing the light of day (or the beautiful Montana countryside we call home). Now don’t start feeling sorry for me, because yes, there are a lot of benefits that come along with owning an adventure travel company – and traveling to great locations around the globe is definitely high on the list. While I may not be out in the field 52 weeks a year, the times I do get out of the office certainly make the hours logged at my desk well worth it. Read more of Dan’s account on The Art of Trip Development
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We may be #1, But our Work has Just Begun!
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Some have asked whether we’ll put our feet up now that the readers of Travel + Leisure have recognized us as Best in the World. Our answer is a resounding heck no! Our mission, now more than ever, is to continue to improve the ALA experience. We’ve set the bar and now our goal is to raise it!
At ALA, we monitor quality control with both personal experience and guest feedback. We rely on our guests for their honest opinions on everything from what’s working/what’s not, to what they loved about a trip and what they might do differently next time. It’s thanks to them, for example, that we’ve decided to offer a hiking-only trip in the Canadian Rockies, a biking-only trip in Utah’s Canyonlands, and an entire string of adventure vacations in Southern Africa.
Have a suggestion? A favorite destination you’d love to see in our 2011 catalog? Tell us! It’s your invaluable insights that have helped propel us to #1 – so keep them coming! |
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We are thrilled and honored to announce that Austin-Lehman Adventures has been recognized as the #1 Tour Operator and Safari Outfitter in the World by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine.
Custom Adventure Vacations
We love planning custom adventures tailored just for you! You tell us what you want to do, how much you want to spend and how active you'd like to be, and we'll build it exactly your way!
Contact an Austin-Lehman Custom Trip Expert today and we'll put together and itinerary just for you: 800.575.1540 or via email at info@austinlehman.com
In the next Travelogue:
ALA gives a nod to some of our most seasoned adventurers. |
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Travel + Leisure 
National Geographic Adventure 
National Geographic Traveler 
