Sustainable Travel International (STI) is the leading internationally recognized non-profit dedicated to sustainable tourism development. In partnership with STI, Austin-Lehman Adventures is committed to expanding and enhancing its efforts to support environmental conservation, preserve cultural-heritage and contribute to local economic development.

STI is dedicated to taking a holistic approach to addressing sustainable development within the travel and tourism industries by providing solutions-oriented programs that generate tangible results and affect long-lasting change.

We were able to sit down with Ted Martens, STI’s Director of Outreach & Development and ask him a few questions about sustainable travel and how his company is helping.

What is your definition of sustainable travel?
Sustainable travel is a level of tourism activity that is viable in the long-term because it results in a net benefit for the communities, economies, and environments where it takes place.  The key components of this definition are the “long-term” – preserving destinations for generations to come, and the “triple bottom line” – or the focus on the local environment, community, and economies – all of these must benefit for travel to be sustainable.

Why is sustainable travel important?
The travel and tourism industry is arguable the largest industry in the world, and the negative impacts associated with this massive industry are significant and widespread.  Because the industry relies on the quality of destinations and livelihood of host communities, we must take proactive steps to preserve them so that we may visit them again, and so that our children will also have the opportunity to experience these phenomenal locations.  Sustainable travel is the type of tourism that will allow for the long-term viability of the world’s greatest places.

Who should participate in sustainable travel and how can someone get started?
Anyone and everyone can and should participate in sustainable travel.  At its core, sustainable travel is all about making educated decisions – decisions on how you act when you travel, who you travel with, and how you spend your money in the destinations.  Getting started is easy – choose travel providers (hotels, tour operators, guides, etc) who are committed to this philosophy (for a list of questions to ask potential providers, click here).  Be respectful of the environments and people in the destinations you visit.  Patronize local businesses.  Consider mitigating your environmental impacts through carbon offsetting or think about giving philanthropically to the destinations you visit.  For a full list of best practices and tips for travelers, visit STI’s consumer page.

How is sustainable travel different from ecotourism?
There is no official and industry-wide agreement on specifics of these terms, but at their core, both ecotourism and sustainable tourism (and responsible tourism and geotourism and pro-poor tourism, etc) are aimed at the same outcomes – preservation of the environment and providing benefits to host communities.  In our eyes, ecotourism is a form of sustainable tourism.  While ecotourism tends to focus only on responsible travel to natural environments, sustainable travel encompasses responsible travel to all types of environments.  Some argue that you cannot engage in ecotourism in an urban environment, but you certainly can engage in sustainable travel in an urban environment.  So, in a nutshell, ecotourism is a sub-category of sustainable tourism.

How can tour operators help minimize the negative aspects of conventional tourism?
We could write an entire book on this topic!  To summarize a few key ideas, tour operators can:

• Educate their travelers on the importance of sustainable tourism and how to actively participate in it
• Analyze their business operations with a “green lens”, looking for places to increase efficiencies, decrease fossil fuel consumption, minimize waste, etc.
• “Green up” their supply chain by choosing hotels, restaurants, and service providers who are committed to preserving the environment and creating benefits for the host community
• Minimize their carbon emissions and offset unavoidable emissions
• Create or participate in a philanthropic initiative that directly benefits the communities that host their tours

What does the future hold for sustainable travel?
While the “green” movement is well in motion and is becoming part of consumer and corporate culture, we still have a long ways to go before the industry as a whole is operating in a sustainable manner.  Fortunately, industry-leading businesses are realizing the financial benefits of operating in a more sustainably, and the information and tools that facilitate this movement are becoming more widespread.  I’m optimistic that we’ll  see an incremental adoption of more sustainable practices across the industry, but it will take a lot of effort.  Travelers need to demand responsible travel options, and industry-leaders need to continue to share best practices and success stories.

Ron was 16 years old when he was introduced to the world of bike tours. What began as a summer job organizing European trips for a family friend in the States quickly evolved into a highly successful business. With a passion for biking, travel and history and 35 years of field experience, no one has a better brain to pick on biking vacations than Ron.

Why the focus on “biking-only” vacations in 2010?
Sounds a bit scary, doesn’t it – a “biking-only” vacation? Actually, there’s no such thing!  Each of our biking adventures is extremely flexible and includes optional activities like hiking, rafting, sightseeing, wine tasting or an afternoon of R&R.

The way I think of it, your bicycle is simply used as a pleasant means of transportation to get you from one sight or village to another, from one experience or adventure to the next. That said, I can’t think of a better way to travel than by bike, using all of one’s senses. You are so much closer to the culture and the nature that surrounds you. Plus, you work up a great appetite, so you can thoroughly enjoy your meals, without feeling the least bit guilty!

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Why travel with ALA, versus on your own or with another outfitter?
An ALA biking vacation is unique for a number of reasons. First, ALA has been organizing bike trips since 1974, which makes us one of the oldest, most trusted outfitters around, and experience counts when it comes to creating a perfect tour. We take our due diligence seriously, spending an enormous amount of time researching our destinations and routes, driving and biking every road (multiple times), visiting every hotel and sight before establishing an exact itinerary. Doing this year after year, not only do we expose you to places you’d never visit on your own, but our trips keep getting better and better, just like a good wine!

Second, we use local, informative guides who provide unique historical background, anecdotes and useful tips, bringing the history, geology and culture of each of our destinations alive. It’s often a guide’s insights – the ones you simply can’t find in a book – that you’ll remember the most from a trip.

Third, we pride ourselves in giving the best support while you bike: snacks, drinks, special “WOW’s” (as we call them), comfortable support vans, or just a simple, friendly smile, a hug, a high five. In short, we take care of all the details and give you all the encouragement and support you need, so all you have to worry about is having fun. Austin-Lehman’s slogan says it all: the hardest part is going home!

Fourth, ALA has the highest guide-to-guest ratio in the touring business: 1 guide for every 6 guests, while limiting the group size to twelve for adult groups and eighteen for family trips. Keeping the group size small and personal ensures service whenever you want or need it.

Finally, our accolades speak for themselves. Travel + Leisure magazine recently polled its consumers and named us Number One Tour Operator of the World! What more should I add?

As a guide yourself, how would you describe a typical ALA guest?
Guess what? There’s no such thing as a typical guest! We get people of all ages, all levels of fitness, and all interest on our tours. The youngest we ever had was 2 (being towed in a trailer by her parents on a tandem) and the oldest was 87. How’s that for extremes?! The same goes for levels of fitness. Naturally, we recommend that people practice before they show up on a trip. We have easy trips for first timers, while the avid cyclists can bike their hearts out across the Tuscan hills. As far as interests are concerned (history, scenery, culture, cuisine, etc.), there’s something for everyone on each of our trips. Since we don’t bike in one large group, you can pick and choose where you wish to spend time and pursue your own interests. Your guides will point you in the right direction.

Is there a particular biking vacation you would recommend for a first-timer?
Our catalog and website clearly denote the level of difficulty of each trip. So if you’re a novice biker, you will want to start with a trip that is easy (Level One). Our Netherlands trips are great because the terrain is perfectly flat and full of traffic-free bike paths. Our Mosel Valley trip is another great one – pedaling along the Mosel river with prevailing tail winds is a wonderful option for a first-timer. The Loire Valley trip has some small hills but is still considered easy. And don’t forget – how long and hard you’d like to bike is always up to you: if you think you’ve pedaled far enough, just catch a ride to the hotel in the support van!

Which ALA biking trip is your personal favorite?
My personal favorite trip is Bordeaux to Dordogne. No, not because of the wine (even though that’s a plus!), but because everything is perfect about it: the tiny secondary roads, the peaceful villages, the lively towns, the ancient churches, the friendly people, the gorgeous scenery, the delicious cuisine, the lovely hotels.

One site on the tour that invariably moves me is the Font de Gaume cave near Les Eyzies, where you’ll find 15,000 year-old polychrome prehistoric wall paintings. The cave is one of the very few still open to the public. I’ve probably been there 20 times, and each time I see one particular image – of a male deer licking the forehead of a female deer kneeling in front of him – it gives me the shivers. So much expression, so much tenderness, so very human! Elsewhere in the cave is the hand of one of the artists. I call it the “signature.” Normally it is not included in the tour of the cave, therefore most visitors will never know it’s there – but our guides always ask the local guide to point it out. After all, how often do you get to see a 15,000 year-old human hand? As you can imagine, the word wow is a much-used expression during this visit.

Tell us a little bit about the bikes on an ALA bike tour?
The bikes we use in the U.S. and in Europe are the best on the market for the purpose of bike touring. We use top-notch Cannondales, which we fit to each guest before the trip begins. They come in various sizes, straight or racing handle bars, men’s or women’s frames, etc. We also have deluxe Cannondale tandems, children bikes, children tag-on bikes and trailers.

In October of 2009, the Silbersteins will travel on their 50th European biking adventure.

How did you first hear of Euro-Bike (now Austin-Lehman)?

We first heard about Euro-Bike 20 years ago through a friend. Interestingly enough, we didn’t really like our first trip. We chose Denmark, and it was windy and rainy the entire week. But we really liked the people, and the concept of a biking vacation. It’s much less expensive than trying to do it all on your own, and you really get what you pay for…so we gave it another shot. Our second trip was to Italy along the Roman Road, which we’ve now done three times.

What keeps you coming back to Euro-Bike?

The guides, and the personalized treatment. Our guides are always going out of their way – like the time on one of our trips after leaving Bordeaux, when a guest discovered they’d left some belongings back at the hotel…one of the guides drove all the way back to retrieve it. It’s that extra effort with everything they do that we appreciate the most. It’s the van that approaches just as you approach a big hill, asking if you need a lift. It’s the fresh water, fruit and snacks at every rest stop. It’s the fact that we know that at any time if we have a problem, all we have to do is call. Even before cell phones, guides would pop up just when you needed them.

EB guides also speak all of the local languages, which makes us feel safe, at ease. When you sit down at a café, there’s someone there to translate the menu. Our friends would always try to convince us to change outfitters, but we’ve stuck with Euro-Bike. Why change what’s not broken? We get catalogs from other companies and every year there are new faces throughout…but not for Euro-Bike. The same guides keep coming back, year after year. They do these trips over and over and over and know the hidden treasures, the good restaurants, the little nuances of every region. Some guides have been with Euro-Bike for 20 years!

Finally, Euro-Bike wouldn’t be what it is without Ron (owner/founder). He is so capable. We have become very close over the past 20 years. He reminds us of our older son who’s a pediatric neurosurgeon. Did you know he was born on the exact same day and year we were married? December 14, 1957. The stars were obviously aligned for all of us!

Why do you choose Euro-Bike over another outfitter, or traveling on your own?

We travel a lot on our own…but doing something like a bike trip…how could you possibly strike out on a path – even from point A to B – on a bike in a foreign country and not take into account what happens if you get into trouble? Where do you turn, who’s there to help you? What if you hit a detour? You need guidance when it comes to cycling. There’s a sense of comfort and professionalism that comes with traveling with Euro-Bike. These folks really know what they’re doing.

We love getting to know the other guests, as well. It’s so nice at the end of the day to sit down with other travelers and compare notes. Once we all got caught in a huge thunderstorm – at the end of they day we all sat around with a beer and talked about where we were when we got caught. Us? We were rescued by two Czech lumberjacks in a VW truck. Others were welcomed by a farmer who gave them coffee, cake and shelter in his home. Sharing experiences broadens your whole social outlook.

We love the flexibility of the trips, too. The mornings start with a briefing, highlighting which sites to see. We always have options: long, short, hilly, flat. Guides review where the pickup points are, and recommend places for lunch. There’s always the option to picnic with the group, or eat on your own. When you get to your next hotel, you check in. If you get there early, you sit by the pool, have a drink, get a massage. Everybody’s at their own pace. And we always have fun at the group dinners.

Finally, one word: luggage! Each morning, you simply leave your bags by the front door of hotel. It’s delivered for you, waiting for you in your room when you get to your next destination. Doesn’t get any better than that!

What was your favorite Euro-Bike trip?

Gosh that’s a tough question. Probably Provence, for the spectacular scenery and the great wine and food. We also loved Normandy, hiking in Switzerland…oh, and we can’t forget the trip to Spain when one of the guides by the name of Loek (Luke) hopped over a barrier in Pamplona at the San Fermin Festival, and actually ran with the bulls! It was a scene to be remembered, to say the least.

Anything else you’d like to add re: your experience traveling with Euro-Bike?

We should mention how wonderful the bikes are. They’re all 27-speed with lots of bells and whistles…odometers, bells, rear-view mirrors, cushy seats, front/rear bags/racks, so you can bring whatever you need. They’re very lightweight and the guides (all expert mechanics) at the beginning of the trip will fit/customize all of the bikes for each guest, to make sure we’re comfortable.

Al has traveled on nearly 20 European biking adventures.

How did you first hear of Euro-Bike (now Austin-Lehman)?

I was at a party with my friends Chuck and Judy Silberstein and they happened to be talking about an upcoming trip to the Dordogne – they invited me to join and I decided to tag along.

What keeps you coming back to Euro-Bike?

It’s simple – there’s no reason not to. I’ve always been satisfied – the guides, the service, the trips, the way things are planned. I have no desire to deal with another company. Plus, I’ve developed a relationship with Ron. I can ask him anything and he often joins us on our trips. He’s a great travel partner.

Why do you choose Euro-Bike over traveling on your own?

I love traveling to Europe and I love biking, but I’d never do it on my own! I’m not going to ship my bike over there, for one. EB provides routes, small trails, little places to stop along the way – everything is very well thought out and researched. You just don’t get that on your own.

What was your favorite Euro-Bike trip?

They’re all great! There hasn’t been one trip that I didn’t like. The Italian trips are probably my favorite, but really they’re all nice – there’s nothing not to enjoy. I love the flexibility. It’s not the army, you know – if you get tired, you call the van; if at lunch you have a couple of glasses of wine and decide you’ve had enough riding for one day, you call the van, go to hotel and sit by the pool. It’s a relaxing thing. There are always some on every trip who like to bike every mile, and some who don’t. The flexibility is great. I bike with Chuck and Judy most of the time.

Ken Lyons has travel with Austin-Lehman on over 20 separate adventures.

How did you first hear of Austin-Lehman Adventures?

I heard about ALA from an old boss who knew I loved anything to do with the outdoors.  His sister had gone on a trip with ALA (then Backcountry) and she said it was the best vacation she’d ever taken. I called to request a catalog and as soon as it arrived, my mind began racing…where to go first? The tee shirt they give you on the trip reads, “The toughest part is going home.” Picking a destination is the second toughest part! After much deliberation, I chose Glacier National Park.

What keeps you coming back to ALA?

First, it’s the wonderful destinations. We have some nice areas to explore on the east coast but as a child, I remember seeing pictures of the “great West” through a viewfinder. The seed was planted and I knew as soon as I had the opportunity, I would someday visit those places. When I received my first ALA catalogue, I scanned it with great excitement. My first Glacier trip included all the things I loved to do: hiking, biking, white water rafting and horseback riding, and was all that I could have asked for and more.

Second, I like ALA’s 6:1 guest-to-guide ratio and small group size tremendously. With only 10-12 guests on each trip, you really have a chance to get to know the folks you travel with. I’ve kept in touch with several ALA alumni. In fact, on my second trip to Bryce/Zion National Parks, I met a couple from New Jersey who have become good friends. We’ve done three trips together since and we go hiking back east together whenever we get the chance.

With a small guest-to-guide ratio, ALA guides tailor each trip so everyone has a great experience. I like to see as much as I can in a week, so I’m always given options to explore (even if other guests don’t want to). Guides are also happy to provide options for guests who want to take it easy for the day. This opportunity to push yourself as much or as little as you want to really makes for the perfect vacation.

The Adventurer’s Club is another reason to come back to ALA. The perks are great (First Ascent trips, special gifts, etc.).

Accommodations are great as well. Always interesting. I find them to be anywhere from rustic and charming to posh. Dinners are always memorable, sharing the day’s experience with the guides and guests before getting into wide ranging conversations.

Lastly, booking a trip is easy! The office is very helpful if questions arise. ALA puts me at ease right from the beginning with an in-depth knowledge of the travel industry and the destinations they offer. One year, a trip was cancelled due to forest fires in the Yellowstone/Big Sky area. ALA offered to send us on a Glacier trip a week later. I couldn’t get to Bozeman until noon on Sunday, the day the trip started. ALA made special arrangements to get me to Glacier. Needless to say, I had a great time, and even managed to earn an ALA nickname. My friends, Jim and Marg Simpson were on that trip. On the early hike on Sunday (which I missed), Jim made it sound like I was like six foot five inches tall and weighed about 280 pounds. When I met the group, they had already dubbed me “Crusher” – and even though I am only five feet seven inches tall and weigh about 142 pounds, the name stuck!

Why do you choose ALA over traveling on your own?

Largely because of the guides. I’m a big backpacker and I can tell you there’s a big difference between traveling on your own and with a guide. In the last two years I’ve backpacked the Wonderland Trail (a 92 mile trail that goes around Mount Rainier in Washington) and the Land of Enchantments in the Central Cascade Mountains of Washington. Backpacking is pretty strenuous and it entails sleeping in a tent and eating freeze-dried food. There is a lot of planning that goes into those trips…things like getting permits, securing rental cars, buying equipment (like gas canisters that you already have but can’t bring on an airplane). ALA provides me an opportunity to learn, explore, try new things and then come back to a nice room, great food and great company. You can’t beat that.  I can’t think of any need that didn’t get met on any of my trips.

Also, all ALA trips are all pre-scouted and they include visits to lesser-known areas – often just as magnificent if not more so than the better-known touristy spots. Traveling with ALA allows you to experience with more solitude and beauty, to enjoy each region in a more pristine setting. ALA guides are all accomplished people who enjoy what they do tremendously. Their knowledge of the area, enthusiasm, energy and personality really make ALA trips special. They are always prepared for any situation, which is reassuring. ALA will also often bring in local experts to share their expertise with guests, which also adds to the whole experience.

What was your favorite ALA trip?

I get asked that question frequently on trips, especially when other guests find out that I’ve been on so many ALA adventures. My answer is always the trip that I’m on right now! The point is, I really can’t choose a favorite. A flood of memories come back to me when I think of where I have been, people I have met, guides who I admire for their multi-faceted abilities. That said, I thought I’d share a few of my most memorable experiences:

Glacier National Park

One of my favorite parts of this trip was my roommate, Ted, a fun loving guy from Philadelphia. We hit it off so quickly that other guests thought we were long time friends. My favorite activity was our bike ride along the “Going to the Sun” Road. There was very little traffic at seven in the morning when we set off and the temperature was comfortably cool. I felt like a young child with enormous energy and enthusiasm. It was the first time ever on a bicycle that I couldn’t tell whether the road was level, uphill or downhill. I simply charge on, changing gears based on whether pedaling got easier or harder.

The next day we rode horseback into the wilderness alongside some local cowboys. The flowers in Glacier were in full bloom and it was spectacular to see. A guest asked what kind of flowers some of them were. The head cowboy looked real serious as he pointed to the ground and said “Them there is wildflowers.” Everyone nearly fell off their horses laughing because the ALA guides could recite the common name, family name and often genus of each of the flowers we stumbled across, without batting an eyelash!

Bryce/Zion

I have a fear of heights, so I was reluctant on this trip to make the hike to Angel’s Landing. Annie, our guide, gently encouraged me to try it, ensuring that if I became uncomfortable with the 1,300 drop, I could turn around. I made it to Angel’s Landing and I can’t tell you how exhilarating it felt to have overcome my fear. On the switchbacks on our decent, I was singing rather loudly with a bounce in my step and smile on my face.

I’ll also never forget our hike into the Narrows of the Virgin River on my last day. Some outdoor magazines have stated that this is the best hike in America, and rightfully so. You just have to see it to believe it.

Where are you headed next?

I will be on the Yellowstone trip starting on September 13^th.  I spent a few days in Yellowstone on the Big Sky/Yellowstone/Paradise Valley trip five years ago and have been dying to get back since. It is an amazing place with all the geothermal activity, wildlife and forest regeneration (forest fires burned over 700,000 acres of the park in 1988).

Anything else you’d like to ad?

What I really enjoy about multi-sport vacations is that they enable me to see great destinations in different ways. To float down a river on raft and experience white water from a wide river narrowing into a gorge gives you a whole different experience than say, a hike to a summit to look down on a glacier fed lake. I get a different sense and perspective of places by doing it differently each day. ALA guides scout out each destination and find places of interest that are relatively unknown and away from the crowds…and then they figure out the most fun, rewarding way to experience them – be it on foot or by bike, raft or horseback. Simply put, there’s just no better way to travel!