Austin Adventures Launches Enhanced Website That’s Tablet, Phone and User Friendly

May 13, 2014 - PRLog -- BILLINGS, MT,  – World leader in small group, multisport active travel, Austin Adventures, announces the recent launch of its newly designed, mobile-and-tablet-friendly website after eight months of planning and programming focused on enhancing the end user’s overall experience. The redesigned website can be viewed at http://www.austinadventures.com/.

Assisted by the web technology firm Verb Interactive, the website’s responsive design allows it to be viewed efficiently on whatever device the user is on; desktop PC, laptop, tablet or mobile phone.  Programming senses the device and adjusts the screen and features accordingly.

Other user-friendly innovations include an easier-to-navigate format including a trip finder and world map feature and a call-back request function that alerts Austin Adventures of a caller’s name, phone number and best time to call back.

For conducting trip research and planning, the new site promotes an expanded travel resources page: http://www.austinadventures.com/about-us/adventures/travel-planning-resources/ with everything from weather and health advisories to passport and visa information. It even offers advice on choosing the right tour operator.

“Before we began, we took a close look at our business and what our travelers are looking for,” explains Dan Austin, president and founder of Austin Adventures (http://www.austinadventures.com/). “The more good content we can put at their fingertips the more informed they will become. And a smart, educated traveler usually makes the right vacation decision.”

Austin has seen a marked increase in people looking to create a private trip, unique to their personal interests and desire. In the redesign he wanted to give those free-spirited travelers more information on what’s possible through his company. So for anyone seeking a private and custom tour, there’s an expanded section dedicated to planning bespoke vacations: http://www.austinadventures.com/about-us/adventures/travel-planning-resources/plan-adventure-vacation/plan-perfect-custom-adventure-vacation/ and a page that offers a number of possible destinations: http://www.austinadventures.com/tour-packages/custom/.

As the market expands and new leisure travelers are exposed to adventure travel, Austin points out that there’s a need to help them understand the choices and what a typical tour is all about. A new How to Plan an Adventure Vacation Page offers helpful guidelines and steps to first-time active travelers: http://www.austinadventures.com/about-us/adventures/travel-planning-resources/plan-adventure-vacation/

Crowd-sourcing for unbiased advice and recommendations is also a trend that Austin Adventures wanted to embrace. The new site redesign makes it easier for a prospective client to share trips he/she is interested in with family and friends or read about what others had to say. With a click of a button visitors can email trip links to others, post about them on Facebook, Google+ and more, or create a board on Pinterest.

Since a picture tells a thousand words, compelling images are also important for visitors and dreamers. An enhanced photo gallery with high-resolution photography for both media and consumers offers 399 separate albums with over 10,000 separate photos:  http://www.austinadventures.com/about-us/adventures/image-gallery/

For a comprehensive 2014 catalog, call toll-free 1.800.575.1540, or e-mail info@austinadventures.com. To review current trips, schedules and itineraries log onto: http://www.austinadventures.com/

About Austin Adventures

In addition to multi-sport adventures, Austin Adventures offers family, biking and hiking tours and small ship cruising, in total spanning 35 countries on six continents.

Outside Magazine recently singled out Kasey Austin, Vice President of Operations and trip leader extraordinaire, as the world’s top Family Guide for 2014. In March 2012 Travel + Leisure awarded ALA the 2012 World’s Best Values Award for Tour Operators. ALA has also received Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Tour Operator Award (a Top 3 finisher) for four consecutive years from 2009 to 2012. In 2011 the company was honored with the Global Vision Award for its Wheels of Change bicycle empowerment initiative.

In September 2013 Austin Adventures joined the Xanterra Parks & Resorts® portfolio of experiential leisure offerings. Known for its “Legendary Hospitality with a Softer Footprint,” Xanterra Parks & Resorts® entities include lodges, restaurants, tours and activities in national and state parks and resorts as well as a cruise line, railway and tour operator. Xanterra Parks & Resorts has operations in the Grand Canyon, including Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Ariz., and The Grand Hotel in Tusayan, AZ.; Yellowstone; Zion; Crater Lake; Glacier, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks; Mount Rushmore National Memorial; Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley National Park and five Ohio State Park Lodges as well as the Geneva Marina at Ohio’s Geneva State Park. Xanterra Parks & Resorts also operates Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., Windstar Cruises, VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, CW Adventures; and Austin Adventures.

Contact Widness & Wiggins PR for photos, interviews and more information:

Sara Widness / 802-234-6704 / sara@widnesspr.com

Dave Wiggins / 303-554-8821 / dave@travelnewssource.com