Austin Adventures president Dan Austin has bought back the company from Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the conglomerate that acquired
Austin Adventures in 2013.
The parties "came to positive terms for all concerned,"
according to a statement provided by Austin Adventures. The Billings, Mont.-based
tour operator specializes in small-group tours and customized adventure trips.
Austin Adventures resigned membership in the U.S. Tour
Operators Association as a Xanterra business. Dan Austin said he intends to
rejoin USTOA as an independent entity as soon as possible.
Austin Adventures was founded as Austin-Lehman Adventures by
Dan Austin and Paul Lehman in 2000. Dan Austin and his wife Carol purchased
100% of Austin Lehman Adventures in 2010 and changed the name to Austin
Adventures.
Three years later, they sold to Xanterra, a company with a diversified
portfolio of travel businesses. Xanterra is the largest national and state park
concessioner in the United States, operating many hotels and lodges in the
parks. It also owns hotels outside the national parks, tour operators and
Windstar Cruises. Xanterra is controlled by billionaire businessman Philip
Anschutz.
Austin Adventures reports that it is on the cusp of
completing another record-breaking year and is bullish about 2018, having
recently announced a lineup of 10 new domestic and international itineraries
for next year, including in Utah, Banff, Tanzania, Kenya, India and Colombia.