VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations Named A “World’s Best” Tour Operator by Travel + Leisure for the Fifth Consecutive Year

Jumping to No. 2 Ranking, America’s Oldest Active Vacation Company Recognized By Readers Poll

BRISTOL, VT— July 9, 2014 – VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations has once again been ranked among the World’s Best Tour Operators in Travel + Leisure reader’s poll for 2014. This is the fifth consecutive year that the company has received this award, jumping up two spots to the second highest spot in its category.

“This award is due to the valued customers who continue to book cycling and walking vacations with VBT and spread the word about our large travel portfolio,” says VBT President, Gregg Marston. “We thank each and every voter for including VBT in their submission, along with the worldwide VBT family who work hard to provide excellent active travel experiences.”

Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards is a reader-based survey made up of the hotels, destinations and tour operators that define the best in travel. The tour operator portion of the survey includes categories in staff and guides, itineraries and destinations, activities, accommodations, food and value. VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations scored 96.67 out of 100, placing second in the category on the 19th annual poll.

"Even after 19 years of these awards, it is still enormously exciting to see what T+L readers select as the top travel experiences to be had around the globe,” says Travel + Leisure editor Nancy Novogrod.

All VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations are led by local trip leaders who will provide insight into the region’s customs and traditions, as well as help facilitate authentic cultural experiences. Notable itineraries include the new for 2015 Cycling South Africa: Cape Town & The Garden Route and Cycling Italy’s Middle Ages: Lucca to Pisa.

To learn more about VBT’s vast array of itineraries, request a catalog or reserve a vacation, visit VBT.com or call VBT’s tour consultants at 855-382-1553 Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. EST. Travelers can also save up to $400 on select 2014 departures by booking by July 24. Use promo code: MAGZ 110.

About VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations
VBT offers deluxe, small group bicycling and walking tours worldwide, including destinations throughout Europe, Costa Rica, New Zealand, Vietnam, Peru, South Africa, and the United States. Each trip includes all accommodations, many meals, two expert local Trip Leaders, unique sightseeing and cultural activities and on-tour vehicle support. Unlike other companies, VBT also includes roundtrip international airfare from over 30 U.S. cities and select Canadian cities for all overseas vacations. www.vbt.com.

About Travel + Leisure
The world’s most influential travel brand, Travel + Leisure, offers insider access to destinations around the globe with a signature mix of smart advice, immersive photography, expert reporting, and award-winning coverage of hotels, food, design, style, culture, and trends. Travel + Leisure® features news, finds, and opinions that empower its readers and users to travel better. With a global reach of more than 6.5 million readers, the Travel + Leisure print portfolio includes the U.S. flagship and five international editions in Mexico, Turkey, China, India/South Asia, and Southeast Asia. The U.S. edition of T+L that launched in 1971 is also designed for tablet. Travel + Leisure has an authoritative website, TravelandLeisure.com, and an extensive social media following of more than two million. The T+L brand also encompasses newsletters, clubs, retail stores, and media collaborations.