REI Adventures Designated as one of 2009 “Best Adventure Companies"

REI Adventures has been honored by National Geographic Adventure (NGA) magazine and was listed as one of the “2009 Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth.” The adventure travel company is included in the top ten “Do-It-All” category.

NGA surveyed 248 companies around the world, including paddling outfitters, trekking guides, safari specialists and companies like REI Adventures that take adventurers all over the world. Companies are scored and ranked on a variety of criteria, including education, environmental sustainable travel practices, quality of service, and spirit of adventure. Only the top companies that scored in the top percentiles receive the designation and are considered by NGA to be “the world’s leading travel specialists.”

“It’s a top honor to be recognized, we’re thrilled NGA is committed to highlighting the world’s top adventure travel companies,” says John Sheppard, director of REI Adventures. “It is surveys like this that help strengthen the adventure travel industry, and challenge us to be the very best for our guests as well as the earth.”

REI Adventures is profiled as one of the top ten travel companies with “Global Reach + Limitless Expertise,” according to NGA’s article in the February issue that is available now on newsstands. In addition to REI’s new Mongolia Multisport trip featured for 2009, NGA recognizes a variety of REI Adventures trips including weekend getaways such as Yosemite snowshoe-trekking or exploring North Carolina’s barrier islands, and trips to lesser known destinations such as Laos, Cambodia and Nicaragua.

REI Adventures has offered active travel vacations featuring climbing, cycling, hiking, rafting, skiing/snowboarding and multi-sport excursions, including adventure travel cruises, to all corners of the globe since 1987. REI Adventures caters to active travelers of all abilities with more than 140 small-group trips worldwide, including weekend getaways. Every REI Adventures trip is carbon neutral through the co-op’s partnership with Bonneville Environmental Foundation. The program is the largest carbon neutral travel program in the country.

The 2009 REI Adventures catalog is available at www.rei.com/adventures or by
calling 1-800-845-4829.

About REI
REI is a national outdoor retail co-op dedicated to inspiring, educating and outfitting its members and the community for a lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship. Founded in 1938 by a group of Pacific Northwest mountaineers seeking quality equipment, REI operates retail stores nationwide, two online stores – http://www.rei.com and http://www.REI-OUTLET.com – and an adventure travel company, REI Adventures. REI offers products from all of the top brands for camping, climbing, cycling, fitness, hiking, paddling, snow sports and travel, including its own line of award-winning outdoor gear and apparel. While anyone may join or shop at REI, members pay a one-time $20 fee and receive a share in the company’s profits through an annual member refund based on their purchases. As an active supporter of the communities in which it does business, REI is committed to promoting environmental stewardship and increasing access to outdoor recreation through education, volunteerism, gear donations and financial contributions.