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TED Talk by Rick Steves: Why Travel Is Well Worth the Money

If you'd like to interview Rick Steves, please email pr@ricksteves.com.

Rick's Biography

Short Version (226 words)

Guidebook author and travel TV host Rick Steves is America's most respected authority on European travel. Rick took his first trip to Europe in 1969, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer. As an 18-year-old, Rick began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In 1976, he started his business, Rick Steves' Europe, which has grown from a one-man operation to a company with a staff of 100 full-time, well-travelled employees at its headquarters in Edmonds, Washington, near Seattle. There he produces a best-selling guidebook series on European travel, America's most popular travel series on public television, a weekly hour-long national public radio show, a weekly syndicated column, and free travel information available through his travel center and ricksteves.com. Rick Steves' Europe also runs a successful European tour program organizing small-group tours that take more than 30,000 travelers to Europe annually. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. When not on the road, Rick is active in his church and with advocacy groups focused on economic and social justice, drug policy reform, and ending hunger. Rick Steves lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington. His office window overlooks his old junior high school.

Email Rick at rick@ricksteves.com, or write to him c/o 130 4th Ave N, Edmonds, WA 98020.

Long version (642 words)

Rick Steves advocates smart, affordable, perspective-broadening travel. As host and writer of the popular public television series Rick Steves' Europe, and author of a best-selling guidebook series on European travel, he encourages Americans to travel as "temporary locals." His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening.

Over the past 20 years, Rick has hosted more than 100 travel shows for public television, and numerous pledge specials (raising millions of dollars for local stations). His Rick Steves' Europe TV series is carried by over 300 stations, reaching 95 percent of US markets. Rick has also created three award-winning specials for public television: European Christmas, the ground-breaking Iran: Yesterday and Today, and most recently European Festivals. Rick writes and co-produces his television programs through his media company.

Rick Steves also hosts a weekly public radio program, Travel with Rick Steves. With a broader approach to travel everywhere, in each hour-long program Rick interviews guest travel experts, followed by listener call-ins. Travel with Rick Steves airs across the country on more than 400 radio stations and as a popular podcast. Rick has also created a mobile app, Rick Steves Audio Europe, which organizes his vast library of self-guided audio walking tours and radio interviews into geographic playlists covering Europe's top sights, travel tips, and cultural insights.

Rick self-published the first edition of his travel skills book, Europe Through the Back Door (now updated annually), in 1980. He has also written more than 80 European travel guidebooks and phrase books. For several years, Rick Steves Italy has been the bestselling international guidebook sold in the US. In 2009, Rick tackled a new genre of travel writing with Travel as a Political Act, reflecting on how a life of travel has broadened his own perspectives, and how travel can be a significant force for peace and understanding in the world. Rick's books are published by Avalon Travel, a member of the Hachette Book Group.

In addition to his guidebooks, TV, and radio work, Rick is a syndicated newspaper columnist with the Tribune Media Services. He appears frequently on television, radio, and online as the leading authority on European travel. He is also an active blogger and on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Rick took his first trip to Europe in 1969, visiting piano factories with his father, a piano importer. By the time he reached 18, Rick jokes, "I realized I didn't need my parents to travel!" He began traveling on his own, funding his trips by teaching piano lessons. In 1976, he started Rick Steves' Europe (RSE), a business that has grown from a one-man operation to a company with a well-traveled staff of over 100 full-time employees. RSE offers free travel information through its Travel Center, website (www.ricksteves.com), and travel newsletters. RSE also runs a successful European tour program organizing small-group tours that take more than 30,000 travelers to Europe annually.

Rick is outspoken on the need for Americans to fit better into our planet by broadening our perspectives through travel. He is also committed to his own neighborhood. He's an active member of the Lutheran church and with advocacy groups focused on economic and social justice, drug policy reform, and ending hunger. He's a board member of NORML (the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws). And Rick gave his local YWCA a 24-unit apartment building to provide transitional housing for homeless mothers and their children.

Rick Steves spends about a third of every year in Europe, researching guidebooks, filming TV shows, and making new discoveries for travelers. To recharge, Rick plays piano, relaxes at his family cabin in the Cascade mountains, and spends time with his son Andy and daughter Jackie. He lives and works in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington, where his office window overlooks his old junior high school.

Download Publicity Photos

You may publish these photos free of charge. The files are all 300 dpi, print-quality JPEGs saved with the highest quality compression. Please note that some of these photos are high-definition screen captures from our shows and are smaller in size.

To download images, click on a link for the image you want below. Once the image finishes loading, right-click on it and choose "Save Link As." If you would like assistance in downloading these images, or prefer another format, please email pr@ricksteves.com. All photos were taken from the filming of Rick Steves' Europe, unless otherwise noted.

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Interview Rick

If you'd like to interview Rick Steves, please email pr@ricksteves.com. Here are some possible story angles:

Story Angles

Ugly American Sentiment Abroad
Recently, much has been written about Americans being chastised or targeted in Europe because of the United States' foreign policy. Rick believes that although most Europeans take issue with US foreign policy, they feel differently about the American people. The following information, excerpted from Europe Through the Back Door, demonstrates how Americans can keep these "ugly" stereotypes just that.

Safe Travel
Many Americans are nervous about traveling now more than ever. And while the concern is natural, you're safer going to Europe than getting behind the wheel of your car.

Rick's Business
Rick Steves offers a tremendous amount of free travel information through his bi-annual travel newsletter, European travel classes, and his 3,000+ page website. The different components of Rick's business — his tours, travel store, television and radio productions, and guidebooks — feed off each other to create overall brand awareness. Furthermore, his business (Rick Steves' Europe, Inc.) has grown from a one-man operation to a thriving 100-employee office, and it sells more tours to Europe than ever before. Rick is the author of over 60 guidebooks, and his guidebook to Italy is the bestselling guidebook to any foreign destination in the United States.

Rick Supports Public Radio and Television
Rick raises millions of dollars annually for public radio and television. At a time when public radio and television stations are struggling financially, Rick enthusiastically raises money for public broadcasting.

Rick's Travel Philosophy
Travel is freedom...one of the last great sources of legal adventure. Travel is intensified living, with maximum thrills per minute. It's recess, and we need it. Experiencing the real Europe requires catching it by surprise. Check out Rick's travel philosophy.

Rick's Social Activism
Rick believes that travel is more a vital force for peace than ever. He believes the most effective way individual Americans can contribute to our "Homeland Security" is to travel a lot, learn about the world, come home, and help the United States fit better into this ever-smaller planet. He also believes that America's current stand on world trade and the environment is in the world minority, and that the world's well-being depends on travel so we can understand other countries' policies on these issues. Learn more about Rick's social activism.

In the News

Updating a Rick Steves Guidebook (4-minute video clip)

Rick gives us a peek at what it takes to update his guidebooks.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Outspoken Travel Guru Rooted in Edmonds

Faithful Travel with Rick Steves (10-minute TV interview)

Learn why Rick is dedicated to thoughtful travel