INTREPID TAKES THE ENVIRONMENTAL LEAD

An interest in environment protection, and dedication has made Intrepid Travel a leading industry figure in sustainable and eco-tourism, with during its first operating year in 1989, founders and current owners, Darrell Wade and Geoff Manchester, recall taking  47 travellers through Thailand.

Today, they take 70,000 people around five continents.

Darrell developed a different travel concept, which is making travellers become part of a country, rather than tourists looking in, taking travellers off the beaten track in Asia, exchanging ideas with locals, and engaging in adventure activities.

Back then, he was intrepid, these days its an alternative travel style, a travel style that creates unconventional one-off life experiences whilst supporting local communities with as little environment impact as possible.

No matter the destination, Asia, Australasia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America or Europe, their tours make a difference, a sustainable mission, from generating income to remote communities who allow you to observe their way of life, or hiring the local guide, who knows his city better than anyone.

Maybe letting volunteers help preserve endangered species or assist underpriviliged children in rural areas, but most importantly, it breaks down prejudice, increases tolerance and encourages respect and care towards different cultures.

In 2002, the Intrepid Foundation was created to enable Intrepid travellers donate to the various international NGOs and projects working in conjuction with Intrepid, ranging from health care, education, human rights, child welfare, and environmental and wildlife protection.

At the same time, the Intrepid Perpetual Support Fund in conjunction with the Charities Aid Foundation Australia receive all donations made to this account.

Half of the proceedings are retained to conserve and grow capital for funding projects into the future, while the other half is distributed to their international NGO’s.

Each year Intrepid informs the public of where the money goes, matching travellers’ donations dollar for dollar and to date they have distributed over AU$1,114,691.

For more information and to make donations see www.theintrepidfoundation.org

In the past years, Intrepid has become even more passionate about the travel industry, taking initiative to protect the environment, introducing a compulsory carbon offsetting payment for all flights sold in Australia.

With aviation the fastest growing contributor to greenhouse gases resulting in climate change, flying to your ideal destination has its consequences, and Intrepid have assumed this responsibility.

This years traveller flights will add around 300,000 tonnes of CO2 to the atmosphere and in partnership with Origin Energy, the Carbon Offset Payment will help fund projects such as tree planting and the implementation of energy efficiency programs, and other technologies which reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

This payment is already included in Intrepid’s packages, though it gives the passengers satisfaction knowing they’re reducing the impact of the holiday.

Intrepid’s mission is to become carbon neutral by 2009. Check out Darrell Wade, Intrepid Travel’s CEO talking about climate change, see www.intrepidtravel.com/carbon

While Intrepid works hard to acheive their goals, they are honored to receive recognition for their sustainable and eco-friendly mission, with in 2007 winning the coveted PATA Gold Award for ‘Corporate Environmental Programmes’ and they were shortlisted for the 2007 Responsible Tourism Awards in the ‘Best for Conservation of Cultural Heritage’ category.

By : South America