Intrepid Travel just posted the strongest financial performance in its 34-year history. It earned a net profit of £11.2 million in 2023 which is a £24.6 million turnaround from 2022. The company also contributed a record £2.4 million to charitable and community causes. Its full 2023 Integrated Annual Report outlines how Intrepid performed across all parts of its business from audited financial statements to carbon emissions data. Key highlights include booking volume up 68% to £320 million and an 113% increase in revenue to £276 million. EBITDA increased to £17.8 million, a big turnaround from a loss of £9 million in 2022. Intrepid declared and paid out its first dividend since 2019. In 2023, Intrepid also grew its staff shareholders to 421 shareholders (up from 52 in 2022), who will now benefit from the strong performance via the first dividend in four years. This is in addition to a short-term and an enhanced bonus paid to all eligible staff. "Last year was a phenomenal year of growth and our team demonstrated innovation and determination," said CEO James Thornton. 

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Intrepid Travel just achieved a record sales day and record month in the UK & Ireland, thanks to its annual Big January Sale. The bumper sales day was January 31, with sales 50% up on the region's previous best - which was the day before (January 30). Overall, January was a record sales month both globally, and in the UK, with revenue up 36% in the region. That included strong sales figures from trade partners, resulting in a 30% increase in industry revenue, compared to January 2023. The top selling destinations for Brits included Vietnam, Morocco, India, Peru, and Costa Rica. Southeast Asia saw a resurgence in demand, with the region up 33% in passenger bookings. Sri Lanka also saw huge growth with bookings surging 900% compared to a year ago. Southern and East Africa also saw increases with bookings up 69% and 23% respectively, compared to January 2023. Tanzania and Botswana were two of the most popular destinations. Hazel McGuire, Intrepid's GM UK & Ireland, said: "These figures show that those who can are continuing to prioritise travel, despite the cost-of-living pressures.” "It's great to see Southeast Asia, Intrepid's heartland, topping our top-booked lists again. Thank you to all our trade partners."  

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Travel is in for a ‘dystopian future’ if action on climate change is not taken now. That is a conclusion from a new report published by Intrepid Travel in partnership with foresight agency The Future Laboratory. It looked at what the world of travel could be like in 2040 if no action is taken. Travel as we know it could be on the brink of extinction, it says. "One of the problems with tourism at the moment is that it is the opposite of regenerative," said Darrell Wade, chairman of Intrepid Travel. "It's extractive – and this cannot continue for much longer." Destinations like Belgium, Slovenia and Poland are being touted as top future holiday destinations as Majorca and Greece become too hot with travellers having to 'chase the shade.' Rising temperature will also impact destinations like Lapland which would struggle to maintain its current levels of snow. A Sustainable Future for Travel report focuses on suggesting solutions to the current crisis:   People-Positive Travel Regenerative travel will focus on social-led holidays instead of product-led. These consider the environmental and social impact. Inclusivity will also be key, with travel companies focusing on social change. Focusing on local communities will also be key, helping prevent 'tourism leakage', when money flows out of the destinations.   Ephemeral Escapes Pop-up hotels that combine sustainability and local craftmanship to create Ephemeral Escapes. Transient travel experiences, such as Thierry Teyssier's 700,000 Heures hotel, already have this concept. Intrepid recently invested in this philosophy with CABN, off-grid minimalist escapes in Australia.   Enhanced Eco-Mobility AI will drive the future of transportation, with planning tools suggesting the most sustainable options and a focusing on reshaping travel hubs. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is already being trialled and companies like Intrepid are working to eliminate unnecessary flights from itineraries. Train travel will be integral to this regenerative approach.   Real-time Footprints Carbon tracking will become even more individualised thanks to AI. Intrepid recently introduced carbon labelling on 500 itineraries, giving consumers a 'nutrition label' style indicator. "The direct impact of climate change has long been viewed as something distant in the future. But this is no longer an impending event; it's happening now,” Wade added. “Tourism must evolve and become regenerative, as the current model is unsustainable.” “The clock is ticking for our planet and the future of the travel and tourism industry."

Intrepid Travel is adding carbon labels to more than 500 itineraries. It includes its top 100 trips, with plans to continue measuring emissions of every trip. These labels appear on the individual tour pages on the company's website. They will tell travellers the carbon footprint of each tour, giving them greater transparency on their carbon footprint. Now displayed on over half of Intrepid's trip pages, the carbon label will show the total CO2-e of the trip per traveller, per day. It identifies the different components contributing to the overall carbon footprint, including accommodation, transport, food, activities, and local  office emissions and waste. A 15% contingency is then added to each trip's total emissions, to account for anything unintentionally missing. The calculation process was developed in line with the requirements set by Climate Active. This is an ongoing partnership between the Australian government and corporations to drive voluntary climate action. These labels will help educate travellers on their own carbon footprint and make it easier for them to understand their impact. "With carbon labelling, we can increase customers' understanding of their footprint,” said Sara King, GM of Purpose for Intrepid Travel. Intrepid wants ‘this level of measurement and transparency to become an industry standard.’ Intrepid also remains committed to developing lower carbon itineraries. In 2024, they will have approximately 4,000 fewer flights on trips (compared to 2023) and will be discontinuing all scenic flights.  

Courtesy: @hassanhajjaj_larache Intrepid Travel has launched an emergency Morocco earthquake appeal through its not-for-profit, the Intrepid Foundation. It will match all donations up to £50,000. All funds raised will go directly to grassroots organisations on the ground providing emergency relief Morocco was hit with a 6.8 magnitude earthquake which has devastated parts of the country. More than 2,100 people have been killed in the Morocco earthquake. The Intrepid Foundation established the appeal to provide support to its long-term local NGO partners in Morocco, These are Education for All and the High Atlas Foundation who work with local communities. This includes providing essential provisions such as food, shelter, clean water, and medical supplies. As well as donation matching up to £50,000 it will cover the foundation's administrative costs, enabling 100% of donations to be sent where it is needed. "The Morocco earthquake is the most devastating to hit the country in over a century,” said Biheng Zhang, Intrepid Foundation GM. “By supporting this appeal, it directly helps with emergency relief and support," Morocco is one the tour operator's biggest destinations globally. Intrepid Travel offers 33 tours in Morocco, with a major office in Marrakech and nearly 80 local team members. The Foreign Office issued a new travel advisory for Morocco. Flights to and from the UK are operating normally with airlines likely to add extra seats to get holidaymakers home. “Travellers wishing to change their flight plans should liaise direct with their tour operators or airline,’ it said. The UK has sent search & rescue teams to Morocco to help. Alison Cryer, founder of Representation Plus, says travel partners should encourage clients to continue their plans where it is safe to do so. “There are still many areas unaffected by the disaster that visitors can change their plans to visit, helping the country to maintain their tourism revenues,” she said. “To help the people in the High Atlas Mountains join the the Charitable Travel Fund appeal.”

Intrepid Travel has acquired the 15-room, four-star boutique rainforest retreat, Daintree Ecolodge in Tropical North Queensland. It paid £2.5 million to Morris Group and is its first lodge property purchase. "As we diversify our offering, this new acquisition will play a key role in our evolution towards an iconic lifestyle brand," says CEO James Thornton. The Daintree property is situated in a rainforest and features a restaurant and bar, day spa, natural waterfall and walking track. It offers Lagoon, Canopy and Rainforest rooms. Local activities for guests include guided rainforest walks by the local Kuku Yalanji people. Dating back 135 million years Daintree is the world's oldest tropical lowland rainforest. Last year, Intrepid Travel took a 50% stake in off-grid accommodation company CABN, which has 27 properties across South Australia. " Daintree Ecolodge will allow us to connect with a new market of customers and grow our brand," added Thornton. The lodge is approximately 90-minutes' drive from Cairns International Airport. It is also 40-minutes from Port Douglas for exploring the Great Barrier Reef. Intrepid Travel already operates various multi-day tours in the Daintree area. It includes a five-day Queensland Daintree Explorer tour, 12-day Brisbane to the Daintree Discovery and the 18-day East Coast Encompassed. "This acquisition marks the next chapter in the Intrepid story, as we expand into the accommodation sector,” said Thornton.

Intrepid Travel has launched a Maui emergency appeal fund and is committed £40,000 through its not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation. It aims to support immediate relief efforts in Hawaii following the wildfires. The Intrepid Foundation partnered with the American Red Cross to offer relief to affected communities. This donation will help enable the Red Cross to provide emergency sheltering, food relief and other critical assistance. The Intrepid Foundation will dollar match donations to the Hawaii Wildfire Appeal up to £40,000, doubling donors' impact. Red Cross disaster workers are supporting emergency shelters on the islands of Maui and Oahu. In addition to safe lodging and food, health, mental health and spiritual care services are being provided. With 100 deaths and thousands displaced, the wildfires in Hawaii are now considered the worst natural disaster in the state's history. It is also the deadliest US wildfire in over a century. "Intrepid Travel was founded on the idea of using travel as a force for good," said Matt Berna, Intrepid's President of the Americas. "By launching this appeal and matching donations, we aim to support the local communities in Hawaii as they recover and get back on their feet.” Intrepid Travel runs over 1,000 multi-day small group tours globally, has an extensive customer base in North America and has operated tours in Hawaii. To donate, visit Hawaii Wildfire Appeal.  

Credit:  Intrepid Travel Intrepid Travel is teaming up with Hays Travel again for a new challenge for charity this year. They will trek the Inca Trail. A group of 17, including Hays Travel and Intrepid staff, will travel to Peru for the trek to Machu Picchu this September. The group will be led by Intrepid's crew and guides, including local leader Ernestina Valeriano who was one of the country's first female trekking guides. They are aiming to raise over £10,000 for the Hays Travel foundation. The Foundation helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The Intrepid Foundation supports a range of partners empowering communities around the world, including Peru. This will be Intrepid and Hays Travel's second annual charity trek, after a team summited Mt Toubkal in Morocco last year, raising £15,000. Intrepid's head of business development and partnerships Joanna Reeve said: "It's great to be joining forces with Hays Travel again.” "It's extra special we can host the charity trek in Peru. Our local team can't wait to give the group the best Intrepid experience."

 

Intrepid Continues to Support the Rise of Responsible Tourism in Morocco

  Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest B-Corp-certified travel company, is introducing four brand-new trips in Morocco for 2024.   Intrepid's Morocco tours have seen significant growth since the pandemic and the country is now one of its top-selling destinations globally. Intrepid has partnered with the Moroccan National Tourism Office to expand the potential of tourism in the country. The three-year partnership aims to increase the number of visitors in the country to 50,000 each year by 2026.   With 73 local team members based in Intrepid’s Marrakech office and over 2000 departures in the country per year, Intrepid is one of the leading tour operators to the country.   The four brand-new trips include a rare venture through Morocco’s best kept secret, the Happy Valley, otherwise known as the Ait Bougmez region of the High Atlas Mountains. Traversing the country’s third-largest peak by foot, travellers on Intrepid’s Trekking in Morocco Happy Valley in High Atlas (NEW 8-Day Trip from £845pp) will explore cascading waterfalls, ancient ruins and lush vegetation, stopping for homecooked meals in rural villages while learning about the rich history of the Amazigh people, the community that inspired the name “Happy Valley”.   Other New Trips Include:  

• Classic Morocco (NEW 8-Day Trip from £950pp)

  This all-encompassing comfort-level trip includes visits to the sacred Hassan II Mosque, and Roman ruins of Volubilis, an iconic solar-powered Sahara camping experience among the sand dunes, a unique visit and tasting at a Tawesna teahouse run by local women, hiking through the High Atlas Mountain range, and an exploration of the vibrant architecture and flavours of Marrakech.  

• One Week in Morocco: Sahara & Atlas Mountains (NEW 8-Day Trip from £505pp)

  The new One Week in Morocco itinerary was developed exclusively for 18–29-year-old travellers, with a perfect balance of bucket-list experiences and unique adventures, providing a taste of all the best of Intrepid’s Morocco product. From the bustling city streets of Marrakech to a trek through the High Atlas Mountains, and            a solar-powered camp under the Sahara stars.  

• Mt. Toubkal Long Weekend Trek (NEW 5-Day Trip from £400pp)

  On Intrepid’s new Mt.Toubkal Long Weekend tour, travellers will climb the highest   summit in North Africa with expert guides, taking in incredible views of the High Atlas Mountain Range, the Sahara and the Atlantic Coast, experiencing a night in an authentic mountain refuge at Toubkal base camp, and enjoying home-cooked meals full of Moroccan favourites along the way.   Other new experiences include a M'goun Valley Henna Ceremony on Intrepid’s Morocco Uncovered trip, where travellers will learn about the history and significance of henna tattoos and receive their own designs from Naquasha women; and a Taman’Art Space visit on Intrepid’s Premium Morocco tour with a local artist on a terrace overlooking the mountains.   “We are thrilled to be launching this new partnership with MNTO, investing more in the development of tourism in my home country,” says Hala Benkhaldoun, Morocco General Manager for Intrepid Travel. “Morocco is an extremely special place – one that more of the world should have the chance to see,” she adds.   In addition to expanding offerings in Morocco, Intrepid’s non-for-profit The Intrepid Foundation has introduced a new partnership with Moroccan nonprofit The High Atlas Foundation, as one of 22 new partners for the brand globally in 2023. For every traveller booked on an Intrepid trip, the company will make a donation to an NGO partner chosen by its local team including The High Atlas Foundation dedicated to agricultural development, education and health access for women and youth in Morocco, and Education for All, a nonprofit expanding female education access to the remote communities of Morocco.

Intrepid Travel expanded its range of women-only tours to mark this week’s International Women's Day. It includes its first ever women's expedition in Pakistan. Intrepid's Women's Expeditions first launched in 2018. They are a collection of tours led entirely by female leaders. Headlining the new trips for 2023 is the 12-DayPakistan Women's Expedition which launches with the first departure on September 17 from Lahore. Travellers will learn what life looks like for both women living in Islamabad and in the remote communities of the Hunza Valley. Led by a Pakistani guide, groups will spend time with women empowering their communities. It includes a look at local projects including carpet-weaving, cooking classes, and cafes. Intrepid's tour leader Aneeqa Ali is the founder of The Mad Hatters, a female-led travel company. Intrepid has partnered with Aneeqa to help provide more opportunities for female tour leaders in Pakistan. Intrepid is also debuting a Nepal Women's Expedition, which will run for the first time this year. The Intrepid Women's Expeditions range will feature six trips in 2023. The range also includes Women's Expeditions to Morocco, India and Jordan.

Intrepid Travel has launched a Turkey earthquake emergency appeal fund. It kick started it with A$100,000 (£58,000) through non-profit the Intrepid Foundation. It will support immediate relief, aid, and rescue efforts in Turkey and Syria following the devastating earthquake. Intrepid Travel has further committed to donating all profits from bookings made on trips in Turkey until April 30, 2023. The Intrepid Foundation has partnered with Australian Red Cross to ensure funds are effectively allocated. This will enable Red Cross and Red Crescent partners to address the immediate and longer-term humanitarian impacts. Intrepid will dollar match all donations to the Earthquake Appeal while covering the foundation's administrative costs. "This earthquake has devastated southeastern Turkey and Syria. Most of us can only imagine the trauma of this scale," said Biheng Zhang, GM of the Intrepid Foundation. Intrepid Travel began offering Turkey trips in 1990. It has remained one of Intrepid's most popular destinations. Today, it operates 30 tours  and has 25 local team members based out of their Istanbul office. Intrepid Travel only had one group in the country at the time of the earthquake, who are all safe. A 7.8 magnitude quake destroyed thousands of buildings and has now killed more than 5,000 people. The quake was centered on Diyarbakır and affected several adjacent provinces. It was also felt on the Mediterranean coast and in Cairo and Lebanon. At least 20 aftershocks followed.

  Intrepid Travel and CABN have announced a partnership which will see Intrepid Travel invest a AUD $7.85 million equity stake, to accelerate growth plans to deliver more than 70 off-grid, sustainable cabins across Australia by 2023.   CABN’s current experiences include 11 cosy minimalist escapes in some of Australia’s most stunning locations. Each cabin is built from predominantly locally sourced and sustainable materials and requires minimal infrastructure with a ‘leave no trace’ philosophy. Their unique design allows guests to immerse themselves in nature and disconnect from everyday life.   During COVID-19 and with borders closed CABN still enjoyed a high average occupancy rate of over 90% and this is expected to increase as consumers continue to embrace sustainable travel. Intrepid Travel’s investment will allow CABN to keep up with the increasing demand, with an expected increase of annual room nights from 4,000 to 26,000 across Australia.   Michael Lamprell, Founder and CEO of CABN, said the partnership with Intrepid Travel will accelerate CABN’s growth.   “We are incredibly pleased we have found the right partner to take CABN forward. There is clear alignment across our shared commitment to sustainability, the environment and Indigenous culture. Intrepid Travel have extensive experience in the sustainable travel space, and this partnership will allow greater opportunity to expand our off-grid accommodation and experiences.”   The launch of multi-cabin retreat style projects across Australia is planned for the future, including the recently announced CABN site in collaboration with the Hans Heysen Foundation at the Cedars in Hahndorf, South Australia, the Myponga Reservoir project and along the enhanced iconic Cooloola Great Walk departing Noosa in the Fraser Coast Region.   “CABN’s offering and business model aligns perfectly with our move into the accommodation vertical and is a natural fit within our vision to grow as a purpose-led adventure travel company,” said James Thornton, CEO of Intrepid Travel. “We know the CABN product is of particular interest, not only to our existing customer base, but to the growing market of travellers worldwide seeking out authentic and sustainable travel experiences.”   The partnership between the two Australian-based companies will allow for an increase in the vertical integration of Intrepid’s business, with future plans to include CABN sites as featured accommodation in a number of the tour operator’s trips.   CABN will continue to be run by Michael Lamprell in partnership with Intrepid. Further terms of the deal were not disclosed.