Intrepid Travel

Honoured to be included on Skift's inaugural Power Rankings among the 30 most influential executives in travel. Being the CEO of Intrepid Travel is something I’m immensely proud of. While this list recognises individuals, the truth is this is more a reflection of the work that our 3000 people around the world do every day to create positive change through the joy of travel. Intrepid’s commitment to responsible travel is proof that purpose and profit can work in tandem. I’m more motivated than ever to continue to help to lead our industry to a more responsible future.

After a stellar and impactful (nearly) 30-year career with us, we're bidding farewell to our DMC High Performance Manager Carl Needham, who is heading into retirement, with plenty of travel and adventure still to come. Based in Asia for most of his career, Carl first joined Intrepid as a trip leader before moving into operations, where he has since been instrumental in accelerating the growth of our country offices in the region. Carl is a member of the Intrepid Hall of Fame, which recognises team members who have made an outstretched contribution to our business, in honour of his achievements and for embodying Intrepid's values. In recent years, Carl has been a mentor for many team members across the world, in particular our country General Managers, as he’s generously shared his in-depth knowledge of responsible travel with the next generation. Join us in thanking Carl and wishing him the best for his next adventure! 👏  

As we gear up towards our annual Blue Dragon Marathon Walk fundraiser taking place this Sunday, co-CEO of our partner the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation, Do Duy Vi, spoke with TTG Media about how the travel industry can help make a difference for communities in Vietnam. Agents and industry partners can join the walk for change in cities including London, Melbourne, Hanoi and Bangkok on 8 September, or gather friends and family for their own walk. Thanks TTG for selecting the Intrepid Foundation as your official charity partner in 2024 and helping create positive change through the joy of travel.

We love to see our people taking advantage of their employee perks. For Reservations Team Lead Nepal, Urmila Tamang, this year that meant taking her first free-of-charge Intrepid trip on our Premium Bhutan itinerary, and her second trip outside of her home country! Our office in Nepal has set a goal to have 80% of the local team utilise their free-of-charge trip benefit annually, to help them experience our brand in the world, connect with our product and customers and take time away from their desks to recharge. Well done Urmila and team Nepal for embracing new opportunities 👏 Read some of Urmila's trip highlights below and visit careers.intrepidtravel.com to learn more about life at Intrepid.

Earlier this year we launched our first itinerary in Saudi Arabia, a Women’s Expedition, aimed at showcasing a different perspective on the country. Our customers have had an incredibly positive response to this trip, selling out our first departure slated for November. In preparation for the season, we’ve been delivering training for twelve new and aspiring leaders. The group were joined by our local Saudi partner and tourism entrepreneur Sara Omar in Riyadh, where they learnt about Intrepid’s approach to responsible travel, health and safety, and heard Sara’s experience and perspectives from leading trips in the country. In a destination where tourism is still in its early stages of development, we’re proud to be helping leaders forge new careers, supporting local businesses - a majority of which are women owned and run - to benefit from the growth of tourism, and offering travellers greater opportunity for connection with the community. 

The very first printed copy of the Intrepid List has just landed in our Melbourne office, and I have to say, there's nothing like that new book smell! 🔥 This book is for all our Intrepid people around the world - the game changers, the conscious explorers, and the curious travellers who are changing the way we all see the world. It’s not another travel guide; it’s 100 stories that will truly change your perspective. 👏  The Intrepid List is hitting bookshelves this November, just in time for the holidays. Plus, a portion of the sales will go direct to our not-for-profit, the Intrepid Travel Foundation, so with every purchase you’ll be making a difference. 🙌  Pre-order your copy today: https://lnkd.in/gJ4NYjEK.  

Hot off the press! Our first-ever book—The Intrepid List—is coming to a bookstore near you this November. 🔥 This isn’t a book of bucket list places; it’s 100 game-changing, life-altering stories for the conscious and curious traveller that’ll change the way we all see the world. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker, a foodie, a festival-goer, or a comfort traveller, this is your guide to the unexpected and unforgettable. The best part? We'll be donating a portion of sales directly to our not-for-profit, the Intrepid Foundation, helping make a difference with every purchase. Pre-order your copy today: https://lnkd.in/gJ4NYjEK Hardie Grant Publishing #MoreIntrepidPeople

I was really proud to represent the solo female traveller and Intrepid Travel on BBC Talking Business show last week. A few personal take-always: 🧗♀️Women are looking for adventure, meaningful experiences and seeking the edges of their comfort zone. 🎟️Solo does not mean single! It means women are putting their travel needs first …and meeting others like them ❤️ 🗺️ Travel experiences that empower not only the traveller but the women and communities in destination, are where women can connect and learn from each other. 💳 women, in particular 45 years + tend to have higher disposable income and are regular travellers. 👣Safety is a concern for women travellers, which is another reason why small group travel is so popular. As I prepare to leave my family in Johannesburg, to join agents on a trip that includes a stay with the all female anti-poachers unit The Black Mambas - I can’t help but feel the future of travel for women is going to be an inspiring one! #theworldneedsmoreintrepidpeople Lucy Siebert Madeleine Barber

Did you know that we offer 20 hours of volunteering leave to every office-based team member annually? 💛 We believe this is one small way we can support our teams to give back, while helping to create more connected, healthier communities. #BCorps

Next month, we're excited to run our second London to Marrakech 'all by rail' trip in collaboration with PURE Life Experiences. This 6-day premium, low-carbon trip covers four diverse countries entirely by train, avoiding flights.    Being able to offer flight-free options is important to us, as it is a lower carbon way to travel. We also view train travel as part of the experience, rather than just a means of transport. During this trip, our travellers will visit local communities and experience the relaxing pace rail travel brings.   This itinerary is a journey through Europe and Morocco, starting with a Eurostar trip from London to Paris, where travellers will enjoy a food tasting tour and explore the iconic landmarks. Continuing by train to Barcelona for tapas, then onto to Seville for more local flavours and a flamenco performance. Cross into Morocco to taste Tangier’s local cuisine, followed by a train trip to Fes where travellers will explore the medieval medina, enjoy a traditional Moroccan dinner and experience a henna ceremony with live music.   We're thrilled that this journey is once again fully booked for this year, but if you're keen to whet your appetite for a future train adventure, head here to learn more: https://lnkd.in/g-u4mydb