Intrepid Travel
{{Short description|Travel company}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Intrepid Travel
| logo = Intrepid_travel_logo.png
| type = Tour operator
| founded = {{Start date and age|1989}}
| founders = Darrell Wade
Geoff Manchester
| hq_location = Melbourne, Australia
| num_locations = Melbourne, London, Toronto, Seattle
| key_people = James Thornton, CEO
| industry = Tourism
| products = Escorted tours
| revenue = A$397 million
| operating_income = A$15 million
| num_employees = 2,133, including contractors
| homepage = {{URL|https://www.intrepidtravel.com}}
| footnotes = {{cite news | url=https://www.travelagentcentral.com/tours/stats-revenue-up-17-at-intrepid-group | title=Revenue Up 17% At Intrepid Group | work=Travel Agent Central | date=January 16, 2019}}{{cite web | url=https://www.intrepidgroup.travel/sites/default/files/2019-04/IG_Annual_Report_2018_Web_version_1.pdf | title=Intrepid Travel 2018 Annual Report}}
}}
Intrepid Travel is a small group adventure travel company.{{cn|date=June 2022}} The company offers more than 1,100 escorted tours worldwide with an average of 10 travellers per tour. Intrepid is a B Corporation, certified to meet the standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.{{cite web |title=WTTC Case Study - Intrepid |url=https://wttc.org/Portals/0/Documents/Reports/2021/WTTC%20Case%20Study%20-%20Intrepid.pdf?ver=2021-05-05-102941-497 |website=World Travel and Tourism Council }} Intrepid Foundation has raised more than A$12 million to support communities where it travels.{{cite web |title=Intrepid Annual Report 2020 |url=https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/intrepid-annual-report-2020 |website=Intrepid Travel |access-date=21 February 2022}}
Tours are led by local tour guides, often use public transport and stay at locally-owned accommodation.{{cite news | url=https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Arthur-Frommer-s-Budget-Travel-Tour-group-has-2537927.php | title=Tour group has solo-adventurer style | last=Frommer | first=Arthur | authorlink=Arthur Frommer | work=San Francisco Chronicle | date=September 30, 2007}} The company's headquarters are in Melbourne where it was founded with more than 30 offices worldwide, including Seattle, Toronto, and London. The company is vertically-integrated as it creates and operates its own tours. It also runs tours on behalf of other companies through its destination management company, Intrepid DMC.{{cite web |title=About Us Intrepid DMC |url=https://www.intrepiddmc.com/about-us |website=www.intrepiddmc.com |language=en}}
Intrepid Travel is majority owned by its co-founders and staff, via a company share scheme.{{cite web |title=Intrepid Annual Report 2020 |url=https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/intrepid-annual-report-2020 |website=Intrepid Travel |access-date=21 February 2022}}
History
The company was founded in 1989 by two Australian university friends, Darrell Wade and Geoff "Manch" Manchester, after they quit their jobs and organized a six-month trip around Africa.{{cite news | url=https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/travel/how-two-backpackers-created-a-300-millionayear-global-travel-empire/news-story/638a30b9a7b3f063bfb9f0c1884df054 | title=How two backpackers created a $300 million-a-year global travel empire | first=Dana | last=McCauley | work=news.com.au | date=August 28, 2017}} The cofounders set out to create a new type of travel that gave back to the people and places that it visits. In its first year, Intrepid carried 46 passengers, with Geoff Manchester as its first tour leader, leading trips in Thailand.{{cite web |title=Intrepid Annual Report 2020 |url=https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/intrepid-annual-report-2020 |website=Intrepid Travel |access-date=21 February 2022}}
In 2011, TUI Group acquired 60% of the company.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2011/feb/17/tui-and-intrepid-travel-merge | title=Tui strikes deal with Intrepid Travel to form new adventure holiday firm | first=Alex | last=Hawkes | work=The Guardian | date=February 17, 2011}} However, in 2015, the founders re-acquired those shares after a disagreement in vision with TUI Group.{{cite news | url=https://www.travelpulse.com/news/tour-operators/intrepid-group-and-tui-group-end-peak-adventure-travel-group-joint-venture.html | title=Intrepid Group and TUI Group End PEAK Adventure Travel Group Joint Venture | first=David | last=Cogswell | work=TravelPulse | date=July 6, 2015}}
In February 2021, it launched online virtual experiences under the company's Urban Adventures division.{{Cite web|title=Intrepid Travel's Virtual Tours Allow You to Travel From the Comfort of Home|url=https://www.treehugger.com/intrepid-travel-virtual-tours-travel-from-home-5112466|access-date=2021-02-17|website=Treehugger|language=en}}
Corporate responsibility
The company has a focus on responsible travel and is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact.{{cite web | url=http://www.unglobalcompact.org.au/portfolio/6390 | title=Intrepid Travel | publisher=United Nations Global Compact}}
In 2010, it became a carbon neutral business {{Cite news | url=https://www.ecotourism.org.au/news/intrepid/ | title=6 Year Carbon Neutral Anniversary for Intrepid Travel! | first=Ashira | last=Crisp | work=Ecotourism Australia | date=December 14, 2016}} and in 2020 it became the first global tour operator with a verified carbon emissions target from the Science Based Targets initiative.{{cite web |title=Intrepid's science-based sustainability targets |url=https://abtamag.com/2020/10/22/intrepid-reveals-science-based-sustainability-targets/ |website=ABTA Magazine |publisher=ABTA}} At COP26, the company became a signatory and launch partner to the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism which commits to actions to support the global commitment to halve emissions by 2030 and reach Net Zero as soon as possible before 2050.{{cite web |title=At COP26 Intrepid Travel Urges Tourism Industry To Take Action Against Climate Change |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/robertreiss/2021/11/04/at-cop26-intrepid-travel-urges-tourism-industry-to-take-action-against-climate-change/?sh=6d01888a7094 |website=Forbes}}
In 2014, after funding research by World Animal Protection, it was the first tour operator to ban elephant rides on its tours, which lead to other major tour operators banning elephant rides.{{cite news | url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=12104862 | title=Shocking elephant footage: 'We didn't know' Intrepid Travel | work=The New Zealand Herald | date=August 12, 2018}}
In 2015, it donated the profits from tours in Nepal to rebuild the country after the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/jan/26/10-best-ethical-travel-companies-local-community | title=10 of the best ethical travel companies | first1=Jane | last1=Dunford | first2=Jeremy | last2=Smith | work=The Guardian | date=January 26, 2019}}
In 2017, the company set a goal to double its number of female tour leaders. In 2019, it reached its goal, working with 342 female leaders, globally.{{cite web |title=Meet the Intrepid Travel General Manager fighting for an equal workforce |url=https://www.theceomagazine.com/business/management-leadership/zina-bencheikh-morocco-intrepid-tourism-manager/ |website=The CEO Magazine}}
In June 2018, it launched vegan tours.{{cite news | url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2018/06/26/intrepid-travel-launches-vegan-tours/PBt7ZL8B5mRziG0uvENh4L/story.html | title=Intrepid Travel launches vegan tours | first=Diane | last=Daniel | work=The Boston Globe | date=June 26, 2018 | url-access=subscription}}
In August 2018, it became a certified B Corporation.{{cite news | url=https://www.travelpulse.com/news/tour-operators/intrepid-becomes-global-travel-industry-s-largest-b-corporation.html | title=Intrepid Becomes Global Travel Industry's Largest B Corporation | first=MIA | last=TAYLOR | work=TravelPulse | date=August 10, 2018}}{{cite news | url=https://www.travelpulse.com/news/tour-operators/intrepid-ceo-talks-with-travelpulse-about-achieving-b-corporation-status.html | title=Intrepid CEO Talks With TravelPulse About Achieving B Corporation Status | first=MIA | last=TAYLOR | work=TravelPulse | date=August 29, 2018}}
In 2020 and 2021, its not-for-profit arm "The Intrepid Foundation" supported vulnerable communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including delivering food packages to families in remote parts of Peru{{cite web |last1=Ltd |first1=Jacobs Media Group |title=Intrepid Foundation helps feed 350 families in Peru |url=https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/tourism/intrepid-foundation-helps-feed-350-families-in-peru |website=Travel Weekly |language=en}} and raising funds for essential medical equipment, including oxygen tanks, in India.{{cite web |title=How our travellers are helping to save lives in India |url=https://www.intrepidtravel.com/adventures/india-covid-emergency-appeal/ |website=Intrepid Travel Blog |access-date=21 February 2022 |date=8 June 2021}}
In 2021, it launched a vaccine equity advocacy and fundraising campaign to raise $150,000 in support of UNICEF Australia to help deliver vaccines to the world’s most vulnerable countries and communities.{{cite web |title=Intrepid Travel Launches Global Vaccine Equity Campaign |url=https://sustainablebrands.com/read/walking-the-talk/intrepid-travel-launches-global-vaccine-equity-campaign |website=Sustainable Brands |language=en |date=5 August 2021}}
Offices
See also
References
{{Reflist|1}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.intrepidtravel.com/}}
Category:Companies based in Melbourne
Category:Transport companies established in 1989
Category:Travel and holiday companies of Australia