Intrepid's leadership team sets goal to host 600,000 clients a year by 2030
IAN STALKER
Intrepid Travel plans to double the number of clients it sends to far-flung parts of the world in the coming years, a goal that the company confidently states is doable, given its track record.
The Melbourne-based adventure travel company’s 2030 Strategy calls for it to host 600,000 clients a year by 2030, up from around 300,000 now.
The company also wants to see its annual revenues reach AUS$1.3 billion by the change of the decade as well.
“We’re going to do a lot of what we already do,” Intrepid CEO and cofounder Darrell Wade told a recent Toronto gathering.
The company says the goal of hosting 600,000 annual clients by 2030 is attainable, with Intrepid bookings tending to double every five years.
Matt Berna – Intrepid’s North American managing director – says Intrepid is now the world’s largest adventure tour operator when factors such as bookings, departures and the number of itineraries are considered.
Intrepid started some 35 years ago, offering trips that Wade said enable clients to “really experience the country” they’re visiting and develop an appreciation of it.
Intrepid is committed to “community development and responsible tourism,” Wade said, adding the company has embraced the likes of gender equality, human rights and tackling climate change. Intrepid has set a goal of reducing per passenger emissions by 55% by the year 2035, with Wade stating that many other firms in the travel industry’s “meaningful commitment to climate change hasn’t been zero but close (to it).”
Among other things, Intrepid decided to launch a series of train-based journeys, with rail travel widely seen as more environmentally friendly than air travel.
The tour operator has replaced air travel with rail travel on some other tours.
Among regions where Intrepid wants to boost its presence are Central America and Europe.
The vast majority of Intrepid itineraries use locals that are actually Intrepid employees, rather than companies that are contracted.
Wade noted that the Intrepid Foundation is now working with NGOs and charities that tackle issues like water quality. The foundation distributed AUS$2.7 million last year
Among newish itinerary options from Intrepid is a women’s-only Saudi Arabia journey that Berna reports is selling well, with Saudi Arabia – once largely off-limits for most of the world’s travellers – is now actively courting tourists and has relaxed many of its societal mores that may have made some leery about visiting the country.
Wade said Intrepid reaches out to those wanting non-mainstream vacations.
“More and more people want to travel in an interesting way,” he stated.
