Intrepid Travel said it saw double-digit growth last year and the highest recorded revenue in company history.
The Melbourne, Australia-based company, which is aggressively focusing on growing its North America source market, ssaid it saw 17% year-over-year revenue growth of $392.6 million. In addition to finances, Intrepid’s Integrated Annual Report highlights the emerging trends the company is focused on as well as its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
The company also launched its 2030 Strategy last year, which identified a goal of reaching about $819.5 million in revenue ($1.3 billion in Australian dollars) by the start of the next decade.
James Thornton
Last year, Intrepid took 287,113 people on 1,057 trips across 118 countries. Morocco saw the company’s highest number of travelers, but China emerged as the country with the strongest customer growth, which CEO James
Thornton attributes to it being one of the last countries to emerge from pandemic-era lockdowns, leading to “a significant spike in inbound tourism growth.”
“They also made infrastructure improvements like airport upgrades, high-speed rail services expansion, pollution control and public safety measures,” he said. “Intrepid saw growth to China in 2024 primarily from its Australian and European markets.”
The company added itineraries to four new destinations last year: Greenland, Saudi Arabia, the Maldives and West Africa.
What’s trending
Heading into this year, Thornton said the company was noticing travel trends relating to environmental and social awareness, customer choice and health.
• Related: Intrepid’s plan to become a household name in America
“Customers want slower travel and itineraries that have alternatives to flights, such as rail journeys,” he said. “Customers are also seeking travel options closer to home and want to connect with nature and disconnect from the noise of their lives. Silence, freedom and fresh air are treasured.”
There has been a noticeable uptick in travel being “increasingly about personal development,” Thornton said, adding that Intrepid is seeing a strong demand for active itineraries, particularly walking and trekking. The company, which saw 60% growth in trips curated for 18- to 35-year olds, plans to launch more active itineraries this year, according to the CEO.
Standing firm on DEI
While a number of U.S. businesses are rolling back DEI
initiatives to keep in line with President Trump’s executive orders,
Intrepid said it is doubling down on its commitment, with Thornton telling Travel Weekly that the company is “a values-led
business.”
“We are opting to do what many other companies
are not, standing firm and strengthening our commitments to DEI,” he
said. “DEI matters now more than ever. Intrepid Travel is proof that
investing in DEI is better for business, and the results are real.”
Part
of that effort is its “ethical marketing guidelines,” which Intrepid
developed with external consultants to amplify inclusive marketing. For
this year, the company unveiled an updated version of its goals, which
includes an enhanced focus on Indigenous and disabled communities in its
marketing after meeting 21 of its 25 benchmarks last year.
• Related: Intrepid acquires Dutch tour operator
For example, Intrepid wanted 50% of its new content creator
hires to be Black, Indigenous or people of color; last year
it surpassed that goal with 58%. The company also met its goal of hiring
LGBTQ content creators but fell short with its plan for 10% of content
creators being Indigenous and its goal of publishing five stories on
plus-size travel. Intrepid said it is also working to have more suppliers from
diverse backgrounds, including women-owned businesses.
