Intrepid Group Posts Gains In 2019
Intrepid has posted some big gains in 2019, reporting 21% growth in Total Transaction Value (TTV), with the B Corp certified travel company turned over AUD $488-million.
As well, the multi-brand company delivered an EBIT result of AUD $22.6-million, a 56% growth in profitability. This is the fourth consecutive year of record growth in revenue and operating profit for Intrepid Group.
Headquartered in Melbourne, Intrepid Group has more than 2,300 staff and leaders. More than AUD $4.5-million will be paid out to staff in bonuses.
Intrepid Group CEO James Thornton says the company’s growth is driven by the increasing global demand for sustainable and locally immersive travel experiences.
Said Thornton: “It’s fantastic to achieve strong double-digit growth again in 2019. But this year’s results are also hugely significant to our team, because just four years ago this kind of growth seemed like an impossible dream.”
The 2019 results mark the successful completion of a four-year strategy that was developed by Intrepid after the company split from TUI Plc to become an independently owned business with a ‘purpose beyond profit.’
Now the world’s largest provider of adventure travel experiences, Intrepid Group offers more than 2,700 trips in 120 countries through its three tour operator brands: Intrepid Travel, Peregrine Adventures and Urban Adventures.
Having celebrated its 30-year anniversary in 2019, Australian-owned Intrepid Group has continued to see growth from its most established market, with APAC bookings up 13%. Known as a global leader in small group travel, Intrepid also saw a 23% increase in customized trip sales from independent travelers drawn to the brand’s sustainability credentials and local expertise.
But it was Intrepid’s global destination management company, PEAK DMC, that saw the biggest year-on-year growth with sales from DMC partners up by 67% in 2019.
Thornton says PEAK DMC sales are an emerging area of the business for Intrepid Group that will help to grow the overall market for sustainable and experience-rich travel.
“Each year brings new challenges and opportunities for the global travel industry. We’ve learned that to balance our Growth and Purpose, that we must continue to innovate and to diversify our business,” says Thornton.
And he added: “Responsible travel has been a driving force for Intrepid since our beginnings and the more we grow, the more we can do.”
The Intrepid Foundation, the company’s not-for-profit, also marked a record year in 2019, raising AUD $1.5-million for local and international charities.
Go to www.intrepidgroup.travel for more.
