Intrepid Takes It Up A Notch
Intrepid Travel is targeting socially-conscious young travellers with the launch of a new range of over 80 trips designed specifically for 18 to 29 year olds.
The initiative comes as the company continues to see a growing appetite for its style of sustainable, immersive local experiences, with global sales up 17% last year – and the 18 to 29 age group is a key demographic fueling this growth, with a 7% increase in departures last year among them.
Priced at the same level as Intrepid’s Basix range, Intrepid Group CEO James Thornton says the new 18 to 29s range provides a socially conscious generation with a stress-free alternative to backpacking and big bus tours.
Youth travel is one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism and Thornton wants to make it easier for younger travellers to do the right thing. The company will be offering $99 deposits on its 18 to 29s trips.
He points out that: “Sustainable travel doesn’t have to be expensive. This age group will increasingly influence travel trends. Their buying decisions can help to reduce demand for activities like visiting orphanages or riding elephants.”
Intrepid has partnered with Friends-International, a leading social enterprise saving lives and building futures for marginalized young people around the world. Intrepid will make a donation to Friends-International for every 18 to 29s trip booked.
The launch of a new Intrepid range means the end of an era for Geckos Adventures, which was originally a competitor to Intrepid’s Basix range but has been managed by the Intrepid Group since 2013.
As of Oct. 1, 2018 all Geckos Adventures’ tours will become Intrepid Travel’s 18 to 29s trips. Intrepid’s range will offer 20% more departures and new trips to destinations such as Iceland and Russia for 2019.
Thornton says that the decision to merge Geckos into Intrepid 18 to 29s makes sense.
“We know this is the right decision. Intrepid has four times the number of 18 to 29s travellers as Geckos. It’s a global brand, whereas Geckos is almost entirely sold in Australia,” he explained.
And he continued: “Focusing the power of our global brand on the youth market is just another way that we can invest in sustainable travel for the long-term. Intrepid has a much bigger audience and this decision means we can have better conversations with 18 to 29s about the things that matter.”
Go to www.intrepidtravel.com/ca/theme/18-to-29s-adventures for more.
